| Topic: | Re:Dr Onkar Sahota's application in Haven Green rejected | |
| Posted by: | Benjamin Dennehy | |
| Date/Time: | 16/08/13 15:18:00 |
| Hmmmm, he says planners were present, Cllr Bell denies that, Whose telling the truth? Response from GLA Monitoring Officer: Councillor Dennehy I have, further to our exchanges below, now had the opportunity of discussing this matter informally with Dr Sahota, making him aware of the nature of the concerns set out below and asking for his views. Dr Sahota stated categorically that his activities in respect of the planning application are and have been solely and entirely in his private & personal capacity as a resident / applicant and not as a Member of the London Assembly. Dr Sahota informed me that he did respond to the email that was sent to him by Cllr Bell’s PA on his GLA email address as that was the address to which the message was sent by the LB Ealing officer - but that that has been the only occasion on which these matters have touched upon his GLA role. As such, Dr Sahota is of the view that this cannot be a matter to which the GLA Code of Conduct applies (the statements in emails to Councillor Bell regarding the request to do the “needful” were not sent from him as a GLA Member but rather from him in his personal capacity, and therefore outside of the scope of my remit as GLA Monitoring Officer – as is the case also regarding any concerns about Cllr Bell’s actions on this matter and those of Ealing Council generally). Dr Sahota confirmed that he did have a meeting (in his personal capacity as applicant) with Councillor Bell and council officers, the purpose of which (I am told) was to seek advice on the planning process in advance of any application being prepared; Dr Sahota’s architect (but not Dr Sahota directly) then had further contact with council officers at the point that the application was submitted. (I did not ask Dr Sahota about the issue payment for pre-application advice as you have stated that you are pursuing that matter already, separately.) Dr Sahota considers that asking the Council for advice on a potential planning application is standard practice; that as the meeting with Cllr Bell was attended by officers there can be no proper suggestion of improper political influence being exercised or attempted in that meeting; and also feels that, as his planning application was put through the normal process for consideration and then rejected by the planning committee, there can be no proper basis to a suggestion that he was given any out-of-the-ordinary favourable treatment by the Council. I hope that information is helpful to you in relation to your concerns. Please do let me know if you would wish to progress matters further as regards the GLA. Yours sincerely GLA Monitoring Officer |