A Labour councillor in Hertsmere allegedly instructed party members on how to vote on a planning application, according to audio leaked to the Daily Mail. Government guidance states that councillors must be permitted to vote without a whip on planning decisions.
The recording, obtained by the newspaper, features Labour councillor Aaditya Kaza appearing to confirm that councillors were told 'what you've got to do' regarding a planning application near Aldenham reservoir. While the specific application is not definitively identified, land adjacent to the reservoir was the subject of an application approximately six months prior to the January 2024 recording for the construction of a warehouse and offices. Landowners stated the development was intended to fund urgent repairs to the reservoir's 'high-risk' dam, which was described as being in a state of disrepair.
The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) had previously described the plot as 'open land which has a variety of vegetation and wildlife.'
In the recording, Mr. Kaza reportedly stated that the leadership had given direction on how to vote 'just that once,' describing the situation as 'sensitive.' When questioned about whether any Labour members on the planning committee protested the direction, he responded negatively.
Hertsmere's Labour group has denied these suggestions, stating that the recording 'shows nothing of the kind' and that Mr. Kaza's remarks pertained to a discussion about the implications of a particular planning application for the reservoir's future. A spokesperson for the group asserted that discussions within the Labour Group are normal and do not constitute whipping or predetermine outcomes, calling the presentation of a decontextualized comment as evidence of direction 'false.' Mr. Kaza stated his comments were taken out of context.
Last month, Hertsmere Council was placed into special planning measures by the Government, stripping it of its power to decide on 'major' developments. The Planning Inspectorate will now handle such applications. The council's Labour group acknowledged this as 'disappointing news' but deemed the housing minister's decision 'reasonable and understandable,' citing that 'some members' of the planning committee had failed to determine applications in accordance with planning guidelines.
Reform UK member of the council's planning committee, Brett Rosehill, described the special measures as 'a badge of failure,' expressing that residents expect local representatives, not inspectors, to make major planning decisions. Between 2023 and 2025, six of Hertsmere's 40 major planning decisions were overturned on appeal.
One such case involved an application for 195 homes on previously green belt land in Radlett, which was rejected three times by the council before being overturned by a Government planning inspector. This decision was influenced by Labour's 'grey belt' policy, which allows for development on land categorized as 'low quality' green belt.
Further controversy arose when WhatsApp messages from a Labour councillor appeared to show him advising colleagues to 'start planning sites where we can't win seats.' A recent by-election shifted the Labour-Lib Dem coalition into a minority on the council.
Earlier this month, a town councillor in Hertsmere resigned from the Labour party, citing 'profound reservations' about the planning strategy and the group's 'subservience' to the party machine. Concerns were raised about the council's draft local plan, which, if fully implemented, could lead to the construction of up to 16,000 homes across the borough, potentially on green belt land.
Sir Oliver Dowden, Hertsmere's MP and former deputy prime minister, warned that the local plan's impact on the green belt 'could be disastrous,' attributing it to the Labour government's 'grey belt' redesignation and 'top-down targets.' Hertsmere Labour responded that the local plan is based on 'professional advice, technical evidence and public consultation,' adding that there will be differing views on balancing housing needs and green belt protection.