Liberal Democrat Councillors Back Independent Review of Wolds Inquiry

At the Derbyshire Dales Full Council meeting on 25 September in Matlock Town Hall, all councillors from the ruling Progressive Alliance—comprising Liberal Democrat, Labour, and Green groups—voted in favour of establishing an independent review into the Wolds Inquiry process.

The approved proposal will see a qualified independent chair appointed to lead a cross-party task and finish group. This group will gather evidence from those involved in the planning appeal to better understand how information was shared and decisions were made by the Council and its consultants. The findings will be compiled into a report and presented to a Council committee, ensuring public transparency.

The review aims to address concerns raised by residents about how the inquiry was conducted and to reinforce trust in local governance.

Cllr David Hughes who proposed the review comments;

"This review is about restoring trust. Residents deserve to know that their voices were heard and their concerns taken seriously. By appointing an independent chair and opening the process to scrutiny, we’re showing that transparency and accountability still matter in local government."

Meanwhile, the Conservative group withdrew their own inquiry motion which included a request to remove the Wolds site from the Local Plan after they were reminded that the Council would have to follow the whole process of revising the plan for it to come into effect. That process is already happening with a decision on the sites scheduled for later this year.

This request was particularly ironic given that the Conservatives themselves had championed the inclusion of the Wolds in the 2017 Local Plan.