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Friday 14th October, 2005

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By RICHARD OSLEY

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Sacked boss brushes off bias charge

Woodrow takes on his own party

OUSTED planning chairman Brian Woodrow has defended his handling of the £2 billion redevelopment of King’s Cross, insisting he did nothing wrong.
The long-serving councillor will defiantly take control of his committee for another meeting next Thursday despite the ongoing unrest over the manner in which he was voted out of his position by Labour Party colleagues.
It could be the last time he is seen in the planning hot-seat before he is replaced by former mayor Heather Johnson early next month.
He has spoken out after being sacked in a private ballot last Monday.
Councillor Woodrow said: “I have been a Camden councillor for 15 years, a member of the development control committee throughout that period and its chair for 10 years. During this time I have always sought to ensure that planning matters in Camden were dealt with properly, fairly and openly to the benefit of the community.”
His comments come as his legal team prepare to take the Standards Board for England to the High Court for its unusual decision to publish an interim report into his conduct.
Lawyers are thought to be researching whether the Town Hall and Labour Party members received a copy of the report before it was released to Cllr Woodrow’s representatives.
A Standards Board investigation was launched earlier this year after borough solicitor Alison Lowton reported the planning chairman.
She warned that Cllr Woodrow could not be seen to be impartial to the planning applications in King’s Cross – a giant scheme which is Europe’s biggest construction project.
Although he has been voted out of his job by his party, Cllr Woodrow can technically remain in control of the committee until the first meeting in November.
It is unclear whether he will stay on the committee in the reduced capacity of a voting member.
A council press official said: “The Standards Board for England has issued an interim report in respect of a complaint that Cllr Woodrow failed to comply with the council’s Code of Conduct with regard to his position as chair of the Development Control Sub Committee and the King’s Cross Opportunity Area planning applications. The complaint was made because there was a significant risk that Cllr Woodrow either would not, or would not be seen to, act in an impartial or objective manner in dealing with these applications. There was a risk that the applicants could then challenge through judicial review any decision, which the sub committee made.”

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