Highbridge town councillor Alan Miller became the Chairman of the town council’s influential Planning Applications Committee on Monday (May 16th), but he almost missed out on the role after an administrative mix-up.
A vote of the 18 town councillors saw their allegiances split 50/50 with nine votes each for Cllr Pat Burge and Alan Miller to take on the role.
It meant the council’s Chairman, Cllr Michael Clarke, had to step in and make the difficult job of choosing one person using his ‘casting vote’.
He picked Cllr Pat Burge and explained that he’d decided on her based on her previous experience as a member of the planning committee.
However, Cllr Neville Jones pointed out that Town Council rules state that only councillors who are members of the Planning Applications committee should vote for the Chairman – rather than all town councillors.
A recount was held and the eight councillors on the committee picked Cllr Miller as Chairman, while Cllr Burge had to settle for the Deputy Chairman’s role.
“There was an unfortunate mix-up, but I was pleased to be chosen as Chairman in the end,” Alan told Burnham-On-Sea.com.
