Plans for 12,400 new houses to be built in Teignbridge were pushed through on Friday, September 21 on the casting vote of the council’s chairman. This was a bit of a surprise to the watching public, because the chairman Cllr Clarance at an earlier meetings on May 22 had voiced support for a lower number, and is recorded in the minutes as voting for the figure of 10,000.
Opposition Liberal Democrats continued to support a lower number of 10,000 houses to be built over the next 20 years.
It was supported by most of the council’s Independent members but narrowly failed. In a tied vote, 18-18, it was council chairman Chris Clarance who used his casting vote to rule against the 10,000 houses, which allowed the Conservatives who run Teignbridge to then vote in their plans for 12,400 homes – that’s 620 a year for the next 20 years.
In the minutes of the meeting (pdf) shows the council chairman voting for 10,000 (other Tories voted for 10k in May and in September voted for 12,400)
