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Posted on

8 Mar 2015

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Affordable and Social Housing, AONB, Austerity cuts, Devolution, East Devon Tories, EDDC, Environment (local), General Election, Local Plan, Paul Diviani, Police (local), Transparency

Promises that local Tories made to East Devon prior to the last general election in 2010 – read and weep

Real Zorro

http://realzorro1.blogspot.co.uk/

has drawn attention to the lamentable lack of policies from East Devon’s Tories (except, of course, for HQ relocation, which is the only things that has occupied them for MONTHS) with their website bereft of information or ideas about what they would do if re-elected.

A similar state of affairs pertains over at the Tiverton and Honiton official Tory website with a post which has been on the website since well before 2010 and which is still there today (but probably not tomorrow!). And what an embarrassing post it is! No doubt once it has been drawn to their attention it will disappear but, fear not, EDW has kept a copy for posterity and took this recent screenshot (taken on 19 February 2015 but the same page is still there today).

http://www.tivertonhonitonconservatives.co.uk/campaigns

On the webpage (under the heading “Campaigns”) EDDC Tories state that UNDER LABOUR in 2009:

♦ There were 200 fewer rural schools (there are now even fewer)
♦ 1,400 rural post offices had been lost since 2000 (even more post offices have since been lost)
♦ 384 police stations had closed in the shires in Labour’s first two terms (even more police stations have been closed and we have far fewer police on the streets
♦ Dramatically widened funding gap between urban and rural areas (the funding gap between urban and rural areas has widened even further)

and they promised that, if they were successful in 2010 they would:

have an agenda that would:

RESPECT RURAL PEOPLE

♦ Give rural communities a voice to decide their own future
♦ Respect the rural way of life
♦ Only regulate where self regulation fails
♦ Fairer rural funding

They said that they would

EMPOWER RURAL COMMUNITIES

♦ Return real power to individuals and communities
♦ Give villages the right to build their own affordable homes
♦ Allow councils to oppose development planned for green belt land

THEY SAID THEY WOULD

PROTECT RURAL SERVICES

♦ Realise the social value of vital rural services like post offices
♦ Give parents the power to stop rural schools closing and open new ones
♦ Allow rural public services to diversify
♦ Pilot new rural transport solutions

They said that they would

REVIVE THE RURAL ECONOMY:

♦ Cut tax rates for small businesses to encourage growth and protect jobs
♦ Allow councils to offer rural business rate discounts
♦ Simplify the planning system to improve accountability
♦ Reduce the burden of regulation to give businesses more freedom

THESE ARE THE PROMISES THEY MADE TO YOU IN 2010

WILL YOU STILL VOTE FOR THEM IN 2015?

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East Devon Watch

Posted on

20 Jan 2015

Posted under

Democracy, Devolution, East Devon Alliance, EDDC, Environment (local), Freedom of Information and EIA, General Election, Independent Councillors, Local Plan, National Planning Policy Framework, Neighbourhood Plans, NPPF, Planning System, Voting

‘Democracy Day’ today, 20th Jan 2015.

‘Why Democracy?’ was discussed in a wide-ranging and perceptive debate led by Professor Michael Sandel, on Radio 4’s ‘Public Philosopher’ programme this morning.
The current changing mood of the electorate was one of the main topics that arose. Among possible reasons given for this change, were the failure of government to react to public views; a feeling of disempowerment; and the erosion of public spaces (in all senses). Here’s the link to what was said: http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/r4sandel

The importance of proper scrutiny was implied. When EDDC’s Overview & Scrutiny Committee next meet this Thursday (6.30pm at Knowle) they will no doubt bear this in mind.

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East Devon Watch

Posted on

19 Jan 2015

Posted under

Devolution, EDDC, Exeter City Council, Teignbridge

Devolved powers to “counties and districts”

Article in today’s Times (firewall does not allow link) intriguingly says Greg Clark, Cities Minister, is holding talks about combining “counties with districts” for greater devolved powers.

How this differs from unitary councils will be interesting to see and calls into question whether joint arrangements between EDDC, Exeter and Teignbridge were premature.

The Society of Local Council website adds:

“The aim is to boost growth in both the cities and counties outside London, by building up rival power bases led by a series of new town hall heroes. “In time there will be big possibilities for counties and places outside the big cities,” Mr Clark told the Times. “If some of our counties and districts come together they have the potential to have greater powers, which can be exercised locally,” he said. “There are some very well run counties with good cordial relations with their unitaries authorities and districts. There is an opportunity for them to negotiate powers to be devolved from the centre.”

http://www.slcc.co.uk/news-item/rural-areas-able-to-bid-for-new-powers/942/

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transparencyforeastdevon

Posted on

18 Dec 2014

Posted under

Devolution, EDDC, Exeter City Council, Greater Exeter, Latest news, Teignbridge, Voting

Leader reveals Cabinet sees no need to consult Members of EDDC!

Our final example taken from the very long list of questions at the 17 Dec 2014 Full Council (there were others from Cllrs Hull and Giles). Readers can decide for themselves whether the answers match the questions….

Question 11: Procedure Rule 9.2 to the Leader of the Council from Councillor Ben Ingham

With so many potential options open to EDDC regarding cost saving projects with other councils, does the leadership of EDDC not think it may be viewed as irresponsible to tie ourselves to one tri partied arrangement before the Members of EDDC have had an opportunity to consider the full range of options open to us with other authorities?

Answer:

It would be helpful if the Councillor could provide some examples of the potential options he considers we may be missing out on. Over the last few years we have actively tracked down all sharing and collaboration opportunities with other Councils and have reported major successes with Exeter, Mid Devon, Teignbridge and South Somerset. What we have found is that other Councils ‘talk the talk’ but don’t necessarily ‘walk the walk’. It has been my proud achievement that we have frozen the Council Tax for 5 years in succession, partly as a result of all the costs savings we have achieved through sharing with other Councils.