Cotswold district councillors who will decide 2,350-home Chesterton development to be interviewed to determine conflicts of interest

Plans by Bathurst Development Limited (BDL) to build more than 2,000 homes in Chesterton have come under fire since it was announced in 2013.

Now, amid concerns by opposition group Save Our Cirencester (SOC) that at least eight councillors may have conflicts of interest, district council officers confirmed that they will be interviewing every member at the council to identify any interest they may have.

SOC said that councillors working in real estate or with connections to Lord Bathurst may be unfairly influenced in their decision making of the planning application.

But the council said it would raise with the group’s concerns with individual councillors.

The planning application is due to be decided this summer by the full Cotswold District Council (CDC), but in accordance to the council’s planning regulations, the three councillors representing the wards where the development will sit will not be able to vote.

A CDC spokesperson said: “When we interview members, we will have regard to the Code of Conduct and the relevant legislative provisions We will also seek to identify any aspects of pre-disposition, predetermination and bias.

“In addition, we will highlight the specific issues raised by Save Our Cirencester in respect of individual members as part of our discussions with those members.

“It is also important to note that there would need to be something tangible, financial or otherwise, for participation to be challenged legitimately in line with the Code of Conduct.

“The fact that the Chesterton application seeks to provide a significant number of residential units and a councillor is an estate agent is not in itself sufficient for the member to be regarded as having an interest in the application which could prevent them from taking part in the debate or voting.

“However, if the agent was to have a contractual arrangement with the landowner to market those houses in the event of permission being granted, then that would be different.”

(John Nicholas, David James and Mark Pratley of the Save our Cirencester campaign)

SOC leader Mark Pratley said with regards to the group’s concerns: “Public representations made to Save Our Cirencester have expressed concern about the close links between individuals and also personal and business circumstances that might influence decision making on the Chesterton planning application.

“We thought it only right to press the council to clear the air on such an important planning decision."

Patrick Moylan, also of SOC, added: "We have no reason to believe that CDC's officers will do anything other than carry out their duty in a rigorous and transparent way.”

Councillors with interests are not always prevented from taking part or voting on the planning applications.

If a councillor has ‘other interests’, as opposed to Disclosable Pecuniary Interests which could result in a criminal penalty, the councillor may still take part or vote on the issue.

And though councillors with ‘other interests’ may breach CDC’s Code of Conduct, such a breach may or may not result in an investigation, according to the CDC spokesperson.