Move comes despite internal council investigation finding there was “no misconduct or wrongdoing” when members approved the “unsafe” application last September

Enfield Council’s planning committee will be asked to reconsider approving a Labour councillor’s dropped kerb after the civic centre’s legal team decided it had not been properly considered.

The instruction to the committee comes after a six-month probe into the validity of the decision made last September to approve the dropped kerb despite councillors being advised that it posed a danger to the public.

The support of Labour committee members for a personal planning application by a party colleague – against the advice of planning officers – raised concerns by opposition Conservatives who questioned the “integrity” of the committee at the time.

Shortly after the Dispatch reported on the decision, council leader Ergin Erbil made the decision to remove Sinan Boztas as chair of the committee.

However, a council spokesperson emphasised this week that the civic centre’s internal investigation into the original planning committee decision had found “no misconduct or wrongdoing”.

Better Homes Enfield campaigner Matt Burn, who witnessed the original debate around the dropped kerb and made a formal complaint about it afterwards, welcomed the move by the council. He said: “This is the right outcome. Planning committee decisions should be impartial and based on sound planning judgment, considering all relevant factors and policies.

“Similar applications from the public have been refused due to safety concerns, consistent with planning policy. It was inappropriate for the councillor’s application to be treated differently, and it is correct that the decision be reconsidered.”

Councillor Mustafa Cetinkaya’s application would provide vehicular access for him to park his car in a space at the front of his property in Edmonton, instead of on the street.

But in a report to the September committee meeting, the council’s head of planning and building control Karen Page recommended the dropped kerb for refusal, saying it would “increase the likelihood of road dangers for all users” and also pointed out that it would contravene eight different planning policies and guidelines at local, regional and national level.

A council spokesperson said: “The monitoring officer has investigated the complaint and concluded that the committee had not given sufficient regard to all the technical advice.

“She has advised that the matter should be reconsidered by the committee, taking full account of all relevant factors. No misconduct or wrongdoing was found to have taken place.”

The dropped kerb proposal was originally voted through by Labour members Sinan Boztas, Mahym Bedekova, Kate Anolue, Nelly Gyosheva and Ahmet Hasan, plus independent member Thomas Fawns, who is currently suspended by Labour. Only one Labour councillor, Josh Abey, declined to support the application, instead abstaining on the vote. All four Conservative councillors voted against approval, but were outnumbered.

Afterwards, veteran Tory committee member and former council leader Mike Rye told the Dispatch: “I fear this is the tip of the iceberg. There are decisions that raise questions – questions about how these applications are being dealt with.

“There is evidence of whipping on the planning committee.”

Cllr Boztas was replaced as chair of the committee in October, with Mahym Bedekova taking his place. None of the Labour councillors on the committee responded when approached for comment at the time.

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