WARRICK SAYS COUNCILLORS DON"T MAKE POLICY! SO WHO DOES THEN?

MAN OF COURAGE

 When residents come to vote in Stanley Ward they should bear in mind the views of the chairman expressed here in red. Reading Cllr Warricks' views on planning it comes as no surprise residents feel downtrodden. 
It took courageous young Cllr Mosley to break ranks and side with residents.

Cllr Warrick, has form for lack of interest in those he represents: it's pompously articulated in his response to this resident.

GUTLESS WARRICK

Worse still, is the fact that Conservative members of the Committee are told, pre the meeting, how they should vote!
Cllr Warrick is telling us that the Planning Committee jumps when told to by officers! 



Or, as one friend of the Dame commented....

...so, 1, we are told to obey officers ADVICE (nb, advice is not the same as instruction).

2, I find it quite extraordinary that Warrick believes we don't make Council policy. Who does then?

'Members are expected to take advice from officers and to follow the law.

 We take account of Council policy, but we do not make that policy.'

Dear Mr xxxxx,  

Thank you for your email addressed to members of the RBKC planning committees which I chair.
It is worth pointing out that the job of these committees is to
consider applications which come before them.

Members are expected to take advice from officers and to follow the law.
We take account of Council policy, but we do not make that policy.

When councillors sit on either committee they act in
that special context which used to be described as
quasi-judicial.   It will often be the case that
members agree with some of the points you make. They may
regret the effects of Planning Law, and they may hope that the Council’s submission to the Inspectorate will succeed,
but if they believe that a basement application is compliant
with law and policy it will be granted. You write that
members and officers are frightened of applying Council
policies in case applicants appeal and the Council is
ordered to pay costs. Perhaps you meant to write
“frightened of not applying”, because we do apply our
policies.  You exhort us to be brave and
refuse applications whether or not they are compliant. None
of us would do that; it would lead to uncertainty, loss of
reputation and influence in the planning world, and would as
well be pointless. These wealthy buyers you refer to would
appeal or judicially review us and they would
succeed.  By all means draw attention to the
consequences of existing law and policy, and to weaknesses
and improvements as you see them. But you may also consider
supporting this Council when it seeks change in law and
policy to improve the local planning regime – and, as in
recent months, to resist Central Government proposals to
change the planning regime in ways which would weaken powers of this authority.   
I have added Mr Bore and Mr Stallwood to the cc. list and they will ensure your comments in this letter are included as objections to the two applications at its head. I also copy to Cllr Coleridge the relevant Cabinet member.  
Yours sincerely,      
Cllr Paul Warrick