Torbay Tories say 5.30 p.m. is too late for meetings

Decisions are best made at 2 p.m. they claim

Tired Torbay councillors will no longer have to decide complicated planning applications during long evening meetings.

Gatherings of the bay’s planning committee will be moved to afternoon sessions after a lengthy debate at an adjourned meeting of the full Torbay Council on Thursday. Members were urged by Lib Dems and Independents to stick to evening sessions so more members of the public could attend, but the council’s Conservative majority won the day, and meetings will begin at 2 p.m. instead of 5.30 p.m.

Addressing the adjourned council meeting, which itself had begun at 5.30 p.m., Cllr Jackie Thomas (Con, Kings Ash) said having planning meetings in the evening had not been successful.

And, she said: “If you have a hefty agenda, 5.30 is far too late to give of one’s best.

“A 2 p.m. start will ensure that members commence the meeting alert and fresh and not fatigued.

“We get very few public attendees, and in this digital age we have streaming of meetings, enabling the public to engage without physical attendance.”

Councillors had been urged to think again by Cllr Nick Pentney (Lib Dem, Tormohun), who said the planning committee was the one which was most observed by the public.

He said: “I really find it hard to fathom what good reason there can be to move back to a 2 p.m. start.

“It was working well at 5.30, so let’s not do something that is convenient for ourselves, let’s do something for the people of Torbay.”

Addressing the Conservative benches opposite, he went on: “Your manifesto talks about openness and engagement. Do you really want to trash that on day one?”

Former planning officer Cllr Mike Fox (Lib Dem, Barton with Watcombe) added: “Holding meetings in normal working hours automatically excludes many people who are at work, and also young people who are at school.”

Lib Dem leader Cllr Steve Darling, who also represents Barton with Watcombe, said moving back to afternoon meetings was “madness”, and added: “This is showing levels of contempt for our local community.”

But council leader Dave Thomas (Con, Preston) insisted: “I think you get better decisions at 2 p.m., and there is an opportunity to have site visits, so members can get out and see the sites themselves.”

Members voted on party lines, with the 15 Liberal Democrats and two Independents voting to keep meetings at 5.30 p.m. and the 19 Conservatives favouring the afternoon option.