‘Secret’ plan to buy historic golf house to make way for traveller site to come back before Wakefield Council

In July, Wakefield Council’s Cabinet approved the scheme to buy the Old Golf House, on Heath Common.

The local authority intends to purchase the property, currently a private residence, so it can build an extension to a traveller site at a cost of £5.8m.A scrutiny committee took the rare step of referring the decision back to Cabinet a week after the decision was made.

Members of the Climate Change and Environmental Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee said they were concerned about a lack of consultation with local residents and the existing traveller community.

Tony Wallis, chair of the committee, told a meeting yewsterday (September 26) that a report is due due to go back before Cabinet next month.

He said: “We decided to refer an item back to Cabinet and gave our reasons why we wanted that done.

“Officers will bring the report back to Cabinet at a meeting in October. We will see what happens with that.

“It is for them to look at it again. They must take on board what we have said:”

At the scrutiny committee meeting in July, David Dagger, Labour councillor for Normanton, accused Cabinet members of ‘sneaking the decision through the back door’.

He said: ““The Council’s reputation will be severely damaged if this proposed acquisition goes ahead without consultation with the local and traveller community.

“It has the potential to call into question the Council’s Corporate Plan, ensuring fairness, opportunity, honesty, accountability and transparency which is at the core of how the Council works.

“The former golf house has significant local historical value and is part of Heath Common cultural heritage.”

Buying the property would allow for a covenant prohibiting development to be lifted.

Heath Common could then be extended to 61 permanent pitches, up from its current number of 38.

Coun Dagger also accused the local authority of withholding “top secret, commercially sensitive” information from elected members.

He continued: “It was that top secret and sensitive I found out about it from a member of the public – then asked the question and was informed on the matter by officers.

“Why should I, as an elected member, be told by a member of the public what’s happening in my ward on something that is supposedly top secret and commercially sensitive?

“The Council didn’t want anyone to know about it and start asking questions.”

Heath Residents’ Association and Warmfield-Cum-Heath Parish Council have objected to the plan, accusing the Council of ‘bullying tactics’.

Speaking at July’s Cabinet meeting, Coun Byford, Cabinet portfolio holder for regeneration, economic growth and property, said: “Officers have considered these representations and the advice is that there is suitable legal and evidential basis to proceed with this decision.

“A full, detailed response will be made, particularly to residents at Heath.”

“There is a wealth of evidence to show that travelling families who are not able to access a permanent site suffer from poor health and low life expectancy.

“This proposal does not seek to avoid proper scrutiny of loss of common land or greenbelt land.

“This will continue to be considered in public in accordance with the legal framework and national planning policy.”