Tories say lack of councillors on key board is 'an affront to democracy'
Concerns have been raised that key decisions on the future of Plymouth city centre are being made behind closed doors with no scrutiny from elected councillors.
The opposition Conservative group has questioned why there are no elected members from any party on the Plymouth Strategic Investment and Regeneration Board.
The board has been discussing plans to build 10,000 homes in the city centre and is made up of council officers, and representatives from Government housing quango Homes England, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and the Department for Transport (DfT).
Minutes of the meetings were not initially made public, with censored copies only obtained via Freedom of Information Act type requests.
Minutes of later meetings have now been made available online by Plymouth City Council but are considered to be lacking in detail, say Tory councillors.
The council has stressed that plans for the regeneration of the city centre are at an early stage and councillors will be informed.
The ruling Labour group said Cllr Tudor Evans, council leader, and finance chief Cllr Mark Lowry sit on two other bodies that are looking at the city centre redevelopment.
But Cllr Lee Finn, Tory spokesperson, said: “The Conservative opposition group expresses serious concerns regarding the link between the Strategic Investment and Regeneration Board and the council.
“Some 12 months ago, councillors were promised, following the controversy over secret meetings and redacted documents being withheld, that the board would be more transparent.
“Such secrecy and the make-up of the board itself, which has no councillor representation but links straight back to the MHCLG, is an affront to democracy.”
He said it was essential that elected councillors were made aware of what was being discussed so that they could consider the implications for such things as roads, parking, tourism, health, policing, council services, the nighttime economy and access to any new-build apartment blocks.
Cllr Finn added: “Elected councillors should be involved from the conceptual phase of all major projects before the council issues press releases and imposes decisions made in secret meetings.
“This is a basic tenant of respect for democracy and applies to these ongoing discussions between the board and the council.”
The council said the Strategic Investment and Regeneration Board was set up in 2023 as a “senior officer-led board” to further the case for investment with Government agencies and the private sector, and provide coordination and oversight of opportunities.
The board does not have decision-making powers and the authority said councillor oversight and decision making is provided through separate arrangements.
The council said the board had been established to bring together key investment partners, including Government departments and Homes England, to help shape the future of the city centre, and secure investment and funding.
It said that by strengthening these relationships through regular discussions it was proving beneficial for Plymouth as Homes England had contributed “significant funding” to the regeneration of the Civic Centre, development of new homes at Bath Street and funding for the City Living Framework and masterplanning work for 10,000 new homes.
Homes England has also acquired land at Armada Way North - the former Mayflower House, Congress Hall and Good Companions sites - with a view to building homes on them..
The council said the published minutes of the Strategic Investment and Regeneration Board “concisely capture” the key content of the board’s discussions and record actions under relevant agenda items.
It said the level of detail is considered by the board to be of adequate detail for their purpose.
The City Living Framework was started in mid-January this year and consultants are working on “phase one baseline analysis”.
This is a data gathering and analysis phase and no plans to build housing have yet been formed, the council stressed.
During this phase, consultants are also preparing the “engagement and social value strategy” which will set out how councillors, stakeholders and the public will be engaged in the co-design of the vision for the city centre and any plans for housing.
It expects this to be completed by the end of this month (March) and a briefing will be arranged at this time.
The council stressed it is at an early stage of the process and gave initial information to councillors at a scrutiny meeting at the beginning of February as well as at a group briefing.
Cllr Lowry, city centre champion, said: “The board was created as there were a lot of ad hoc meetings involving different players. This has brought focus and real oversight of opportunities in the city centre.
“I am comfortable with the level of councillor representation and oversight through the City Centre Cabinet Consultation Group, Capital Programme Board, which the leader and myself sit on.
