Daily Archives: 9 Mar 2016

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9 Mar 2016

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Democracy, EDDC, Exmouth

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“EDDC falls foul of its own policies”

“Exmouth Splash – FacebookPublic Opinion & Discussion Page

A little while ago we reported that EDDC had decided to make permanent a trial that restricted the right to speak at public meetings.

Thanks to one alert Exmouth resident, it was noticed that on the list of speakers in the planning matters relating to Queens Drive, two names had appeared to speak in support. One was Ian MacQueen chairman of Exmouth Chamber of Commerce who is also on the Exmouth Regeneration panel. The second name didn’t ring any bells locally.

One of the conditions now set by EDDC for speakers is that they must have previously submitted a written comment on the application. Nobody could find any such written representation from Mr MacQueen or the second party. In fact there were no comments in support from anyone.

EDDC were contacted by a number of pteople who questioned why these two speakers were on the list to speak in what appeared to be a clear contravention of the new EDDC rules.

The two individuals were removed from the speakers list but we have no explanation as to how ever they got on the list (yet- we will ask).

Cllr Moulding was also on the list to speak but this too seemed to be without complying with the new rules. He was allowed to speak – the explanation being that it was at the chairman’s discretion. Although this seems fundamentally wrong to give the applicant (EDDC) more than the one permitted opportunity to speak, Cllr Moulding’s apparent comments about the swan ponds being nothing more than holes in the ground may well have helped the case for opposing the applications!”

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9 Mar 2016

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Beach huts, EDDC, Rural communications

Broadband suppliers to be forced to give automatic refunds for slow speeds or loss of service

Recall that EDDC is planning to go-it-alone for broadband distribution in East Devon. Will EDDC or the broadband provider pay the automatic compensation if the service goes down? If it is EDDC it would mean that all of us would end up paying for outages!

“Ofcom, the communications watchdog, has said BT and other operators will have to pay consumers and businesses when they are cut off or have slow broadband.

Mr Moore said: “I would welcome automatic payouts, but it depends on the amount of compensation. What we were offered was pittance. We are still being massively affected.”

Under the current system for telecommunications, customers have to make a claim for compensation rather than receive an automatic payout.

The new ruling is likely to be similar to automatic compensation schemes imposed on utility companies in which customers receive discounts when there is a problem.”

http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co.uk/Broadband-automatic-compensation-scheme-welcomed/story-28892867-detail/story.html

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9 Mar 2016

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East Devon Electoral/Returning Officer, Voting

Electoral registration – changes “negative for democracy”

“Reforms to the electoral registration process under this and the previous coalition government have led to changes which experts and campaigners alike have described as negative for democracy.

We stand at a critical crossroads in our democracy. The number of people that are on the electoral register is in long-term decline. It was estimated that up to 7.5 million people were not registered in 2014. During the transition to individual electoral registration (IER) another 1.4 million names were removed. Dramatically, the number of attainers, our next generation of voters, fell by 40%.

In a draft report, co-authored with Bite The Ballot, and presented to the All-Party Parliamentary Party on Democratic Participation for discussion today, new information is unveiled about the nature of the problem. Findings from a new UEA survey of electoral administrators, as detailed in the report, shows that two-thirds of electoral administrators agreed that citizens had complained to them about the registration process being bureaucratic. Roughly half of electoral officials thought that the completeness of the register had declined.”

http://www.democraticaudit.com

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9 Mar 2016

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East Devon Growth Point, Regeneration, Skypark

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St Modwyn (Skypark developer) and its car park inaccessible to – cars!

St Modwen is the developer of Skypark – the developer which says it could take years and years to fully let. It seems time for a bit of a shake-up in its regeneration project planning department …

“A rooftop car park in Farnborough has become the centre of a UK-wide controversy after it was discovered to have no vehicular access.

The 80-space car park, which is atop a gym and shopping complex in the Hampshire town, is no new development however. It has been empty since the building was completed five years ago, despite promises back then to residents of an adjacent apartment block for whom the parking was destined that it would be useable within weeks.

While the block’s developer, St Modwen, denies that the car park is a secret, it has remained relatively under the radar until recently, when plans to redo two town centre car parks highlighted the problem of parking in the area.

Local councillor Gareth Lyon told The Independent: “We have a massive problem with car parking in Farnborough. To have had this huge car park lying empty defies belief. It is ridiculous.”

The official reason for the lack of access ramp is the plan for a bridge to link it to another building on which construction has not yet begun.

St Modwen, which describes itself as the UK’s leading regeneration specialist, is spearheading an £80m revival of Farnborough’s town centre, under which the complex falls. A spokesperson for the company refused to comment on when the development would be completed and vehicle access to the car park built.”

Source: AOL news

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9 Mar 2016

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EDDC, Seaton/ Colyford / Colyton

75 bed Premier Inn for Seaton

Planning application 16/0424/MFUL has been validated but documents are not yet online. So far, reaction in Seaton seems unanimously positive, the town having sorely lacked this level of tourist investment. The hotel will be sited on the regeneration area on Harbour Road close to Tesco, Seaton Tramway and the Jurassic Coast interpretation centre due to open by Easter.

The remaining development large tourism development site in Seaton is at Seaton Heights on the A3052, which has had planning permission for many years but has had numerous setbacks.

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9 Mar 2016

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Hugo Swire, Neil Parish

Parish and Swire vote to cut disability benefits

“The House of Lords has been unable to stop a planned £30-a-week cut to disability benefits forced through by Government MPs.

Charities have warned that the cut to the Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) WRAG would make it more difficult for disabled people to find work and that many struggled to afford food on the benefit at its current level.

The Government however says the cut, which applies to new claimaints, will incentivise disabled people to find work.”

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/esa-wrag-disability-benefit-cut-disabled-mps-vote-tories-iain-duncan-smith-a6918556.html