Daily Archives: 21 Jun 2014

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21 Jun 2014

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EDDC, Sidmouth/ Sidford/ Sidbury

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Sidmouth notice board – to which EDDC objected – “enhances the area” and will be allowed to stay!

Many organisations, including EDA, Save our Sidmouth and Sidmouth Independent News, have availed themselves of the free notice board positioned outside Pure Indulgence in Sidmouth’s pedestrianised shopping area.

East Devon District Council objected to this notice board. Many people wrote in supporting its position and use and, at the time of the closing date for objections there had been only one objection, but, for some reason, the consultation period was extended. It seems that other notice boards (including one belonging to EDDC), A-boards and other materials were acceptable to EDDC but not this particular notice board.

In a very short judgment (2 pages) the Planning Inspector decided to allow the appeal details of which can be found HERE.

The last two paragraphs of his judgment are below:

7. Concern has been expressed about the untidiness and proliferation of different notices on the board itself. It has been remarked that the appearance of it has improved recently. Notices can come in a range of sizes and be placed upon one another in a haphazard fashion but there is no evidence that this has occurred here to make it unsightly. The submitted details show the board with notices placed in a neat and tidy manner. Indeed, the board has been designed with wooden rims which would encourage the placing of notices within the confines of the board itself. Moreover, the notice board would enhance the character and appearance of the Conservation Area because it would improve the look of this wall for the reasons referred to.

8.  In conclusion, the proposal would enhance the character and appearance of the Sidmouth Conservation Area for the reasons referred to. The proposal would comply with Policy EN11 of the East Devon Local Plan, which amongst other matters, permits development affecting setting or views where it would preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the Conservation Area. The Council have suggested a condition confirming the retrospective nature of the development. In accordance with the tests specified within the PPG, this would be unnecessary and therefore has not been imposed. For the reasons given above, and having regard to all other matters raised, I conclude that the appeal should be allowed.

Although many would consider this a minor matter it throws into question one thing:  if EDDC can get it SO wrong about whether something will enhance or degrade the appearance of a Conservation Area can we trust THEIR judgment?

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21 Jun 2014

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Budleigh Salterton, DCC, Misc

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How many beans make 5? In Budleigh – think of a number, any number, except 5!

Budleigh population exceeds that of Sidmouth – Official!

Because of funding cuts imposed by central government a two tier system is being proposed for Devon Libraries. Medium and larger libraries will upgraded to become “Devon Centres” while smaller and less well-used will have to be run by the community, if they are to remain open at all. To separate the well-used from the less well-used, County Hall policy makers are using some very dubious numerical analysis which has been exposed in a letter from an alert Budleigh resident published in this week’s Journal.

Budleigh always thought its library was one of the most heavily used in the county for its size. It has 2,400 borrowers in a town of around 5,000 (48% active borrowers). In comparison Sidmouth has just under 4,000 borrowers for a population around 13,000 (only 31% active borrowers).

Yet in the hands of the bean counters Sidmouth comes near the top of the county pecking order in terms of utilisation rates with Budleigh relegated towards the bottom. The reason is that DCC statistics are calculated on an interesting definition of the catchment area for each library. These are not based straightforwardly on the population of the town in question, nor on the town plus its surrounding villages (which in the case of Budleigh might push its population up to 7,700).

The calculation is much more complicated, adding to the catchment area the population of the postcode of every borrower. So, if a book is borrowed from Budleigh Library by an Exmouth resident (because he or she prefers Budleigh’s poetry section, for example) then Budleigh’s catchment area is increased accordingly. The result is to raise Budleigh’s official catchment area to more than 18,000 (larger than Sidmouth’s) simultaneously reducing its utilisation rating from 48% to a mere 13%!

Budleigh Library seems to have become a victim of its popularity and theand the Mayor, Caz Sismore-Hunt, is quoted as saying “I don’t think using those figures is fair”. We agree.

The message to officials, and councillors for that matter, is that the East Devon Alliance has a team of forensic bean counters always on the lookout to expose any misleading use of data!