Borough Council overturns Parish Council decision

By On 05/08/2011

In a remarkable about turn, Bracknell Forest Council is set to overturn the scandalous decision by our unelected Parish Council to approve the conservation area at Wicks Green.

Despite the original proposal being made by Binfield Village Protection Society and having the support of all the local action groups as well as the Protection for Rural England, Binfield Parish Council recommended against approval. This unelected body supposedly speaks on behalf of residents, but pays no attention whatsoever to local concerns. The only reason they are on the Parish Council is that they put their names forward and there were insufficient candidates to fill all the posts. Even more shamefully most of the Councillors were nominated by the same person – the Chairwoman.

Fortunately all is not lost and the Borough Council is about to approve the conservation area according to an internal recommendation made to the Executive on the 15th July. See:

DESIGNATION OF A NEW CONSERVATION AREA AT WICK’S GREEN, BINFIELD
(Director of Environment, Culture and Communities)
1 PURPOSE OF DECISION
This report is to enable the Executive Member for Planning and Transportation and
Economic Development to consider the designation of a new conservation area at
Wick’s Green, Binfield, under Section 69(1) of Planning (Listed Buildings and
Conservation Areas) Act 1990.
2 RECOMMENDATION
That a new conservation area at Wick’s Green, Binfield, as detailed in Appendix
1, be designated under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas)
Act 1990.
3 REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS
3.1 It is a statutory requirement that every local planning authority:
(a) shall from time to time determine which parts of their area are areas of special architectural or historic interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance, and
(b) shall designate those areas as conservation areas.
3.2 An appraisal of this area was carried out by The Conservation Studio on behalf of the Council in 2010. As a result of this work Wick’s Green in Binfield is considered an area of ‘special architectural or historic interest the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance1’, and should therefore be designated as a conservation area.
 

Perhaps there is a voice of reason and commonsense not previously recognized. Let us wait and see.

 
 
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  • niloo

    Under the Local Government act, if there are insufficient candidates for a post a member of the Parish can be co-opted. This is a legal procedure and means LEGALLY that person has been elected, albeit by co-option. You should know better and report FACT not fiction!

    • http://www.nigelrennie.co.uk Nigel Rennie

      Niloo, You seem to overlook the fact that ALL the Binfield Parish Council has been co-opted. i.e. none have won their seats at an election. This was because there were insufficient candidates and so the responsibility lies with the residents who seem to have little if any interest in community proceedings.