Author: Keith Kondakor

Time for a fresh start on our Borough Plan Working party

Nuneaton’s first green councillor is calling for a fresh start on the Borough plan working party. The existing working party did not have the public’s confidence as it excluded the one councillor who was most interested to take part. A fresh start must begin with an open invitation to all councillors to take part. The public and other members should have access to the agenda and minutes of each meeting. As much as possible should be made public.

I hope the working party can come up with a representative range of options for the public to discuss at a consultation. If that is not possible I will work with all interested groups to come up with an alternative option or options to put forward at the same time as any single option consultation from the Labour Group.

I have formally requested a place on the working party should a place become available. I know this whole mess has been due to Labour not wanting me to attend the meetings.

What ever happens I am going to make sure the public gets a proper consultation with proper options.  If necessary, I will even run an independent consultation to present to the planning inspector.

Tories pull out of secret meetings

This weekend the Coventry Telegraph report that the Tories are pulling out of the secret Borough plan working group meetings.

Nuneaton/Coventry Telegraph story

TORY councillors in Nuneaton have resigned “under protest” from a working party set up to formulate the new Local Plan.
The three opposition members are annoyed over the way discussions to shape the future of the borough for the next 17 years are being held behind closed doors. ….
“In response to concerns from residents, we called for the working party to lift its veil of secrecy and to let the public consult on a number of options for the plan, which will decide where approximately 8,000 new homes will be built in the coming years.” …
Keith Kondakor, the only Green Party representative on the council, has been leading a campaign to open up working party meetings. He said: “Why should talks about such a vitally important document be such a secret?” …

When we had the Weddington public inquiry the Tories taking part in the Working Party made the inspector give lots of “Weight” to the housing target. Then the working party was 4 Labour and two Tories. Quite often only one Tory turned up to working party. The current working party is 6 Labour and 2 Tories. While they are inside the secret meetings the Tories are going to possibly stitch us up and blame it on being out numbered afterwards.

Things had to get worse before they could get better. We need to get the targets revised, this was not going to happen under the existing arrangement. It is possible that a deal will be done to restart the working party in a more open way. If not the opposition parties could bring forward an alternative options for the borough plan to go to the same consultation. The Tories need to be asked to work with others on an alternative option for Borough plan to put out for the consultation if Labour refuse to open up the borough plan working group meetings.

update now also in Nuneaton News

nuneaton-news.co.uk/News/Tories-quit-sensation-23102012.htm

Labour will not allow an open working party

Welcome to this “open plan” website where I hope to encourage an alternative “everyone can contribute – no secrets” public borough plan.

Yesterday we had an extraordinary council meeting with a motion to:-

  • ensure our secretive borough plan working group does not rule out alternative options for our borough’s development,
  • provide minutes of their meeting to other councillors
  • allow any councillor to attend the private meetings as observers.

The Nuneaton & Bedworth Labour parties voted down this reasonable motion.

As it stands, a single “preferred” option will be recommended by the working party that will operate in its secret bunker.

I want an open, transparent democratic process that provides the public with a meaningful consultation.

see nuneaton news