She has also said she is “disappointed and saddened” that Deputy Andy Taylor chose to raise his concerns over a possible conflict of interest publicly.
Deputy Taylor first alleged a conflict of interest within the DPA concerning the Leale’s Yard development when the planning application was passed at an open planning meeting last month. He also said he would be resigning from his DPA role.
Pictured (l-r): Deputy Andy Taylor with Deputies Sasha Kazantseva-Miller, Victoria Oliver and John Dyke – who all denied any conflict of interest in the Leale’s Yard debate. Deputy Bob Murray was also on the DPA at the time, and also denied a conflict of interest.
Each of the four other members of the DPA denied any conflict of interest, and Deputy Taylor yesterday withdrew his resignation from the Authority and instead issued a public letter where he said “resignation was in my best interest, but not in the best interest of the community”.
His open letter – which can be read in full HERE – accuses Deputy Oliver of being conflicted in the Leale’s Yard application, having secret meetings where minutes weren’t shared with her committee colleagues, and also sharing private information about his business with another political colleague.
Deputy Oliver has sought to explain her position – starting by stating that she can “…confirm, categorically and unequivocally, that I do not have, and never have had, any conflict of interest in relation to the Leale’s Yard planning application.”
She said that when Deputy Taylor first raised concerns about a suspected conflict of interest, she confirmed with the applicant that they were not involved with the person who proposed her in the island wide election in 2020. The applicant confirmed that Deputy Oliver’s nominator was not connected with the Leale’s Yard plans.
She also says she took legal advice from the island’s Law Officers who confirmed she had no conflict of interest and so she took part in the meeting as planned.
Regarding a meeting with the applicant, Deputy Oliver confirms she did meet them – but says she was accompanied by a Senior Officer and notes of the meeting were made in the normal way. She added that “there was no reason to specifically appraise Deputy Taylor of this meeting which was routine to the work of the President for the D&PA”.
Deputy Oliver hopes that by explaining her position today, she and Deputy Taylor can put the matter behind them and “continue to work constructively together in delivering the often challenging mandate of the D&PA.”
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