Dockyard motion thrown out over local plan fears

A motion about the future of Chatham Docks was voted down amid claims it could lead to the collapse of a council's local plan process.

At Medway Council's full council meeting on Thursday the Independent Group put forward a motion asking officers to consider marking the site exclusively for employment use in the plan.

It was defeated due to opposition from members of the ruling Labour group, despite the party previously putting forward an identical motion while in opposition in 2020 and 2021.

The authority's officers had warned passing it now would leave the council open to legal challenges when it comes to debate its local plan in June.

This is because it would suggest the plan had already been fixed, the Local Democracy Reporting Service reported.

The first time the motion was produced legal officers raised concerns even discussing it could open the authority up to challenges and it was delayed while outside advice was sought.

The motion returned unchanged, but Bhupinder Gill, assistant director of law and governance, said it was still his opinion it should not be debated until the June meeting when the local plan draft is presented.

Outside legal advice said it could be debated if insisted upon, but councillors must demonstrate they have an open mind about the local plan and not suggest they have already decided before the process is complete.

The Labour group voted against the motion while the Conservatives abstained. The Independent Group, Reform UK and independent councillor Chris Spalding voted for it.

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