Planning Inspector says 1.91 year land supply, council says 7.51 year supply.
What can you do when even the so-called experts can’t agree! And by such a large amount.
Daily Archives: 9 Feb 2015
Don’t do as EDDC does, do what it says!
Local residents have been attempting to force EDDC to have an independent audit of its relocation plans without success.
NOW we find that EDDC is prepared to pay for an independent audit of the finances of the Beehive Community Centre (which was massively subsidised by EDDC and its Honiton-centric senior councillors).
The project has already cost £2 million – and it is MUCH smaller than the offices EDDC would like to build in Honiton.
Oh, and the Thelma Hulbert Gallery continues to be greatly subsidised by all East Devon’s taxpayers too!
Claire Wright (Independent) upcoming election meetings in Exmouth
“Claire Wright, the Independent candidate for East Devon in the General Election, will be in Exmouth twice in the next few days. On Saturday, 14th February, she will be at street meetings at Exmouth, Brixington and Lympstone and a public meeting in Exmouth has been planned for Tuesday 17th February. Everyone is invited to this free meeting which will be held at Franklins, 54 The Strand, Exmouth EX8 1BR. It will begin at 7.00 pm.
This is the second in a series of public meetings which her campaign team has planned across the entire constituency. The next will be at Matthews Hall, Fore Street, Topsham EX3 0HF on Tuesday 3rd March and will begin at 7.00 pm.
After a short speech, there will be an opportunity for questions and discussion.
Claire, who has always lived in this area, launched her manifesto in Exmouth recently. She will explain how the results of her comprehensive survey, completed by many hundreds of local people, have revealed the concerns of the voters of East Devon. Additionally, more than a thousand conversations with local people and many visits to local businesses, as well as her experience as a town, district and county councillor, mean that the candidate is very familiar with the constituency and its problems. Indeed, it was the enthusiastic and extensive support in her successful bid for a seat on Devon County Council that prompted her to run for Parliament. Claire Wright will say how, if elected, she would be an active and energetic MP, working for the constituency.
On Saturday 14th February, Claire will be at street meetings in Exmouth and area. The first, at the Exeter Road shops in Exmouth, will begin at 10.00 am. The next stop, at about 11.15, will be at the row of shops in Brixington and the final session will be at Lympstone beginning at about 12.30. The venue will be by the railway bridge.”
How far developers will go to sabotage a Neighbourhood plan
The disconnect between local and national politics
In an article entitled “Labour closes its eyes and pinches its nose”, published in yesterday’s Sunday Times, Camilla Cavendish wrote principally about the problems of poor leadership in Rotherham Council. A Council she describes as an uncountable, one-party state, which has now had to be taken over by Eric Pickles, the Communities Secretary. She goes on, however, to make this more general observation on the disconnect between local and national politics:
“This [the takeover] is a massive intervention in democratic institutions. But there has been no outcry. For local democracy is getting thinner and thinner. Fewer and fewer people vote in local elections, especially if the outcome is a foregone conclusion. And fewer and fewer MPs sit on local councils. In 1960 about a quarter of British MPs’ were also local councillors; now it is fewer than 1% . This is at odds with France, Finland and Spain, where most national politicians sit on their local authority. This gives them both a greater stake and more say. Working in Lambeth, I saw how hard the indefatigable MP Kate Hoey had to work sometimes to exert leverage over the council on behalf of voters.”
“The disconnect between local and national politics has made councils defensive and MPs reluctant to interfere……. “
“..together, we really can do this”
…East Devon Alliance (EDA) certainly believes this, as do the new network of Independent candidates supported by them.
And the same theme is in this message today from the Organiser of the Save Clyst St Mary Campaign:
‘I have been asked to point out that the Neighbourhood Plan meeting on 12th February is only for the original Planning Committee in this instance. There will, however, be another opportunity to view and comment on the Plan in early March. I apologise for any confusion this may have caused.
Due to the anticipated number of people who want to see Hugo Swire on the 19th February at 6.30, we have now been able to secure the Village Hall ( note the change of venue) . Please do come and ask our MP, who is responding in response to the invitation we sent, about any issues and questions you may have regarding planning in his Constituency.
Finally, thank you once again for your contributions towards paying for Charlie Hopkin’s reports. Do keep visiting the EDDC ‘s Planning website. The recent contribution for English Heritage is particularly interesting.
I know I seem to have said this many times before, but please remember – together, we really can do this.
Gaeron Kayley
East Devon Watch 