The planning application for a Bingo Hall to replace the Willesden Green branch of Lloyds Bank was approved at last night's Planning Committee despite widespread opposition from local residents and from ward councillors.
The vote was 4 in favour, 2 against and 1 abstention in line with the Planning Officers; recommendation to approve.
On Next Door Cllr Saqlain Choudry indicated that current legislation was preventing the Planning Committee from refusing such applications:
There is an urgent need for legislative reform. The leader of council has in previous months written to the relevant Minister asking for more powers and greater clarity in legislation to prevent and block these harmful practices. It is shocking that there is no limit on how many bingo halls can open and other loopholes in the legal and planning framework that allows these practices to continue.
12 comments:
Why didn’t the councillors have the guts to all vote against this???
The current legislation should NOT prevent the planning committee from refusing such applications - if the Councillors should have voted against this application.
The Councillors are elected by hard working council tax paying residents to ensure our views are listened to and also to help build a better borough for our children and grandchildren. How can a bingo hall be acceptable in Brent in 2025???
Can you please tell us how each planning committee member voted - thanks
So a Labour Councillor claims that Labour Councillors cannot REFUSE because of Government Legislation. So who introduced the Government Legislation - a LABOUR Government.
Yet when I became Leader of Brent Council in 2006 and there was an attempt to impose a Las Vegas type Casino on Wembley we made a firm stand and said NO. All it takes is political will and a firm stand on behalf of local people.
Residents really need to start taking a stand as to why other authorities can manage to work effectively. Here is an example of a betting shop that was rejected not so long ago by Bradford Council https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/other/gambling-company-appeals-council-decision-to-refuse-city-centre-betting-shop/ar-AA1xYhsP
It is being appealed by the company but at least that council had the guts to reject the application.
Brent appears to approve everything I mean if you look at the shop fronts on our high streets they are in a shocking state.
Where there is a will there is a way, but unfortunately the only way we get is the bent way. There’s never a straight answer to residents concerns and it appears to be getting worse.
The behaviour of Brent Labour councillors relating to the development of more and more Adult Gaming Centres in Brent is inexcusable.Firstly let me remind all WM readers that "preventing more gambling centres opening on our high streets" was a manifesto commitment from Labour at the last local election. Now they say they are being hampered by national legislation. Either they didn't understand the legislation in the first place or are being disingenuous now. The planning committee is NOT the licensing committe and planning takes into account the Brent Local Plan - which outlines what the expectations are. Brent fully control whats in the Brent Local Plan and if they are really committed to this then could change it to be much stricter in terms of restrictions placed on gambling 'shops' of all varieties. As others have pointed out regardless of the reccomendations - councillors can still vote against. I do NOT believe this decision was taken because of any special interests - I actually just believe that the majority of Labour Councillors here in Brent are simply inept. A pretty nasty conclusion but what other explanation can there be? For reference 107 objections were received from local residents.
It was a Labour Government who relaxed gambling regulations in 2005 - surely they should now have the ethics to alter regulations to limit the number of betting shops and other gaming venues on our high streets...
"The gambling boom was kicked off when Tony Blair’s Labour government passed the Gambling Act 2005, dramatically liberalising the laws governing betting. The late Tessa Jowell, who pioneered the legislation, later described this as one of her biggest regrets." https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/jan/16/how-britain-got-the-gambling-bug
13 February 2025 at 10:52 We had to wait for a delayed recording to check voting. Cllrs Saqib Butt, Begum, Akran and Chappell voted for. Cllrs Patel and Dixon voted against. Cllr Johnson abstained. Cllr Kelcher stepped down from this item.
Why did Cllr Johndon abstain? If you cannot make decisions why are you on the committee???
And why did Cllr Kelcher Chair of the Planning Commitee and anti gambling campainger step down???
Cllrs get extra allowances to sit on these committees but don't have the guts to vote?
Cllr Johnson abstained not on planning grounds but because as a Christian he opposed any form of gambling. Cllr Kelcher recluded himself because of his well-known public stance against gambling premisies, so as to avoid any allegation of pre-determination. I hope this helps.
An interesting aspect of this particular hearing is that unusually the applicant did not turn up and make a presentation and answer any questions councillors had. This was of particular concern to Cllr Dixon. The applicant must have been very confident of it going through...
Neither of these are valid excuses not to vote on the planning application.
They are representing local people not themselves but if they felt that they could not vote at the meeting they should have asked for stand in Cllrs to decide on the planning application.
They are paid councillor allowances to make decisions not shy away from them.
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