Newark and Sherwood District Council planning meeting gets heated as councillor Johno Lee storms out

A councillor stormed out of a planning committee during a voting row.

Councillor Johno Lee stormed out of the room during Newark and Sherwood District Council’s planning committee meeting and threw his agenda into a bin after the chairman moved the meeting on.

The meeting heard that Mr Lee had every opportunity to source the information he said he needed to be able to cast a vote prior to the meeting, despite his technical difficulties.

When discussing a planning application, councillor Lee said he only had access to his emails two hours prior to the meeting taking place. and didn’t receive papers containing extra information regarding the application in question.

Johno Lee said: “I’ve got a few concerns, I have not received the extra papers because I only got my email sorted about two hours ago so I am going to need them extra papers so I can read them before I make a decision.

“Obviously that’s the rules of the planning committee and I can’t make a decision as I don’t have all the information.”

The councillor still shared his opinion on the planning application based on the information he previously had and other councillors’ comments.

“As long as I get the extra papers just so I can have a read I will be able to make a decision on that,” he added.

The committee chairman, Andy Freeman agreed that if the councillor didn’t have all the information needed he wouldn’t be able to vote.

“It is the responsibility of each and every one of us to make sure we do have all the papers before the meeting if we have had technical issues,” said councillor Linda Dales.

She added: “Democratic services are really helpful in making sure that papers are supplied to us as we come into this room if we need them.”

The chairman proceeded with the vote without granting councillor Lee the opportunity to have a few minutes to read the extra information that would allow him to take part in the voting process.

The chairman said: “Everybody has been circulated with the information prior to this meeting I’d go back to councillor Dale’s point that was made that it’s everybody’s responsibility to make sure they got that information.”

The application is to change the use of land from agricultural to equestrian use and erect new stables at Flaggs Farm, Caunton Road, Norwell.

It was voted against by all members and councillor Lee abstained.

“If I was the applicant I would be using this for a grant of appeals – that not all councillors have been given all the information but that’s up to the applicant,” added councillor Lee.

After the chairman thanked Mr Lee for his suggestion in a sarcastic manner, Mr Lee stood up, put his meeting papers in the bin and walked out of the meeting.

Later, Mr Lee returned to the meeting and sat sullenly in the public gallery.