MORE CANAL CORRIDOR QUESTIONS

It's Our City are somewhat shocked that the Leader of the Council, Ian Barker, and other Labour councillors, have failed to declare their interest in numbers 15 and 15a Moor Lane, which are within the Canal Corridor North development. Councillor Barker is named as a joint 'registered owner' and one of the 'proprietors' on Land Registry documents1 relating to these properties, dated 1995. He failed to declare this at the Cabinet meeting on 25th July 20062 and at the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting on 16th August 20063.

Emilie Secker comments 'I am astounded at this news, especially given that It's Our City recently asked Cllr Barker 'Does any councillor or council officer have any shares or other interests in CM or any associated company?' He replied 'Not as far as I am aware. It's up to councillors and officers to declare interests. There is a public register of councillors' interests and a register that the chief executive keeps of officers' interests. What saddens me about this question is the implication that decisions are being taken for improper reasons. It's Our City have not produced a scintilla of evidence to support this implication, yet it is a leitmotif of all their questions - and Emilie Secker's in particular. It really is about time she put up or shut up on this point'.

Billy Pye adds 'Not only was the decision to proceed with the Canal Corridor development made without adequate information on the impact on traffic and retail, it now seems that some of the councillors, and in particular the Leader of the Council, who were at that point championing the development, neglected to point out that they had an owning interest in a building within the development. I am sure that Cllr Barker will want to clarify this issue for the local electorate at the earliest opportunity'.

It's Our City have heard that a complaint has been made at national level to the government's Standards Board of England, and to Lancaster City Council's own Head of Legal & Human Resources and Monitoring Officer, regarding this issue, and await the resultant enquiry with interest.