As a minority Councillor I have faced discrimination, ridicule, isolation and ostracisation but today’s planning meeting was something else in terms of difficulty. Should I do the right thing?

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“I follow three rules: Do the right thing, do the best you can, and always show people you care.” Lou Holtz

Do the right thing

Legendary American Fotballer and coach Lou Holtz once said, “I follow three rules: Do the right thing, do the best you can, and always show people you care.”

It’s great advice, don’t you think?

 

Well done my fellow Windsorians, you did well.

Always show people you care

On today’s Windsor Urban Planning Management Panel there were four particular applications where I had a great deal of empathy with the applicants who were ordinary residents and, who spoke clearly, and in a very engaging manner – Well done my fellow Windsorians, you did well today.

I so wanted the decisions to go their way, to help them provide for the young families or the pensioner because I understood their need and desire to move on in life and provide for their loved ones.

However, when I accepted the office of Councillor, I made an oath and promised that I would “take that office upon myself, and will duly and faithfully fulfil the duties of it according to the best of my judgement and ability.”?

 

What is the right thing to do as a panel member?

As a member of a planning panel, you have to make decisions based on a hierarchy of planning regulations including National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), Borough Local Plan and, Neighbourhood Plans (e.g. Windsor Neighbourhood Plan).

There is no room for sentimentality because you are representing the Council in a quasi-judicial process.

In other words, you are upholding the law, for the good of all residents, as opposed to championing your ward residents, or local voters.

 

Decisions, decisions

So what do you do when facing such moving stories which sadly have no planning merit in this quasi-judicial process?

• Should I make exceptions, or curry favour, and possibly popularity and votes, and vote in favour of my residents?
• Or use avoiding tactics and abstain from making a tough decision?
• Or should I follow the process diligently and, decide based on planning regulations only?

Lou Holtz once said, “I follow three rules: Do the right thing, do the best you can, and always show people you care.“

 

 

Do the best you can

I have spent hours, trying to review, learn and understand the various planning regulations and, off course, reading our expert officers reports.

Based on these planning regulations & documents, I came to the same conclusion as the Council’s more able experts (I am still learning).

Rather than avoiding the decision, I sadly had to refuse four applications from ordinary residents.

 

What would you do?

I will continue to try to follow Lou Holtz’ mantra, “Do the right thing, do the best you can, and always show people you care”

What would you do?

You can watch the meeting again in full on Periscope – click the link below

Windsor Urban Development Management Panel – 13 Sept https://t.co/ZyX2Os0hqR

— RBWM (@RBWM) 13 September 2017

 

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Worthy planning guidance

A word of note to planning applicants; please seek and follow the advice or guidance of RBWM’s planning professionals before submitting an planning application; They are human, sympathetic but professional and, will help you as far as they can and, are mainly very good.

They offer a Planning pre-application advice service (click the link). I commend them to you.

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Accountably yours,

Wisdom

WWRA Councillor, Wisdom Da Costa, Clewer North, Windsor

Caveat

This post is part of Cllr Wisdom Da Costa’s regular series of Blogs to inform and empower local residents; as he promised in his election leaflet

The views expressed in this article are not necessarily the views of the West Windsor Residents Association (WWRA).