All is not quite as it seems in the (02/01/2015) Sidmouth Herald photo of MP Hugo Swire with three of the Sidmouth District Councillors!
See http://www.sidmouthherald.co.uk/polopoly_fs/1.3902104!/image/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_490/image.jpg
Conservative Cllrs Drew, Newth and Sullivan voted AGAINST putting the Knowle relocation project on hold (proposed by Independent Cllr Claire Wright), just a few days before Mr Swire’s press release followed Cllr Wright’s lead. (Mrs Wright is of course standing against Hugo Swire in this year’s May election, as Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for East Devon).
The same three councillors were present at the public open meeting organised by the Sid Vale Association in advance of the Full Council vote on Knowle (Dec 17th 2014). But the straightjacket of party politics seemed to restrict their perspective on Knowle. Cllr Frances Newth (appears by Hugo’s right shoulder in the picture), former EDDC Environment champion, did not utter a word about the environmental impact of relocation; Cllr Christine Drew (pictured on Hugo’s left) appeared blissfully unaware of the knock-on effect of the loss of the major Sid Valley employment site, and the ‘need’ for a large business park planned alongside a minor country road between Sidford and her beloved Sidbury; and Cllr Peter Sullivan responsible for Health and Wellbeing, made no comparison of the benefits of a workplace set in parkland with that of an industrial estate (as now proposed at Honiton).

As 2015 unrolls, will they all just keep smiling for the camera …?
Will the Councillors stay loyal to Leader Paul Diviani, or to their local MP?
A tricky call!!