Daily Archives: 9 Apr 2024

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

9 Apr 2024

Posted under

Misc

Planning applications validated by EDDC for week beginning 25 March

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

9 Apr 2024

Posted under

Misc

New public pay-to-use seafront loos for Budleigh will be ‘robust’ against pebbles during storms

Questions were raised if new pay-to-use public loos planned for Budleigh Salterton seafront could withstand ‘pebble dashing’ during storms.

Local Democracy Reporter eastdevonnews.co.uk

Budleigh Salterton is getting new-and-improved public loos on the seafront near Lime Kiln car park, writes local democracy reporter Will Goddard.

The current toilet block will be demolished, and when the replacement opens, users will have to pay 40p to spend a penny with a contactless payment card or phone.

Plans for the proposed new Budleigh seafront loos. Image: EDDC/Kendall Kingscott.

Refurbished in 2011, the current building is believed to date from the 1930s and features one disabled toilet and four unisex loos opening onto the coast path, as well as an external shower for beachgoers.

The new block will have fibre-cement timber-look cladding, painted metal doors in beach-hut colours and a flat roof with solar panels. It will have one disabled loo and four unisex toilets as before, but also a ‘Changing Places’ facility for people with severe disabilities, two outside showers, a bike rack, a water bottle refill point, and seating.

How the toilet block looks now. Image: EDDC.

When asked whether it could withstand pebbles dashing it during storms, Councillors were assured it would be “robust”

But Cllr Brian Bailey (Conservative, Exmouth Littleham) was not happy with the design, describing the new block as “hideous”. He said: “It’s completely out of keeping with buildings on the seafront.

“If you put a flat roof with solar panels on, some little darlings of Budleigh will be… having great fun leaping off the cliff onto the roof. It’ll be their latest sport. I think it’s absolutely unacceptable.”

By contrast, Cllr Anne Hall (Lib Dem, Exmouth Littleham) argued the flat roof was in keeping with nearby flat-roofed apartments.

An artist’s impression of the new Budleigh seafront loos, near the Lime Kiln car park. Image: EDDC/Kendall Kingscott.

The new Budleigh loos come as part of a wider East Devon District Council (EDDC) scheme to refurbish or rebuild 15 ‘category A’ public conveniences across the district at an estimated cost of £5 million.

Another 12 category B and C loos EDDC cannot afford to run have been offered for commercial operators to change them into cafes, takeaways or community hubs – although the public must still be able to go to the loo there – and also to town and parish councils to run in place of EDDC.

East Devon’s public toilets are ranked as follows:

Category A

West Street car park, Axminster    

Cliff Path (West End/Steamer), Budleigh Salterton

East End (Lime Kiln), Budleigh Salterton

Jubilee Gardens, Beer

Foxholes car park, Exmouth

Magnolia Centre (London Inn), Exmouth

Manor Gardens, Exmouth

Phear Park, Exmouth

Queens Drive, Exmouth

Lace Walk, Honiton

West Walk, Seaton

Connaught Gardens, Sidmouth

Triangle, Sidmouth

Market Place, Sidmouth

Ham car park (new site), Sidmouth

Categories B and C    

Orcombe Point, Exmouth    

The Maer, Exmouth

Imperial Road, Exmouth

Jarvis Close, Exmouth

Seaton Hole, Seaton

Harbour Road, Seaton

Marsh Road, Seaton

Brook Road, Budleigh Salterton

Station Road, Budleigh Salterton

Dolphin Street, Colyton

King Street, Honiton

Port Royal, Sidmouth

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

9 Apr 2024

Posted under

Misc

A brief history of Tory MP Simon Jupp’s recent Photo Ops in Richard Ford’s constituency

A brief history of the wanderings of our local “MP for Everywhere & Nowhere”

Nicholas Pegg

Even before the news broke about the bogus web links using @RichardFoordLD’s name to direct traffic to @simonjamesjupp’s campaign website, Mr Jupp’s enthusiasm for muscling in on Mr Foord’s territory was a matter of public record. Largely thanks to Mr Jupp’s own social media.

At the neglect of his real constituents in places such as Exmouth? – Owl

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

9 Apr 2024

Posted under

Misc

Nicholas Pegg post his letter to Jupp on social media “X”

Nicholas Pegg

I have written today to my MP, @simonjamesjupp, regarding the unfolding story of the bogus web links which dishonestly used the name of Lib Dem MP @RichardFoordLD to direct voters to Mr Jupp’s campaign website.

