Oh dear, Hugo, best not rely on the Electoral Reform Society – if it made one mistake, it can make another!
Monthly Archives: April 2015
Declining Tory Party membership: who exactly do they represent?
No wonder Hugo is pounding the pavements … with so few supporters available!
“The Conservative Party has released details of its membership, after it was claimed that people were leaving the party in droves.
It had been suggested that membership had dropped below 100,000 and, while the figure quoted is in fact 134,000 …
… Worse than that, it seems membership has halved under the leadership of David Cameron; in 2005, 253,600 members voted in the leadership contest between him and David Davis. …
… The party itself claims 174,000 members – but this includes ‘friends, non-member donors and others’ in the numbers. In other words, people who are not members of the Conservative Party …”
Many East Devon schools at 95%+ capacity and still we allow rampant development
The following schools are oversubscribed or at 95% or more capacity and still we allow free-for-all development without infrastructure:
In East Devon:
Woodbury Church of England Primary, Broadclyst Primary, Exeter Road Primary and Brixington Primary schools in Exmouth, West Hill Primary near Ottery St Mary, Kilmington Primary, Stockland Primary near Honiton, Lady Seaward’s Primary at Clyst St George and Mrs Ethelston’s Primary near Axminster, are all over subscribed.
This autumn, six more East Devon primary schools join the list by being at 95 per cent capacity or over: Ottery St Mary, Bassetts Farm Primary in Exmouth, Sidbury Church of England Primary School, The Beacon Church of England Primary School, St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in Exmouth and Feniton Church of England School.
http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co.uk/8220-Considerable-pressure-8221-Exeter-East-Devon/story-26359651-detail/story.html
http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co.uk/8220-Considerable-pressure-8221-Exeter-East-Devon/story-26359651-detail/story.html
Inspector’s response to EDDC draft plan admin arrangements
http://eastdevon.gov.uk/media/1063477/letter-no-12-to-east-devon.pdf
Good to see that, in his last paragraph, he agrees that it was sensible to extend the public consultation period from six weeks to eight weeks because of the effect of elections – a concession suggested by and fought for by Councillor Claire Wright to which some other councillors objected.
At last – we find something Hugo Swire does on the cheap!
This
http://www.parliamentary-standards.org.uk/ViewAggregateData2014.aspx?mcode=0167&year=2013
is a summary of Hugo Swire’s expenses claimed in the 2013-14 Parliamentary year. It can be seen that he has claimed near to the maximum amount allowed for staff payroll costs, including the salary he pays his wife (up to £35,000).
What is striking is how little he paid for office costs “the costs of renting, equipping and running an MPs office and surgeries” in his constituency. Allowed a maximum of £22,750 he had spent only £7,011.52.
Is his office particularly cheap to run – or is it that he spends so little time here he doesn’t need much in the way of office or local surgery expenses?
and speaking of paying wives (which is allowed but which few MPs choose to do) the arch-Conservative blogger Guido Fawkes had this to say about the practice:
Keeping “IT”* in the family
MPs will protest that they pay their spouse / son / daughter / sibling a pittance and they work extra long hours and suchlike. The truth is they deny someone more competent the chance of a job won in open competition. Many MPs really use the staff allowance as a subsidy to family members. Who can forget Derek Conway’s lavish family staffing arrangements, with payments to offspring at university? Peter Hain’s employment of his octogenarian mother despite having a staff of civil servants, special advisers, private secretaries, secretaries and case workers. Bob Spink famously employed his former wife, his lover and her daughter.
Many MPs now employ their wives / partners in their maiden names to disguise the dodge. For example Elaina Cohen is Khalid Mahmood’s partner – he dumped his wife for her – but contrary to the rules of the House he doesn’t declare the relationship. No doubt some of the above will have innocent explanations for why – against best private sector practise – they issue staff passes to family members. They shouldn’t do it, it is nepotism.
*The ‘it’ being our taxes.
http://order-order.com/2010/08/25/keeping-it-in-the-family/#_@/as_aAd6GhnIn/Q
Poor old Hugo
He’s having to pound the pavements of East Devon for hours and hours, something rather new to him – he must be seeing a good few places he never knew existed and we gather that he is hearing some quite uncomfortable home truths about district matters – which he didn’t bother with until very recently.
