A “no confidence” motion directed at Wycombe District Council’s cabinet members over their decision to release the reserve sites has been thrown out by politicians.

In October, WDC cabinet members agreed the release of Gomm Valley and Ashwells, Slate Meadow, Terriers Farm and Abbey Barn north and south for future development.

The controversial move angered many residents, and councillors outside the cabinet objected to the decision being taken by just eight members out of 60.

Liberal Democrat leader and representative for Bourne End cum Hedsor, Councillor Brian Pollock, submitted the no confidence motion at WDC’s full council meeting on Monday.

The motion read: “This decision has been made without reference to full council which is the sovereign body of the authority.

“Moreover local members were given only one minute to speak at the original cabinet meeting and, other than the members of the improvement and review commission present on November 12, no other councillor has had a vote on this issue despite it being of enormous importance to many of the residents of Wycombe District.”

It continued: “Taken together with erroneous mathematical data, an approach to infrastructure issues which goes against that in the core strategy and a failure to take into account government guidance... this council has no confidence in the decision taken by the cabinet.”

Conservative councillor and cabinet member, Tony Green, challenged Councillor Pollock’s motion, explaining that he, too, has a reserve site in his ward - Terriers Farm.

The representative for Terriers and Amersham Hill said: “It is a difficult decision that we had to make and one that none of us made easily but I do object to being lectured that we haven’t done it properly.

“We made, I believe, the only decision we could on officer advice about numbers.”

He added that he decision was made “years ago” when the sites were identified as reserve sites, with the final intention being that of releasing them for housing “when the need came”.

Councillor Green challenged the assumption that Councillor Pollock did not have a say in the reserve sites and explained that the local plan was adopted in 1995 when the Lib Dem was a of both the council and the administration.

He added: “Don’t come here and say that we made the decision without reference to full council when the full council of which you were a member had already made those decisions and tied our hands on the future of those sites.”

Debate on the motion was brought to a swift close by council chairman, Lesley Clarke, after Conservative politicians called to move on to the next item – much to the chagrin of opposition members.

In his concluding remarks, Councillor Pollock emphasised that he was a “humble” backbencher and had only been on the council for two months in 1995.

He added: “The difference, Councillor Green, is that you have had a vote on these decisions and I haven’t.”