By Harry Mottram: Two councillors have crossed swords as they exchanged letters over the planning proposals for Bath Rugby as the controversy continues. Richard Wyatt’s Bath Newseum website has published a letter from the leader of B&NES, Cllr Kevin Guy – it’s his response to the open letter sent to him by Cllr Joanna Wright which was widely published in which she said the planning meeting on the 17th September should be postponed due to the timing of an October byelection. Cllr Deborah Collins has resigned meaning there will be a byelection in the Widcombe and Lyncombe ward. However Cllr Guy disagrees and said the planning meeting will go ahead as “Planning meetings as far as I’m aware generally have not been stopped because of pre-election periods, and doing so on this occasion could, in my opinion, send a signal that politics rather than planning law plays a key role in decision-making on the Rec.”
The full letter can be read at https://bathnewseum.com/2025/09/08/stadium-application-decision-may-be-delayed/#:~:text=In%20her%20letter%20she%20argued,UNESCO%20World%20Heritage%20Site%20status.
Cllr Wright’s letter can be read here: https://bathvoice.co.uk/2025/09/09/bath-voice-news-green-councillor-calls-for-the-rugby-stadium-planning-meeting-to-be-postponed-in-an-open-letter-to-the-leader-of-the-council/
Cllr Guy’s letter as reported by Bath Newseum reads: “As Cllr Wright should know, the Executive does not have a say over the planning system. Planning meetings as far as I’m aware generally have not been stopped because of pre-election periods, and doing so on this occasion could, in my opinion, send a signal that politics rather than planning law plays a key role in decision-making on the Rec. That would be a very false signal, dangerous, and if it was seen as such externally, potentially hugely costly to our taxpayers. As stated, neither I nor any other elected member has a say in the statutory operational aspects of planning, though I have confidence that the Chief Executive and Head of Planning can answer any questions.
“I believe they have today decided that, according to LGA advice any planning committee not actually in the ward where a by-election is happening should go ahead, but any further queries should go to them. In addition, I need to reiterate how professionally Cllr Deborah Collins has behaved, and we wish her all the best in her cancer treatment. To allay any further confusion caused by the inconsistencies in Cllr Wright’s open letter, as Cllr Collins has resigned, she is no longer a councillor, therefore would not be sitting on the planning committee in any case.”
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