Compulsory Purchase Orders – West Way

At the public session of the Vale Scrutiny Committee meeting of 21 Nov 2013, we were told:

The vicarage and Field House are not proposed as part of the development by the council, they were put forward by Doric, the developer. They are not subject to compulsory purchase and it will be up to each land owner if they wish to sell.

On 2 May 2014, I had a meeting with the Vale CEO David Buckle about the West Way land sale and how it was progressing. We spoke of this Scrutiny minute, which I had previously brought to his attention. He told me that he conferred with other officers and they determined the Scrutiny minutes were wrong. I remonstrated for a bit and he essentially shrugged and apologised and reiterated that the minutes were wrong. I said clearly the minutes were unchallenged so everyone remembered this was said. He said that it wasn’t known who said that, but whoever did say it was mistaken.

This contradiction between the Scrutiny and reality was what prompted the formal CPO statement to be drafted and publicly published. (You can see what they Vale says about it on Dropbox, here.) Several of you have seen it on the Vale website and written to me about it.

I learned a few things.

  • The Vale officers believe it’s all about money and that if enough money is offered all landowners will sell. Apparently if it goes to CPO, the price offered is “fair value” and not as much as if one were to sell earlier.
  • Here was the message from the top man: this is a Cabinet decision, made by those elected and appointed to Cabinet. He, and his staff, are employed to carry out Cabinet decisions. It is a political issue. The way to correct this is at the polls in May next year.

What burns me up is that these people in Cabinet making decisions that affect us in Botley, weren’t voted into office by us. None of them live here. None of them have a stake of any kind in this community.

Let me repeat: this is a political issue. It’s not me that’s making it a political issue. The decision was taken by the political party with a majority, without consideration at all for those of us who live here. Since more Tories were elected in the Vale than Lib Dems, Tories decide what happens. They’ve sold off Tilsley Park in Sunningwell. They’ve rented out the Vale offices in Abbey House to tenants, forcing Vale officers to now be located in Crowmarsh. They’re about to sell off Old Abbey House in Abingdon. All of these things were done without consultation or community assent. But the first thing they did when they took power was to decide to go along with Doric and their plans to flatten all of the Botley shops and more.

We really need the planning officers to refuse this or demand radical changes.

I am maximally frustrated.

 

3 thoughts on “Compulsory Purchase Orders – West Way”

  1. Caroline Potter

    Dear Debby,

    It’s no wonder that many people are feeling disheartened about the state of democracy in our district, with all of these contradictions and behind-closed-doors decisions on the part of non-elected Vale officers and a five-person, one-party Cabinet. They seem determined to support Doric’s grand ambition over the well-being of local residents, even in the face of so much expert evidence showing why this deal would be bad for us.

    I am grateful and take inspiration from the fact that you and other councillors — from both parties, it must be said — are sticking to your convictions and carrying out your public duty to make sure that democracy does not completely disappear in the Vale.

    Thank you!

    Best wishes,
    Caroline

  2. Carol Kramer

    Dear Debby

    Maximally Frustrated you must be, and feeling angry and cheated as we residents are
    Money may talk, as Doric asserted, but we must hold out against corruption and all the underhand sneaky things that have been going on during the last few months.
    “The Done Deal” must be undone, and the lying pair uprooted.

    We all value the huge effort you have made, and are still making

    Best Wishes

    Carol

  3. Bob Mitchell

    Thank you Debby for your energy and commitment in pursuing this. I agree with all your arguments and also think it is a disgrace that these decisions are being made without any serious consideration of the wishes of a local community, which seems to be the norm in the UK for many decades!

    If the Vale cabinet do decide to approve the Doric plans in the face of so much local opposition, which would be a disgrace in terms of local democracy, then could the Secretary of State be swayed by the level of local opposition, including Nicola Blackwood and Oxford City Council et al, in determining the CPO or are the representations only made by owners subjected to the CPO?

    Best wishes

    Bob

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