Council Leader ‘has asked councillors to tip up 100 quid’ to fight LDP court decision – as CrowdJustice campaign launched

Issues associated with the Local Development Plan rumble on, with local Labour saying they are concerned over a possible ‘contempt of court position’ as a crowd funding campaign has been launched to fund ‘legal opinion to challenge the LDP decision’.

The crowd funding site that is being circulated is via CrowdJustice.com/case/wrexham-councillors-threatened/ and states it is targeting £6.5k, with the ‘organiser’ being stated as ‘Wrexham councillors’.

Questions on the topic came at yesterday’s Executive Board meeting during a dull technical process council report detailing the move of Cllr Hugh Jones to Lead Member for Planning, with an expected quick nod through and rubber stamp being derailed.

Welsh Labour’s Cllr Dana Davies asked a question looking for reassurance, due to “…a potential conflict of interest with regards to strategic planning. I’m just asking is there a conflict of interest here given that Cllr Hugh Jones was a strong opposer of the LDP, what assurances do we have that the high court court orders served on this council will be upheld, and that the December lawful decision of council will also be upheld?”

Council Leader Mark Pritchard interjected to ask if Cllr Davies was “saying that this council and ourselves have broken the law?”.

Cllr Davies replied, “I’m asking for assurance based on court orders that were served on this council and we went to court. We went to council in December to accept the court orders.

“I’m asking on that lawful decision that was made by this council in December, I’m asking what assurances do we have that that will be upheld?

“Is there a conflict of interest, given your appointing Cllr Hugh Jones as the portfolio holder for strategic planning, with the LDP under that portfolio, and that Cllr Hugh Jones has been a strong opposer of the LDP. I can’t be any clearer than that.”

Cllr David A Bithell who was chairing the meeting at that point said, “I note your sentiments, Cllr Davies, but when when the lead member portfolios are compiled they are circulated to all officers and the senior leadership team and nobody’s raised any particular issue about any of the portfolios to my knowledge or the leaders knowledge. So I note your question. I note it and a note the sentiments contained in it.”

Cllr Davies then asked another question, pivoting to her previous point naming who she thought was behind the fundraiser, “With regards to my previous question, I’m just seeking assurance because I understand the Leader of the Council has asked councillors to tip up 100 quid to fight the decision that the court made, and I’m really concerned that that puts us in a contempt of court position.”

Cllr Bithell said, “Can I just remind everybody here today, I am not going to take comments like that in an Executive Board meeting. I’m going to disregard that comment.

Cllr Davies said she was ‘concerned’, “We are here to seek assurance, we have not had that assurance. That concerns me from the point of view of where do we stand on contempt of court now, and I think the taxpayers of Wrexham required an answer to that question”.

Cllr Bithell moved the meeting on, “We’re only here to note the lead members allocation of responsibilities. The recommendations have been moved and seconded. Can I have a show of hands please? Okay, thank you. Next item of the agenda is the revenue budget.”

Wrexham.com understood the whip round referenced in the Executive Board did exist, with those we spoke to later pointing us to the Wrexham CrowdJustice.com page , that reads:

Wrexham councillors’ steadfast refusal to adopt its Local Development Plan as being unsound for our community was challenged by a consortium of large housing developers in the High Court in November 2023. Wrexham Council failed to defend the action and, unopposed, the court order quashed two previous votes and ordered a further vote which took place in December 2023.

Democratically elected Councillors were all warned that if the did not reject the plan at the third time of asking, they risked jail and asset confiscation for contempt of court. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-67731930

We believe this case will have implications for councillors across the whole of Wales and the UK, as well as residents everywhere who are affected by local plans and applications.

The democratic process has been undermined by a powerful alliance of Welsh Government, large housing developers and others.

The LDP, as it stands, is not in the best interests of Wrexham and its people.

That’s why we’re seeking to challenge this fundamentally unfair and undemocratic situation via a court review of the council’s decision to adopt the plan by bringing proceedings through the planning court. Time is very tight and we need to raise £6,500 to obtain a legal advice. This is the first step to getting justice for our communities.

Your support, large or small, is much appreciated. Diolch!

Currently no councillors have self identified themselves on the fundraiser, however that is expected to change over the coming days as donations come in.

Top pic: Cllr Davies asking the question in the Executive Board