Meeting documents

Document Q

NOTE OF INTERVIEW

21^ST SEPTEMBER 2006

INTERVIEW WITH COUNCILLOR JONATHAN GAY

Councillor Jonathan Gay stated that he did not consider that he had an interest in the house of Councillor Phyllis Gay. He did live in the house until around 8 years ago. However, he understands that when his parents do die, any money from their estate will be passed directly on to their grandchildren (that is Councillor Jonathan Gay's nieces and nephews), so as far as he is aware, he has no financial interest in the house.

In any event, Councillor Jonathan Gay did not think that Councillor Phyllis Gay herself had any interest which needed to be declared in respect of the planning application. Firstly, the development is too far away from the house to have any impact. His mother does not know the developers or the owners of the site. Her only connection with the development is through the residents who had contacted her to confirm their concerns about the development.

Councillor Phyllis Gay had contacted Councillor Jonathan Gay to act on behalf of these residents because, as a member of the development committee, she could not. Councillor Jonathan Gay went to the planning meetings and relayed the concerns of these residents on their behalf.

Councillor Jonathan Gay understood that the planners had sent out no consultation notice to Councillor Phyllis Gay, therefore they must have felt that she lived far enough away from the development not to need to be consulted. Councillor Jonathan Gay believes that the development is probably more like 50 to 100 yards from the house of Councillor Phyllis Gay than 20 to 30 yards.

Councillor Jonathan Gay confirmed that he attended all 3 planning meetings. He arrived after the start of the first meeting, which is possibly why he is not listed as an attendee. He was there to represent local residents who had asked him to act on their behalf and make representations to the planning committee.

He spoke at the first meeting and objected to the application. He was allowed to speak as a local member for the area. The committee then decided to have a site visit. There were others who voiced objections on that day, both local residents and Peter Sas himself.

At the first meeting, all he remembers Councillor Phyllis Gay saying was that he was there to speak on behalf of the local residents. He does not recall her voicing any objections to the development at that first meeting.

Councillor Jonathan Gay attended the site visit, as he was the councillor for the local ward. He did not voice any objections at the site meeting. He was really only there to look at the site. He attended the site meeting to observe what the councillors were picking up on their visit. He wanted to listen to the officers to hear what their views were on what was being proposed. He was there to represent his ward members. He also wanted to gauge the reactions of the planning committee and hear what their thoughts and concerns might be about the site.

He does not remember Councillor Phyllis Gay objecting to the application at the site visit, although he spent some time talking to the developer more generally about development in Radstock and then the rest of his time talking to other councillors about some other outstanding issues. The whole of the planning committee was aware of the location of Councillor Phyllis Gay's house as they were all talking about popping in for a coffee when they were on the site visit. The committee would have passed the house on their way to the site visit.

Councillor Jonathan Gay does not recall anyone making a Declaration of Interest at the third meeting. Again, he had attended to represent the views of his ward members. He thinks he may have been the only one who spoke at that meeting, although other residents were there. He thinks that Councillor Phyllis Gay did speak at the third meeting along with some of the other councillors. Most of the councillors on the committee gave their opinion one way or another as they discussed the application.

Councillor Jonathan Gay believes this complaint is politically motivated due to the email which was sent by Mr Sas to the Somerset Guardian. The Somerset Guardian then sent this information to Councillor Jonathan Gay for his comment. Councillor Gay believes this information may also have gone to the Radstock Journal but the story did not appear in any of the papers.

Councillor Jonathan Gay thinks that the complaint was made in order that Mr Sas could then justify sending correspondence to these publications to confirm that a complaint had been made. The same has happened in at least one or two of the other complaints he or Councillor Phyllis Gay have received from Peter Sas, where the information was released to third parties once the complaint had been made. He also thinks that the complaint is politically motivated because Peter Sas only reported Councillor Jonathan Gay to the Standards Board. If Mr Sas had been concerned about councillors not reporting any interest of, or resultant breach of the Code of Conduct by Councillor Phyllis Gay, Mr Sas should have reported every other member of the development committee who attended that day, as they were all aware of the location of Phyllis Gay's house.

I confirm that this is a correct record of the interview

Signed____________________________________Date________________

Councillor Jonathan Gay