Category Archives: East Devon Tories

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21 Apr 2015

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East Devon Tories, General Election, Hugo Swire

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Conservative Cupcakes

“CONSERVATIVE CUPCAKE CASES

David Cameron has previously revealed that he has watched The Great British Bake Off, which might explain these rather pricey cupcake cases.   The pack of 36 patriotic cases, in Tory blue with a Union Jack design, comes in at £5 a pop.”

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3046949/Party-leader-pants-SNP-decanters-Ukip-medallions-Conservative-cupcakes-bizarre-election-merchandise.html

Or, possibly £50,000 if auctioned for Conservative Party funds by our own Hugo Swire (see comment),  or, you could get 250 mixed colours for £4 postage free from Amazon (though their tax position of not paying very much because no-one makes them might put you off).

That, ladies and gentlemen, is today’s lesson on the free market economy!

 

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21 Apr 2015

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East Devon Tories, General Election, Hugo Swire, Neil Parish

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Devon’s answer to One Direction

saunton

Source:

http://www.northdevongazette.co.uk/news/election/pictures_chancellor_george_osborne_at_saunton_sands_1_4041537

Oh dear, when you have to bring in George Osborne, things are getting bad …..

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20 Apr 2015

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East Devon Tories, General Election

Declining Tory Party membership: who exactly do they represent?

No wonder Hugo is pounding the pavements … with so few supporters available!

“The Conservative Party has released details of its membership, after it was claimed that people were leaving the party in droves.

It had been suggested that membership had dropped below 100,000 and, while the figure quoted is in fact 134,000 … 

… Worse than that, it seems membership has halved under the leadership of David Cameron; in 2005, 253,600 members voted in the leadership contest between him and David Davis. …

… The party itself claims 174,000 members – but this includes ‘friends, non-member donors and others’ in the numbers. In other words, people who are not members of the Conservative Party …”

 

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18 Apr 2015

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East Devon Tories, EDDC, Latest news, Voting

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Cameron-style, local Tories avoiding open debate?

Further to our post (16 April) about this week’s hustings organised by Vision Group for Sidmouth (‘Vigorous and optimistic public meeting with candidates’ ),  East Devon Watch has been reliably informed that the Council meeting the 6 Tories used as an excuse for not attending had finished in time for Cllr Christine Drew to get there…. Meaning the others could have made it too. Not the fault of VgS that they did not come!

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12 Apr 2015

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East Devon Tories, General Election, Misc

Conservative Party identity crisis: big business, cronies and morality

In today’s Observer leader, Tim Montgomerie, co-founder of lobby group The Good Right is quoted as saying his party is “going through an identity crisis with its association with individualism, cronyism and big business and “survival of the fittest”.

American philosopher Michael Sandel is also quoted: “Who does the economy serve?” he asks and “welcomes more discussion on morality in politics and public discourse”.

Well, there is plenty of talk in East Devon about Big Business, cronyism and morality in public life!

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10 Apr 2015

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Claire Wright, East Devon Tories, General Election

Is Claire Wright attracting bigger audiences than David Cameron?

http://metro.co.uk/2015/04/09/it-seems-a-lot-of-people-turned-up-for-david-camerons-rally-or-did-they-5142003/

A quick headcount seems to reveal about 80 people (including one assumes some party apparatchiks). Claire Wright had around 120 attendees at her meeting in Sidmouth last week.

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9 Apr 2015

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East Devon Tories, EDDC, Independent Councillors

Candidates District Council elections 2015 – vast majority of seats to be contested, 37Independent candidates

http://eastdevon.gov.uk/elections-and-registering-to-vote/election-documents/district-council-elections-2015/

Three wards are missing from the list as it is presumed candidates are being returned uncontested:
Beer and Branscombe (Geoff Pook – Independent), Clyst Valley (Mike Allen, Conservative) and Trinity (Ian Thomas, Conservative).

