Extract from “Letter from Church of England Bishops”

” …At this election, we can sow the seeds of a new politics. We encourage voters to support candidates and policies which demonstrate the following key values:

Halting and reversing the accumulation of power and wealth in fewer and fewer hands, whether those of the state, corporations or individuals.

Involving people at a deeper level in the decisions that affect them most.

Recognising the distinctive communities, whether defined by geography, religion or culture, which make up the nation and enabling all to thrive and participate together.

Treating the electorate as people with roots, commitments and traditions and addressing us all in terms of the common good and not just as self interested consumers.

Demonstrating that the weak, the dependent, the sick, the aged and the vulnerable are persons of equal value to everybody else.

Offering the electorate a grown up debate about Britain’s place in the world order and the possibilities and obligations that entails.”

Click to access whoismyneighbour-pages.pdf

Claire Wright – Independent – you know it makes sense:

claire-wright.org

South Hams Council berates government for planning changes leading to even less affordable housing

http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/Devon-council-warns-affordable-housing-hit-policy/story-26058423-detail/story.html

Cornwall v Devon tourism

Anyone else noticing that recent “10 best …” or “20 best …” things such as hotels, beaches, restaurants etc which appear in newspapers or on sites such as Tripadvisor often now include Cornwall (sometimes several times) but rarely Devon and even much more rarely East Devon?

Could it have something to do with the fact that Devon’s tourism budget is £45,000 per year and Cornwall’s is £300,000 per year (and Yorkshire’ £3,000,000 per year)?

Travel journalists are lured to tourist attractions, etc by positive publicity and free trips and which lead to word-of-mouth recommendations.

Alas, not in Devon and certainly not East Devon.

But, fear not, just before the district council elections our Tourism Champion is scheduled to speak at a meeting! No, we will not tell you who our so far silent Tourism Champion is – if you ars in the tourism trade in East Devon and don’t know who it is, you should be asking yourself why and also why that person has the designation.

And what a difference just a little of the minimum £750,000 spent on relocation (since we must include the cost of Information Commissioner v EDDC in Exeter Magistrates Court has cost so far as we know) could have made to our ranking in the tourism world.

See also:
https://eastdevonwatch.org/2015/01/13/tourism-on-the-cheap-in-devon/

Mid-Devon Local Plan consultants reports to be published by the end of February

This is what it says in the Mid devon Local Plan consultation document:

” Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessments, Reports and Availability” –

” Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) – Anticipated to be published by the end of February 2015″

Presumably based on the same consultants’ reports that EDDC says must be kept secret because of “political sensitivity”.

So, it’s politically sensitive in East Devon and not politically sensitive in Mid Devon.

What a difference a few miles makes.