WRISTS SLAP, CASH BOOST

South Wales Evening Post - 31 July 2006

I am sure I wasn't the only person who was holding my breath while awaiting the planning decision by Swansea Council with regards former chief executive Tim Thorogood's home. Once again Swansea Council has proved what a cowardly council they are, and how they have failed the people of Swansea.

We can possibly accept the ordinary person to be ignorant of planning laws.But here we have the former chief executive of Swansea Council showing what looks like sheer arrogance and contempt for not only the council, for whom he was employed, at a cost of £120,000 a year, but the people of Swansea.

Here is a person who had been informed by the council planning department that any additional changes would require further planning permission, did he listen to them?

Some time later, Mr Thorogood's wife apparently requested Swansea Council tourism chiefs about having the garage inspected for use as a holiday flat. Surely this should have rung a bell within the council as to the true reasons for the building work being carried out.

But no, what takes place is a farce. First Mr Thorogood is suspended on full pay, then while he is having a nice holiday at the expense of Swansea taxpayers, he decides to quit his job and walk away, no doubt with a big smile on his face and £60,000 in his pocket. Why? Because the council decide it is not in the interest of the people of Swansea to pursue the matter any further.

This is the same council which a few weeks back said it was taking a member of the public to court for allegedly placing the wrong recycling material in his rubbish. This could result in a possible £1,000 fine.

Why is it that their rules are not consistent?Which brings us to the closing of Swansea Leisure Centre in 2003. Here again we have a situation where the then director of regeneration Mr David Evans, was on suspension for 13 months during the investigation into the reasons for the closure of the leisure centre, and again Swansea Council decided it would not be in the interest of the council or the people of Swansea to pursue the matter any further.

Therefore, we must come to the conclusion that if you are employed by Swansea Council and break any rules laid down by them, you stand a very good chance of having your wrists slapped and a lump sum of money dropped into your pocket and told to go away.

That is, of course, if they decided it would be in the interest of the council or the people of Swansea to pursue the matter any further.

J C Lewis, Heol Illtyd, Caewern, Neath

WAS IT WORTH IT?

South Wales Evening Post - 26 July 2006 - Editorial

Swansea Council's former chief executive, Tim Thorogood, has received retrospective planning permission for his one-bedroom garage. There was a huge fuss when he strayed from his original plans. There was such a fuss that the highest paid public servant in Wales's second city ended up leaving his job.

With planning permission granted and the extension now "legal" will that be an end to the matter?

FORMER CHIEF KEEPS GARAGE EXTENSION

South Wales Evening Post - 26 July 2006

Swansea Council's former top boss is being allowed to keep his one-bedroom garage at his luxury Gower home after a planning wrangle was yesterday finally settled. Councillors voted 12 to seven to grant it retrospective planning permission despite claims it could open the floodgates to similar applications from other homeowners in the area.

Tim Thorogood has been told that his garage which now incorporates a shower, toilet and first-floor living space, including a bedroom, can stay despite straying from the original plans submitted while he was still head of Swansea Council.

It is the third time Mr Thorogood has asked for planning permission for the garage after unauthorised changes on two occasions.The decision, taken at a Swansea Council planning meeting, was immediately slammed by those who voted against it. It came after councillors were advised by officials to pass the application or risk a costly appeal to the Assembly.

However, a number of councillors called for Mr Thorogood to be forced to change the garage.Councilor Margaret Smith said the result signalled open season for building on Gower while Labour leader David Phillips said: "I am amazed, but not surprised by the decision to allow it."The councillors are scared of it going to appeal. But as an authority we gave permission for one thing and that is what we should allow."

The former chief executive originally asked for permission to build a garage and workshop.

However, once permission was granted he decided that he wanted storage space on the first floor for horse feed and a ground floor toilet.

Council planners told him that any additional changes would require further planning permission.

Mr Thorogood did not wait for permission to be granted before giving builders the go-ahead.

At the time he was reminded that any building works should only be carried out after permission was first granted. But a little over three months after the advice Mr Thorogood's wife Alison asked Swansea Council tourism chiefs about having the garage inspected for use as a holiday let.

Four days later an official complaint was made and stunned planning inspectors later discovered a kitchen, laminate flooring on the first floor "storage area", a sleeping room and shower had been included.

Yesterday's vote means Mr Thorogood will be allowed to keep all the changes.

