To my mind a councillor should simply represent the people who elected him. He should not be providing advice on public affairs to a land development company at a time when his council are releasing huge tracts of Green Belt land for development. I have sent the following email to Stockport Council’s Monitoring Officer, Chief Executive and Leader. If I get any sort of response I will be astonished.
Email sent – 28 December 2014 08:28
Dear Ms Akhtar
I have posted this question up on Twitter and the
date I asked it. A reply from you would be most appreciated (and would knock me
over with a feather too).
I note Goddard declares his interest with Ainsworth
Strategic Land Development in his House of Lords Register of Interests under
Category 3 – Public affairs advice and services to clients. I wonder if a
serving councillor should be paid to provide advice on public affairs to anyone,
never mind a Strategic Land Development company at at time when Goddard,
Derbyshire et al are releasing large tracts of land for development – much
against the wishes of the people of Stockport. Goddard’s involvement with
Ainscough predates his astonishing elevation to the peerage by quite some
time.
Also, please deal with the issue of why he has
declared David Goddard Consulting as his company in his House of Lords Register
of Interests but has stopped declaring it in his Stockport Council Register of
Interests.
It is important that we sort this issue out.
Stockport Councillors need to be seen to be squeaky clean. Impossible I know,
but if we could show they are not utterly bent it would be a start.
With warmest wishes for the New Year
Sheila
