Recall 2009, when unitisation was last on the agenda. Here is what then EDDC Leader Sarah Randall-Johnson (thankfully ousted at the 2011 local elections) said. Recall, the exercise she led (with enthusiastic support from current Tory Councillors including Diviani and Moulding) cost this district at least £250,000 which they all agreed to take from reserves.
The Government of the day back then was New Labour.
“The idea of spending millions of pounds to create dozens of redundancies in councils across Devon makes even less sense now than it might have done in 2008.
“The unitary adventure was an unwanted distraction last year; it is even more unwanted now, as councils try to plan for the future against a background of financial stringency.”
Cllr Randall Johnson said she would be waiting to see if the “questionable” legislation would be rushed through Parliament before the General Election.
Sarah Randall-Johnson, the parliamentary seat-chasing Tory leader of East Devon District Council who spent loadsa money fighting the seemingly inevitable progression of a Devon Unitary Council, has said of the latest unitary edict: “The only thing more surprising than the ridiculous single Devon unitary proposal is the period of time allowed for the public to comment – six weeks, to include the distraction of the Christmas and New Year holidays.”
http://www.theprsd.co.uk/tag/sarah-randall-page/
The leader of East Devon District Council Sara Randall Johnson said she wanted assurances that this would not prompt a “land grab” over the borders into neighbouring East Devon.
She said: “I want an assurance from the Government this will not be the precursor to a crude land grab in which the boundaries of Exeter are moved so that the city can expand into East Devon.
“We already know that East Devon has the space that a growing Exeter will need if its economy is to thrive. We are happy to be a good neighbour and to collaborate with the city on an equal basis, but we would be very protective of our borders.”
http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co.uk/Mixed-reaction-Exeter-decision/story-11817720-detail/story.html
East Devon Watch 