However, he will have to change the colour of all the windows in his main house.And he was told the garage can only be used as ancillary accommodation to his six bedroom home and not as a holiday let.

Councillor Phillips said he should have been forced to adhere to the original plans."The applicant has shown contempt upon contempt for the planning process. By a process of attrition and small steps he has got exactly what he wanted," he said.

Mr Thorogood quit his £120,000-a-year job with the council in January after councillors decided he had a case to answer over his handling of the planning applications. He was given a £60,000 pay-off.

Councilor Margaret Smith, who represents Pennard, said people living in the area would now be tempted to follow suit."People have been coming to me saying this is one step too far," she said.

"They are thinking that he has been rewarded for doing wrong when they would have been told to remove it."

FIRST LOOK AT THAT GOWER EXTENSION

South Wales Evening Post - 12 July 2006

The most famous garage on Gower has had its first official visitors. However, the group who turned up to see former council top boss Tim Thorogood's extravagant garage appeared to be a little disappointed by the experience.

Seven months after hitting the headlines, a bus pulled up outside the former chief executive's two-storey garage in Rhossili yesterday afternoon.

However, instead of curious holidaymakers looking to have their picture taken outside Gower's most well-known garage, the bus was full of Swansea councillors.

Around a dozen members of the authority's area two planning committee wanted to see for themselves exactly how the garage has changed from the original plans that were submitted in September, 2004. A year later Mr Thorogood was asked to submit a second set of plans.

Both were approved, but new changes mean a third application is now being considered.The Gower Society lodged an official complaint about the garage in December last year.

It also commented on the latest application, saying: "The conversion to self-contained living accommodation, under any circumstances, must not be allowed either now or in the future."

Mr Thorogood, who quit his £120,000-a-year chief executive post in January, was not on hand to give a guided tour of the garage.

Instead councillors could only view the changes from the outside. Although none would speak officially, many were disappointed not be able to see the internal highlights of the conversion - including the sleeping area, the shower and toilet that have been added to the garage. It is not known what has happened to a kitchen area that was noted by planning inspector Ian Davies when he visited the property last December.

Although Mr Thorogood is now seeking approval for a third application, it does not include any mention of the garage's kitchen.

During building work on the garage Mr Thorogood's wife Alison, who works as a senior officer for Neath Port Talbot Council, made numerous inquiries about getting the garage listed on Swansea Council's tourism website.

However, the couple were keen for it to be used as a holiday home rather than a sightseeing destination.Councillors are expected to vote on the issue later this summer.

Following the visit Gower Councillor Richard Lewis spoke out against the Swansea planners' decision to recommend that the application be approved.

He said: "If this is agreed by my colleagues it will be a disaster for Swansea Council, because everyone is watching.

"This is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. We are celebrating its 50th anniversary and last week we had Prince Charles down here.

"I came for his visit and all the villagers were here too asking me what the council is going to do about Mr Thorogood's bungalow. If it is agreed it will make a mockery of the planning rules.

"A neighbour has had his garage extension refused, the coastguard was not allowed to build a small house.

"If this is allowed to stay there will be a lot of people saying 'what about my garage?

'"It could be the start of the rape of Gower."

THOROGOOD GARAGE: IT'S DECISION TIME

South Wales Evening Post - 10 July 2006

It is D-day for Swansea's most infamous garage extension. A date has been picked for the planning visit to the home improvement which cost Tim Thorogood his £120,000-a-year job.

Members of the council's planning committee will visit the Rhossili home of the former chief executive tomorrow to decide the fate of the garage.

Mr Thorogood quit as Swansea Council's chief executive after details of the garage conversion were released.

Although the original plans for a detached garage at his luxury Broad Park home were approved, an official complaint was made over a fitted kitchen added without permission.

It also emerged Mr Thorogood's wife, Alison, had sought advice about advertising a holiday home on the council's tourism website.

Mr Thorogood was suspended in December last year and an inquiry was launched. He quit his post on January 13, walking away with a £60,000 deal. Planning officials controversially recommended to councillors that they accept his application for retrospective permission for the work, but members of the committee voted to hold a site visit instead.

If, after seeing the development, they decide to refuse the application, the unauthorised improvements, including a fitted kitchen, will have to be ripped out.

Their decision to take a trip to Rhossili has been criticised by Mynyddbach councillor Ray Welsby.

