A COUNCIL leader has defended its planning process and denied claims that councillors have been ‘whipped’ to follow the party line over a Hazlemere athletics track plan.

Wycombe District Council Leader Lesley Clarke called suggestions Conservative district councillors have been whipped into passing council plans to move a track to Sir William Ramsay School as “totally unacceptable”.

It comes after a councillor was suspended from the planning committee, which will make the final decision on the plans, after leaked emails showed he broke council rules by asking for a pre-meeting to discuss it.

Cllr Clarke added the application would go through the same planning procedure as “any other” and the planning committee would make a decision “on the night like it always has and always will do”.

The council leader was hitting back at claims in an open letter addressed to her from the chairman of the Hazlemere Residents Association 2009, Brian Mapletoft.

In the letter, circulated to residents, Mr Mapletoft writes WDC has “failed” with its track proposal and urged Cllr Clarke to pull the plug on the application “before more damage is done”.

He also calls for the council to “clean up its act” and “learn humility” because the “49-strong-whipped Tory group was close to arrogance of unchecked and unfettered power”.

But Cllr Clarke hit back by saying: “The council has answered all of Mr Mapletoft’s questions and Freedom of Information Act requests where possible.

“But what he has to understand is the application is part of a judicial planning process, just like any other application.

“And it is for the members of the Planning Committee to make the decision on the night like it always has and always will do.

“It is totally unacceptable to suggest councillors have been whipped, we have never done that, we have to follow the judicial process and councillors will make a decision at the meeting based on what is put in front of them.”

She added Cllr Hugh McCarthy “won’t be sitting” in the council chamber when the planning committee meets to discuss the plans on February 24.

Cllr McCarthy, a senior Conservative, was advised by council solicitors to “play no part”in the decision on the track after a leaked email exchange between councillors and a campaigner.

In the email, Cllr McCarthy said councillors “must agree a ‘planning mtg strategy' before the mtg” and to “remember the officers’ warning”, that plans to build the coachway at Handy Cross “would be dead” if the track plans fail.

But the council leader said she “does not feel any need” to take action against the Hazlemere North councillor because: “It was an accident, I think we are all probably guilty of sending an email or message to the wrong person.”

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