Planning To Be Quizzed Over Missing Money
Planning and Environment Minister Freddie Cohen's being asked to explain the whereabouts of a twenty thousand pound community improvement donation.
The funds were paid by the owners of The Boathouse restaurant as part of their planning agreement, and should have been invested in the St Aubin's area. But Senator Ben Shenton wants to know if and how that money's been spent.
The fee's called a Planning Obligation Agreement. It's basically a sum of money the developer agrees to pay to fund community enhancement projects in the area they're building. But in the case of the Boathouse, the twenty thousand pound sum they paid has been sitting in a States planning bank account for well over a year.
The Constable of St Brelade, Mike Jackson was told twelve months ago the money would remain at Planning until it could be used in an appropriate manner.
But with a number of existing projects in the parish already on the go, Constable Jackson felt the twenty thousand pounds could easily have been put to good use at any time over the last year.
The Parish Constable isn't the only islander chasing the funds. Mr Lane, the owner of the Boathouse, wants to know why the money's being kept under wraps for so long.
Senator Cohen refused to take part in an interview ahead of next week's States sitting. But said cash transactions like this and percentage for art were common place within planning departments in the Channel Islands and the UK.
With similar financial agreements across Jersey ranging from a hundred thousand pounds to half a million, I approached the planning department to find out what formula they used to determine the sum each developer should pay.
Planning explained the sum's based on the impact each development has on it's surrounding environment. The amount then to be paid as the, is valued at how much it costs to put that right.
In the case of the Boathouse, it was deemed the restaurant would impact on car parking facilities in the St Aubin's area. But it's then up to the relevant authorities in this case the Constable, Transport and Technical and the Harbours to contact planning with parking solutions before any cash is released.
Treasury keep a tight reign on the funds until planning give the go ahead. However, if nobody contacts the planning or an agreed solution can't be reached, the cash is returned with interest to the developer.
Senator Ben Shenton, will be posing the same question to the Planning Minister at next week's States sitting.
|
Linear Mode
