EDDC bosses will be asked, by the Overview and Scrutiny (O&S) Committee, for the full calculations of the office move costs.
The SIN blog has this report of last night’s O&S meeting : http://sidmouthindependentnews.wordpress.com/2014/01/31/council-watchdog-shows-its-teeth-over-ballooning-costs-of-the-knowle-move/
Independent Councillor Claire Wright’s ‘s words were echoed in the comments of her colleagues, of various political persuasions, at tonight’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee. Cllr Derek Button (Lib Dem) said, “Now is not the time for a massive spending of public funds”. And Cllr Mike Allen (Con) told the Chairman, Tim Wood (Con) , “It’s time we took a second look” at the plan to move.
First reports on tonight’s debate are here: : http://saveoursidmouth.com/2014/01/30/the-lemming-method-of-management-for-knowle-relocation/
See http://www.saveoursidmouth.com for details, and for agenda of Overview and Scrutiny Committee tomorrow evening (Thurs 30 Jan, 6.30pm, Knowle ) , when you can put your own questions on this thorny subject.
All may be revealed this Thursday at the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Knowle,6.30 p.m).
Public can ask questions. More information at this link: http://saveoursidmouth.com/2014/01/28/chance-to-ask-questions-about-knowle-relocation-costs/
Now let’s get the figures right. A possible loan of well over £4,000,0000 was mentioned at the last meeting for ‘stakeholders’, on the Council’s Office Relocation plans. This Thursday evening at Knowle, EDDC will explain why, in addition to the £350,000, (not including cost of officers’ time) already spent, at least double that sum should be budgeted for over the next two years, just for PREPARING to move. The destination remains unclear.
Public can ask questions. The Overview and Scrutiny Committee begins at 6.30 p.m. (Thursday 30 January, Knowle Council Chamber).
More comment here: http://saveoursidmouth.com/2014/01/22/knowle-relocation-costs-continue-to-rise/
Deadline for comments is 12 noon on Monday 10 March 2014.
Details below, in e-mail circulated by EDDC’s Planning Policy Manager:
EDA secretary Nicky King has recorded an interview for Radio Devon, to be broadcast tomorrow (Tuesday 28 Jan). SIN has more information here: http://sidmouthindependentnews.wordpress.com/2014/01/27/demolition-job/
We’ll see. Meanwhile, local MPs Hugo Swire and Neil Parish have cast their vote in Parliament, as reported here: http://www.claire-wright.org/index.php/post/38_degrees_hugo_swire_voted_with_party_orders_on_gagging_law/
If you thought getting information from EDDC was harder than extracting a wisdom tooth, your opinion might just be confirmed by today’s news from the “What Do They Know?” website.
It concerns the saga of an Exmouth resident’s struggle to shed some light on the 2009 deal between EDDC and Clinton Devon Estates to lift the historic covenants owned by CDE which restricted building along Exmouth seafront.
In return for a payment of £50,000 to CDE, the council was able to proceed with its controversial plans to redevelop the seafront – including the demolition of Elizabeth Hall.
But the public never knew the background to the agreement. Two officers’ reports to Council Leaders were marked strictly “not for publication.”
In April 2013, Tim Todd lodged a Freedom of Information request for these reports to be released in “the public interest”. In August the Monitoring Officer refused on grounds of “commercial confidentiality” and an infringement of “the human rights of Lord Clinton” were cited as a possible reason not to publish.
The Information Commissioner disagreed, and required East Devon District Council to disclose the secret reports, which they have just done – with some redactions. BUT, EDDC misleadingly fail to mention that it was the IC’s intervention that obliged them to do so.
The reports suggest that EDDC would be held to “ransom” by CDE every time they wanted to develop individual sites, so it would be better to make a comprehensive agreement for the whole seafront, once and for all. And, significantly, the senior officers also point out that a quick deal would have the advantage of “bringing to an end what has been an unfortunate public airing of this issue”.
A vain hope…as this link confirms: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/further_background_papers_re_50k#incoming-473238.
In reply to his letter of thanks to Neil Parish, MP, for attending the recent march at Feniton (organised jointly by Fight for Feniton, and the East Devon Alliance), EDA Chair, Ian McKintosh, has today received this e-mail:
Residents of East Devon’s west end, already experiencing the consequences of the massive housing estates enveloping villages and farmland, have now learned that an Inquiry will decide a further appeal by developers.
The deadline for objections is 7th February 2014. Quote reference : 12/0795/MOUT – Pinn Court Farm Pinncourt Lane Exeter EX1 3TG
Details have been circulated as follows: Pinn Court Farm Planning App Appeal Jan 2014
These will be outlined at the Overview and Scrutiny Committee at Knowle (Thursday 30th Jan, 6.30 p.m.) Public can ask questions.
