Back in 2010 Rayleigh Boys Youth Football Club got planning permission for 8 sports pitches in Old London Road Rawreth. When they got permission , there was a condition that the pitches could only be used on Sundays, and on 8 Saturdays per year. The club are now applying to change that to all day Saturdays and Sundays and 17:00 to 20:00 Mondays to Fridays.
The application number is 14/00900/FUL and you can find it here.
When they got permission last time, there were strong local objections on the grounds of noise and nuisance (plus some other issues), and there could well be local objections to this great increase in hours proposed. As always District Councillors are not allowed to make their minds up in advance of a planning meeting.
It’s worth mentioning that the club wrote a lengthy letter to Rawreth Parish Council before they submitted their application, explaining what they were going to do. That courtesy was much appreciated, and will certainly help maintain good communications between the club and the parish council (whatever view the parish council take towards the application).
Just a thought, how would anybody know if a councillor HAD made up their mind before a meeting ???
Well, if that councillor tells people in advance – or even one other person – how they will vote, that’s obviously the case.
In Ye Olde Days, when I was a 20-something councillor, it was allowed then.
But things are different nowadays. So if someone standing for council this year says “If elected I pledge to vote against planning application XXX” then they are muppets, because that’s making your mind up in advance (even if you aren’t a Councillor when you say it).
In a less obvious way, if a councillor turns up at the meeting with a fully typed-out speech (rather than a set of notes and questions) then that indicates they have made up their minds. Unless the speech ends with something like “And so , because this is such a finely balanced decision, I still haven’t made up my mind”
Just like the 9 man cabinet system this restraint is designed to limit Local Ward Councillors representing those who voted them in – they should actually be attending to reflect what their residents are telling them. The Localism Act is a complete mirage,
Developers have more say than residents – FACT.
Thanks Chris
And let us not forget that Councillors Cutmore & Hudson made a pledge ( in writing )
that RTSSC would be rewarded for 40 years of service to Raleigh with “new and enhanced facilities ” – in order to make room for the Developer’s on North of the London Rd. Shortly after the Planning Inspector approved their housing scheme they
renaged on that promise to RTSSC , which is why this ‘expansion of use’ becomes an
issue – watch this space the existing RTSSC site will be swallowed up by a Developer.
Which is why this should be refused.