It’s hard to know whether EDDC is a liability for him or vice- versa.
He must be getting home to Mid- Devon or London quite exhausted! Well he isn’t getting any younger.
“Women age 18-24 least likely to vote” : PLEASE PROVE THIS WRONG!
According to an article in today’s Observer magazine, women 18-24 are the least likely to vote.
Please prove them wrong. If you have not registered it is still not too late – tomorrow is the last day – even if you will not be in the country or away from home you can have a postal vote. The easy link is here:
https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote
Remember: you will continue to need the health service for many years to come, you may need more education for yourself and/or for your children and you will need childcare if you must continue to work and you will need a secure home.
Vote for the candidate that you think will protect your interests.
Hugo Swire predicted in 2010: “We will go back to the bad old days when MPs went back to their constituencies once every five years just before elections”!
Daily Mail – July 2010 – NOTE PARTICULARLY THE LAST SENTENCE BELOW!
“Two Tory Ministers have accused Commons expenses chiefs of wrecking their right to have a family house in their constituencies by slashing their second-home allowances.
Solicitor General Edward Garnier and Northern Ireland Minister Hugo Swire each charged around £24,000 a year expenses to cover the costs of renting elegant country homes in their constituencies, while living most of the year in private houses they own in London.
Mr Garnier claimed the maximum allowance of £24,006 last year for his beautiful house, Little Dalby Hall, which is on a 5,600-acre estate in Leicestershire.
His allowance this year to cover the rent has been slashed to £8,366.
Mr Swire’s claim for £23,103 to cover the cost of renting a large farmhouse in Devon has been reduced to £9,756.
Both have protested to IPSA, the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, after they were told they can only claim for the equivalent of a one-bedroom flat.
Mr Garnier is said to have accused IPSA of turning MPs into ‘visiting country squires’.
He was backed by Mr Swire, who said the new system threatened to take politics back to pre-Victorian times when some MPs rarely visited their constituencies. …
… They deny they are trying to ‘have their cake and eat it’ by demanding the right to live like gents with two full-sized family homes – one in London and one in the country – with the second funded by the taxpayer. …
.. Mr Swire, 50, the MP for East Devon, is a close friend of David Cameron and related to the Swire Hong Kong trading dynasty.
Last year, he received £1,400 a month in second-home allowance to rent the pretty Lincombe Farmhouse near the Devon resort of Sidmouth. It has been cut to £812 a month, with extra for council tax and bills. He too complained the
ruling was unfair.
Mr Swire and wife Sascha and their two young children live in a £1 million house in the heart of affluent Fulham, West London. The property is owned by Mrs Swire.
Educated at Eton and St Andrews University, Mr Swire served with the Grenadier Guards before becoming a director of Sotheby’s auction house.
In his bachelor days, he dated Jerry Hall before she married Mick Jagger. The late Joe Strummer, singer with the punk band The Clash, was his brother-in-law.
A friend of Mr Swire said: ‘Hugo is not whingeing. If he is forced to give up his Devon house for a one-bedroom flat he could not take his children down there and so obviously would spend less time there. His constituents would lose out.
‘We will go back to the bad old days when MPs went to their constituencies once every five years before election time.’
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1291791/Youre-turning-MPs-visiting-squires.html
Our next MPs husband speaks …
DAVE WRIGHT
Claire Wright, East Devon
“Claire sort of slipped into politics. Fighting to save Honiton Hospital maternity services in 2004 set the ball rolling.
“When she joined Ottery St Mary Town Council around 2007 she said it would be a “few Mondays” every month. Having a busy job myself, I questioned how on earth we were going to fit everything in.
“She has since managed to fit in ousting the then leader of East Devon District Council in 2010, and then become Devon county councillor the following year with the biggest majority in the South West.
Mr Wright has taken on the role of political agent, dealing with the finances and signing forms. He said: “I have had to get used to people saying things like, ‘Will you be Claire’s secretary on £30-35k, like Hugo’s [sitting East Devon MP Hugo Swire] wife?’ ”
He said that standing for MP was something that became inevitable.
