Paul Arnott is a candidate whose record over the last ten years shows he can set aside, and rise above, party politics to improve accountability and transparency in local government, and the quality of life for everyone in East devon.

He first appeared on Owl’s radar as one of the founders of the “East Devon Alliance” (EDA). A group of like-minded individuals fed up with decades of opaque and dubious decisions made by a cabal of highly influential councillors (Conservative) and officers (under the savvy leadership of one Mark Williams) in EDDC.

Owl recalls the Graham Brown scandal of 2014 when Brown was caught in a Telegraph sting offering to obtain planning permission for cash. A police inquiry folded due to “lack of evidence”. A similar lack of “inquisitiveness” was subsequently to surround the “who knew what and when” of the John Humpreys case.

Dedicated to following the Nolan principles, especially those of Integrity, transparency and accountability the EDA with Chair Paul Arnott sought to provide mutual support for like minded individuals to gain election as councillors, in particular supporting younger candidates.

In 2015 EDA won 10 seats, with Paul Arnott in the next batch in 2019.

In 2020, Paul Arnott as Leader of the East Devon Alliance, after a chat with veteran Cllr Eileen Wragg, negotiated and formed a formal coalition with the Lib Dems under the banner of the “Democratic Alliance”, and signed a “memorandum of understanding” with the “progressive alliance” group of independents. Paul Arnott was then elected Leader of EDDC.

In the 2023 elections he stood as a Lib Dem, recognising that EDA had more than fulfilled its original purpose and the Lib Dems could provide more support. In this election the Lib Dems just pipped the Conservatives to the post to become the largest party, ousting, along the way, Tory Leader, Phil Skinner.

This left the council split three ways between Independents, Lib Dems and Tory. [Independents of various hues 19, Lib Dem 18 plus 1 (old style) Liberal, Conservatives 17, Labour 3, Greens 2]

Once again Paul Arnott negotiated a wider coalition, “The Democratic Alliance Group”, made up of councillors from the Liberal Democrat Party, the Green Party and independents.

Call it serendipity if you like but East Devon now has a council that is about as representative of the electorate as would be achieved by proportional voting. Paul Arnott is the chief architect.

The election of Richard Foord, after Neil Parish was forced to resign the Tiverton and Honiton seat last year has been illuminating. Most of us have never experienced anything other than a Conservative MP and sycophantic ones at that.

Richard Foord has, in a very short time, shown how an MP dedicated to serving his constituents can raise the profile of local issues in the House of Commons. With Paul Arnott’s record we can be sure he would do the same.