Question
Q9. Ashfield district council is being run by criminals—criminals such as Councillor Tom Hollis, who is the vice-chairman of the council. Councillor Hollis, along with his family, keep putting in planning applications that are recommended for refusal by the planning officers, and then, as if by magic, they go to committee and they are planned, netting Councillor Hollis tens—if not hundreds— of thousands of pounds for him and his family. Will the Prime Minister please send in the commissioners to root out that corruption and put those people where they belong?
Answer
My right hon. Friend the Communities Secretary says that she will meet the hon. Gentleman to discuss those concerns, because what he has just said in the House is extremely serious. Of course we must have the highest standards of conduct from local authorities and elected councillors, and we are monitoring the situation. I will say no more than that at this stage, but the hon. Gentleman has that clear offer of a meeting.17% vibes
Verdict: RED (14/100)
The reply does not clearly say whether commissioners will be sent into Ashfield. It offers a meeting to discuss the concerns and says the situation is being monitored, then declines to say more 'at this stage' without giving a reason, so the central yes-or-no question stays open. On the second part, about how people will be held to account for corruption, the reply offers only a general statement that councils must meet high standards of conduct, with nothing on prosecution, sanctions, or other enforcement. The person who asked would most likely need to submit a follow-up for a specific answer.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Will the Government send commissioners into Ashfield District Council to investigate alleged corruption in its planning decisions, including applications connected to Councillor Tom Hollis and his family. | Partially Addressed | Hedged | The reply never says whether commissioners will be sent into Ashfield. It offers a meeting to discuss the concerns, says the situation is being monitored, and then declines to say more 'at this stage' without giving a reason, so the core yes/no question is left unanswered. |
| What action will the Government take to ensure that anyone found to have committed corruption in relation to Ashfield District Council's planning decisions is prosecuted or otherwise held to account. | Not Addressed | Generic | The only relevant statement is a general remark that councils must meet high standards of conduct, which says nothing about prosecution, sanctions, or any other mechanism for holding people to account for corruption. |