The text of a Lib Dem press release follows. I will post more about this meeting later today.

PRESS RELEASE

Uttlesford Tories mustered 21 votes last night to pull out from defending the appeal by Kier for 300 homes at Thaxted Road, Saffron Walden. The meeting had received a second set of legal advice on the prospects of defeating the appeal by Kier.

There were seven votes against from Liberal Democrats, Independents, a Conservative and an independent Conservative. Two members abstained and 14 were absent in the middle of the holiday season or, in the case of some Conservatives, to avoid the party whip by diplomatic absence.

The Liberal Democrats challenged the proposal by Cllr Susan Barker (Conservative cabinet member) for proposing that the council pull out from defending the appeal by Kier against the planning committee’s refusal of planning permission in April.

Cllr David Morson (Elsenham & Henham) said the Tories were trying to shore up their draft local plan, which includes the Kier site. He criticised them for pulling out of the Kier appeal on top of July’s abandonment of the Fairfield, Elsenham appeal. Both are sites in the draft and untested local plan.

Cllr Alan Dean (Stansted South & Lib Dem leader) said “The truth is an influential element of this council is doing all they can to ensure the council loses. They are putting the draft, untested local plan before the adopted local plan and the credibility and integrity of the planning committee”.

Cllr Dean accused planning committee chairman, Cllr Jackie Cheetham, for failing to back her own committee’s refusal decision but instead backing the cabinet line to undermine the appeal.

After the meeting Alan Dean commented: “The Tory pretence that that are trying to avoid appeal costs is not wholly honest. This unprecedented council decision is about trying to shore up their discredited, untested and draft local plan.

“They said the meeting had to be held in private to keep the legal advice confidential in order to protect WeAreResidents’ and Saffron Walden Town Council’s positions when they fight the appeal. That’s sheer hypocrisy. Uttlesford Tories want these community groups to fail!”