A report tabled VERY VERY late to Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting at 5.30 pm at Knowle
Click to access item-5-amf-beach-huts-chalets-4.pdf
Is such a late report legally allowed?
Monthly Archives: October 2015
Change how we vote or comment on one-party corruption and waste
Petition:
http://action.electoral-reform.org.uk/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=1754&ea.campaign.id=2875
and/or email your comments on the post below to:
ers@electoral-reform.org.uk
The (huge, extra) cost of one party councils
A report from the Electoral Commission states:
Study shows ‘one-party councils’ could be wasting £2.6bn a year in lost procurement savings
University of Cambridge research analyses 132,000 public procurement contracts between 2009 and 2013 to identify ‘red flags’ for corruption
One-party councils have on average 50% higher ‘risk of corruption’ than politically competitive councils
First report to use ‘Big Data’ to look at the financial dangers of single-party authorities
Click to access THE%20COST%20OF%20ONE-PARTY%20COUNCILS.pdf
The lead researcher reports:
“Fazekas said: “The persistence of uncontested seats and one-party dominated councils at the local level is a cause for concern across England in terms of quality of public services, value for money, and government responsiveness to citizen needs. One particular high-risk area is the integrity of government contracting when controls of corruption are weak.
“In modern democracies, one of the main pillars of good government and control of corruption is elections and electoral accountability. The change of political leadership or the risk of such change is expected to discipline holders of political power to use it for the public good rather than their own private benefit.”
And ERS chief executive, Katie Ghose, said: “It’s not true of all one-party councils, but it’s bound to be true of some – and this new research suggests that lack of scrutiny could be costing us dear.
“The fact that taxpayers in England could be losing out on £2.6bn a year in potential savings is a damning indictment of an electoral system that gives huge artificial majorities to parties and undermines scrutiny. This kind of waste would be unjustifiable at the best of times, let alone during a period of austerity.
“The risk of corruption at the local level should set off alarm bells in Whitehall. The public are getting a poor deal through our voting system.”
Josiah Mortimer, communications officer at the ERS, said that a fairer and more proportional electoral system – “such as the one used in Scotland for local elections” – would make one-party councils “a thing of the past”.
The problem is, of course, that one-party councils keep much secret because they are afraid that if we knew what is really going on, they would lose power. Holding on to power (and the inherent or perceived or real risk of corruption is seemingly much more important than governing ethically.
We wonder how many majority party councillors prefer silence about corruption to whistleblowing – too many we suspect.
We also have to question the role of the police in council corruption issues – where often they seem to lack the desire, the will and/ or the resources to make investigations – perhaps wary of covering up their own inadequacies in this area and the disruption of cosy cross- interest relationships which keep the wheels of power oiled.
Osborne to allow local councils to keep £26bn raised from business rates
Just watch that Business Rate Relief disappear for small, struggling businesses once the money doesn’t go to central government!
Ah, but wait: they can only raise them by a maximum of 2p in the pound and the view is that many councils will engage in a “race to the bottom” to attract new businesses.
Rather a dilemma there, then! And much worry about the north/south divide where, currently, richer councils with high value ratings subsidise poorer councils.
Chameleon Lord Adonis and his East Devon counterparts
The Labour peer, appointed by the Conservative Party to lead a new infrastructure commission, will now sit as an Independent in the House of Lords after having been a Social Democrat councillor and Liberal Democrat election candidate before joining Labour.
Reminds me of one or two people in East Devon … REAL independents start that way and end that way and as a result are not trusted with majority party committee Chairmanships where a rogue vote could change policy nor are they admitted into their inner sanctums …
Osborne to cut planning rules yet again
“… Mr Osborne will today ‘sweep away’ planning rules on so-called ‘brownfield’ sites that have been developed before. A source said ripping up the rules would ‘increase the supply of homes for sale’.
The Chancellor will also announce an extra £5 billion for infrastructure spending from the proceeds of government asset sales. Mr Osborne is privately furious with the attitude of some local authorities who have frustrated progress on major infrastructure projects for years. Critics point to the example of Heathrow’s Terminal 5 which took almost 20 years to get off the drawing board.
