Councillor didn't declare links to college poised to cash in on development in local plan

Council finance chief, Cllr Gagan Mohindra, did not declare he is chair of governors at Epping Forest College during a meeting to approve Epping Forest Council’s draft local plan on December 14.

As part of the plan, college-owned sites previously used as playing fields in Borders Lane, Loughton, are earmarked for housing development.

Cllr Mohindra told the Guardian Series his role at the college was “purely voluntary” and insisted he would have declared an interest if the sites had been mentioned by name during the meeting.

He said: “The site was not specifically discussed.

“The decision made at the meeting was about the local plan process, that was the advice I was given.”

“If those two sites were specifically mentioned by name, I would have made a declaration of interest at that point.”

Some 11 acres of land owned by the college had been protected by a covenant, allowing it to only be used for education or healthcare purposes.

However, in January 2016, councillors voted to remove the covenants, paving the way for the land to be sold off to developers.

The decision was criticised at the time by Loughton Residents’ Association (LRA) councillors, who warned the move could be a “monumental error of judgement”.

Nine councillors in total declared interests for various reasons at the beginning of the meeting, including some relating to specific sites outlined for development in the draft local plan.

Cllr Elizabeth Webster said she “may still be” a trustee of Waltham Abbey Community Centre and declared an interest in regards to the proposed development on the centre’s Saxon Way site.

Cllr Jon Whitehouse declared an interest in two potential development sites in Epping, one in St John’s Road close to his home address, and Epping Library, where he is a member of owner Epping Town Council.

Several councillors also revealed they had held meetings with potential developers during their time in office.