Councillor referred to police after approving housing development near Sutton

Coun Jane Orton, who was re-elected as Amber Valley Council Conservative member for Alport & South West Parishes in May, has been referred to the police by the council itself in relation to plans for 180 houses on Stanley Street, Somercotes.

Coun Orton, now former chairman of the council’s planning board, signed off on a reserved matters application for 180 houses on land off Stanley Street on May 3 – hours before polls opened for the local elections.

The land is owned by the Diocese of Derby, as has been documented in reports to the council, including planning documents.

However, Coun Orton’s husband is Giles Orton, who in 2016 left a “high-flying” legal career to join the Diocese of Derby to become an ordained deacon.

The council refused to comment on the issue.

However, a Derbyshire Police spokesman confirmed the force had received a council referral.

He said: “The force has received a report of a potential breach of the Localism Act in Amber Valley in connection with a planning application matter – this is now being reviewed.”

Coun Orton said she had no knowledge of a complaint or a council referral to the police and initially denied that the referral had been made.

She said: “Nobody has told me, so I know nothing about it.”

However, when told that the referral involved the absence of a disclosure of her husband’s connection to the diocese and the diocese’s ownership of the Stanley Street site, she said: “He is a non-paid clergyman, so he doesn’t get paid, he is a non-paid clergyman.

“I actually didn’t know that at the time, you don’t put it in the planning papers who owns the land, so number one I didn’t know who owned the land and number two we don’t take any pay from the Church of England, he is a volunteer.

“I have a clear conscience on it. The police haven’t been and the council hasn’t contacted me.

“All I can say is you’d hope the police have got better things to do like chase burglars and rapists and things like that than come and talk to me about this. That’s my main point. If they do, they do, but I’d like to think they’d come as quick to me when I have got a burglar… we’ll see.

“I know how difficult it is for them to come and respond when you have something stolen, it will be interesting to see what happens. I am not worried about it because I have got nothing to hide.”

All previous Somercotes housing sites surrounding the village’s historic toxic landfills, including earlier versions of the Stanley Street plans, have been discussed at council planning meetings, not decided through delegated powers.

Since Coun Orton’s final or near-final delegated approval of the 180-home Stanley Street site, the Conservatives lost control of the council at the election.

A copy of the complaint against Coun Orton, which led to the council referral, submitted by Coun Kellie Judson and Coun Jason Parker, of Somercotes Parish Council, says: “We wish to make a complaint about the conduct of Coun Jane Orton, chairman of the planning board, with regard to a provision of the authority’s code of conduct.

“This complaint is with regard to a failure to disclose information regarding her partner’s Employment, Office, Trade or Vocation contrary to: The Relevant Authorities (Disclosable Pecuniary Interests) Regulations 2012/1464.

“Coun Orton’s partner is Giles Orton and as can be seen on the Diocese of Derby, The Church of England, website, Giles Orton became an assistant curate and was ordained deacon in July 2016.

“This information was not disclosed by Coun Orton on completion of Form 11 on 29/5/2019, and has not been amended since.

“Ciyb Orton has acted as a planning board member and lately as planning chair on numerous planning board decisions with this gross omission in effect.”

Title deeds for the Stanley Street site in Somercotes, which is currently being developed for 180 houses by Futures Housing and Miller Homes, show the land is owned by the Derby Diocesan Board of Finance, based on Full Street, Derby.

A 2016 article on the Diocese of Derby website details an article about “high-flying solicitor” Giles Orton, swapping his 35-year legal career “for one in the pulpit” as an ordained deacon. He became assistant curate for the parishes of Long Eaton St Laurence and Ilkeston Holy Trinity.

It details he is married to Amber Valley Council member Coun Orton and had worked with pension funds and helped establish the Pensions Protection Fund.

Coun Orton’s declaration of interests, signed in May 2019, three years after the diocese article, lists her husband as “self-employed lawyer/pension trustee”.

Councillors who have a close personal connection to an applicant, such as being related to them, owning adjoining property, or having a business contract with them, are expected to declare this before making a decision or voting on key issues.

Some of these interests allow councillors to remain in the room and vote, while others dictate that they must leave the council chamber.

Coun Orton’s only declarations in relation to Somercotes housing sites, since she was elected in 2011, are for lobbying from interested parties, such as campaigners and developers.