A TOP-LEVEL investigation could be launched into allegations that Leeds City Council poorly represented Pool-in-Wharfedale at a recent public inquiry

Otley councillor Graham Kirkland (Lib Dem, Otley and Wharfedale) has written to one of the council's newly-formed scrutiny boards to call for an investigation into claims that there was a 'negligence of duty' on the part of the planning department.

His request follows a public inquiry in May into an appeal by Redrow Homes (Yorkshire) Ltd which plans to build 100 new homes at Swallow Drive in Pool.

Coun Kirkland said that Pool Parish Council wrote to the scrutiny board (an independent body which examine the decisions and work of the council) in June to express their concerns - and that he was surprised that the issue had not been raised yet.

"I would be grateful if the council would let me know what steps have been taken to investigate the concerns raised by the parish council," he said.

"I am strongly of the opinion that this issue is about how the council should conduct its business, rather than a planning concern and I have formally requested that Scrutiny Board Three conducts an inquiry into the city council's representation at the public inquiry.

"When the council went to the appeal they were not properly represented. It is obvious that when you are going to a planning inquiry that the relevant people need to be there. Unfortunately they were not. The council put in a very poor performance and the result could be bad for the village."

The Department of the Environment said the findings of the public inquiry would be out 'in due time'.

Parish councillors claim that city council ineptitude led to planning officers missing the chance to tie in conditions that would oblige the developers to put traffic calming measures into the village, if the plan was approved.

It was hoped that two aspects of any development would include traffic calming in the village and also a new 'ghost' traffic island, but the inspector rejected both aspects because the city council failed to provide any expert witnesses regarding any of the housing and had not negotiated with the developer at any stage to include this.

They also claimed that the council was 'torn apart' by barristers representing Redrow.

Pool Parish Council chairman, Coun Chris Leggatt, said: "I welcome Coun Kirkland's intervention and I hope that he can progress the matter quickly. We raised a number of issues in our letter in June and as of yet no official response has been received from them.

"We need a reply in writing so we can move forward on this issue."

A spokeswoman for Leeds City Council said that councillors would consider looking into both his and Pool Council's claims at a future meeting.

She said: "Coun Kirkland has written to the chair of the Scrutiny Board and the members will be considering the situation at a future meeting.

"Leeds City Council employed counsel to represent them at the public inquiry and refutes any allegations that its case was not adequately presented.

"We are more than happy to meet with Pool Parish Council to discuss their concerns at their convenience."

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