Three Alderney States members face code of conduct complaint
A CODE of conduct complaint has been lodged against three Alderney States members over their decision to refuse a planning application to build a new house.
Ian Carter, Alex Snowdon and Bruce Woodhead are all members of the island’s Building & Development Control Committee and the complaint alleges that their decision to refuse planning permission for a new house was not based on issues with the planning laws and they had already made up their minds to reject it before the relevant planning meeting.
At one point Mr Carter is quoted from an email as saying that to approve the application ‘though it might satisfy the planning laws, we would be creating a dispute, which cannot be a sensible way forward’.
The three members rejected the application and this led to the complainants lodging an appeal in the Guernsey Royal Court, where it was over-ruled by Lt-Bailiff Jason Green.
In addition, Guernsey’s senior planning officer said that there was no planning reason to reject the application.
Even so, the complainants say that at a subsequent meeting Mr Snowdon still objected to it.
‘[At this meeting he] completely ignores the Guernsey head of planning’s clear advice that there are no planning reasons for refusal and still seeks to find any new excuse to refuse the application’.
‘This is a breach of the requirement to act solely in the public interest and to act and take decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias,’ said the complainants.
Approached for comment, Mr Snowdon said he was unaware of the complaint but in such cases the respondents would only be informed if the president of the States decided that a panel should be convened.
Mr Woodhead has since resigned from the States.
States’ president William Tate said he made it a policy not to discuss code of conduct complaints.
The complainants said they were reluctant to comment on the matter while it was in the hands of the appropriate authorities.
‘This is a considered complaint and we trust the process and the president of the States as its guardian to look into the matter fully,’ they said.
