A COUNCIL has decided not to fight Tesco over plans for a new supermarket in Bourne End.

After pleas to reject the store, there was controversy last night after a councillor used two votes to back the decision for Wycombe District Council to stand aside.

Cllr Roger Colomb was standing in as chairman of the regulatory and appeals committee last night, and after using his first vote in a 3-3 split, swung the balance by using a 'casting' vote.

This is permitted under the council's standing orders.

Planning officers had advised councillors to accept the plans, saying the council would struggle to fight Tesco in a planning inquiry, which could incur huge costs.

Jim Penfold, the chairman of Bourne End Residents Association, said afterwards: “I am absolutely appalled and dumbstruck that the chairman is allowed to vote and then have the deciding vote.

"That's not in the interests of democracy, it should be one man one vote.

“There were three members of the committee who were prepared to stand up to Tesco because they knew it would ruin the village.”

The council's planning committee wanted to reject the plan outright in January, but was advised there were not sufficient grounds for doing so. The supermarket giant then appealed against the non-determination of the application.

Last night, councillors David Shakespeare and Chris Watson voted to accept the officers' recommendations, along with Cllr Colomb.

Councillors Doug Anson, Audrey Jones and Mohammed Saeed wanted to reject the plan and fight Tesco.

The former police station in The Parade would be knocked down to make way for the Express store, which would include four flats above the shop with associated residential parking.

The proposal has caused uproar among villagers and retailers who fear the development would kill off independent trade and ruin the village's character.

Tesco may now withdraw its appeal, opening the way for the council to accept the application subject to a Section 106 agreement (a financial contribution to the village infrastructure).

Wycombe District Council refused a similar application from Tesco in 2008.

One of the reasons for refusal two years ago was the impact on local traders, but an independent retail consultant, in a report on the current application, said the store would not result in a “significant adverse impact” on village traders.