CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
The January sun streamed in through the committee room windows, dazzling the members and officers who had arrived too late to get the seats in the shade. With Linda Price still off sick, Winner had been asked by Westerman to look after the Committee. There wasn't always a Treasury representative at the Planning Committee meetings. Most months it was just a case of running through schedules of applications and hearing any relevant comments from the Chief Planning Officer, with no matters of a financial nature to be dealt with, but today there were the next year's estimates to be considered.
If Cavendish was bothered by Winner's presence, he wasn't showing it. He ran briskly through the opening procedures of dealing with apologies and signing the minutes for the previous meeting. By the time the attendance register had been passed round the table for the members to sign, Cavendish was starting into the first agenda item.
"Ladies and Gentlemen," he began. "We start this morning with the budget for next year. You will all have read in the local paper how extremely limited our finances are in the coming year. I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that if we add anything to this draft budget we have before us, it would mean even more redundancies to compensate. Perhaps if we see some upturn in planning applications and building regulations work, there may possibly be an overall improvement in the bottom line, but it would be a brave person who would say that was at all probable. You're welcome to go through it item by item, if that's what you want. Otherwise I'll just take questions on specific items."
I don't like you, you slimy toad, thought Winner, but at least you're telling them the truth as far as the Budget's concerned.
"Mr Chairman, could you tell us whether these staff cost figures allow for the actual costs of making people redundant?" asked Councillor Smith.
Cavendish looked towards Winner and raised his eyebrows.
"Yes, Mr Chairman," said Winner. "Or rather, no. All the redundancy costs have been brought together under a single heading in the Finance Committee budget. It would have been difficult to show costs properly against individual committees, because part of the economy measures has included shuffling people around between the departments. These figures reflect your new level of staffing."
Winner sat back in his chair, his answer apparently quite satisfactory. There were a couple more questions which the Chairman dealt with personally. Winner got the impression that the questions were just being asked for the sake of giving the debate some apparent substance.
There was a minute's silence before Cavendish spoke again. "No more questions? I wouldn't like anyone to think these estimates were being railroaded through, despite me having said our options are minimal." He looked around the table, but there was no response. "Very well, do I have a proposal?"
Councillor Parker nodded. "I propose that we approve these estimates as presented to us."
One of the members along the side of the table near Winner seconded the motion.
"All in favour?" asked Cavendish.
The members raised their hands in agreement.
"Against?"
There were no hands raised.
"Approved nem. con." Cavendish banged down his gavel. "I'll ask the Planning Officer to take us through his schedules now. If you wish to ask about a particular item or disagree with the officers' recommendations, speak up."
At this point, Winner could have left, but he was quite tightly wedged in between two members and that seemed like a good excuse to stay for the rest of the meeting. Before too long they would get to the planning permission for the superstore. Across the table from Winner, sweating in the direct sunlight, Councillor Avery was starting to look rather agitated. He wasn't a regular member of the committee, but was attending under Standing Orders, which would allow him to speak if invited, but would not allow him to vote.
An hour dragged by as they crept through the schedule, until at last they reached the superstore.
"I know some of you wish to say something about this item," said Cavendish. "Councillor Parker?"
"Yes, thank you. I don't want to say much, really. I know there are those people who feel that the proposals would result in a loss of trade from the town centre. My concern is that if we don't have some decent retailing space soon, then more and more of our citizens will be doing most of their shopping in Gorston or Petermere. If we have a decent superstore, then maybe we can reverse that trend and actually get people from Gorston and Petermere to do some of their shopping here in Sharmouth."
"Thank you. Councillor Martin?"
"Councillor Parker's really said what I was going to say. May I add that members who think we can survive without a superstore are just living in the past. As soon as you accept that we need a superstore, then you'll realise that the proposed site is just about the best place for it, with good access and plenty of space for parking."
"You're obviously keen to say something, Councillor Avery."
"Thank you Chairman. I know that you're keen on this scheme, and that you have your, er, supporters here this morning. I can't see that there's any evidence that a town without a superstore is doomed to decay. There may well be new jobs created and I'm sure we're all grateful for that, but I'm also sure that for every job created at the new store there'll be two lost in the town."
Winner looked around the room as Avery rambled on. One or two of the members nodded as Avery made a good point, but the rest just looked bored. Cavendish was concentrating on the clock, Standing Orders determining that a visiting member could only speak for a maximum of five minutes. As soon as the five minutes were up and Avery's monologue faltered, Cavendish was quick to jump in.
"Thank you Councillor. I'm sure we all value your comments and will bear them in mind when we vote. Can I just say that the Chief Planning Officer advises me that even if we throw this out today, we would be highly likely to be over-ruled if they should appeal. Any other comments?"
"Just one," said Councillor Smith. "No doubt this Committee will receive substantial Building Regulations fees in respect of the construction of the superstore. Are these fees already allowed for in the budget?"
"They are indeed, Councillor," said Cavendish. "If we reject this scheme, it would be necessary to make another inspector redundant."
There were some practical questions about the road arrangements, but the answer to Smith's question seemed to have consolidated the general positive feelings of the committee, because when Cavendish finally asked for a vote, there were no hands raised against.
Winner was back in his office by twelve noon and rang Westerman to let him know that the first set of estimates had gone through committee smoothly.
"It's all right for the Planning Committee," Westerman told him. "They get their sense of purpose from the control that they exercise over the local environment. The other committees are far more concerned with how they spend their money. They might not take the removal of choice so kindly. I'll let you know how I get on with the Works Committee."
"I expect you'll be interested to learn that they also approved the superstore."
"Yes, I know. Avery's been in here complaining already. There wasn't anything questionable in the way the matter was dealt with, was there?"
"No, there wasn't much sympathy for Avery. Cavendish dealt with him quite fairly and let him say his piece."
"While you're on, I'd like you to go and see Mrs Johnson early next week. Sanderman's going to let her know about redundancies in the Direct Services Organisation. We don't have to report it to the members, but I'd like to know the names and the figures in case Forbes asks me."