Sponsored by
Tories accept second donation from homes firm
BLACKPOOL Tories have accepted a second donation from a housing developer hoping to build almost 600 homes on the Fylde coast.
The news created furore among campaigners against the proposed development – and Coun Peter Callow, Conservative leader of Blackpool Council, has now demanded all the cash be repaid within 24 hours.
Kensington has submitted two planning applications to Conservative-controlled Blackpool Council to build 570 homes on land off Moss House Road.
The revelation about the second 5,000 gift comes just days after The Gazette revealed the Blackpool South Conservative Association had accepted the first payout from Kensington Developments in July last year.
The total now stands at 10,000.
But The Gazette can reveal the second donation was paid to the Association in May this year and has not yet appeared on the Electoral Commission's website because it was made so recently.
The Electoral Commission is an independent body, set up by the UK Parliament, to look at political processes. The first payment has been declared on the commission's website.
Coun Callow said: "I find it incredible that yet another payment was made to the Conservative Association without my knowledge, and that this was not brought to light when the company and association were questioned about the first amount, paid last July.
"Whether or not the amount was recorded and done within the rules, this has put the Conservative Party in an invidious position.
"After this most recent revelation, I demand the Blackpool South Conservative Association, of which I am not a member, repays the full 10,000 within the next 24 hours.
"This needs to be done within this time to demonstrate to the people of Blackpool that we are a clean and honest council.
"To accept the payments was completely out of touch with reality.
"This is why I have called upon an independent adjudicator, from the North West region of Conservatives."
John Walsh, chairman of the North West region of Conservatives, has launched an investigation and will be travelling to Blackpool to scour the association's books at a meeting today.
He said: "I am investigating the principle of the donation, not the amount. To accept the payment was perhaps ill-advised at this time, but as far as I am aware, it was all done within the regulations, and recorded on the Electoral Commissions website.
"What was done with the money bears no relation to the outcome of the investigation. Plenty of businesses want to support the Conservatives and their policies, and it is common for donations to be made.
"I will scour the association's books to make sure it was all done properly."
Kensington submitted its original planning application in July 2008 for 640 homes on the land off Moss House Road following a public exhibition in March at Marton Methodist Church.
Blackpool Council indicated it would have turned down the application in June this year after running out of time to vote on the proposals.
This delay lead to Kensington lodging an appeal to have the plans passed but that has now been dropped by the developers, although the planning application is still lodged with Blackpool Council.
Also in June a second application for 570 homes was submitted, which has yet to be decided.
Kensington has confirmed the second donation was made and said it makes a number of donations every year to various council and community projects.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Blackpool
Wednesday 30 May 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 12 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 12 C to 16 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: West