ANALYSIS
37 Independent or Independent East Devon Alliance candidates are standing

1 independent candidate elected unopposed (Geoff Pook, Beer)

so, 15 Independent (including 1 elected unopposed)), and 22 Independent East Devon Alliance

One Independent is former Conservative Councillor Roger Boote (Honiton St Pauls) 2 candidates shown as unaffiliated are recent Conservative Councillors Bob Buxton (Dunkeswell) and Andrew Dinnis (Tale Vale) and two candidates show no affiliation Graham Long (Otterhead) and John Dyson (Sidmouth Town)

Yarty, ward of current council leader Paul Diviani, which was uncontested last time, is now being contested by Diviani again for the Conservatives but he is being challenged by Green Party, Independent East Devon Alliance and Liberal Democrat candidates.

BREAKDOWN by WARDS

Axminster Rural 1 seat: 2 candidates, neither Independent
Axminster Town 2 seats: 7 candidates including 1 Independent and one EDA
Broadclyst 2 seats: 4 candidates including 1 Independent
Budleigh 1 seat, 5 candidates including 1 Independent
Coly Valley 2 seats: 4 Candidates including 2 EDA
Dunkeswell 1 seat: 2 candidates including 1 Independent (former Conservative incumbent Bob Buxton)
Exe Valley 1 seat: 2 candidates including 1 EDA
Exmouth Brixington 3 seats: 6 candidates including 1 EDA
Exmouth Halsdon 3 seats: 6 candidates including 1 EDA
Exmouth Littleham 3 seats: 7 candidates including 1 EDA
Exmouth Town 3 seats: 8 candidates, none Independent
Exmouth Withycombe Raleigh 3 seats: 7 candidates, none Independent
Feniton and Buckerell 1 seat: 2 candidates including 1 Independent
Honiton St Michaels 3 seats: 8 candidates including 1 Independent and 1 EDA
Honiton St Pauls 2 seats: 6 candidates, including 1 Independent (former Conservative Councillor Roger Boote)
Newbridges 1 seat: 2 candidates, neither Independent
Newton Poppleford and Harpford 1 seat: 2 candidates including 1 EDA
Otterhead 1 seat: 2 candidates including one no affiliation
Ottery St Mary Rural 2 seats: 4 candidates including 2 EDA
Ottery St Mary Town 2 seats: 5 candidates including 2 Independent
Raleigh: 1 seat: 2 candidates including one EDA
Seaton 3 seats: 10 candidates including 1 Independent
Sidmouth Rural 1 seat: 2 candidates including 1 Independent
Sidmouth Sidford 3 seats: 8 candidates including 1 Independent and 3 EDA
Sidmouth Town 3 seats: 6 candidates including 2 EDA and one unaffiliated (John Dyson)
Tale Vale 1 seat: 1 Independent (former Conservative Councillor Andrew Dinnis)
Whimple 1 seat: 2 candidates neither Independent
Woodbury and Lympstone: 2 seats: 3 candidates including 2 EDA
Yarty: 1 seat: 4 candidates including 1 EDA

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9 Apr 2015

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East Devon Tories, General Election

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Conservatives have circular pre-formulated standard letters for farmers, pensioners, small businesses etc

Should you receive a personal letter from the Conservative Party that seems specific and personal to you (e.f. pensioner, farmer), be aware that it is actually a circular letter sent to lots of people with only the name changed:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3031803/Dear-target-voter-Tory-letter-writing-kit-woo-farmers-pensioners-women-revealed.html

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5 Apr 2015

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East Devon Tories, General Election

Pizza: the Tories’ secret weapon

For Hugo Swire:

http://www.hugoswire.org.uk/news/local-mp-gets-behind-sainsburys-food-counter

and

George Osborne:

http://www.itv.com/news/meridian/update/2015-03-31/george-osborne-gets-a-pizza-the-action-in-hove/

AND David Cameron, George Osborne AND Boris Johnson – though this time it is the upmarket Swiss resort of Davos where all the rich people meet once a year:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/meanwhile-in-davoshow-the-pm-george-and-boris-digested-the–gdp-slump-8467629.html

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2 Apr 2015

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Democracy, East Devon Tories, EDDC, Transparency

