The Leader of Castle Point Borough Council, Cllr Andrew Sheldon wants to update residents on the local plan after the Conservatives voted AGAINST adopting the plan on Wednesday evening. The big question is What Next? There are 3 things that could now happen:
(a) The Minister intervenes and instructs us to agree the plan.
(b) We work on a new plan and get it in before the Gov deadline of 2023.
(c) Nothing and the clock ticks down until the Gov deadline and the only thing we have is the same plan on the table.
‘Intervention’ by the Government is a possible outcome, why is that the case when the administration have promised to Stop, Look & Listen?
"The Government is unlikely to give a view until after the local election because of ‘purdah’ before the election during which no big decisions can be made.
The fact that the PIPs and CIIPs used their majority on plan matters to vote AGAINST a deferment (the one I raised on legitimate flooding grounds) means it has landed on the Minister’s desk and it is up to him now if we have the opportunity to make another plan or not.
I am pleased the PIP motion earlier on in the night was defeated as it was holding up work I was pushing through cabinet to try and remove the transport access barriers to realising North West Thundersley as an alternative.”
Politicians from the Independent Party are suggesting that voting again to adopt the plan will happen straight after the May local elections. Is that the case we asked Andrew.
“The independent coalition are saying the Conservatives can’t wait to bring it forward again if we win a majority in the elections and this is wrong. Firstly, we have made it clear we wouldn’t bring it to a vote again unless it has public backing before the end of 2023 and we meant it.
We haven’t. It was the independents who forced a vote on adoption of the plan on Wednesday by voting against a deferment. Also, it is in the Council’s constitution that you can’t take another vote on the same proposal within six months. All the PIP and CIIP councillors know this, but still insist we are planning to bring it back straight after the election.”