From: Councillor Sue Saddington
Sent: 23 September 2019 13:09
Subject: RE: Planning Appeal Hearing 19/00015/DEC Dated 17th September 2019
Good morning all,
Today I have been contacted by the Clerk of Bathley Council, as have you, the email below encompasses what appears to have been a disgraceful appeal last Monday at Castle House.
I, as their District Councillor was unable to attend the appeal , but Cllr Bruce Laughton attended and was able to speak and indeed did so, to explain the situation as it is, the concern the residents of Bathley have and to correct the Officers who repeatedly gave incorrect information.
Bathley does not have a Church , a school and North Muskham does not have a shop.
The bus service is extremely limited, the roads are narrow and to pass large vehicles within the village can be difficult, hence one reason why there is an HGV weight limit. Had a correct transport survey been undertaken this fact would have been realised.
How can it be that when an Officer is asked for the figures and details of current gypsy sites the Officers were unable to comment ?
There was no Council representative present when Bathley PC had been informed there would be, there wasn’t even seating given to a representative from the Bathley Parish Council, the speaker didn’t work and they were given incorrect information regarding an informal meeting , rather than a formal appeal.
Not having been present at the appeal, but reading the email below and receiving a report from Cllr Bruce Laughton, I think the Planning department were ill informed , ill prepared and should be ashamed.
The whole appeal resembles a farce rather than a serious meeting to decide the fate of the residents of Bathley.
The Parish Council are clearly very unhappy and rightly so.
As their representative , I request this appeal is stopped with immediate effect.
There should without doubt be another hearing with a representative from the Council present .
The Planning Inspector requires the correct information, the speaker system must work, the Officers require the correct information.
Clearly more preparation must take place beforehand , correct information must be given to the Inspector and the appeal should take place with fairness and competence.
I am sure Cllr Bruce laughton will answer this email, but he had to correct the Officers many times.
I hope you will treat this complaint with the urgency it deserves, but above all, stop any further progress on this appeal.
Kind regards,
Sue
Councillor Sue Saddington