From the archives 3: public speaking, curtailment of …

Last year saw a massive assault on public speaking by Tory councillors, particularly Councillor Ray Bloxham (a man not known for using one word when 100 will do the job!).  This post from Claire Wright’s blog sums up this issue which led to a reduction in people allowed to speak, at planning meetings in particular, and an increase in bureaucratic red tape to gain permission to speak which would daunt most potential speakers:

http://www.claire-wright.org/index.php/post/restrictions_imposed_on_public_questions_at_eddc/

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30 Mar 2015

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AONB, East Devon Tories, EDDC, Environment (local), Paul Diviani, Transparency

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From the archives 1 “Clean, green and seen” promise East Devon Tories in 2011

Below are parts of the speech made by Paul Diviani made when he was elected Leader of East Devon District Council in May 2011 :

“My experience has always been to ensure the business is based on economic fundamentals; for example, borrow only to create future wealth without overstretching your resource.

“Recessions do pass and our responsibility will be to help our many small businesses survive and prosper; our High Streets to retain or revert to smaller and unique outlets in the interests of local diversity; our youth to have the opportunity to live and work here; our many senior citizens to enjoy a quality of life they have earned; for the vulnerable to be protected; and for you as councillors to have the satisfaction of knowing you are part of that; and, more widely, for the people of East Devon to have the confidence that our aspirations are in harmony. Truly sustainable places are about happy communities, living and working together in wonderful locations. The future may not be orange, but it is bright.”

Some call it safe, clean and green – to which I would add seen.

“Safe comes through good design at the planning stage, through working with the police, fire and rescue and all the other services that deal with our society’s well-being, with particular emphasis on the vulnerable of whatever age.

“Clean is the public realm – paths and pavements on which we travel, the quality of our parks and pleasure grounds, efficient and convenient services, such as waste recycling and collection.

“Green will come as no surprise! Two-thirds of our district is nationally designated as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which makes East Devon such a fabulous place to live, work and play.

“Seen is about perception and reality and is all about effective communication. All too often we read that EDDC doesn’t listen, doesn’t care, sits in an ivory tower – the list goes on. The cynical view of the last government – decide, consult, do it all anyway – is not my approach.”

“Obviously, we [EDDC councillors] won’t all agree on everything but my path is one of consensus and inclusivity. I hope you will agree that we have a quite different looking Cabinet to align with the Officer responsibilities. We want to align talent and experience with positions rather than through patronage.”

https://sidmouthindependentnews.wordpress.com/s=clean+green+seen&submit=Search

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24 Mar 2015

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Claire Wright, East Devon Tories, General Election, Hugo Swire

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Hugo Swire declines to explain himself on BBC Spotlight

Good report on BBC Spotligh which did not show Hugo Swire in a good light, making much of his well-to-do background. Surprise, surprise, he declined an interview with them!

There then followed an item on local food banks (imagine how many people the money raised by him at his “Benefits Jokes” auction would have fed). Note that Claire Wright frequently comments and feels enraged by the local deprivation that makes them necessary.

Then followed an item about beavers being returned to the River Otter – something that Claire Wright has strongly campaigned for since thet were first discovered there and before others got on the bandwaggon (Hugo simply noted recently that he was pleased to hear they might return).

Shame Spotlight could not have contrasted the two main contenders different aporoaches and styles.

Coincidentally I then turned on to a delayed ITV news to see a clip of David Cameron being severely heckled by pensioners about the health service.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/david-cameron-heckled-pensioners-tries-5392771

Again something on which Claire Wright tirelessly campaigns.

Not a good day for Mr Swire or his party!

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23 Mar 2015

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Development Management Committee, East Devon Tories, EDBF, EDDC

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Give Cabinet control over major planning applications” proposal shocks councillors.

EDW hears that councillors are deeply uneasy about officer proposals to allow EDDC’s Cabinet to decide “strategic” planning applications of more than 50 dwellings and over 5000 square metres of industrial floor space.

Lead Planning Officer Ed Freeman and Deputy Chief Executive, Richard Cohen, made a verbal report to the Audit and Governance (A&G) Committee on March 5th on “improving Strategic Planning Policy”, especially on ensuring a five year housing land supply.

Incredibly, they explained that their first recommendation was to alter EDDC’s constitution to take “strategic” planning applications from the Development Management Committee, (DMC) and to give them to Cabinet for determination.

