McPherson: Lomond offer was 'corporate hospitality'

Peter Swindon 1601 - 1601 • Published 5 Jun 2008 12:00 0 Comments

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Lochgelly Community Council dismissed a developer's offer to present their plans for the town as "corporate hospitality", chairman Ernest McPherson told a special meeting last week.

Lomond Homes is leading a consortium which wants to breathe new life into the town by building houses, schools, a golf course, employment land with park and ride facilities towards Edinburgh, all complimented by a new highly visible entrance to Lochgelly.

The masterplan has been submitted to Fife Council for assessment, but it appears Ernest McPherson and secretary, Alex Sharp, aren't interested.

Letters sent to Lochgelly Community Council requesting an audience went unanswered prompting a formal complaint from Lomond Homes.

And, at a special meeting held to discuss the complaint, it emerged that community councillors weren't privy to the correspondence when the decision to ignore it was taken.

Mr McPherson told the meeting: "We see that as corporate hospitality. The decision was taken not to accept corporate hospitality on this occasion."

But when asked whether the community council has accepted corporate hospitality in the past, he said: "I suppose, yes."

Community Councillor, Linda Erskine, was unimpressed: "I've now read the correspondence and what I'm picking up is there was an assumption made by the chairman and secretary that it was corporate hospitality.

"Had I seen the letter at a meeting of this community council I would not have assumed it was corporate hospitality.

"It's just a pity we didn't see a copy of the correspondence at a meeting. We'd then have been able to make a more informed decision and not have it presented to us as corporate hospitality by the chairman and secretary."

She added: "And it's a bit thick to say you've accepted corporate hospitality in the past but didn't on this occasion. The community council either does or does not accept corporate hospitality."

Alex Sharp was unmoved: "To me it's corporate hospitality. As a councillor I've been to a lot of these events and that's what it is," he said.

Lomond Homes Development Manager Alan Seath rubbished the assumption. "There was no corporate hospitality as part of that," he said. "It was under the umbrella of community engagement as promoted by the government. The government want developers to engage and it's going to happen."

He added: "I want to make clear that, in the true spirit of community engagement, the letter requests that the community council suggest a time, date and venue of their choosing."

Lomond's complaint also asks whether the community council is prejudiced against the developer.

Mrs Erskine told the special meeting: "There hasn't been a community council meeting that hasn't mentioned Lomond Homes in a negative light. A lot of negative discussion has taken place. I can understand why Lomond would think certain members of the community council are prejudiced against them.

Mr McPherson refuted the insinuation. He said: "We're not prejudiced against any company, especially Lomond Homes. The problem is developers that do the work and put the planning application in later. It's been done on several occasions."

Mr McPherson then revealed he and Mr Sharp complained to Fife Council about Lomond's handling of a new development in Lochgelly.

Mr Sharp explained: "We put in a complaint to the council because, before approval, Lomond Homes started to do remedial work (at a site in Lochgelly). You don't do that. We put in a complaint, enforcement officers were sent out and it was confirmed that Lomond Homes were doing wrong.

"They're complaining because we're complaining and that's what this is about."

Mr McPherson added: "They're now throwing the toys out of the pram."

Mr Seath was bewildered: "The two issues are separate," he said "It's the right of the Community Council to respond to any issue. As development manager I listened and took it on board. The issues of the complaint from the community council and our complaint to Fife Council about the community council have never related in my mind."

The community council agreed to seek clarification on a third aspect of the complaint before responding.

Lomond accused the community council of making representations to Fife Council which did not give an accurate account of their community involvement.

Mr McPherson said: "I know what this is about but it's not very clear. We will respond in full when it is clarified."

This article appeared in Central Fife Times 05 Jun 08

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