LABOUR councillors in Kirklees have voted to prevent the removal of ruling Cabinet members from key planning committees.

They said perceptions among the public that planning was somehow “bent”, and that members were “taking back-handers” were “completely false and baseless”.

Critics of the arrangement argued that the presence of members of the council’s top decision-making body on “non-political” planning committees risked “the appearance of bias whether it is there or not”.

They called for a change to the council’s procedure rules, which received cross-party support from opposition groups.

But there was a robust push-back from Labour, who rejected what they felt was an inference of corruption.

Clr Cathy Scott (Lab, Dewsbury East), who currently sits on the Strategic Planning Committee, said she felt the move questioned her integrity as an impartial member.

In a passionate address she said: “I want to address the word ‘perception’. That’s really hurtful. What this has created is [a situation where] the person that doesn’t get it to go the way they want … are not happy and call foul play.”

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She said Labour members are singled out and “personally attacked, and these are vicious attacks”.

She said the planning process was under threat from proposed government changes that would “take democracy away” from local people.

“It’s not Cabinet members that have taken it away. It’s national government [and] what they’re pushing through.”

Council Leader Shabir Pandor (Lab, Batley West) addressed criticism and abuse head-on. He said the perceptions being talked about were “completely false and baseless”.

He added: “What we are arguing on perceptions [is that] we are bent, we are corrupt, we are taking back-handers.

“It’s not healthy – for democracy, for this council, and it’s certainly not healthy for our public.”

He said there was nothing to clean up in the planning process and challenged anybody “with any ounce of evidence” to bring it to him and if a Labour member was involved he would deal with it.

He continued: “We are going down a dangerous path. I will not be supporting this. I have 100% confidence in my members and every single member that sits on Heavy Woollen, Huddersfield, and Strategic Planning committees.”

The Conservatives’ Clr John Taylor (Con, Kirkburton) said he was disappointed at the tone of the debate and said there had been an attempt “to suggest things that weren’t included in what was originally proposed”.

He added: “I will not accept any suggestion of political bias, because there is none. I don’t believe there is any in the planning committees. This has always been about how we improve public confidence.

“This is very simple to me: the public do not have confidence in the way that we make decisions. We have an opportunity today to try and address a small part of that.

“To vote this amendment down actually sends a message to the public: that you don’t recognise that they do have those very valid concerns.

“We can help protect Cabinet members from a lot of that grief by actually not sitting on that committee.”

The council voted 33-25 not to support the motion. Labour voted against, plus one independent. Conservatives, Lib Dems, Greens and the other independents voted in favour.

Speaking after the meeting Lib Dem group leader Clr John Lawson (Cleckheaton) said: “Especially when dealing with the council’s own planning matters, Cabinet members must not be anywhere near the decision process.

“It just doesn’t look good.

“Labour speakers tried to lose a simple fix in wider planning issues while refusing to explain why they feel the need to have Cabinet members placed on planning committees.”