Pressure continues on council leadership over developer's allegations

By The Newsroom
Published 16th May 2018, 09:29 BST
Updated 16th May 2018, 09:31 BST
An artist's impression of the proposed Dissington garden village.An artist's impression of the proposed Dissington garden village.
An artist's impression of the proposed Dissington garden village.
The opposition is keeping up the pressure on the leadership at Northumberland County Council following serious allegations made by a developer.

As previously reported, Lugano Developments has made a number of claims about ‘unlawful’ efforts by the leader of the council and others to prevent its Dissington Garden Village project from going ahead.

The company, which wants to build 2,000 homes and other facilities on the estate near Ponteland, made the allegations in an eight-page letter sent to all councillors on Friday – the day after it was informed that its application would be going back before councillors for a new decision.

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The council has said that it is ‘appalled and quite frankly astounded’ by Lugano’s actions and that it is seeking legal advice on ‘the many inappropriate, untrue and defamatory statements’.

But the Labour opposition at County Hall echoed Lugano’s call for an independent inquiry and group leader Grant Davey has now questioned the involvement in a key planning group of one of the other councillors mentioned in the letter as well as calling on the chief executive to act in relation to an investigation.

Coun Davey said: “I’ve written to the CEO, Daljit Lally, inquiring whether it is appropriate for Coun Colin Horncastle to be involved in Wednesday’s Local Development Framework working group meeting given the serious nature of the allegations raised by Lugano Group.

“I have also highlighted her need to consider what role she plays in the independent, third-party investigation given the allegations made about the conduct of the authority under her leadership.