They admitted spending considerable time looking at this controversial option that would have further strengthened the power of, what many critics consider, an overweening and developer-friendly Executive.

They were forced to drop it, by legal advice pointing out the potential conflicts of interest inherent in the proposal. Their preferred option now is to create a “Strategic Planning Committee” consisting of both Cabinet and DMC members, possibly under the chairmanship of the current Strategic Planning Portfolio Holder Andrew Moulding, to look at strategic planning applications.

This was still too much for members of the A&G Committee. Cllr Geoff Pook said, “We don’t need a second DMC looking at planning applications”. Cllr Tony Howard agreed: what was needed was competent, well-resourced officers who could get a grip on the figures for housing land supply. Constitutional changes giving more power to the Cabinet, he said, “is a different matter”.

A big “Hear, Hear!” to that from East Devon Watch.

And who defines what is “strategic”? Our suggestion: anything that involves a developer and/or a former member of the East Devon Business Forum – leaving only conservatories and extensions to the current DMC!

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23 Mar 2015

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Democracy, East Devon Tories, EDDC, Lib Dem (local)

Roll up, roll up: just a week left for politically-mindec councillors to get their names into the papers!

“Purdah” – the period when all serving councillors (and their supporting officers) have to stop placing party politically-targeted stories and photographs about their party-politically motivated actions in newspapers, journals etc when they involve using council resources and not their party resources.

No more “politically sensitive” press releases, no more pictures taken by press officers of our local majority party councillors doing what they do best .. er .. though not sure what that is!

Expect a raft of mutual back-patting stories and press releases of local do-gooding in this week’s local and regional newspapers!

Once again, here is our guide to what can and cannot be done during this period.

The first question to ask is ‘could a reasonable person conclude that you were spending public money to influence the outcome of the election?’ In other words it must pass the ‘is it reasonable’ test. When making your decision, you should consider the following:
You should not:

• produce publicity on matters which are politically controversial
• make references to individual politicians or groups in press releases
• arrange proactive media or events involving candidates
• issue photographs which include candidates
• supply council photographs or other materials to councillors or political group staff unless you have verified that they will not be used for campaigning purposes
• continue hosting third party blogs or e-communications
• help with national political visits (as this would involve using public money to support a particular candidate or party). These should be organised by political parties with no cost or resource implications for the council.

http://www.local.gov.uk/documents/10180/6869714/L15-91+Unpacking+Purdah_04.pdf/c80978b9-dc0b-4eee-9f81-49bd47afeb2d

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22 Mar 2015

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Affordable and Social Housing, AONB, Clyst St Mary, Cranbrook, Development Management Committee, East Devon Tories, EDDC, Local Plan, Local Plan Inspector

Local Plan version 2: a layperson’s summary

The Development Management Committee meets this week to nod through the latest draft of our Local Plan, after which it will go out for consultation.

It’s just about a year since the first version was inspected and thrown out straight away – the Inspector saying he expected to re-hear it in October 2014.

That month came and went and the excuse was: we have LOTS more work to do, be patient.

Those dealing with the revised plan were given few extra resources (around £50,000 worth when costs last published), more resources being piled into headquarter PRE-relocation work (£750,000 plus at least £10,000 to keep consultants reports on the project secret after EDDC was taken to court by the Information Commissioner for refusing to publish them).

February 2015: and we are told consultants reports are “imminent” but must not be published before local elections (May 2015) as they are deemed to be “too politically sensitive”. However, Mid Devon (relying on the very same consultants reports) decided to put their Local Plan out for consultation, eventually publishing the reports for the public with no qualms about their sensitivity.

Our Inspector would have no truck with this “political sensitivity” excuse and said he expected our new draft Local Plan to be out for public consultation by April 2015, election or no election.

Out of the mist came the consultants report – short, based on widely available figures and with no explanation as to why they had taken so long and soon after what appears to be a new draft Local Plan hurridly changed to reflect the new numbers and with an extra addendum of vastly more housing for Cranbrook and Clyst St Mary.

