Investigation into business forum postponed

The panel investigating a controversial lobbying group’s influence on planning has had its next meeting postponed due to the upcoming elections.

At a recent overview and scrutiny committee, it was agreed to widen the scope of the Task and Finish Forum (TAFF) into the East Devon Business Forum’s (EDBF) relationship with the district council.

It was due to next meet this evening, but an email to members of the panel said it should not take place until next month.

The committee’s clerk said: “In light of the revised scope of the Business TAFF, as agreed at the meeting of the overview and scrutiny committee on March 28, and currently being in the pre-election period for the Feniton by-election on May 3, the deputy monitoring officer has advised that the meeting of the Business TAFF set for April 16 should be postponed until after the election, given the matters members may wish to discuss.”

This is in reference to former Feniton and Buckerell councillor Graham Brown, who resigned his position at East Devon District Council after recent allegations. He is also the former chairman of the EDBF, a position he stepped down from in the wake of a police investigation into comments he made to an undercover reporter.

A new date for the TAFF meeting has yet to be arranged.