Jeremy Quin refuses to discuss Local Plan with new Lib Dem leadership in HDC
Explaining his refusal, Jeremy suggested HDC should take note of the ’specialist environmental and legal advice’ which was commissioned by the previous Conservative administration, and who reveled what this advice said in December last year. But this advice in fact directed HDC not to delay, which is the exact opposite of his own public statements.
The previous Conservative administration controversially decided to delay the Plan till after the local elections, in the hope of obtaining a lower housing target. Previous Leader Cllr Claire Vickers stated that:
“The decision to pause the plan was in light of Michael Gove’s decision to consult on amendments to the National Planning Policy Framework and we await clarification on the changes that he intends to make.”
However, in the 6 months since then there’s no evidence that the decision to delay has brought any benefit to HDC. In particular, there has been no change in the method for calculating targets.
Despite this some Conservative MPs and councillors continue to argue that Gove’s reforms mean that housing targets are no longer mandatory and we can effectively decide how much to build ourselves.
In his regular column in the County Times Jeremy Quin promised to work cooperatively with the new Lib Dem administration. However, he now says that the Local Plan is not something for him to get involved with.
In an update on the Local Plan Cllr John Milne stated:
“Planning Inspectors must apply the law as it currently exists. So unless we receive clear, unequivocal advice to the contrary, we have to assume our task is to operate within the same dysfunctional, top-down planning system as before, but simply to make a better job of it. I welcome that challenge and I will of course continue to update Council on our progress over the coming months.” (HDC Full Council, June 21st).