“It dawned on me before Claire that it had become her duty to stand.”
They carried out a survey among East Devon residents which formed the backbone of Claire’s manifesto.
“I have been staggered by people’s generosity of time and money,” he said.
“Scores and scores of donors have contributed their own money to the campaign, and there is an army of deliverers – it really is quite humbling.
“My daughter Katie and I will burst with pride if she gets elected, but we will have to ask Nanny and Grandad to help us out even more than they do at the moment.”
Purdah – again
Should those standing for town and/or district council seats be allowed to trumpet their Devon County Council “influence” – especially when said trumpeting is hot air rather than anything else?
At least one local newspaper seems to think it’s fine.
Purdah? What’s purdah? Oh, that’s when you ban stories about those not in power – yet!
Information Commissioner v EDDC: surely our officers and councillors are not holding this up until after the elections?
This is the case where the Information Commissioner ordered release of (redacted?) information on relocation discussions and costings, only for EDDC to appeal this decision.
Initially, after a hearing at Exeter Magistrates Court in August 2014, we were told at that time by the judge that a judgment could be expected in late 2014 or early 2015,
It is now late April 2015 and no sign of it.
Surely our officers and (current) councillors are not dragging this out until after elections?
What could possibly be in these documents that would cause such a delay?
Election Posters
Cheerful letter in this week’s Sidmouth Herald (17th April 2015):
‘The sudden appearance in our fields and hedgerows, gardens and window boxes, of a variety of colourful election posters must gladden every heart in East Devon this Spring-time.
It is probably wise simply to enjoy them as a symbol of hope and renewal. But sometimes I wonder if they have some deeper meaning.
Perhaps the posters in windows and gardens indicate that the people who live there intend to vote for the named candidate (or party). But what are we to make of the ones on gates and fields inhabited only by sheep and donkeys?
And the ones planted on the margins of our public roads? What are they for? It’s not as if Devon East is a marginal constituency.
Or is it?
Robert Crick, Sidmouth
EDDC drops the ball spectacularly (again) on revised draft local plan
Wrong numbers (again), wrong dates (again), wrong strategies (again – particularly in towns and villages other than Cranbrook).
The Planning Inspector, Mr Thickett, must be getting tired of this not-so-merry-go-round, which looks to be saddling the next council with a developer free-for-all again unless it can pull a rabbit out of the hat. Perhaps by diverting funds for relocation to sorting this out once and for all.
Mr Thickett’s memorandum:
“In response to questions raised by the Inspector the Council has produced further evidence relating to housing need and the needs of gypsies and travellers. The Council also proposes to allocate some new sites and to amend or delete some allocations and to make a number of changes arising from the discussions at the Hearings in February and March 2014. This note relates to the evidence relating to housing need and the needs of gypsies and travellers and the resulting changes to the Local Plan and proposed new or amended allocations proposed by the Council and resulting changes.
This consultation relates only to the Council’s proposed changes and representations relating to parts of the Local Plan which are not proposed to be changed will not be accepted.
The new evidence relating to housing need and the needs of gypsies and travellers and the resulting changes to the Local Plan and proposed new or amended allocations proposed by the Council will be discussed at Hearings which are to be held week commencing 6 July 2015. The following questions relate to these matters only and have been posed by the Inspector. Representations are not limited to these questions but they are designed to guide representors and avoid the need for the submission of further statements by those wishing to participate in the Hearings.
The Council is expected to produce a response to all these questions no later than two weeks from the re commencement of the hearings.
Written representations carry the same weight as those made orally at a hearing.
Housing
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) advises that Local Plans should ‘be drawn up over an appropriate time scale, preferably a 15-year time horizon’. It is proposed that the Plan period change from 2006 to 2026 to 2013 to 2031.
a) Is the proposed change appropriate and is it supported by the new evidence produced by the Council?
b) What are the implications, if any, of changing the start date from 2006 to 2013 on meeting any un met need for housing?
