24/04/2026
Councils prematurity
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So there have been a number of enquiries by the media as to what is ACTUALLY happening - the latest being the BBC https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckg07yzldwjo
To quote directly from one reporter (earlier today) to me "As reporters, local authority press releases are deemed to be safe and accurate material....but we do recognise that there is often more to a situation and every source can be economic with the full truth".
This comes on the heels of the Councils own Chair of the Planning committee (Labour - Cllr John Ritchie) sending multiple parish councils a written update that amongst many ill-advised statements went on to say of our barrister that she is "...pro-bono Barrister who is learning the trade".
Incredibly poor and professionally offensive by the Councils Chair of Planning.
In defence of my own barrister (https://www.landmarkchambers.co.uk/barristers/odette-chalaby) I'll simply note she was awarded “Rising Star”by Legal 500, is an an elected trustee of the UK Environmental Law Association and an EYP Steering Group member of the National Infrastructure Planning Association.
As the Council (ergo Cllr Ritchie) will be fully aware, the case has been funded and paid for in full - so where Cllr Ritchie has got "pro-bono" from is clearly another Bolsover Council mystery (add to the list...) never to be answered. The reasons behind Cllr Ritchie's un-warranted attack on a leading female barrister; I can't get my head around why one would do it.
Clearly the Council are happy to band ill-advised written updates to parish councils and the local/national media.
So for full clarity this is the full quote given back to the media today by me:
“We thank the Court and Justice Mould for their time and accept that Grounds 2-4 have been fully considered on the facts. We welcome the many observations by the Justice Mould that the applicant and council have significant responsibilities and much work to do, to meet the threshold of Justice Moulds observations relating to future reserved matters applications.
That Justice Mould has articulated the responsibility on the council to ensure these details and safeguards come forward, or quite clearly reject any deficient application(s), goes directly to the heart of the matter; can we make this a better application if it must go ahead. In that respect, the council and applicant can be under no illusion that shortcuts are not a liberty available to either of them going forward.
In respect of Ground 1 and after talking with my solicitor Rowan Smith, of Leigh Day, we believe there are errors in the principle/approach on the law by the Justice Mould, and my barristers Charles Bishop, Odette Challaby of Landmark Chambers have agreed to take the matter forward with the Court of Appeal on my behalf.
SEND funding is a national crises that has no sustainable solution on the horizon from this, or previous Governments. £1.5m in funding, will help many families in the future so it is right that the fight to challenge its deferral by the council goes on, so that money is secured for those families that need it in the future.”
Despite a block on challenging the 1,800 house project, campaigners say new court action is planned.
