Gscene News Archive

Cllr Gill Mitchell, The Labour Group Leader on Brighton and Hove Council, is calling for a National independent inquiry into allegations that Shadow Minister Andrew Lansley MP, was allegedly involved in a cash for favours row at Conservative controlled Brighton & Hove City Council.

Fash Ghiaci, of the development company City Gateway, made a £2,000 donation to Hove Conservative Association at the same time as the Tory dominated planning committee on Brighton & Hove City Council waived a £140,000 obligation for City Gateway to invest in the local community which was previously agreed as a condition of planning approval.

Weeks before this decision took place Shadow Minister Andrew Lansley MP, visited Brighton allegedly for a private meeting with the developer and Cllr Ayas Fallon-Khan , Deputy Leader of Brighton & Hove City Council.

Cllr Fallon-Khan allegedly went on to have a further meeting with the developer and the now Conservative appointed acting Chief-Executive of the Council, Alex Bailey, which he failed to declare, before going on to substitute himself on to the planning committee and organise the crucial vote which waived the £140,000 obligation for the developer.

Following the meeting a complaint was made to the standards committee and the Conservative Administraton by Labour Councillors. The Conservatives have confirmed that they accepted a £2,000 donation from the developer.

Since news of the story broke the Conservatives have removed pictures of the developer meeting with Andrew Lansley MP and Councillor Fallon-Khan from their website and have refused to comment on the matter.

Gill Mitchell said:
"The actions of the Conservatives in this matter are nothing short of scandalous. Answers must be given as to why Conservative Councillors allowed a developer to get out of paying £140,000 for the community, while at the same time accepting £2,000 for their Party funds.

"I am calling for this matter to be referred to the National Standards Board for England & Wales as I have no confidence in the Council’s ability to investigate this matter itself. Questions must also be asked as to the involvement of Tory shadow minister Andrew Lansley MP, in this affair."

Cllr Bill Randall, the Green Party Convenor issued the following statement:
"To help clear the air and protect the city council’s reputation the Tory Party should immediately donate £2,000 to a local charity and the planning permission should be put on hold, pending the findings of an independent inquiry into ‘Flexergate."

"The Tories have serious questions to answer to an inquiry about the meetings between Goldsmid Councillor Ayas Fallon Khan, Mr Ghiaci and Tory front-bench spokesman Andrew Lansley.

"The public needs to be reassured that the £2,000 donation to the Conservative Party and the decision to remove the £145,000 community contribution from the planning permission, against the advice of the planning officers, are nothing more than an unhappy coincidence.

"We expressed our doubts about the planning decision in a press release immediately after the meeting. The information that has come to light since then has only added to our concerns."

Leader of the Lib Dems, Cllr Paul Elgood said:
"The allegations being made are extremely serious, which if found to be justified could lead to disqualification. The internal inquiry needs to be report as quickly as possible now, it has already taken too long.

"If David Cameron is seeking to place his party above the recent political scandals, then he must ensure that this donation is returned so that local planning practices can be above criticism."

For more information on Brighton & Hove Labour Party view:
www.brighton-hove-labour.org.uk/