See : http://saveoursidmouth.com/2014/01/22/knowle-relocation-costs-continue-to-rise/
A second piece of positive news for Seaton, after yesterday’s decision on the Green Wedge, is that plans for a luxury complex have been rejected. Story here:
The Inspector’s decision, just announced, will be especially well-received by Seaton and Colyford Green Wedge Community Action Group.
Click here for details: GREEN WEDGE…DECISION
The Inquiry had not begun well for East Devon District Council, as noted on this link to the SIN blog: http://sidmouthindependentnews.wordpress.com/2013/12/10/the-seatoncolyford-green-wedge-appeal-not-a-good-start-for-eddc/
SIN has several archived posts on the background to the appeal.
Organisers of last weekend’s protest march, ( Fight for Feniton’s Future and East Devon Alliance (EDA)) would like to thank all who attended. Particular thanks go to Neil Parish, MP, and to the press and media who supported the event with prominent coverage, including the Western Morning News. (More notable examples in recent posts on this website)
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It’s going to be a busy year for EDA and its Chair, Ian McKintosh, seen here addressing the crowd at the end of last Saturday’s march.
An example will be shown at Luminicity’s public exhibition (Fri 24 Jan, afternoon and early evening) of the planned application for a solar farm at Sidbury. The proposed site is in a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) . Exhibition details here: East Hill Strips advert poster
Meanwhile,the Sid Valley has another, different, initiative to help solve both the looming energy gap, and the huge problem of waste disposal, with the recent launch of a Community Energy Co-operative by the Sid Valley Energy Action Group (SVEAG). See http://www.visionforsidmouth.org .
Some revised Local Plan documents, as required by the Inspector, can now be viewed on the EDDC website. The SIN blog also has details: http://sidmouthindependentnews.wordpress.com/2014/01/17/new-local-plan-documents-posted-on-eddc-website/
21 DECEMBER 2013 Press release on Judicial Review outcome
The Budleigh Longboat Association and its many friends are surprised and disappointed that in a written judgement issued today, Judge Birtles, did not find sufficient merit in its claim to quash the Longboat planning consent of 2012. Judges do have considerable discretion and the case has to be exceptionally strong to succeed.
Although all who supported the appeal are disappointed, the decision is accepted.
The challenge was made because this was a controversial planning decision to build a two-storey contemporary café on an important site on the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site. Importantly, it was the first planning application in what is supposed to be one of the most highly protected sites of outstanding natural beauty in England.
The plan, which also involved the demolition of the last known example of an Admiralty Longboat House, attracted widespread local opposition. In a poll conducted by the Town Council, three out of four voted to keep the historic building and even more were opposed to a two-storey development. No less than 36 per cent of residents voted, compared to 33 per cent in local elections.
This development was also opposed by the World Heritage Coast Management Team and Natural England who raised further objections relating to the vulnerability of such a large structure on the beach to storm surges.
We believe it was important and responsible to make this challenge as two other similar applications had been rejected by the planning committee, one a few months before and another quite recently. We felt that members of the planning committee had been misled by the Planning Officers’ report.
When considering planning matters, the East Devon District Council (EDDC) is supposed to act, and to be seen to act, in a quasi-judicial and fair way. By pursuing this action we have made the point that the EDDC faces the real risk of legal challenge from objectors whenever they attempt to push procedural boundaries to support their recommendation.
There are already signs that, as a result, EDDC is now paying more attention to the correctness of their procedure. For example, they are bringing important consultee comments, from groups such as Natural England, to the committee however late in the process they arrive, rather than ignoring them; and they are making full audio recordings of proceedings so that there can be no doubt about what was said.
So far the Longboat applicant has refused to work with the community to find a solution which is sympathetic to the history of the existing building and natural beauty of this World Heritage Site. We recognise that to remain economic the Longboat House needs refurbishment and remodelling.
It is still not too late to find a solution that enhances rather than dominates the heritage landscape; most importantly, the solution should be one which commands local support without which local businesses cannot flourish.
The legal challenge was issued in the name of David Daniel and he would like to thank all those in the Budleigh Longboat Association who have supported him over the past six years. All concerned greatly appreciate the specialist professional support received in recent months from the newly-formed East Devon Alliance and from local councillors.
Thank you to the Express and Echo for the front cover and double page spread today, and for these excellent photographs: http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co.uk/Picture-special-gallery-weekend-s-big-development/story-20432534-detail/story.html
East Devon Watch 