News is that Axminster is going to get a regeneration board a la Exmouth and Seaton.

Time was that Seaton was the poor town of East Devon. Now, with the promise of a Premier Inn and the opening of the Jurassic Centre it finally appears that it might just be on the way up.

Axminster has been ruled by two of EDDC’s leading Tory Cabinet members for years (Moulding*** and Godbeer) and by the Lib Dems Douglas Hull – a councillor for more than 50 years. They seem to rotate the Mayorality on a regular basis. Moulding is current deputy leader of EDDC, Godbeer was the previous chairman of EDDC before current Chairman, Stuart Hughes.

Question: Who took their eye off the ball and allowed Axminster to get into such a state it needs regenerating?

Or is it just an excuse to redefine areas so that planning permissions can be fast-tracked and/or a “partner” like Moirai (Exmouth) or Tesco (Seaton) can take over?

***
All the more worrying why Axminster lost the plot given Councillor Moulding’s extensive DCC and EDDC experience:

DCC
Chair of “Place” Committee (Which exists to “review the implementation of existing policies and to consider the scope for new policies with regard to all aspects of the discharge of the Council’s functions concerning the environment, economic activity and enterprise, integrated planning and transport and community services, including community safety and emergency planning, libraries, arts and cultural heritage of the County.”

EDDC

Deputy Leader of the Council

Representative on outside bodies
Exeter science park board of directors (stakeholder representative)
LGA general assembly (substitute)
LGA annual rural assembly (voting right in absence of Leader)
LGA people and places board (substitute)