According to National Planning Practice Guidance (PPG), the starting point when assessing need should be the household projections published by the Department for Communities and Local Government. The latest projections (2012 – 2037) were published in February 2015. The authors of the 2014/15 Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) admit that the latest projections were not used as they came too late to inform the assessment and that the estimates of need in the SHMA may be higher than would be case had the 2012 based rates been used1.
a) Do the SHMA, the Employment Projections Report2 and the East Devon Demographic Scenario ‘Policy on’ Report3 provide robust and reliable evidence to support the revised housing target of a minimum of 17,100 new homes between 2013 and 2031?
b) If, as the SHMA says, the 2012 projections may have led to a lower estimate of need does this matter given that the NPPF seeks to boost the supply of housing and provided the level growth can be satisfactorily accommodated?
As submitted Strategy 1 directs about 50% of new homes to the West End, 40% to the seven main towns and 10% to smaller towns and villages. Those percentages are proposed to be deleted and according to the figures in the revised Strategy 2, the distribution would be as follows: West End, 64%, Area centres, 29% and 7% to villages and the rural area. Does this distribution meet objectively assessed needs, particularly in the smaller towns, villages and the rural areas?
As proposed to be changed Strategy 27 would no longer assign housing numbers to small towns and larger villages nor would sites be designated through a Villages Development Plan Document. The provision of new housing in the settlements listed in the revised Strategy 27 would be left to Neighbourhood Plans.
a) If the plan does not assign numbers or allocate sites in these settlements (informed by The Small Towns and Villages Development Suitability Assessment 20144) how will the 1,123 dwellings identified for villages and rural areas in Strategy 2 be delivered?
b) Without strategic guidance with regard to numbers and distribution from the Local Plan, how will the Council ensure that new housing in small towns and villages meets objectively assessed needs?
Assuming the Plan is sound, would it, on adoption make provision for 5 years’ worth of supply?
As submitted the Local Plan sought to deliver around 15,000 new dwellings between 2006 and 2026 (20 years x 750 pa). That target is now proposed to be around 17,100 between 2013 and 2031 (18 years x 950 pa). Assuming 17,100 is the right number; does the Plan make adequate provision for its delivery?
Accommodation for Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople
The Devon Partnership Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment 2014 identifies a need for 37 pitches for gypsies and travellers and 3 sites for travelling showpeople (2014 – 2034) 5.
a) Are the assessments findings and the targets soundly based?
b) Were, as required by national guidance, traveller communities engaged in the production of the assessment?
Planning Policy for Traveller Sites requires local planning authorities to set pitch targets for gypsies and travellers and plot targets for travelling showpeople which address the likely permanent and transit site accommodation needs of travellers in their area, working collaboratively with neighbouring local planning authorities. A need has been identified and it has not been met. The Local Plan does not accord with national policy and is, therefore, unsound. How can this be rectified?
The Council intend to produce a Gypsy and Traveller Development Plan Document (DPD) but the National Planning Policy Guidance (NPPF) states that local planning authorities should produce a Local Plan for its area and that any additional DPDs should only be used when clearly justified.
a) Given that the Local Plan is able to allocate land for housing and employment uses what is the justification for not including pitch targets for gypsies and travellers in the Local Plan?
b) Does the failure to allocate land for gypsies and travellers and travelling showpeople in the Local Plan contravene the Public Sector Equality Duty?6
Planning Policy for Traveller Sites requires criteria based policies to be fair and to facilitate the traditional and nomadic life of travellers while respecting the interests of the settled community. Does Policy H7, as proposed to be revised, comply with national guidance?
Allocations
Is the area proposed to be designated as the Cranbrook Plan Area justified?
The Council has resolved to grant outline planning permission for the proposed allocation at Mosshayne Green (Strategy 13, Site No. W213B). Does the site need to be allocated given the Council’s resolution? Can it be delivered?
What are the implications for safeguarding the land for a railhead at the proposed Intermodal Interchange Site? (Strategy 15).
Is the proposed allocation at Winslade Park, Clyst St Mary (Site W344) suitable for housing and deliverable?
Cameron-style, local Tories avoiding open debate?
Further to our post (16 April) about this week’s hustings organised by Vision Group for Sidmouth (‘Vigorous and optimistic public meeting with candidates’ ), East Devon Watch has been reliably informed that the Council meeting the 6 Tories used as an excuse for not attending had finished in time for Cllr Christine Drew to get there…. Meaning the others could have made it too. Not the fault of VgS that they did not come!
