'I will not be silenced' - Campaigner battling controversial South Tyneside housing plan warns council bosses

A campaigner has accused council bosses of trying to silence him over his opposition to a proposed new housing development in South Tyneside which could get the green light at a full council meeting.

Dave Green, 63, believes they do not want to admit they may agree to fund up to £14m of road and other infrastructure improvements to ensure the 1,200-home scheme on Green Belt at Fellgate, Jarrow, goes ahead.

He claims the borough’s council would then attempt to claw back the money from the builders – leaving taxpayers on the hook if they fail to cough up.

The scheme is the biggest being considered in South Tyneside under the council’s controversial Local Plan strategy for growth.

Read South Tyneside’s news & sport headlines and sign up for the Gazette’s free newsletters

The Plan has twice been rejected by councillors but will be voted on again on July 30, after it was approved by a government inspector following a public inquiry.

Mr Green, spokesman for the Save the Fellgate Green Belt Working Group, which opposes the housing plan, wrote to the council to ask it to clarify its funding position.

He wanted his question - if it was considering paying up front for infrastructure upgrades, and where the cash would be found – to be added to the meeting’s official agenda.

But he says his request was rejected out of hand, with council officers denying him, due to the nature of his question.

Mr Green said: “At the public inquiry, a council official requested the ‘flexibility’ to forward fund infrastructure taking into account developers’ cash flow situation.

“The official stated that ‘this would be paid retrospectively’. This was included in the inspectors’ final report and may involve forward funding by the council of tens of millions of pounds.

“It is basically an IOU for council taxpayers’ money from the developers to the council.

“The question I asked to be added to the agenda was, is the council still considering proportionate developer contributions being secured retrospectively where the council has paid upfront on their behalf.

“My question also asked that if this was still the case, ‘where will this money be found’?”

He added: “After much ‘toing and froing’, the council has refused to add the question to the agenda.

“It has stated that the Mayor, who can decide what can go into an agenda, is of the view that my question relates to ‘operational matters’ and not ‘strategic matters’.

“South Tyneside Council’s own website states, ‘This Local Plan proposes a strategy for the future development of the borough until 2040’.

“My question is therefore related to a strategic matter.

“In essence this means that my question will not even be mentioned in the agenda and I will receive a response separately from a council officer but only within seven days after the meeting.

“I am livid about this. The council is deliberately trying to ignore that it may agree to fund this infrastructure, taking on the financial burden from the developers.”

A spokesperson for South Tyneside Council said: "Mr Green's question was considered under the Council's usual process for public questions.

“Questions included on the Full Council agenda receive a written response within seven days of the meeting.

“Where a question relates to operational matters, it may instead be referred to the relevant officers for a direct response which does not have to wait until the meeting has taken place, to be responded to.

“That is what has happened in this case and Mr Green will receive a written response from officers.”