Councillor Welsby accused the committee of "wasting council taxpayers money."

He claimed the planning committee was "making a mockery of the people of Swansea" and he called for the converted garage to be knocked down.

He said: "I think if he gets the application passed then people at the top of the council should go.

"The garage should be taken down."

Members of the committee cannot comment on individual cases, but deputy council leader Gerald Clement defended their work and accused the councillor of trying to "slur" colleagues.

He said: "I have got every confidence that the people who are sitting and voting on planning will vote one way or another, quite dispassionately, on the planning merits."

For Ray Welsby to suggest otherwise, is, quite frankly, a nonsense and it is a slur on the integrity of the people of all parties."

HOW MUCH MORE TIME WILL IT TAKE?

Evening Post editorial - 5 July 2006

It's the garage with a kitchen that cost the city's chief executive his job and goodness knows how many valuable hours of council time. Yet Swansea's most talked-about planning issue has still not been resolved.

Last week planning officers recommended that Mr Thorogood be given retrospective permission provided the garage was not used for commercial purposes.

But yesterday, members of the planning committee refused to rubber stamp the recommendations and instead voted to see the garage for themselves first.

Whatever they decide will have a knock-on effect on many other Gower planning applications so it is important that they get it right - and quickly.

EX-CHIEF MADE TO WAIT OVER GARAGE VERDICT

South Wales Evening Post - 5 July 2006

The angry row over a garage owned by Swansea Council's former chief executive Tim Thorogood is to rumble on. A decision over the planning issue which cost him his £120,000-a-year job has been put off by councillors.

Members of the planning committee had been expected to approve his application for retrospective permission to convert the garage at his Rhossili home.

But at yesterday's meeting they decided to delay making a decision until after they have visited the site.

Mr Thorogood quit as Swansea Council's chief executive after details of the garage conversion were released.

Although the original plans for a detached garage at his luxury Broad Park home were approved, an official complaint was made when it was revealed that he had added a fitted kitchen to the garage without permission.

It also emerged that his wife Alison had sought advice about advertising a holiday home on the council's tourism website.

Mr Thorogood was suspended in December 2005, and quit his post on January 13, walking away with a £60,000 pay-off.

He has since taken a job with London-based thinktank the Local Government Information Unit.

Planning officers provoked an outcry last week when they recommended that Mr Thorogood be allowed to keep the controversial extended garage.

The only condition they wanted to impose was that it could not be used for commercial purposes.

Council officers have already visited the site but now councillors have decided they want to see the garage for themselves.

If they reject the application, Mr Thorogood will have to rip out the unauthorised living space.

The Gower Society, Swansea Civic Society and Rhossili Community Council all oppose garages being used for living accommodation.

A Gower Society spokesman said: "This application is particularly sensitive because of its nature and history.

"It is extremely important that no precedent is set by giving retrospective approval that might encourage others to circumvent the planning process and acceptable design in the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty."

In search of the right balance

4 July 2006 - The Times

Tim Thorogood, the new chief executive of the Local Government Information Unit, tells Carly Chynoweth how his work in Wales will help him to deal with the devolution agenda

TIM THOROGOOD is barely through the froth on his cappuccino before he starts talking devolution. As the incoming chief executive of the Local Government Information Unit (LGiU) it is, admittedly, his job to get excited about such things. It’s not the only thing that he enjoys talking about — he is an enthusiastic proponent of getting out and about in the countryside, while the tan he displays is explained when he mentions his love of sailing — but with the future of local government squarely on Whitehall’s agenda, devolution is the order of the day.

Speaking to Public Agenda just before officially taking on the job, he says that he is keen to bring his Welsh council experience to the debate. “I argue that Wales has demonstrated the success of devolution, of local decision-making, and if that works for Wales it works for the next size down too.”

He praises the country’s approach to local authority performance management for its flexibility and the interactivity it allows between various layers of government. “It’s not the straitjacket of comprehensive performance assessment that we have here in England. In Swansea we could see the benefit of that.”

But Thorogood isn’t satisfied with simply making an argument. “The real challenge is the solution. How do we find an accommodation, a balance between national and local government? Where the LGiU comes in is in finding a practical and workable solution.”

Will it be cracked in the White Paper? “I’m sure that Phil Woolas (Minister for Local Government) will have given it a lot of thought but the answer lies with people in local government and the supporters of local government themselves coming up with solutions.”

