The chairwoman of Framlingham Town Council faced further pressure to resign on Thursday as more than 30 residents attended its monthly meeting to express concerns on her response to a 95-home development.
At a meeting of Suffolk Coastal’s planning committee on October 29, Carolyn Youngs said that Framlingham Town Council was broadly in favour of the 95-home Mount Pleasant development, contrary to views previously expressed by the council.
Her representation caused at least one member of the committee, Susan Harvey, to vote in favour of the scheme, which was approved by eight votes to five. Ms Youngs has since defended her representation, stating that she was speaking on behalf of the neighbourhood plan team and not of the town council.
However, speaking at Thursday’s meeting, member of Framlingham Residents Association (FRAm), David Beal, said: “She addressed herself as Framlingham Town Council. The fact that she thought appropriate to read a neighbourhood plan statement shows a poor understanding of what she should have been doing there. Her position is untenable and she should resign before further damage is done.”
Lindsay Beal added: “It was her position to represent the public’s views. The words that fell from her lips were contrary to the views of Framlingham Town Council. The chairman is a position of trust. Framlingham Town Council and residents of Framlingham were let down by one person that had the power to represent them. The chairman should stand down as a direct result of her actions.”
The statement was followed by a round of applause from the audience.
Addressing residents, Ms Youngs said: “It wasn’t my intention to give that response, but I did give that response and councillor Harvey was swayed by that. She was one of the eight.”
The matter will go before Framlingham Town Council at its next meeting on Thursday, December 3, following a request by councillor Steve Lovett.
A spokesperson for Suffolk Coastal confirmed that the application would not be taken to the committee for reconsideration.
She said: “We believe the vote was carried out in a fair and democratic manner and members made their own decision from their own opinion when carrying out their vote.”
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