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'No whip' in Moss vote
TORY councillors today rejected accusations they were ordered to support a housing development on Marton Moss.
Campaigners against Kensington Developments' proposal to build 564 homes off Moss House Road said they believed Conservative councillors on Blackpool's development control committee had followed the party whip in supporting the scheme.
There were angry scenes in the council chamber with cries of "shame on you" and "you were whipped" as they made their decision.
John Jones, Labour's prospective councillor for Stanley Ward, where the plans are sited, added: "The decision, it seemed, was made before we got here."
But Tories, who voted in support of the controversial proposal today denied they were under orders.
"It's nonsense," Bispham councillor Henry Mitchell said.
"There was no party whip and there is not allowed to be a whip on planning decisions.
"We made the decision to follow our officers advice having visited the site ourselves."
Coun Mitchell added a motion, submitted by Conservative councillor Tim Cox to alter the officers' recommendations, showed there was no block vote.
"Coun Cox proposed an amendment," he said.
"All right, it was not accepted, but he's Conservative and it shows we were not just sitting there waiting to vote 'Yes'."
Coun Mitchell said he sympathised with residents' concerns but said: "Sometimes, tough decisions have to be made."
Despite Blackpool Council supporting the scheme it will now go to Government Office North West who will make a final ruling.
And because the plan is only for outline planning permission – establishing the principle of building the homes on the site – Kensington Developments would need to apply for full planning permission.
Council leader, Coun Peter Callow, also slammed the "whip" claim.
"It's nonsense," he said.
The Moss homes plan has been shrouded in controversy since Blackpool South Conservative Association accepted two donations from Kensington for his election campaign.
The money was returned after a public outcry and Coun Bell was found to have contravened the councillors code of conduct.
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Saturday 04 February 2012
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