Decision to be posted this week on skatepark at the Lake Grounds

The following has been sent to me via a source and all information has been substantiated.

This week NSC's decision notice for the application of lease (previously referred to as landlord's consent in some reports) will be posted on the council website.  Should have happened last week.  Watch for how this is reported to the public and by whom.

Remember these facts, achieved after some considerable digging by residents:

1. Original decision notice stating a refusal was posted and then quickly removed after press and residents raised queries over the wording, not least the involvement of one Ward member and a referral in the notice to the North Area Committee's current position.

2. NSC then explained the removal by saying, "It was decided shortly after it was posted that a further round of consultation with the 6 Portishead Ward members should take place before making the final decision".  Why?  Nobody will tell us.

3. At least 4 of these Ward members are known opposers to the skatepark at the Lake Grounds because of their allegiance to the Conservative Ward member.  These 4 are Arthur Terry, Felicity Baker (Executive Member involved with Cllr Pasley on secret developer meetings), Alan McMurray and David Pasley. 

4. Remaining two, David Jolley and Reyna Knight had previously supported the location.  However, David Jolley, Chair of NAC, took fair and balanced discussion off the agenda at the Oct meeting because, "I had a change of mind".

5. Despite this, another councillor, Don Davies, felt that a discussion was essential so that a recommendation could be put to the Executives to support the skatepark at the Lake Grounds.  However, Cllr Terry put forward a motion NOT TO ALLOW DISCUSSION AND TO MOVE TO THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM and Cllr Pasley seconded it.  Cllr Knight then voted in favour of this motion. 

6. Decisions for Application of Lease are usually made by the Section 151 officer especially when "the rent over the life of a lease for a skate park is likely to be well below £139,999".  As indeed with Merlin Park.  However, Martin O'Neill, Property & Asset Management confirmed, "However, it was decided this case should be taken a state up the authority level i.e. to two Executive Members".  Those are Cllr Bryant and Cllr Lake.  These two names were on the original decision notice recommending refusal together with the Section 151 officer.  Cllr Bryant of course had already declared he "would not consider any evidence" when making his decision.  He also went to the press declaring his stance before an application had even been received from the Skatepark Project.

7. Having originally told me that "gathered evidence" had been considered when talking about the refusal, when asked for that "evidence", John Flannigan confirmed, "In this context there is no actual evidence to share". This apparently is just standard wording applied.

8. After highlighting to NSC solicitor Nick Brain on the 2nd November, 2011, that Cllr Bryant had confirmed in writing he, "was not prepared to consider any evidence", a question was posed to the solicitor that this could be classed as pre-determination. 

9. On the 10th November, 2011, the solicitor confirmed "Having now become involved in this matter, I have advised that Cllr Bryant is not a decision make in respect of the lease application".  The date the solicitor made that decision is still awaited.

10.   Consulting with the Ward members will of course pass the final buck away from NSC.  Will their decision be based on "evidence" or because they side with the Tory political line?  The planning appeal was won because it was clear to the inspector that ALL planning policies had been satisfied.  Most of the Tory Ward councillors even then did not agree with the council's planning officer.  Will the final decision be fair?  Unlikely taking all the foregoing into account. 

11.   Only Cllr Lake is now making the final decision but his name was on the original decision notice recommending refusal.

 

Fair and balanced –You decide.