I saw DianeΓ’ΒΒs first reply before I went away for the weekend. On reflection,
IΓ’ΒΒm glad to be able to respond now, as I think a response on Friday evening
would have been rather less temperate. Apologies for the long post, but I do
feel that people have made some rather serious and unfounded allegations, and
IΓ’ΒΒd like to respond to them all if I can. IΓ’ΒΒm also, incidentally, very
happy to discuss this further with anyone who wants to.
First, on the football club. IΓ’ΒΒm a season ticket holder at Bristol City.
There has certainly been some confusion about what difference this makes either
to what I can and canΓ’ΒΒt say or do with regards to the application for the new
stadium, and any potential redevelopment of Ashton Gate. IΓ’ΒΒm Chair of the
CouncilΓ’ΒΒs South & East planning committee. Given the controversy surrounding
both applications, I sought legal advice last year about whether or not I would
be able to vote in any matter regarding the football club. I was told that I
could not.
The basis for this is that a season ticket holder at Liverpool voted on changes
to Anfield. The City Council was taken to the Local Government Ombudsman, who
decided that the councillor on that committee had a prejudicial interest in the
case. That means that a reasonable person may have thought that their interest
in Liverpool FC may have led them to be more likely to vote in favour of the
club. Can I just clarify that, had I been involved in the decision making
process, I would have voted for whatever I thought right, based on planning
law. However, for the avoidance of any potential misunderstandings, I took the
decision, early, to establish whether or not I could be involved. At the
Planning Committee or Committees that decide these applications, both myself
and Colin will be substituted for two other councillors. Diane suggests that I
give up my season ticket. With respect, as long as itΓ’ΒΒs legal, what I do in
my spare time is none of DianeΓ’ΒΒs concern, and I have no intention of giving
up my season ticket.
So, just to underline the fact, DianeΓ’ΒΒs suggestion that, Γ’ΒΒTwo of them
(councillors) consider themselves unable to act objectively in their
constituents' interests because of prejudicial interest in favour of BCFCΓ’ΒΒ is
absolutely untrue. I am free to do, or say, whatever I like about the planning
application. I am not allowed to vote. The fact that I go to Ashton Gate
every couple of weeks for a couple of hours does not, believe it or not,
dominate my life and decision making.
So, what have I done? Several posters suggest that we should be talking to
people about the proposals, such as they are at this stage. I absolutely
agree. ThatΓ’ΒΒs why Γ’ΒΒ several weeks ago - Colin, Mark and I sent out a
leaflet to all the traders on North Street asking for their comments. ThatΓ’ΒΒs
why I met with Chris Uttley, who has helped set up BERATE, last week. ThatΓ’ΒΒs
why IΓ’ΒΒve delivered a survey to the houses surrounding Ashton Gate asking for
their opinion on the future of the site. In addition, thatΓ’ΒΒs why weΓ’ΒΒve
covered the issue extensively in The Pigeon, asking for residents to contact
us. The responses received from all of these forms of consultation (which
IΓ’ΒΒm not pretending are perfect, but theyΓ’ΒΒre done in our time, paid for by
our money) in addition to my own concerns about the scale of what is proposed,
have led myself, Mark and Colin to the conclusion that the current proposal is
not acceptable.
Incidentally, Alice asks about responses that we have received. Both from
traders and residents, the response absolutely has been mixed. Some seem to
take an ideological position against supermarkets generally, or TescoΓ’ΒΒs
specifically. Fair enough, not something that I, or the overwhelming majority
of Southville residents would necessarily subscribe to, but an important view
nonetheless. Some, as Alice quite rightly suggests, do not want a supermarket
at all on the site. Some want a mixed use development. Some just want
housing, and some want community facilities. Others are enthusiastically
supportive of TescoΓ’ΒΒs proposals Γ’ΒΒ people might not like that, but itΓ’ΒΒs
the truth.
So, having gathered some of these views (and theyΓ’ΒΒre still coming in, and
IΓ’ΒΒll continue to pass them on), Mark, Colin and I thought about the best way
to take the issue forward. DianeΓ’ΒΒs suggestion that we should be reflecting
our views to councillors on the Planning committee is one which would leave us
in a lot of hot water. Planning is a quasi judicial matter, and councillors on
the committee are expected to keep an open mind about the application until it
is discussed by committee. For any of us, and particularly myself as Chair of
that committee, to be lobbying councillors in advance of a meeting would not be
a sensible or ethical course of action.
Passing views on to Tesco, therefore, seemed like the best solution. As Mark
points out, they are perfectly entitled to put in an application Γ’ΒΒ for
whatever they want Γ’ΒΒ on the site. I would rather that the application was as
Γ’ΒΒgoodΓ’ΒΒ for the community as possible. That absolutely does not indicate
that I would necessarily support a different application to this, but it is
right that, as local councillors, we went to Tesco to express the concerns we
had, and that local residents had raised with us. Presumably, expressing
concerns (or, potentially, support) is exactly what residents who went to the
exhibitions did.
ThereΓ’ΒΒs a few other comments that IΓ’ΒΒd like to respond to quickly.
I have to say I disagree with this implied suggestion that North Street was
some sort of lawless hell-hole five or ten years ago. As someone who has lived
in the area virtually my whole life, North Street has always had an excellent
range of shops. Some of the most popular shops have been there for decades.
Paul talks about a supermarket on North StreetΓ’ΒΒs door-step, which is rather
strange, given that there is an actual supermarket (and a couple of large
convenience stores) on North Street already.
CarolineΓ’ΒΒs suggestion that we are guilty of Γ’ΒΒcorporate toadyingΓ’ΒΒ
genuinely made me laugh out loud. It is, with respect, utterly ridiculous.
What do you think IΓ’ΒΒm after from Tesco Γ’ΒΒ a tenner off my shopping next
week?