It may come as a surprise to members of the community, and indeed my political colleagues to learn that I withdrew my resignation from the Development & Planning Authority following my recent concerns on the Leale’s Yard outline planning application. This meant I was unable to give a statement within the assembly.

Earlier this year, I questioned the involvement of Deputy Oliver in the consideration of this application given the joint applicant was a company owned by her Proposer in the 2020 election.

Pictured: One of the designs planned for Leale's Yard.

Since the airing of my concerns I have received numerous legal threats to my business from Deputy Ferbrache’s law firm, representing my landlord’s company - who have a mutual director with the Leale’s Yard applicant.

In April I officially raised my concerns that I was being set up to become conflicted on this application.

In mid-October, it came to my attention that Deputy Oliver had:

• Met with the applicant to discuss the plans (no minutes or further details have been provided to committee),
• Met with the applicant to discuss the requirement of an Open Planning Meeting (The committee were not made aware of this meeting and minutes were only provided 4 months after when I uncovered the meeting),
• Informed a political colleague that I was being evicted from my coffee shop premises (1 month before I was made aware of any such threat).

The application proceeded under different companies. Deputy Oliver’s proposer is not listed as a director of the revised company, but the application continued to involve several individuals named in the original applicant company.

As a Deputy, I am unable to gain detailed insight into company ownership & complex corporate structures, however based upon the above events & connections I ruled on October 17th that Deputy Oliver should have no further involvement in the application (under Rule 49 of the Rules of Procedure).

Despite the above ruling being made in full accordance with the Rules of Procedure, this ruling was ignored.

Prior to the OPM, it was agreed in committee that I was not conflicted.

I was served with a "Notice to Quit” on the day of the Leale’s Yard site visit and the following day (20 hours prior to the OPM) Deputy Oliver advised she would be partaking in the OPM.

Pictured: Deputy Andy Taylor runs Taylor's Coffee Shop in the Market.

Subsequent to the tendering of my resignation, I have been approached by many concerned islanders and, on reflection, considered that resignation was in my best interest, but not in the best interest of the community.

Comments made publicly about me yesterday, containing frivolous allegations of misconduct following my involvement in the Briarwood OPM, cemented my view that the detailed scrutiny I have applied to the Development & Planning Authority is of benefit to the wider community, and so my resignation was withdrawn.

Given the continued legal threats I have been receiving, I will not be commenting further at this time.

Regards,

Deputy A Taylor