To Simon Jupp, MP

House of Commons

London SW1A OAA

Monday, 8th April, 2024

Dear Mr Jupp,

In common with a great many people across the country, I have been following with interest the developing story regarding three web domains which were found to be appropriating the name of Tiverton & Honiton MP Richard Foord, your rival in the forthcoming general election, to mislead web users and direct them instead to your own campaign website.

Even before this story broke on Friday, your keen interest in Mr Foord’s constituency was well documented. It is a matter of public record that Mr Foord’s constituents have been targeted with ‘newsletter’ style campaign leaflets which misleadingly describe you as ‘local MP Simon Jupp’. Since the beginning of this year (and, I might add, notwithstanding your reproachful words in your last letter to me that prioritise urgent casework over letters drafted for attention on social media’), you have found time amid your urgent casework to use your own social media to publicise your visits and your support for local services and businesses in Cullompton, Colyton, Higher Wiscombe, Axmouth, Luppitt, Upottery, Honiton, Seaton, Beer, Branscombe, Broadhembury, Dalwood and Axminster. None of these towns and villages fall within your own constituency of East Devon. They are all in Mr Foord’s constituency. Needless to say, they will soon fall within the new constituency of Honiton & Sidmouth, which you and Mr Foord will both be contesting at the general election.

I understand that none of these shabby strategies – the misleading leaflets, the deceptive URLs, the time-consuming charm offensive in a neighbouring MP’s constituency while you chide your own constituents about ‘urgent casework’ – are in breach of electoral law, although goodness knows why not. But illegal or no, they amount to a pretty bad look for an MP who once wrote those uplifting words: ‘I am not afraid to stand up for what is right.’ In the case of the leaflets and the web domains, I’m sure you will agree that they’re more than just a bad look: they are underhand, deceitful, and quite staggeringly stupid.

In a brief statement yesterday to the BBC, you said that you were ‘not responsible for the web domains in Mr Foord’s name.’ That may certainly be considered a relief, but it falls far short of being an explanation. In fact, it raises more questions than it answers. Mr Jupp, if you are not responsible for the web domains, then who is? Who set up the misleading links? Who has now deleted them?

If these tactics were adopted on your behalf by members of your campaign team, but without your knowledge or approval, then you owe it to yourself and to your constituents to give a full and immediate explanation of exactly what has occurred, and who is responsible, and what disciplinary measures have been taken.

If, on the other hand, the actions were taken with your knowledge, then you know as well as I do that you owe considerably more than an explanation: not only to your own constituents, but also to Mr Foord’s constituents, and to the country.

We all look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

Nicholas Pegg

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

9 Apr 2024

Posted under

Misc

Paul Arnott demands full, frank and immediate explanation as Simon Jupp web domains in Richard Foord’s name disconnected

Paul Arnott: “As leader of East Devon District Council for the last four years, I have made it a priority at all times to make sure the council and all local politicians operate at the highest level of truthfulness and transparency.”

“At this stage it is not certain what has happened here, but I do think the absolute onus is on Simon Jupp to give a full, frank and immediate explanation of what has happened.”

Bradley Gerrard www.sidmouthherald.co.uk 

Three web domains in the name of a Liberal Democrat MP that redirected people to a Conservative rival’s website now appear to have been disconnected.

Pressure began growing on Simon Jupp (Conservative, East Devon) last week to explain why the web addresses – richardfoord.co.uk, richardfoord.com and richardfoord.uk – sent users to Mr Jupp’s website.

Mr Foord (Liberal Democrat, Tiverton and Honiton) will contest the new Honiton and Sidmouth seat against Mr Jupp at the forthcoming general election.

Now, just days after news of the web domains emerged in a national newspaper, they do not connect to Mr Jupp’s website.

A Google search for them still lists them as results, but the links are no longer active.

Mr Jupp said he was “not responsible for the web domains”, and the Electoral Commission said it is not an issue they will be looking into.

But Paul Arnott (Liberal Democrat, Coly Valley), the leader of East Devon District Council, an area currently represented by Mr Jupp, said it was up to the Conservative MP to explain what he thinks occurred.

“As leader of East Devon District Council for the last four years, I have made it a priority at all times to make sure the council and all local politicians operate at the highest level of truthfulness and transparency,” he said.

“At this stage it is not certain what has happened here, but I do think the absolute onus is on Simon Jupp to give a full, frank and immediate explanation of what has happened.”

A spokesperson for Mr Foord said: “When we talk to people across Mid and East Devon, they tell us they want their representatives to play it straight and be honest.

“Links that look genuine but simply redirect to Conservative websites only serve to arouse suspicion and undermine trust.

“People deserve better from their MP, and at the election they have a chance to demand better by voting Liberal Democrat.”