He will tell activists: ‘Where would Britain be if we had never built railways or runways, power stations or new homes? Where will we be in the future if we stop building them now? …
… “The move will revive grassroots Tory fears that the Chancellor is plotting a fresh assault on the planning system, just three years after a bitter battle with the National Trust and other campaigners. The new National Planning Policy Framework was meant to be the final word on reform when it was introduced in 2012, but ministers have been dismayed by continuing delays in the system.
The Chancellor has said previously that Britain’s Green Belt will be protected in the push for new housing and infrastructure.
But new figures revealed last week that almost 5,000 acres of Green Belt land were lost to the bulldozer last year – the largest amount for five years. The Campaign to Protect Rural England described the figures as ‘the tip of the iceberg’.
In a separate warning, the National Trust said much of the country’s most beautiful scenery was threatened by inappropriate development, as planning rules were not being applied properly.” …
Extended right-to-buy will harm rural communities say CPRE and housing associations
Organisations across the South West are today urging the Government to protect affordable homes in rural areas from new plans that would worsen the countryside ‘housing crisis’.
They say extending the right-to-buy to cover social housing will hit the countryside disproportionately hard.
The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), the County Land and Business Association (CLA) and the National Parks Association are among those calling for a complete exemption for countryside areas.
“We are very concerned that the stock of affordable housing, built up over many years, will be lost,” said Dr Nigel Stone chief executive of Exmoor National Park Authority.
The policy looks set to be implemented voluntarily by housing associations under a proposal put forward by the National Housing Federation.
The plan would mean that there would be a presumption in favour of sale in most circumstances but housing associations would retain some discretion.
But the rural groups have now called for a total exemption for countryside areas.
The organisations, also including the Hastoe Housing Group, National Association of Local Councils, Action with Communities in Rural England, and the Rural Services Network, said a “portable discount” offered to tenants would not help rural areas.
They also warned landowners would be reluctant to offer land for social housing if there are no guarantees it will remain affordable and not be sold on within a few years. The groups said that 8% of rural housing was classed as affordable, compared with 20% in towns and cities.
Without a comprehensive rural exemption, this measure will make it harder to sustain mixed communities and local services such as shops and pubs, they said. …”
Taxpayers Alliance: Cut pensioners benefits – “many will be dead or have forgotten who did it by the next election”
Ministers should waste no time to make unpopular cuts to pensioner benefits, a think tank director has said.
Many of those hit by a cut to the winter fuel allowance might “not be around” at the next election, said Alex Wild of the Taxpayers’ Alliance.
And others would forget which party had done it, he added.
At the group’s meeting at the Conservative conference in Manchester, former defence secretary Liam Fox said spending cuts must be “for keeps”.
Mr Wild said the Tories could not wait until a year before the next election to make the necessary cuts to the winter fuel allowance, free bus passes, the Christmas bonus and other pensioner benefits.
Conservative delegates at conference advised to be publicly anonymous
“Among some Tory delegates the atmosphere was a little tense. In an email to conference delegates last week, the Conservative party chairman, Lord Feldman, said it was “particularly important” this year for activists to take the Tory-branded identification badges off when around town due to safety concerns.”
That “Northern Powerhouse” centred on Manchester not quite taken off, it seems!
Tory-led council group slams right to buy extension
“David Cameron’s bid to extend right-to-buy to people in housing association homes has been branded unworkable on the eve of the Conservative party conference by the Tory-led body representing councils across the country.
The Local Government Association (LGA) will today publish the first independent review of the controversial policy, which finds that the policy will cost councils £6bn over the next four years, at a time of huge cuts in funding for local authorities.” …
Right-to-buy extension branded unworkable by Tory-led council group
http://gu.com/p/4dxjn
NHS crisis much bigger than government is letting on
“Government ministers have buried NHS statistics that show the service hurtling towards an unprecedented £2bn deficit to avoid overshadowing the Tory party conference, say top NHS officials.
