Dr Sahota planning application and Cllr Bell intervention
I sent this email yesterday having found out information that concerns me. Why did Cllr Bell organise a meeting prior to application being heard with Dr Sahota, planners and his architects on site? This is not usual practice for the Leader!I believe Cllr Bell has behaved with poor judgment at best and something far more serious at worst. I ask you to write to Cllr Bell seeking clarification. He refuses t answer me.Dear Dr Sahota,I made a FOI request regarding a meeting you had with the Leader of the Council and planners prior to your planning application being heard. I understand you made a request for this meeting through Cllr Bell's office and that he acted as an introducer.The FOI answer said:"Cllr Bell was also present to facilitate introductions as the request for advice had come from Dr Sahota through Cllr Bell’s office."May I ask why you did this? Cllr Bell does not represent the ward of the development. Why did you not make this request through your local councillors or the normal planning channels that other applicants do?What were you hoping to achieve by invoking the Leader's office?Do you think it fair that you get an audience and are introduced to planners by the Leader yet other planning applicants are rarely, if ever, afforded such treatment with the Council Leader?Do you think it looks appropriate for a London GLA member to have requested this meeting? In the interest of transparency were minutes of the meeting taken and if not, why not?My residents are rightly interested to know why a wealthy and powerful Labour politician used the Leaders office to get a meeting with planners to discuss his application that was subsequently supported by officers against an outcry from residents.Cllr Bell has refused to respond to my correspondence asking him about this meeting.I am making no inferences. I have no idea what was said at that meeting. I am just interested to know your thoughts on the matter, as are my residents. After all we have an open democracy and this is now a matter of pubic record.You do not have to respond but I feel it would be appropriate to do so as inferences, rightly or wrongly, could be drawn. Your explanation would be most welcome.Kind regards,Benjamin
Benjamin Dennehy ● 4646d0 Comments