Row after politician claims he was ignored at Flintshire planning meeting

A row has broken out after a politician claimed he was ignored during a planning meeting. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Conservative councillor Owen Thomas was looking to put forward a recommendation to reject proposals to convert a post office in his ward of Cilcain, near Mold, into a holiday let. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

However, he was beaten to it by Labour’s Chris Bithell, who backed the plans for approval in a meeting at County Hall in Mold on Wednesday. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Cllr Thomas accused planning chair David Wisinger, who is also a member of the Labour group, of deliberately ignoring him. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

He said: “When you asked for a proposition, why did you look over to that side? You didn’t even look this way. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“I could have had my hand up and you wouldn’t have known, maybe we should check the webcam.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Cllr Wisinger said Cllr Bithell’s proposals was chosen because he spoke first. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Following the criticism, a proposal was requested for a second time, but Cllr Bithell was again quickest to move the plans for approval. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Cllr Thomas then branded the situation as ‘a joke’ and criticised his rival for not being a resident of Cilcain. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

In response, Cllr Bithell said: “I’ll remember that if you’re not a resident of a particular area then you can’t make any proposals in this authority and I hope that Cllr Thomas observes that rule as well. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“This particular application relates to a property that is within the settlement boundary as described in the Unitary Development Plan, and of course there is a presumption therefore in favour of such developments where they’re of an appropriate design and scale and they don’t conflict with other planning policies.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The row rumbled on as Independent Alliance leader Mike Peers also criticised the committee chair. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Addressing Cllr Wisinger, he said: “I have to say as a member of the committee that I was completely embarrassed at the start of this item deciding who’s going to propose and who isn’t, I think we need to get that sorted.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The conversion plans for the former post office on Ffordd y Llan were later approved after the majority of councillors voted in favour, with 13 backing them and five voting against. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

By Liam Randall – Local Democracy Reporter. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

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