This is something of a change of focus for the LGiU, which has already started moving towards the centre ground and away from its left-wing campaigning background.

“I want to see think-tanks (generally) being not just critical but coming up with practical, workable solutions. I don’t think that it’s right for us just to criticise.”

On a personal level he has plenty of experience of being on the receiving end of criticism. A planning dispute over what should have been a straightforward rebuilding and improvement of the garage at his home in Rhossili led to an embarrassing public mess, a flurry of bad media and Thorogood’s suspension from his job while the situation was investigated. He resigned less than a month later; the council’s leader praised his contribution to the city and wished him “every success in the future”.

However, the planning issue has not yet been resolved — the final decision is likely to be made today. Planning officers have recommended that the building be approved (see www.swansea.gov.uk) but if it is refused Thorogood may have to demolish it.

Beyond the building’s fate there is the possibility that fallout from the dispute could affect him in his new job. Thorogood is confident that it won’t. “To be honest, the overwhelming response that I have had is that these things happen.”

A pragmatic bent, evident in this answer, is one of the characteristics that Thorogood believes suits him for his new role at the LGiU, which he officially began yesterday. He sees his job as taking the suggestions provided by the think-tank’s members and turning them into practical answers.

“I am concerned not just with coming up with ideas but with making sure that things are constructive and can make a difference,” he says. “The LGiU’s priority is to strengthen local government to the benefit of all political parties. That’s where I’ve taken it on.”

Read more about the LGiU’s Making Local Democracy Work campaign at www.lgiu.org.uk

TIM THOROGOOD FACT FILE

Born: May 15, 1962, in Barbados
Career: Began as a teacher; moved into education administration then strategic services. CEO of Swansea Council 2003-06; became CEO of the LGiU this month.

He says: “The only answer to improving the British economy (and) to bringing government closer to the people is devolution to the very lowest level.”

Little-known fact: “Until I went to boarding school at 10 I lived all over the world.” His favourite place was the Falkland Islands: “It is the most interesting place to live if you like sailing, the outdoors and wildlife. I find places like that more interesting than urban areas.”

Advice to approve 'garage' stirs council row

4 July 2006 - Western Mail

THE furious row over a garage which cost a council chief executive his £120,000-a-year job will flare again today.

And despite the furore which surrounded 47-year-old Tim Thorogood's "amendments" to the garage at the back of his luxury Gower home, planning officers on Swansea Council say the building should remain as it is.

The row began last year when Swansea Council received complaints that a toilet, shower, velux windows and other improvements had been made to the building at Mr Thorogood's home, Broad Park, overlooking picturesque Rhossili Bay.

But the building only had permission for use as a garage and tack room.

The complaints led to the head of the council's 12,000 workforce being escorted from his County Hall office just before Christmas.

And in January he negotiated an exit settlement - thought to be worth £60,000 - with the council which gave him a good reference.

He now works for the Local Government Information Unit in London and a new Swansea Council Chief executive has been appointed on a salary of £150,000 a year. He is Gloucester City Council's Paul Smith.

But despite Mr Thorogood's departure, it still meant the authority had to deal with the thorny issue of the garage.

The council's Area 2 Development Control Committee will discuss its future in a meeting today.
Mr Thorogood and his wife Alison, a complaints officer with Neath Port Talbot Council, have applied to the committee for retention of the garage incorporating the toilet, shower room, residential accommodation in the roof void and additional windows.

Planning officers have recommend approval on the grounds that while "modifications were not in accordance with approved plans" in an overall sense they would not have an unacceptable adverse effect on neighbours' amenities.

In a report to be considered by the committee today however the Gower Society says, "The council must be as strict as possible in making its decision.

"It is extremely important that no precedent is set by giving retrospective approval that might encourage others to circumvent the planning process and acceptable design in the Gower Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

"When we wrote to the council in September 2005 we asked that a condition be imposed on this building such that the garage may be used only as a garage and no use should be made for residential purposes.

"Such a condition has already been imposed by this council, on other large and potentially inhabitable garages in the AONB area."

The Swansea Civic Society says in the report, "We are very concerned about the application. What was supposed to be a garage and tack room has become a residential unit and to permit this would reflect very badly on the planning department.

"The original plans must be adhered to because to deviate would show a weakened planning department and send out entirely the wrong signal."

