LETTER: Chance to call for openness

This is a document required in law as laid down by Parliament. Cllr Vickers is quoted saying that she is ‘committed to involving our local communities in shaping the future of our district’ (8.9.16, p8).

Well those fine words are easily said, but what of her past actions in this regard? For this can be a guide to the future.

The law requires that a local plan is adopted in accordance with a council’s SCI as well as requiring consultation on issues and options of alternative sites.

In 2012 Mr Justice Lindblom quashed a decision of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council to rule out using land in Manydown village for the allocation of housing in its Core Strategy because of political interference in ruling that strategic site out where previously it had been chosen for housing.

So the SCI is a very important policy document indeed.

Your readers may well remember that one of the many facets of the sorry North Horsham saga was when Cllr Vickers immediately upon her appointment to cabinet, by Leader Cllr Dawe, moved her Planning Advisory Group from public session into private session thus tearing up the SCI policy which was already in place and had been previously voted upon by all councillors.

Cllr Vickers told this newspaper at the time: ‘Since becoming the cabinet member for living and working communities, I have realised that we need to be able to have a more open and frank debate at our Strategic Planning Advisory Group meetings. I have therefore decided that we will no longer be holding SPAG meetings in public’ (30 June 2013).

Cllr Vickers also changed the name of her Advisory Group from SPAG to PPAG. This was all done ignoring the SCI policy agreed by full council in September 2011.

I obtained through an FoI a number of emails about this matter. One email from a strategic planning officer dated 24 May 2013 entitled ‘SPAG not in public’.

This email to his senior officers pointed out the conflict between the Council’s current SCI and Cllr Vickers’ proposed course of action of moving the Advisory Group’s meetings into secret sessions. The officer reminded and warned his colleagues: “Following the email below about SPAG, please be aware that the published SCI states: [relevant paragraphs quoted]”.

This officer’s email followed on from another senior officer Ms Barbra Childs writing (23 May 2013) to Cllr Vickers and the Council’s Chief Executive “I have made both Tom [Crowley, Chief Executive] and Claire [Vickers] aware of your concerns re a potential increase in FOI requests and have explained how time consuming they are and the volume we get already. They are very sympathetic about this situation. There is no intention to increase anyone’s workload in this respect but Claire firmly believes that Members can have much more productive discussions if they can be frank and open, which is not possible when the press and public are present at SPAG.”