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10:50am Tuesday 15th December 2009 in Local News
A VOTE on the airport expansion will be taken by the 17 members of the borough council’s planning committee, not the full council.
Lib Dem and Labour councillors had pushed for all 51 councillors to be given a vote on the plans.
A full council meeting on Thursday, voted down the opposition proposals to widen the vote.
Lib Dem leader Graham Longley (Blenheim Park) had argued the issue was of such significance for the town, the normal procedure should be changed so all councillors could decide.
He argued: “It would restore democracy to the town, by giving council the right to make the final decision.
“Southend members can represent residents and express their views. It’s about involving people and not leaving such a major decision to as few as nine members, which would represent a majority on the development control committee.”
However, Tory council leader, Nigel Holdcroft (West Leigh) branded the opposition move as “a cheap political stunt, simply designed to play on residents’ concerns”.
Mr Holdcroft pointed out members of the development control committee had special training to allow them to make informed decisions on planning issues.
Comments(11)
kittylitter
says...
5:10pm Tue 15 Dec 09
'V'
says...
6:26pm Tue 15 Dec 09
larrycooper
says...
6:43pm Tue 15 Dec 09
southendreb
says...
7:31pm Tue 15 Dec 09
larrycooper wrote:Anna Waite says thank you very much Larry. You must be the only person in the townwho thinks she and her mates know what they are doing
Sorry V - but if your cat was sick you would take him to a vet and not a chef to make a decision on his future, wouldn't you? If your car broke down - would you call a mechanic or an estate agent? Members of the development control committee have special training to allow them to make informed decisions on planning issues - the rest of the council do not have this training... This issue has been rightly left to the people who know what they are doing.
evilc
says...
8:23pm Tue 15 Dec 09
Max Impact
says...
11:00pm Tue 15 Dec 09
southendreb
says...
11:05pm Tue 15 Dec 09
Georgeatlondon
says...
2:49pm Wed 16 Dec 09
Max Impact
says...
6:24pm Wed 16 Dec 09
Georgeatlondon wrote:Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
I love the idea that some people believe that the Olympics will bring in business for years after? Why would anyone think you need to expand another airport or miss out. Totally blows my mind that you think Aviation is going to bring prosperity to Southend. "Wake up and smell reality"
vanilla ice
says...
10:29am Thu 17 Dec 09
Max Impact wrote:Yes it does make sense when we look at the person, lost your job weeks ago then go on a pub crawl around the **** sites of Soho midweek, no wonder your head hurts it’s a shame will have to stay on the dole, as there might not be any jobs in staggering distance from your home, you could hang around until the Stobart Group is up and running, you are without doubt the right calibre of employee that stobart would be looking for, if you turn the broom upside down it makes a excellent prop.
Did the Lib Dems say thay were against all airport expabsion nation wide if so then are the local lot backing national policy or not.
also they will not be permited to vote if they have already expressed thier view as to say yes or no so the Lib Bums are just trying a cheap political trick.
Dispite loosing my job a few weeks back I'm still on the works (ex-works) Xmas pub crawl through Soho so if none of that makes sence you know why...
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emcee says...
12:56pm Tue 15 Dec 09
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