Monthly Archives: February 2015

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10 Feb 2015

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Claire Wright, DCC, Hugo Swire, Neil Parish

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Hugo Swire ignores plea for more equitable treatment of Devon

Claire Wright asked Hugo Swire to speak up for more equitable treatment for Devon when the annual settlements for Authorities was debated on 10 February, citing many examples of how the county is treated as a “poor relation” compared to other areas, such as:

“The allowance for school children is £300 per head per year less than for children elsewhere. Will it be cut again? The council has said that the school crossings budget must be cut by £100,000 per year in the next two years.”

Mr Swire and Mr Parish did not speak in the debate and the settlement for Devon (and other authorities)was voted through by them without comment.

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10 Feb 2015

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East Devon Alliance

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What is “news”?

Interesting editorial from the Editor of the View from newspaper titles, who seems to have come under criticism for reporting the creation of the East Devon Alliance support network for Independent councillors wishing to stand across the district.

 

It appears some people (wonder who?) think that could be seen as partisan and not “news”. We beg to differ – this is, as the Editor says, probably the biggest LOCAL AND ENTIRELY EAST DEVON ORIENTED NEWS to come out of the district for many a year.

ViewFromEDAPhilEditorial10thFeb2015

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10 Feb 2015

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EDDC, Honiton/ Gittisham

Honiton Beehive problems started long ago

A local resident has reminded us that, when talking about funding of Honiton Beehive Community Centre, problems bagan long ago and EDDC stumped up £130,000 of ALL taxpayer’s money without apoearing to find out where the blame for the priblem originated (and it wasn’t Honiton Town Council):

“An extract from the Audit & Governance Committee agenda of 14th November 2013 summarizes progress on The Beehive community centre at Honiton[2]. The advice was that, “surface water drainage provision would be needed to a higher standard than originally anticipated to reflect potential flooding issues, especially to neighbouring residential properties.”

“HTC had not envisaged such costs in its original budgeting. EDDC officers from Property, Planning and Building Control met with HTC to assess the issue and determine a workable resolution. The various drainage scenarios and history of the issue were considered. The outcome was that, for the project build to proceed to a point where it could be signed off, a drainage infrastructure investment would be needed over and above the capacity of the existing fund. Therefore to cover the necessary works EDDC agreed by urgent verbal report to 12 June 2013 Cabinet (Part B) to fund a sum of up to 90% of a ceiling of £130,000. HTC will be expected to meet 10% of costs.”

“The reason for this urgency was that works would have to stop on the site construction and additional costs would be incurred by delay to contract. Without agreement to the provision of suitable drainage the building would not be signed off by Building Control and the planning condition not discharged. The building would therefore be uninsurable.”

This work was necessary despite the fact that the “system has been designed for the 1 in 100 year storm event with an appropriate allowance for climate change of 30%.”

The resident adds:

So in this case it seems developers or engineers or Some other outside agency miscalculated the work required, yet they all still walked away with most of the profit, leaving the Local Authority to pick up the major part of the bill for flood prevention

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10 Feb 2015

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Budleigh Salterton, Exmouth, Seaton/ Colyford / Colyton, Sidmouth/ Sidford/ Sidbury

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Coastal upheaval will cause major problems

“Beaches will be stripped bare of all sand, coastlines will change and seaside communities and transport infrastructure will have to move inland if the Westcountry is to be resilient to climate change.

Two of the region’s experts on climate change have warned that while last winter’s storms may have been the worst in 60 years, the frequency of such dramatic weather events mean coastal communities, businesses and authorities have to plan for the future and adapt to climate change.”

Read more: http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/learn-adapt-threat-coastline-warn-experts/story-26000685-detail/story.html

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10 Feb 2015

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Sidmouth/ Sidford/ Sidbury, Torridge

Torridge Local Plan: more houses, less employment land

“The total number of houses to be built by 2031 has increased from 16,500 to 17,200, with employment land cut from 110 hectares to 85.”

“All 190 of the houses on North Devon’s side of the Exmoor National Park will also be built outside of the park.”

http://www.devon24.co.uk/news/extra_700_houses_to_come_in_north_devon_and_torridge_in_local_plan_changes_1_3950350

Mrs Little (ex-EDDC Chief Planner) seems to have changed her mind about employment land since she left East Devon! More and more employment land was her call here after the East Devon Business Forum said it was required, hence the slipping-in of Sidford employment land at the last minute. Hmmm.

