On January 29 I resigned both as chair and as a member of Rother’s planning committee. I remain a councillor for Southern Rother ward.
The reason for my resignation was a refusal to delay endorsement of a draft planning enforcement policy for elected members to be properly consulted. Pushing a new policy through formal cabinet and council process without detailed democratic scrutiny was not acceptable to me. This was especially so on such an important issue. The draft would have given freedom to council officers to chose the level of service without reference to members.
Happily, following my resignation and representations from myself, my vice-chair and others, Rother’s cabinet has put the matter back for discussion by councillors.
Despite the hard work involved I shall miss the committee. I have been a member, latterly chair, for four and a half years with lengthy meetings almost every month. It was time for a change. Without committee responsibilities I shall have more freedom to speak freely on ward planning issues without worries about predetermination or appearance of bias limiting what I can say or do. This is especially true as Rother’s new local plan is likely to go out for consultation anytime now, with public inspection to follow. I do not know the contents.
Maintaining my independence so I could speak and vote on important applications has been like walking on eggs. It is hard to explain this to residents who have, not unreasonably, expected me to take sides. I shall also have more time to concentrate on ward issues and on home and village life.
Andrew Mier
Cllr Andrew Mier
Rother District Council
Southern Rother Ward (the villages of Fairlight, Guestling, Icklesham and Pett)
Telephone 07941 693737
Email cllr.andrew.mier@rother.gov.uk
Image Credits: Rother District Council .
Good luck, Andrew and I’m sure I’m not alone in wishing you the very best in your continuing role as councillor. You have been a great help to me personally in recent years and I know you have been a principled, diligent and hard-working Planning Committee chairman, who will be sorely missed on the committee. Residents much appreciate councillors like you — of whatever political stripe — who faithfully represent their constituents’ interests and not the overwhelmingly powerful business lobbies. This is especially important on the Planning Committee, where developers often prioritise their own profits rather than community interest. Business has a key role, but it shouldn’t be allowed to step beyond the good of the local community, environment and heritage. Thanks again!
Thank you David for your kind remarks.
Rother’s draft Local Plan (“reg 18”) is now published with the agenda for the 19 February Overview and Scrutiny Committee Agenda.
All being well it will be out for formal public consultation soon.
https://rother.moderngov.co.uk/documents/g982/Public%20reports%20pack%2019th-Feb-2024%2018.30%20Overview%20and%20Scrutiny%20Committee.pdf?T=10
I see that the new chairman of the RDC’s Planning Committee is a well-known local builder. I have nothing against the person in question, but I question the wisdom of appointing a builder as the Planning Committee chair, because his business involvement will make it difficult to remain impartial regarding development issues, whatever he might argue. At every future meeting of the Planning Committee the chairman will have to declare his interest as a builder and that he’s more likely to support any application for development.
I have a few brief comments about the Rother Draft Local Plan. It appears that only the eight communities that have made Local Plans will have some protection against speculative development. These communities are Crowhurst, Rye, Salehurst & Robertsbridge, Sedlescombe, Ticehurst, Battle, Burwash and Peasmarsh (if approved). Smaller villages will be open to speculative development and the Rother Draft Plan even admits that “pressure may exist to extend settlement areas” (development boundaries). This is an astonishing admission with huge repercussions for local residents.
It’s often difficult to decipher exactly what’s being said in council documents like this, that use bureaucratic jargon. However, my reading of the sentence that says the Rother Local Plan will set “strategic policies for the distribution and development of residential uses” sounds very much to me that RDC’s planning division will play a key role in deciding where new housing will go. Do we trust these individuals to decide where new houses should be located — such as green-lighting large new estates on the outskirts of historic rural villages? There are a lot of important issues at stake, including what we want our district to look like going forward. If local people fail to take an interest in these issues, they will soon see housing estates springing up in places they thought would remain peaceful green rural spaces.
Rother’s housing target up to 2040 will be between 4,854 and 6,694 dwellings. More houses in that field behind your house, longer waits for doctors, more kids in your child’s class, more pressure on resources of all kind. This destruction of the environment will continue until the UK’s population growth ceases, I’m afraid.