One senior figure at the health service regulator Monitor said his organisation had been “leaned on” by Whitehall to delay its report, which shows that NHS finances are worsening.
Neither Monitor’s quarterly report on how the NHS is faring, nor equivalent data from the NHS Trust Development Authority (TDA), have been published, as they usually are around the time of the organisations’ board meetings last month. Hospital trusts passed their information to the two regulators two months ago.”
http://gu.com/p/4dxy6?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
Well, we all know that the crisis in Devon is being covered up by the fragmented way bad news on bed closures is being fed to the media and residents hospital by hospital over a period of time instead of all at once. And we know that positive spin takes the place of real numbers and total lack of information and transparency in press announcements.
It is never too long before the excrement that hits the air circulation system starts dropping down on us all.
“Exmouth Splat” and Moirai Capital UK
The developers behind what some are calling “Exmouth Splat” is Moirai Capital UK.
Strange name Moirai – what does it mean?
“The Moirai or Fates were three sister deities, incarnations of destiny and life. Their names were Clotho, the one who spins the thread of life; Lachesis, she who draws the lots and determines how long one lives, by measuring the thread of life; and Atropos, the inevitable, she who chose how someone dies by cutting the thread of life with her shears. They were often described as being ugly and old women, stern and severe. Three days after a child was born, it was thought that the Moirai would visit the house to determine the child’s fate and life.
It seems that the Moirai controlled the fates of both mortals and gods alike. It may be that Zeus was the only one not bound by them, as an epithet that was used for him was Moiragetes (he who commands the fate). Other sources suggest, though, that he was also bound by the Moirai. It is also uncertain who their parents were; in some myths, they were daughters of Zeus and the Titan goddess Themis, the goddess of divine order. In others, they were daughters of Ananke, the personification of necessity.”
greekmythology.com
The moral of this story is: Beware Greeks bearing gifts especially those who spin, those who measure the inevitable and those who control your life, especially when they are able to cut it off with shears and who ars not sure of their parentage!
Exmouth Splat – spot the missing words
EDDC said:
“Our aim is to bring all-year-round attractions to the seafront, which will be enjoyed by a wider range of people – visitors and residents alike.
“Tourism is key to Exmouth’s long-term economic success and we want a seafront that combines the traditional and modern.
“We are working closely with our tenants to help them with the changes that are happening so that they can be part of this regeneration, if that is possible. Currently we have developers waiting to submit planning applications and there will be detailed future consultation on plans for the site.”” …
What’s missing? Nothing about the new luxury apartments that dominate this site!
And, as for those forthcoming “consultations” people might want to check that what is being consulted on is the scheme EDDC is actually working up with developers in secret meetings rather than something that will bear no resemblance to what is being discussed. Designs at consultation somehow don’t seem to pan out later on …..
Will luxury apartment really want to look out on noisy children playing in expensive enclosures, blocking their expensive views of the sea?
Sidmouth Herald: EDA Councillor Cathy Gardner sounds alarm over “eastern Sidmouth”
” …This isn’t about the Mill Street car park – it’s about the whole of the eastern side of town,” said Cllr Gardner. “It’s to do with plans for Port Royal and the seafront. Everyone can get excited about the rights and wrongs of increasing parking charges, but it’s part of a bigger picture.
“EDDC owns a lot of land there and I don’t know if people are aware of how much – the lifeboat station, the Drill Hall and the sailing club are all in the Local Plan for development. …”
New leader for our “special measures” (now branded a “Success Regime”!) local NHS named
“Judith Dean, a former nurse, is the programme director of the scheme which is aimed at providing increased support and direction to the most challenged systems.
Previously Judith worked on transformational work in Wiltshire, following periods in senior NHS roles across the Thames Valley.
Dame Ruth Carnall, former head of the NHS in London, will take on the role of chair of the programme. As well as chairing the Success Regime’s Programme Board, her responsibilities will include top-level liaison with stakeholders including MPs and other elected representatives.”
Love the way it is being branded a “Success Regime” – sounds like something out of North Korea!