The Local Plan still appears to be (possibly fatally) flawed. Whereas it fixes on a number (18,000 plus houses including windfalls) IT DOES NOT MAKE IT CRYSTAL CLEAR WHERE EXACTLY THEY WILL GO except for Cranbrook and Clyst St Mary.

The report says some towns will have their built-up boundary respected (e.g. Sidmouth) whereas no such promise is made in other places (e.g. Budleigh Salterton). Some towns and villages have little idea of what their allocations will be or where they are to go. That makes Neighbourhood Plans very difficult.

What are the chances of this draft Local Plan being passed by the Inspector? Layperson’s opinion: very slim.

Whatever happens it will be a THIRD council that carries the can – the previous two having failed to get to grips with an out-of-date plan. Let us hope the new council will do a better job than the first two (big Conservative majority) councils did.

A vote for Independents is a vote for a new Local Plan to protect the district from free-for-all development. Heaven knows what a vote for Conservatives would bring on past and present performance!

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21 Mar 2015

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East Devon Tories, EDDC, Environment (local)

Air pollution alert in the South West this week

..and a cautionary tale about the downside of development, from China.
(There’s no such thing as a cheap t-shirt) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6X2uwlQGQM

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20 Mar 2015

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Democracy, East Devon Alliance, East Devon Tories, EDDC, EDDC HQ, Environment (local), General Election, Knowle/Honiton/Exmouth relocation, Latest news, Sidmouth/ Sidford/ Sidbury

Councillors “like puppets on a string” over Knowle sale

Mike Temple’s letter in today’s Sidmouth Herald blasts the “cracking good deal” myth put about by Honiton Cllr and Tory Whip,Phil Twiss.
Here’s the letter:

‘Popping up like puppets on cue, Cllr Diviani’s obedient cabinet, aided and abetted by Sidmouth’s own Tory District councillors, nodded through the sale of Knowle last night (March 11) in the latest stage of the long-running farce that is the office-relocation.

According to the puppets, Sidmouth will never have had it so good. It’s getting “a cracking good deal,” piped Cllr Twiss (he who’d rather stick “hot pins in his eyes” than engage in a public debate with an Independent candidate – a serious case of “frit” perhaps). After all, Sidmouth is gaining a retirement community and we all know we need more of them, especially the expensive second-homes we so desperately lack.

No matter about the loss of community assets like the fine chambers used for concerts, religious services, talks and wedding receptions. No matter about the loss of 150 parking places for weekend visitors to a tourist town. No matter about the loss of the best of its unique woodland park, namely its magnificent prospect, the loss of which will trash the rest of the gardens – which no doubt can be built on later.

What’s more, it was all the fault of a vocal Sidmouth minority (like the 4,000 on the march) who , according to Cllr Diviani, prevented the Council from getting £10 million for the Knowle when its own plan to build all over the park was refused.

Yes, it’s all Sidmouth’s fault and all Sidmouth’s “gain”. And what goodies are we next promised? Well, look forward to Sidford Business and Industrial Park and then a superstore at the Alexandria Road estate and even more empty shops in town to let…’

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18 Mar 2015

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Affordable and Social Housing, Austerity cuts, East Devon Tories, Environment (local), General Election, Knowle/Honiton/Exmouth relocation, Transparency

EDDC Tories promise more ….. of what exactly?

East Devon Conservatives have taken a half page advertisement in the local press this week (* see link below). In this advertisement they make claims for what they have achieved during the last 4 years.

Let’s take a look at these claims.

First though let’s look at what ISN’T in the advertisement:

No Local Plan – four years and still nowhere near completion, the lack of a Local Plan has allowed a development free-for-all throughout the entire district.

