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Cllr Heather Johnson |
Tories report
planning chief
Watchdog asked to investigate
tower row
THE Town Hall’s planning department was plunged
into chaos last night (Wednesday) after it emerged that chairwoman
Heather Johnson is being reported to the Standards Board –
a government watchdog over councillors’ conduct.
Conservative councillors have asked the Board to probe her handling
of plans to build a new tower block on the fringes of Regent’s
Park. Tory group leader Councillor Piers Wauchope confirmed
his members have sent off an official complaint that is expected
to land on the desk of the Standards Board for England and Wales
– the national watchdog that rules on the conduct of councillors
– this morning (Thursday).
The move will lead to the bizarre situation where both Councillor
Johnson and her predecessor Councillor Brian Woodrow, who last
year was accused of bias against the massive redevelopment of
King’s Cross, will be battling code of conduct allegations
at the same time. He denies any bias or wrong doing.
Cllr Johnson, a former Mayor, also denies any wrong-doing when
she used her casting vote to approve plans for the new tower
– designed by renowned architect Sir Terry Farrell.
But the Conservative group said there is a danger of Cllr Johnson
being biased or, at least, appearing to be biased, in favour
of the scheme because of her membership of the West Euston Partnership,
a regeneration body that strongly backed the proposals.
While Cllr Johnson declared her interest at the planning meeting
which saw the scheme get the go-ahead last month and has maintained
that she did not take part in WEP discussions on the designs,
controversy surrounding her participation has not died down.
As part of the Tory party’s request, the Standards Board
is almost certain to scrutinise the links between British Land,
the applicants in the tower block case, and the WEP. These include
past funding by British Land.
Council lawyers have dismissed the complaints from Conservative
members but Cllr Wauchope said that the case would now go to
the Standards Board.
He said yesterday: “At the very least Cllr Johnson has
a case to answer and we say it should be investigated by the
Standards Board.”
Conservative councillor Don Williams, who sits on the planning
panel, said: “We have had a lot of letters about what happened
with this planning application. People are concerned with what
went on.”
At the time, Cllr Johnson said: “I was not involved in
the consultation or negotiations and so had no prejudicial interest
in the matter. The West Euston Partnership was not the applicant
in this case, and the fact that their board had taken a decision
to support the application did not bind me to that view.”
Labour chiefs are dismissing the attack on Cllr Johnson as political
games close to May’s council elections. Deputy leader Councillor
Theo Blackwell said: “If they have reported Heather to
the Standards Board then it is a matter for the Standards Board
and we must wait and see what happens.” |
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