General

Councillor Upton declared that as a member and trustee of the Oxford Preservation Trust she had taken no part in that organisation’s discussions regarding any of the applications before the Committee.  Councillor Upton said that she was approaching the applications with an open mind, would listen to all the arguments and weigh up all the relevant facts before coming to a decision on them.

23/02092/FUL

Councillor Railton declared that she was a member of Littlemore Parish Council, which had commented on the application, and had attended a meeting arranged for the Parish Council in October 2022 to outline the proposal.  Councillor Railton declared that she had not participated in any discussions at the Parish Council relating to the comments submitted on the application, was approaching the application with an open mind, and would listen to all the arguments and weigh up all the relevant facts before coming to a decision on it.

23/00693/FUL and 23/00694/LBC

Councillor Hollingsworth declared that as a ward councillor for the area he had, before the applications were submitted, spoken to a number of residents at their request and advised them on the process for commenting on the planning application.  Councillor Hollingsworth declared that he had formed no judgement or expressed any opinion on the proposal and would listen to all the arguments and weigh up all the relevant facts before coming to a decision on them.

Councillor Chapman declared that he had visited an acquaintance who lived in St John’s Street and had viewed the application site but had not discussed the application with them.  Councillor Chapman declared that he had formed no judgement on the proposal and would listen to all the arguments and weigh up all the relevant facts before coming to a decision on them.

Councillor Clarkson declared that she was a graduate of St John’s College, which was the applicant, although she had not had any contact with the College regarding the proposals.  Councillor Clarkson also declared that she was a member of the congregation at Blackfriars Priory, which had objected to the application.  As this gave rise to a potential public perception of pre-determination, Councillor Clarkson declared that she would leave the meeting room whilst the applications were considered and would not participate in determining them.