EDITOR'S CHOICE MUST-HAVES What's essential for YOUR life? BECK LIVE REVIEW Beck's back... but is this tour already dead? FABULOUS CARNIVAL Doom, gloom and marching bands GET OUR NEWS BY E-MAIL Just register

Most read Comments 1 I'LL DELIVER VOWS MOSTYN 2 HOMES PLEDGE 3 Sunseeker site plan set to be unveiled 4 Travellers put paid to transport rally 5 Bond's boys back on fitness trail 6 Hunt on for hoaxer who shut town 7 Landlord set for plans showdown over homes 8 Antisocial car drivers target of clampdown 9 Wood departure sparks Poppies exodus 10 Bark's worse than his bike Today | 7 Days 1 RIVAL BIDDER SPEAKS OUT 2 HOMES PLEDGE 3 KRASNER REVEALS NEW BID 4 DANNY: WE CAN CLIMB BACK 5 Barrier heads off boy racers 6 Mostyn can see conclusion to bid 7 A month to save Dorset! 8 Landlord set for plans showdown over homes 9 Bond looking for Pitman to shine 10 Parties unite to fight plans for new homes

MISUNDERSTANDING: Cllr Ann Stribley, Poole Council committee chairman

POOLE councillors granted planning permission for a pair of semi-detached houses due to a misunderstanding.

That was the finding of an investigation by the Local Government Ombudsman who has found the council guilty of maladministration causing injustice to a resident.

Ombudsman Jerry White has recommended the Borough of Poole pay Ian Walker £750 "for his justified uncertainty and outrage and for his time and trouble pursuing the matter".

Mr Walker objected to an application for two semi-detached houses replacing a bungalow next to his home in Excelsior Road, which is built on a steep slope.

His property in the cul-de-sac appears to be single-storey when viewed from the road but from the rear is two storeys, because of the slope of the land.

Replacing a single-storey bungalow, the proposed new houses had two storeys at the front but three at the rear. No other homes in the street were three-storey and such a development would represent over-development, argued Mr Walker.

Both planning committee chairman Cllr Ann Stribley and vice-chairman Cllr Carole Deas visited the road but only saw it from the front.

At the meeting, Cllr Stribley is said to have claimed that all the houses on the relevant side of the road were three-storey and at this Cllr Deas, who had been thinking of voting against the application, changed her mind, according to the report.

Cllr Stribley denies this but maintains she said because of the slope, houses could have an additional storey compared to that visible from the street.

Mr White said he could not establish what was said at the meeting. But the council would probably have refused the application, which was approved by a single vote, had it not been for the misapprehension, he said.

"I conclude that the council's decision to approve the application was not properly reached because it was based on inaccurate understanding of the position," he said.

The finding is against the council as a whole. There was no criticism of individual members and the Ombudsman did not find the vote to be on party lines.

"I called for Cllr Stribley's immediate resignation when the investigation began nine months ago," said Mr Walker. "She should resign immediately and they should reassess the application."

Cllr Stribley said she understood that Mr Walker was upset, made worse by the length of time the inquiry took. "However, I stress that this is an isolated incident but we have already taken steps to ensure there can be no reoccurrence and I remain committed to my role on the planning committee," she said.

Peter Watson, head of planning design and control services, said the department regretted the misunderstanding and would comply with the ombudsman's recommendations in full.

"It is important to note that the report finds no fault with the council's policies and procedures within planning or indeed the conduct of the planning committee," he said.

10:10am Tuesday 20th May 2008

Print

Email this