No Knowle relocation – the vanity project of the Leader and three of his Executive Board councillors (see blog of Councillor Ian Thomas:

Using the construction estimate of £2,439/m2, and a building size of 2,776m2, overall construction costs at Honiton are expected to be £6.77M. However, the market value of the resulting premises is estimated to be only £3.25M. From an investment point of view, this indicates that there is an immediate deficit on the project, of £3.52M.
https://eastdevonwatch.org/2015/03/14/tort-cabinet-member-notes-knowle-relocation-risks/

Those claims

A RECORD OF ACTION

Local homes for local people, building and buying homes for rent

Look at their latest press release dated 15th March 2015, which begins:

“Due to high house prices, relatively low incomes and a high need for affordable homes but limited existing stock, we have a major shortfall of affordable housing in East Devon. To overcome this shortfall, new residential development will need, in most cases to include some affordable housing.

http://eastdevon.gov.uk/housing/affordable-housing-in-east-devon/what-you-need-to-know-about-affordable-housing-if-youre-building-homes-in-east-devon/introduction-to-building-affordable-housing-in-east-devon/

However, recent developments have been allowed to cut their affordable proportion to NIL (e.g. Tesco site, Seaton) as house builders have pleaded poverty and EDDC has gone along with them.  Saying you need affordable housing is not the same as getting it!

Waiting list cut from over 3 years to less than 1 year

In 2011, EDDC said that:

As at 17 January 2011 there are 2,800 people on the council’s housing register. There are currently 45 empty council owned properties in total. About a third of these are “long term voids” which are being re-developed, have serious structural problems or have suffered fire/flood damage.

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/affordable_housing_3

Many councils have cut their waiting lists by simply deciding that certain people will no longer qualify for social housing – e.g. people under 25. Where have all our housing waiting list applicants gone. Certainly not into affordable homes.

Community Development Workers to help local communities

Thriving communities do not need Community Development Workers – they are usually employed either in new towns (such as Cranbrook) or towns with multiple social problems or deprivation. Indeed at one time having a Community Development Worker was seen as a bad thing!

Cranbrook – a new town with employment opportunities close by

Well, yes, but have you been there and seen it! Tiny houses, tiny “gardens, narrow streets, very little parking, currently one shop (a pharmacy). Housing for Exeter people with Exeter jobs!

Supporting leisure opportunities, encouraging a healthy lifestyle

“Supporting” – such a useful word. Not “funding” – “supporting” – that’s all you really need to know!

Good development in the right places.

Now, that’s rich: in the last year we have had so much bad development in the wrong places, perhaps they have run out of wrong places!  Just about every town, village and (currently) hamlet has its own “development horror story” and it is about to get even worse.

LOCAL ISSUES, LOCAL ACTION

Council Tax frozen for the 5th year

Sure, but many services have been stopped or charges raised, or they have been taken over by town and parish councils. It is simply the transfer of costs from EDDC to them which means an increase for us!

Supporting our local economy through regeneration projects

There are two: Exmouth and Seaton. Exmouth consists of a concrete jungle of paid-for “leisure facilities” and Seaton’s consists of a small Jurassic Coast Visitor Centre, a Tesco and over 200 high cost homes on the regeneration site (the developer having pleaded poverty and had 40% affordables reduced to 20% and then zero)

Improving recycling rates

Councils are penalised if they do not achieve certain recycling rates. EDDC still does not collect cardboard.

Conserving the Jurassic coastline, our nature reserves and AONB’s
One phrase: “Sidmouth’s beach management plan” – rather like the local plan – the promise of jam tomorrow, or maybe the day after, or maybe not.

Conservative East Devon offers “excellent value for money”*
*Independent auditors report
Ah, best not dwell on what this blog, others such as Sidmouth Independent News, and http://futuresforumvgs.blogspot.co.uk/  have said about this – just that a cosy relationship breeds contentment on both sides!

Here’s the EDDC ad. in question: Toryad17thMarch2015

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13 Mar 2015

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Democracy, Development Management Committee, East Devon Alliance, East Devon Tories, EDDC, EDDC HQ, Environment (local), General Election, Grant Thornton, Knowle/Honiton/Exmouth relocation, Latest news, Local Plan, Local Plan Inspector

Cautions for Councillors voting on relocation

From SOS: http://saveoursidmouth.com/2015/03/13/auditors-reports-highly-dependent-on-quality-and-sufficiency-of-data-used/

Incursion into Knowle’s Public Open Space “has never been debated by councillors”

and from more than one senior Honiton Councillor, at various stages of EDDC’s ill-starred (jinxed?) ‘road to relocation’ project. Remember this SIN post, anyone? https://sidmouthindependentnews.wordpress.com/2014/02/17/watchdog-kennelled/