As the Conservative members who sat on the planning committee considering the Jumbo plan, we are appalled at Bob Russell MP calling our integrity into question and we demand an apology.

The donation in question was not to the Colchester Conservative group, and, therefore, we had no knowledge of it.

I cannot believe all members of the Liberal group know who donates to his Parliamentary campaign.

The council’s monitoring officer has since advised that no interest would need to have been declared, as the donation was to the Parliamentary campaign and had nothing whatsoever to do with Colchester’s Conservative group.

Mr Russell did write to all members of the committee asking that they vote against the Jumbo proposals, despite planning officers recommending the application be approved.

Having listened carefully to the debate, we agreed with the planning officers that this proposal was in the best interests of Jumbo and Colchester.

Lib Dem and Labour members took an alternative view, as is their right.

This is how planning meetings are conducted.

Mr Russell has a history of trying to drag the planning committee into the political arena, something which should never be allowed to happen to a quasi judicial body, strictly governed by planning law, whose members proudly serve on an entirely nonpolitical basis.

Unfortunately, Mr Russell’s thirst for gutter politics seems unquenchable, hence his latest sordid allegation against people who have chosen to follow the advice of qualified planning professionals rather than agree with him.

His conduct is inexcusable and we expect an apology from Mr Russell.

Cllr Peter Chillingworth
Cllr Sonia Lewis
Cllr Jackie Maclean
Cllr Dennis Willetts
Cllr John Elliot

...As a recently-retired member of Colchester Council, and having spent almost eight years on the planning committee, I was extremely disappointed to read the application for the plan to convert Jumbo has been turned down.

This was not necessarily because of the decision made to reject the proposal, but because the planning committee is becoming increasingly politicised.

When I first became a member of that committee in 2002, I was told that it was non-political and members made decisions based on planning rules and using their judgment, taking into account all the information put before them by the planning officers and others.

There were different opinions, which is healthy, but in this case to have all the Conservatives voting one way, and all the Coalition members going against the advice of the officers, can have no other interpretation than that the Coalition members were swayed by the Liberal Democrat MP, who had written to all parties urging refusal.

In my opinion, those who listened to the officers, and considered all the information put before them, voted wisely and in the interests of the town.

Over the past 27 years Jumbo has become shabbier and dirtier, and more of an eyesore than the practical water tower I knew in my youth.

Now it has no real purpose, and to carry out the necessary repairs and transform it into a going concern with a restaurant, penthouses, offices and flats sounds fantastic.

I can imagine tourists and visitors coming for miles to eat in such a place with so many outstanding views.

It would be incredible and I consider it would be a great asset to the town.

Wyn Foster
Sussex Road
Colchester