Labour Silences Local Residents Over Major Planning Decisions
The Liberal Democrats have accused Nottingham City Council's Labour administration of denying residents the right to speak at planning meetings, despite the council's own rules permitting public participation if the chair allows it.
The controversy has intensified following the recent approval of the controversial Dominion House development in Castle Ward, with residents frustrated at being unable to voice their concerns about the 137 bed student accommodation block's impact on their community and the conservation area.
Lloydie James Lloyd, Campaign Co-ordinator for the Nottingham Liberal Democrats, challenged the Planning Committee Chair, Cllr Leslie Ayoola, following both the September and November meetings, questioning why residents were being prevented from speaking.
"The chair's explanations were completely unconvincing," said Mr Lloyd. "He talked vaguely about needing to go through a process, but Nottingham is one of the only councils in the country that doesn't allow public speaking rights at planning meetings. If Labour wanted to change this, they could adopt any number of other councils' procedures as a template tomorrow. The truth is, they'd rather people didn't have their concerns heard."
The council's own standing orders give the chair discretionary powers to call members of the public to speak, yet this provision appears to be routinely ignored by the Labour-controlled committee.
"Residents of The Park want to have their voice heard," Mr Lloyd continued. "The impact of the Dominion House development on residents and on a conservation area is going to be significant. There are aspects of this development that appear contrary to the council's own Local Plan, which is supposed to guide exactly these types of decisions. It's an absolute joke."
The Liberal Democrats are calling on the council to implement transparent public speaking rights at planning meetings immediately, in line with democratic practices followed by councils across the country.