RESIDENTS have been promised an ‘open and transparent’ investigation into the controversial Highcliffe beach huts.

A meeting of Christchurch council’s scrutiny committee was told the investigating team would not be afraid to call people before them as part of their examination into the decision-making behind the contentious television project.

But the committee heard nothing could be done to stop building going ahead while the investigation was taking place.

Campaigners and residents packed out the scrutiny committee on Tuesday, to hear members approve the set-up of a scoping group to probe the decision.

The council have come under fire from residents for a lack of public consultation on the project, with major decisions also taken behind closed doors, to the exclusion of the public and press.

Chair of the committee, Cllr Colin Jamieson said: “This is a complex matter and (this investigation) needs to be in public as much as possible but there are certain parts of the process which are commercially confident in law and we can’t discuss in public.

“Believe me we are trying to be as open and transparent as we can.”

Cllr David Jones, who proposed an amended recommendation said the council had to be open and transparent with residents.

The council had suffered “reputational damage” as result of the decisions made so far, he said.

Cllr Peter Hall added: “I have never had so many letters and correspondence about this decision.

“It is good that we are going to have a review but I would like to know how on earth we got in this mess.”

Cllr Lesley Dedman, who will work with the chief executive David McIntosh and Cllr Jamieson on the scoping group, said: “I know there has been a lot of public concern.

“Everybody will be informed all the way through. There is no bar on anybody coming along and hearing the discussions.

“And I don’t think we will fear to call anybody before us.”

Cllr Colin Bungey said: “We are talking about this coming back to committee in September.

“What’s our position regarding Plum Pictures or anybody starting work while this happens?”

He was told the scrutiny committee did not have the power to stop the work.

But Cllr Jones said enforcement action could be taken if people believed planning permission should have been obtained.