In a letter of objection, a Rhossili resident said, "My concern is that other properties have been forced by the planning authority to demolish buildings as they are slightly out of compliance.

"If retrospective planning is given it will make a mockery of these previous decisions and set a precedent."

Planning officers say in the report however that if the garage was to be used for commercial purposes such as a holiday let further planning permission would be required.

WHY THE FUSS?

Evening Post editorial - 3 July 2006

If former Swansea Council chief executive Tim Thorogood is indeed going to receive retrospective planning permission for his controversial garage extension, it does beg the question what all the fuss has been about. How did Wales's second city manage to lose its top public servant like this?

WHY THE FUSS?

Evening Post editorial - 1 July 2006

If former Swansea Council chief executive Tim Thorogood is indeed going to receive retrospective planning permission for his controversial garage extension, it does beg the question what all the fuss has been about. How did Wales's second city manage to lose its top public servant like this?

EX-CHIEF'S GARAGE SET FOR APPROVAL

1 July 2006

Former Swansea Council boss Tim Thorogood will probably be allowed to keep the converted garage at his Rhossili home, it has emerged.

Tim Thorogood quit his £120,000-a-year post as Swansea Council's chief executive after details of the garage conversion were released.

An official complaint was made when it emerged that Mr Thorogood had added living space to the garage without permission. But he now looks set to be granted retrospective permission, meaning he will be able to keep it.

The only condition is that it is not used for commercial purposes. Planners are recommending councillors grant permission for the changes to remain when they meet next week.

The recommendation has been met with disbelief by Swansea Civic Society.

The Gower Society, the civic society and Rhossili Community Council all raised objections to the use of the garage for living accommodation.

Eirwen Harry of Swansea Civic Society said: "We would urge councillors to reject this application.

"We objected to it before and feel that if it is agreed it sets a precedent for other people to do the same."

The Gower Society said: "This application is particularly sensitive because of its nature and history.

"It is extremely important that no precedent is set by giving retrospective approval that might encourage others to circumvent the planning process and acceptable design in the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty."

Councillors who are on the planning committee cannot comment until a decision has been made.
However, Plaid leader Darren Price and ward member Richard Lewis cannot attend next Tuesday's vote and have spoken out.

Councillor Lewis said: "I am absolutely flabbergasted by the recommendation.

"If it is approved by the councillors at Tuesday's meeting then it will set a dreadful precedent for the area.

"It will be a disaster for Gower." Councillor Price said: "It is somewhat bizarre that retrospective planning approval is due to be given to a property extension that caused such political controversy back in December of last year.

"Given the officer's recommendation to this week's Area Two Development control committee it is disappointing in the sense that had the former chief executive simply followed the set procedures then he may well still be in post and we could have avoided a costly re-appointment process and could also have avoided the damaging publicity that followed."


THOROGOOD SAGA SO FAR:

September 3, 2004 - Chief executive Tim Thorogood submits a planning application for a detached garage and workshop and informs department heads.

January 26, 2005 - Permission is granted.August 17, 2005 - He seeks advice about making further changes and is told to submit a fresh application. He does not speak to heads of department.

September 8, 2005 - A second application is submitted but he does not inform department heads. Work is carried out before the application is heard by councillors.

October 18, 2005 - The application is approved, but Rhossili Community Council members point out they would have expected work to be carried out after permission was granted. The Gower Society raised questions about the size and design of the garage and sought assurances it would not be used for residential purposes.

October 20-21, 2005 - Councillor Hague drafts a letter to the chief executive but does not send it. Head of planning Reena Owen tells Mr Thorogood it would have been preferable for him to wait for permission.

November 29, 2005 - Alison Thorogood, Mr Thorogood's wife, asks for advice about advertising a holiday home on the council's tourism website.

December 2, 2005 - An official complaint is lodged alleging planning rules had been broken.

December 5, 2005 - Mr Thorogood is told of the complaint and that the planning department investigation would be carried out. As a result of that inquiry, it was found that a fitted kitchen had been added to the garage and that planning rules had been breached.

December 20, 2005 - Mr Thorogood is suspended, pending an internal inquiry.

January 13, 2006 - His resignation is accepted after a review panel decides Mr Thorogood has a case to answer.

July 2006 - Council officers recommend Mr Thorogood is allowed to keep his converted garage and other changes to his house.