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10 Feb 2015

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Clyst St Mary, Lympstone, Ottery St Mary

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Some of Devon’s flood defences failing: Lympstone, Ottery and Clyst St Mary

“... The Environment Agency data showed the majority were in areas where large numbers of homes and businesses could be vulnerable to flooding.

However, the agency said “most of the issues are minor”.

Other failures from the agency’s latest inspection report included some sea defences, culverts, outfalls and embankments.”

Devon – Tavistock, Horrabridge, Plymouth, Lympstone, Ottery St Mary, Exeter, Totnes, Barnstaple, Dawlish Warren, Ilfracombe, Tiverton, Kingsbridge, Teignmouth, Torbay and Clyst St Mary”

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-31313464

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10 Feb 2015

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East Devon Alliance, Environment (local), Tourism

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Boosting ‘South East Devon’ Tourism

Some suggestions here, from the new lively publication, Devonshire Magazine:

From Devonshire magazine, on local tourism

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9 Feb 2015

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Land Supply, Local Plan Inspector, National Planning Policy Framework

Council challenges Planning Inspector on 5 year land supply calculations

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.

http://localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=21673:council-eyes-judicial-review-after-findings-of-inspector-on-housing-supply&catid=63&Itemid=31

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9 Feb 2015

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EDDC, Honiton/ Gittisham

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!

http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co.uk/Honiton-councillors-debate-East-Devon-s-offer/story-25997502-detail/story.html

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9 Feb 2015

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Claire Wright

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.”

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9 Feb 2015

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Neighbourhood Plans

How far developers will go to sabotage a Neighbourhood plan

https://andrewlainton.wordpress.com/2015/02/09/gladmans-dog-with-a-bone-as-they-take-wilmslow-neighbourhood-and-jr-plan-fight-to-court-of-appeal-and-jr-mendip-local-plan/

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9 Feb 2015

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Democracy, EDDC, General Election

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……. “

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9 Feb 2015

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Clyst St Mary, Democracy, Development Management Committee, EDDC, Environment (local), Hugo Swire, Latest news, West End: WestClyst BroadClyst/ Pinhoe

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“..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

http://saveclyststmary.org.uk/’

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8 Feb 2015

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Development Management Committee, East Devon Alliance, EDDC, Knowle/Honiton/Exmouth relocation, Latest news, Misc, Sidmouth/ Sidford/ Sidbury

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Disposal / Appropriation of Open Space at the Knowle..who decides?

See http://saveoursidmouth.com/2015/02/08/who-will-decide-the-disposal-appropriation-of-open-space-at-the-knowle/

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8 Feb 2015

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General Election, Voting

Students living in East Devon: register to vote

You are old enough to pay tax, old enough to join the armed forces, paying back your student loans for many years and may want to get on the property ladder.

If you don’t vote you won’t be influencing your future hopes and aspirations.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-31245611

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8 Feb 2015

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Claire Wright, General Election, UKIP (local)

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General Election: Definitely time for change

According to the Demos think-tank, England’s safest seats (of which East Devon is considered to be one) are mostly men and by people from outside area they represent. Out of 97 MPs with a 15,000 plus majority, 15% are women and only 39 have any previous close connection to the area they represent.

Hugo Swire: Conservative – not one of the 97 but a significant majority (6,000 plus)
Male
No previous connection to East Devon before becoming its MP – but was at Eton at the same time as David Cameron

Clare Wright Independent:
Female
Born, raised, educated and worked in the area all her life and with family settled here and child in local state school, currently a district and county councillor

Andrew Chapman UKIP
Male
Moved into the area a few months ago to contest the seat – no previous connection (retains family home in Shropshire)

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7 Feb 2015

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Knowle/Honiton/Exmouth relocation

Knowle land grab: email objections will be accepted

A local resident has had it confirmed (it appears) that email objections count as “written” submissions.  If you prefer email please check but it seems it is possible.

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7 Feb 2015

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AONB

“The Archers” : an everyday story of countryside developers

Letter in Guardian in response to a criticism that the long-running farming soap opera is not properly reflecting country life these days:

... “The sale of Brookfield farm to a property developer, while painful to many listeners, is in fact the reality for many rural communities. Farmers Weekly regularly contains adverts encouraging landowners to contact developers with a view to obtaining planning consent for housing on agricultural land, which greatly increases the land value if permission is granted. The editors of the programme should be congratulated for bringing this reality to the attention of Radio 4 listeners and beyond”.