West Oxfordshire District Council Conservative Group Leader, Cllr Michele Mead, and Deputy Conservative Leader, Cllr Liam Walker, are today calling for the resignation of Labour Deputy Leader Cllr Duncan Enright following revelations about his role in a development PR company, which creates an unacceptable conflict of interest with his position as an elected representative.
Cllr Enright’s recent blog post for development PR company The Community Communications Partnership, in which he openly advises developers on how to influence councillors and navigate the planning process, raises serious ethical concerns. His guidance to developers, encouraging them to “get someone who speaks ‘councillor’ to engage them” and highlighting how different political groups may react to development proposals, undermines public trust in the impartiality of local government decision-making.
Cllr Michele Mead added: “This is not about party politics – it’s about public confidence in our local councils. Residents must have faith that their elected officials are acting in their best interests, not in the interests of private developers. It is clear that Cllr Enright’s role in this PR firm is incompatible with his responsibilities as Deputy Leader of the Council. He must do the right thing and step down immediately or the Lib Dem council leader should sack him.”
Transparency and accountability are the cornerstones of local democracy, and Cllr Enright’s dual role as both a councillor and an adviser to developers presents an unacceptable conflict that must be addressed. His suggestion that developers should engage councillors strategically, taking into account political dynamics and local campaign issues, raises concerns about the integrity of the planning process.
Cllr Liam Walker said: “Cllr Enright’s comments expose a glaring conflict of interest. As an elected representative, his duty is to serve the residents of our communities, not to coach developers on how to secure planning approvals. His position in a PR firm that works with developers raises serious questions about whether he can act in the best interests of residents while simultaneously advising private clients on how to gain political support for their projects. He needs to decide if he’s backing residents who elect him or backing those paying him.”
The Conservative group is calling for an urgent review of councillors’ outside interests and greater scrutiny over potential conflicts to ensure transparency and accountability in local government decision-making.
