Councillors stage walkout over planning training

Councillors dramatically walked out of a key planning meeting amid claims they needed more time and training.

SNP members Sheila McCole and Richard Watters decided on the action at Wednesday’s development management meeting after being in post for just one week following the local elections.

It was claimed that“hastily arranged”planning training the day before was insufficient to help the new-look committee properly decide on the papers including for the controversial Scone North housing plans and proposals for Bertha Park’s secondary school.

But the meeting, which was also attended by a handful of other new members, did go ahead in their absence.

Cllr Henry Anderson, who had served on the previous committee, started proceedings by calling for a deferral of ALL matters before councillors.

He asserted:“The whole agenda needs to be deferred, until all newly-elected members have a chance to digest all the information that they have received during the hastily arranged training yesterday (Tuesday).

He added that it beggared belief that new members should be taking the decisions and that it was“more realistic”to defer the meeting because it was “challenging, even for the most experienced councillors”.

But interim head of planning Nick Brian confirmed to members he was“satisfied”they had“more than adequate training for the basics of granting decisions”.

“All applications that are down to be considered have been assessed and are ready for determination,”he said.

Legal adviser Colin Elliot warned:“Any delay we have would leave us against appeal for non-determination.”

After a brief discussion the committee went into recess and reconvened with Mr Elliot saying that Cllr Anderson’s proposal would be competent, but that deferral of the Bertha Park school scheme would have consequences for the project.

Cllr Anderson then withdrew his motion. Convener Murray Lyle asked if councillors wished to leave they could do so which then saw Perth City South and the Kinross-shire member leave the meeting.

New members of the council which remained on the committee were vice convener Bob Brawn and councillors Harry Coates, Eric Drysdale, Ian James, Anne Jarvis and Roz McCall.