UKIP will ” control our boarders”!
… according to a UKIP election leaflet being circulated in Frome, which was so riddled with grammar and spelling mistakes a teacher could not resist the urge to mark (and fail) it!
Wouldn’t do at all for tourism providers in East Devon to have their boarders controlled by UKIP!
East Devon constituency far from safe seat
according to the East Devon graphic and remarks here:
Why were so many people walking around with Claire Wright placards in Exmouth last night?
Many people seen in the area of Exmouth Rugby Club, talking animatedly and clutching a lot of Parliamentary Candidate Claire Wright’s election literature. …There was standing room only for late arrivals to this latest in the series of Claire’s public meetings.
So tonight’s PPC hustings, also in Exmouth (Fri 17th April), should be interesting! Glenorchy Church at 7.30 pm. Organised by Exmouth Christians together. Come early to get a seat!
Next East Devon hustings tomorrow Exmouth 7.30 pm
Exmouth: Friday 17 April
Glenorchy Church Hall. Organised by Exmouth Christians Together
Local Plan consultation – Inspector will reconvene hearings on 7 July 2015
East Devon Local Plan and Community Infrastructure Levy Charging Schedule – Consultation on Proposed Changes:
I would like to draw your attention to a public consultation, which East Devon District Council is undertaking, regarding a series of proposed changes to the East Devon Local Plan and to the Community Infrastructure Levy Draft Charging Schedule.
These changes, together with supporting evidence for the local plan and information about our consultation, can be viewed on the council web site at: http://eastdevon.gov.uk/planning/planning-policy/emerging-plans-and-policies/the-new-local-plan/examination-and-hearing-sessions/
Proposed changes to the Community Infrastructure Levy, as well as supporting documents and forms for comments can be read at: http://eastdevon.gov.uk/planning/planning-policy/community-infrastructure-levy-cil/cil-examination/
The consultation will run for eight weeks, starting on 16 April 2015. Anyone can comment on the proposed changes and can reply to questions set by the appointed Planning Inspector. Responses must be received by the council at or before midday on Friday 12 June 2015 at the latest.
Responses received will be sent to Mr Thickett, the Inspector and it is envisaged that the first day of hearing sessions will start at 10 am on 7 July 2015 at the Council Offices in Sidmouth. Paper copies of the plan changes, together with supporting documents and response forms will be sent to libraries and Town Council offices in East Devon where they will be available to the public. We will also make paper copies available for inspection at the Council Offices, Knowle, Sidmouth EX10 8HL. Documents will be available during the normal opening hours for offices and libraries.
Vigorous and optimistic public meeting with candidates
Congratulations to Vision Group for Sidmouth (VgS) for organising last night’s hustings, in a particularly civil atmosphere, thanks to the VgS Chair, Dave Bramley.
All candidates standing in Sidmouth and Sidford Wards, for election to East Devon District Council, had been invited. ONLY ONE current District Councillor, Christine Drew, turned up, making the absence of all the others appear all the more reprehensible.
Candidates who did take this opportunity to engage with the public were: Dawn Manley (East Devon Alliance Independent,iEDA, Sidford Ward); Matt Booth (iEDA, Sidmouth Town Ward);Cathy Gardner (iEDA, Sidmouth Town); Marianne Rixson (iEDA, Sidford);Christine Drew (Conservative, Sidmouth Rural); David Barratt (Independent, Sidmouth Rural); John Dyson (Independent, Sidmouth Town).
A broad range of topics were raised, including affordable housing; interaction between Town/ District/ and County Councils; current EDDC management style: neighbourhood plans, etc. All were thoughtfully addressed.
Hats off to the iEDA Independents,for their positive message of how together they could improve the way things are done at District Council. Their pooled knowledge of local issues, and individual expertise in such things as sources for grants; tourism and marketing; and most urgently, the importance of encouraging neighbourhood plans, was impressive.
Next VgS hustings, for Sidmouth Town Council candidates, is at Sidmouth College, 6pm, on Tuesday 21 April. Wonder how many candidates will take advantage of this pre-election platform offered to them? We’ll see.
East Devon Watch 