Marlow residents declare no confidence in council over ‘secret’ film studios meetings

Marlow residents have declared no confidence in their town council over ‘secret’ meetings held on the Marlow Film Studios application.

More than 250 people packed into the Shelley Theatre in Court Garden House to consider three votes of no confidence at a meeting yesterday, called by residents. 

The council has come under fire for a private members-only meeting in August where it agreed to back the studios application as well as undeclared meetings with the developers.

Marlow Film Studios, planned for greenbelt land next to the A404 in Little Marlow, has seen fierce opposition from campaigners and residents who fear worsening traffic and loss of green space.

Emma Hawkins, one of the Marlow residents who called for the meeting, said: “We are in a democracy and in my opinion, I feel democracy has been disallowed.

“This meeting, whatever happens, is important because as residents your thoughts need to be heard – empathised - by the councillors because Marlow Town Council is there to support its residents and these certain councillors have not shown support for the residents.”

She said she was ‘disgusted’ that people who aired concerns over ‘secret happenings and secret meetings’ at a town council meeting in October had been ignored.

The majority of Marlow residents at last night’s meeting voted in favour of no confidence motions in: Marlow Town Council, its planning committee and three named councillors.

Council leader Cllr Chris Funnell, chairman Cllr Richard Scott and deputy mayor Cllr Colleen Stapley - the three councillors - were not present at the meeting.

But Steve Wilks, a Marlow resident appointed chair of the meeting in Cllr Scott’s absence, acknowledged:

“We do have a few [Marlow Town] councillors here, thank you for coming into the lion’s den so to speak.”

Tim Ashburner, founder of Marlow FM, discussed the findings of two Freedom of Information (FOI) requests submitted on the council’s film studios dealings.

The FOI’s, which he said had returned more than 1200 pages of information, revealed Cllr Funnell and Cllr Scott had held meetings with the developers at the House of Commons on at least two occasions.

Mr Ashburner said that neither of these meetings were declared in formal council meetings.

In addition, he said Cllr Scott had raised concerns over future FOI requests when he wrote to recipients – in capital letters - in an email correspondence on September 2023:

“Please note that these emails are available on the Marlow Town Council email system so perhaps any future correspondence should be on private email addresses.”

The votes of no confidence have no legal implication, meaning councillors can continue in their roles.

The meeting also agreed four polls which could be voted upon by Marlow’s residents, if approved by the Electoral Commission.

These cover questions including whether the three named councillors had acted with integrity and openness over the Marlow Film Studios application.

Residents could also be asked if they want to see development on the greenbelt on the scale proposed by Marlow Film Studios.