EDDC: an awful lot of Freedom of Information requests pending
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/body/east_devon_district_council
Hint: the more transparent you are, the fewer Freedom of Information requests people make.
Ottery’s Salston Manor Hotel to be converted into 27 flats
Planning permission given today for 27 flats – 2 more than originally planned:
EDDC boards up legitimately trading cafe on Exmouth seafront without telling the owner
A seafront cafe owner was heading back to Exmouth today to find out just why his premises had been boarded up overnight.
Dean Gardner, owner of the popular DJ’s Cafe on Queen’s Drive, Exmouth, was in the Midlands looking after a sick relative, when he heard the bad news.
Mr Gardner, who has run the cafe for 11 years, said he had been told by East Devon District Council last month that the cafe could remain open for the “foreseeable future” in the run up to the redevelopment of the Exmouth seafront.
But in the early hours of October 1 a small number of contractors, went to the premises changed the locks and boarded up the premises up.
A notice, signed by Richard Cohen, Deputy Chief Executive EDDC, stated that council had taken possession of the premises.
The notice also indicates that: “as you have not made an application to the court before the expiry date (of the notice to terminate the lease) EDDc has exercised the right to take possession.”
Mr Gardner said: “It is a living nightmare. I restocked the cafe on the basis of being told that nothing was going to happen for the foreseeable future and now they have taken possession and boarded the place up without any notice.
“I have to say that when the Carriage Cafe was hauled away I wondered what was going on but I knew they had had enough and had a new site set up in Cornwall.
“I didn’t expect this to happen and I am now heading back to Exmouth straight away to find out what on earth is going on.”
Mr Gardner added that he had spent thousands of pounds on the cafe but was being offered “less than £15,000” in compensation.
According to campaigners opposed to the seafront development, EDDC said on its website that businesses operating in Queen’s Drive will be able to continue to trade beyond 30 September 2015
A Council spokesperson said previously: “East Devon District Council would like to make clear for the benefit of local residents, as well as its Queen’s Drive tenants and customers, that businesses currently operating at Queen’s Drive, who have formally notified the council that they wish to renew their tenancies, will continue to trade beyond 30 September 2015 until the necessary legal processes have been followed and concluded regarding their future.
“The council would like to apologise for any misunderstanding that has occurred.”
Newton Poppleford targeted again by developers
Poor Newton Pop – assaulted on all sides by developers whose sleight of hand with regard to so-called “community benefits” is quite breathtaking:
East Devon councillor Val Ranger said:
“Ultimately, I’m concerned about the number of homes, I’m concern about the flood risks, and I’m concerned that housing needs are not being met.”
The original plans submitted in February listed designs for a village hall with space for a badminton court, indoor bowls, a function room and garden.
These plans have been omitted from the refreshed plan after criticism was raised when, according to Cllr Ranger, it became apparent that the village hall plans were a proposition for the community of Newton Poppleford to install – with developers merely providing the space.
“Regeneration plans and meetings” – are they worth the effort
A correspondent writes:
“For years Exmouth and Seaton have had regeneration areas and Regeneration Boards. Until recently, all the Regeneration Board meetings were secret – now they are published but often with redacted parts.
But are these meetings, Boards, plans, consultations worth the bother?
Seaton’s regeneration area began life with a relatively small supermarket, housing, community and leisure facilities and a hotel, with 40% affordable housing in a total of over 400 houses. What they got was an enormous Tesco, less than 300 houses and no affordable homes.
Exmouth is now going the same way: it started as a purely seafront-themed “upgrading” but changed into expensive housing and cloned businesses.
So, we must ask ourselves: what were all these plans, meetings and consultations actually FOR? What we are ending up with on both sites is nothing like what was initially planned, or discussed or consulted on.
Regeneration Boards are top-heavy with the developers on each site, who appear to use them to push forward their plans, unchallenged either by councillors or officers – in fact, the total opposite, leaving said officers and councillors to ram through their development agendas.
Surely, this makes a total mockery of our officers, councillors and Regeneration Boards but, more importantly, the electors of East Devon, who were sold pups – coincidentally just before two major district elections.
East Devon Watch 