A new website that went live yesterday, has the answers!
EDA Chair, Paul Arnott introduces it, and addresses the question about Independents, here:
“The East Devon Alliance has been an influential campaigning group working in the context of what many believe to be a maladministered district for the last couple of years. But there’s no point just moaning about it from the sidelines. So we decided that the only way to reform our council is through the ballot box.
Therefore, we are constituting ourselves at the Electoral Commission so that we can support Independent candidates at the next district elections, who may if they wish stand as “Independent East Devon Alliance” candidates. This works both ways -the candidates have some protection and support, and the voter can carefully scrutinise what they stand for …
We know how hard it is for Independents to stand without both camaraderie and practical support in local elections. But we also know that if people are to be happy putting a cross next to an Independent on the district ballot paper, they’ll want to know much more about them than what gets said in the pub.
That’s why we’ve launched this website http://www.eastdevonalliance.org.uk which explains as much as we possibly can, and we hope sets an example to the current ruling party for transparency and openness.
In law, if an Independent, say Jane Smith, is to be able to have the words ‘Independent East Devon Alliance’ alongside their names on the district ballot paper we are obliged to register at the Electoral Commission as a party. However, none of us have any interest in climbing the greasy pole of national party politics, and I think our very name makes that pretty obvious.”
East Devon Watch 
Both Labour and Conservatives expect that Ukip will be their biggest threat, Hugo Swire thinks he will be safe, until he realizes that Claire Wright as an independent MP, will speak up for all East Devon, without worrying about the party line. All those highly paid executives at DCC and EDDC will find it’s system of doing things, scrutinized and more openly opposed.
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Every single day of the last few months the controversy has mounted over planning rules, “bizarre development plans for areas that have a lack of infrastructure, and controversial spending policies.
In Exmouth we have had a sea front regeneration, along with a master plan that had been proposed over 10 years or more ago.
Little has been accomplished and the latest news we have is work on the new two-acre water sports centre could start this year.
There is great concern over how much this will cost, along with what ever is to be developed on the remaining six acres.
EDDC are devoid of facts when asked, “who will pay for such things in a recession?”, and say it will be covered by developers.
We can expect to show a great concern when Exmouth’s lollipop patrols are at risk in a bid to plug a financial black-hole, but children’s safety can be ‘compromised because our County Council want to slash costs further, while millions are being spent.
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