“We should act with integrity at all times – this looks to me like the exact opposite’ – party leader blasted over bid to have parking scheme decision overturned

A Middleton councillor has been accused of ‘flagrantly ignoring the will of other people’ after attempting to get a decision over a parking scheme overturned.

Proposals to introduce residents’ permits in the Durnford Street and Mellalieu Street area of Middleton were rejected after 150 objections were received by the council, along with an 1,800 signature position.

Instead Middleton township committee voted through an alternative scheme which included restrictions on waiting and loading at key locations, including junctions.

But the decision, taken in November, was ‘called in’ by Middleton Independents Party councillors Peter Allonby and Lee Wolf – the latter of whom owns a property within the area in question.

Councillor Wolf, leader of the MIP group, insists he was acting on behalf of residents and has not done anything untoward.

The pair argued that the decision should not stand as the Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) notice had only called for objections – giving those who supported a residents’ permit scheme the impression they did not need to act.

This, they told a council scrutiny committee, brought its legality and validity into question.

They also claimed the petition in objection to the original plans – set up by a local business – had misled people about the extent of the permit area and included signatures from outside Middleton and the borough.

However, committee chair Councillor Tom Besford, said he was ‘open mouthed’ that they had seen fit to call the decision in.

“Discounting the 1,800 [signature] petition, 150 responses to a TRO – with only four in support – is staggering and overwhelming local opposition to a TRO,” he told Councillor Allonby – Councillor Wolf having left the meeting at this stage due to his declared interest.

“If this was in my ward, I would have run a mile from it.”

The Labour councillor added that the TRO had been advertised using the standard legal wording and process as used across the borough – and the community had ‘overwhelmingly said no’.

This, he added, was reflected in the vote of the township committee.

And he claimed that Councillor Wolf had used his position to challenge the decision ‘in the hope of seeing it overturned so that he can get residents’ parking outside a property he owns with no further evidence than his say so.’

“I have a problem with this,” he continued.

“Councillors, I expect, should act with integrity at all times on behalf of the residents. I have not heard a single resident advocate for this. This looks to me to be the exact opposite.”

He added: “Councillor Wolf can’t just decide that because he wants something – namely, residents’ parking outside a property he owns – and because he is in a trusted position of elected office, that he can flagrantly ignore the will of other people and the decisions of democratically elected bodies.”

Councillor Besford’s proposal to uphold the decision made by Middleton Township in November was backed by the committee.

He also said he would be speaking to the monitoring officer about the ‘appropriateness’ of Councillor Wolf calling in a decision which he had ‘such a direct interest’ in.

Councillor Wolf was unable to directly respond having left the meeting for this stage due to his declared interest.

However, speaking after the meeting, he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service he had not done anything improper and was acting within his remit as a councillor.

“I was representing the ward constituents, I just happen to live in the area,” he said.

“It’s a topic that people discuss with me all the time, locally. The residents are really impacted by the parking situation.”

The North Middleton councillor also pointed out that the decision was also called in by Councillor Allonby, who does not live within the TRO area.

Rochdale council’s communities, regeneration and environment scrutiny committee met at Number One Riverside on Tuesday night (7 March).

Nick Statham, Local Democracy Reporting Service