At yesterday’s full meeting of South Cambridgeshire District Council the Conservative Council Leader was accused of “telling fake news” about the council’s Local Plan ahead of the local elections in May after the Inspector conducting the public examination complained that his spin on it was misjudged.

The Conservative’s interpretation of events was at best optimistic and, at worst, positively misleading. Prompted by the media coverage, the Inspector wrote to the Council expressing disappointment that correspondence was released and that statements made by the Council Leader in relation to that correspondence had little basis in fact. The Inspector’s letter concludes that his actions, far from ensuring a speedy and straightforward conclusion to the Local Plan inspection were premature, presumptive and discourteous.

Senior officers at South Cambs have now written to the Inspector to apologize for what has happened.  Bowing to demands from Liberal Democrat councillors the Leader of the Council issued a statement at yesterday’s meeting but we were not satisfied with it because he refused to write to the Inspector and the residents of South Cambridgeshire apologizing for his error.

Lib Dems requested that a proper apology be sent from him to parish councils, to members and to the public.  Conservative councillors voted this suggestion down.