Reports of ‘Major Bust-up’ Between Council Leader and Planning Chairman

Published on: 24 Sep, 2018
Updated on: 25 Sep, 2018

Cllrs Marsha Moseley and Paul Spooner

Council Leader Spooner has refused to confirm or deny reports of an alleged row he had with the chairman of the Planning Committee, Marsha Moseley (Con, Ash Vale) before the meeting held on September 12 (2018).

Although one report described it as a “major bust-up” in the Guildford Borough Council (GBC) chamber other witnesses said that although there was some toing and froing by Cllr Spooner before the meeting started there was no shouting but that Spooner did suddenly, and surprisingly, leave before the meeting commenced.

On the agenda of the meeting was a planning application for 481 dwellings on land south of Ash Lodge Drive which falls within the boundary of the Ash South & Tongham ward that Cllr Spooner represents.

The committee granted permission to Bewley Homes for the development despite 58 letters of objection, including those from Ash Parish Council, Tongham Parish Council and Ash Residents Association. They all mentioned an increased risk of flooding and insufficient infrastructure.

Development planned for land south of Ash Lodge Drive.

The GBC webcast shows nothing of any incident between the two councillors but starts, unusually, without the normal silent footage of people taking their seats. Instead, Cllr Moseley immediately commences the meeting and Paul Spooner’s apologies for not being present appear to be added to a pre-written list of apologies.

One well-placed source said that the trouble was caused by Cllr Spooner having a request refused by Cllr Moseley because the request had been directed to the Democratic Services section as opposed to her as chairman.

It is understood that Spooner had, earlier in the week, hoped to attend the Guildford in Bloom award presentation at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre which was held on the same evening as the Planning Committee meeting. Cllr Spooner is chairman of the awards committee but does not appear in the official photo of the event.

Cllr Moseley was invited to comment.

In 2016 a complaint was made against Cllr Moseley when she was heard to compare the public gallery to a “bloody rabble”. An independent investigation concluded that she should make a public apology at a council meeting but she refused and, following the departure of the monitoring officer Satish Mistry, who it is believed was advising compliance with the inquiry conclusion, she instead sent an emailed apology which the complainants refused to accept.

A committee of fellow councillors subsequently found her emailed apology sufficient and that no further action was necessary.

Responses to Reports of ‘Major Bust-up’ Between Council Leader and Planning Chairman

John Ferns Reply

September 24, 2018 at 9:15 pm

Whose byline is this. This is the tiniest storm in a teacup I have come across yet on this august forum.

Yes, there were some strange anomalies, but the two principals share a very common interest, in that neither has enjoyed watching (and being helpless to prevent) Ash & Tongham open spaces being so completely trashed over the last two years.

Do come back and tell us where the hidden agenda is hidden as I just don’t see it.

And I’m not a closet supporter of the GBC Executive.
Peta Malthouse Reply

September 26, 2018 at 11:50 am

My only experience was as a three-minute speaker to a plan some years ago. The matter was introduced incorrectly and having used some of my three minutes to correct the basis of the discussion I was told to stop after the three minutes without any adjustment being allowed by Ms Mosely for the fact I had had to correct the incompetence.

I still recall her look of triumph and the smirking which accompanied it. I am not taking sides and wasn’t present at the incident referred to in the story but she is not a lady who is flexible or helpful to attendees at “her” planning committee. Fair play and democracy do not seem to feature in her chairing skills.
- John Ferns Reply
  
  September 29, 2018 at 8:24 pm
  
  I understand exactly what the respondent is saying.
  
  Yes, the chair of the Planning Committee is prone to occasional displays of ‘triumph’ and ‘smirks’ and that is an unfortunate trait of an experienced councillor who has one of the most public-facing & difficult ‘chair’ portfolios on GBC. It is very much a poisoned chalice, given the diktats of the NPPF and Government Planning Inspectors, which will always say “Yes” to what local knowledge says “No”.
  
  In all the times I have spoken and been present in the chamber on planning committee nights, (and there have been many given the volume of planning applications affecting the western end of this benighted borough) she has controlled some potentially difficult proceedings with a deft touch and I personally have always been treated with courtesy.
  
  There have been occasions when I have witnessed lapses in her standards; the 2016 incident referred to in the original article was one such. But, if I recall, that was in face of a full-scale spontaneous outburst by some 200 members of the public in the “gallery” and in the overflow viewing spaces. It was very unfortunate that she failed to mute her speaker microphone and all was in the heat of some very intense moments.
  
  At the end of the proverbial day, we are all human and subject to the occasional moment of frailty.
Andrew Whitby-Collins Reply

September 28, 2018 at 10:54 am

I second the comment from John Ferns.

It is hardly a secret that the Dragon seems to have an axe to grind with the Conservative group on GBC (in contrast to its puff pieces on the Lib Dems) but its very sad the anonymous author felt it necessary to end this article with a petty reference to an unrelated 2016 complaint.