Category Archives: EDDC

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5 Jul 2017

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Accountability, Democracy, EDDC, Scrutiny, Spin, Transparency

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Local authorities must submit to robust scrutiny says Communities Secretary

… conveniently forgetting that it has always been his job to ensure that this happens!

“Local government needs to open up and raise its game, Sajid Javid has told the Local Government Association’s annual conference.

Delivering a keynote address to the gathering in Birmingham yesterday, Javid highlighted the “serious failings” that emerged in the aftermath of the Grenfell tower fire in west London and said he wanted to reflect on what had gone wrong in local government.

“If the events of the past few weeks have taught us anything, it’s that we have to raise our game,” he said. “The ties that bind local government to local communities have not snapped. But if we don’t act now, such a time may one day be upon us.”

Councils would not be able to rebuild and reinforce trust with local communities if they hid away from public scrutiny.

“If people are going to trust their elected representatives, they have to see them working in the harsh light of the public eye, not in comforting shadows behind closed doors.

“Not only must democracy exist, it must be seen to exist. It can’t be about decisions made in private meeting rooms… local government must show it is for the people – not just of the people.” …”

Words – so much easier than action, as we well know in East Devon.

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4 Jul 2017

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Developers/ Development, EDDC, Exmouth, Grenadier, Philip Skinner, Regeneration

Grenadier test drills on Exmouth seafront

Let’s hope (or not) that they don’t come across too many sink holes!

“An environmental site investigation is being carried out on Exmouth seafront by Grenadier Estates ahead of submitting a planning application for a new watersports centre. Grenadier Estates are currently working on proposals for a new Watersports Centre on Queen’s Drive as part of the multi-million pound redevelopment plans for the seafront.

Ahead of submitting a formal planning application, Grenadier Estates have been granted a temporary licence by East Devon District Council to carry out environmental site investigations on the seafront.

An East Devon District Council spokesman said: “Works will involve the drilling, monitoring and sampling of boreholes in accordance with an agreed method statement. This activity is standard practice in the run up to a planning process and the information from the investigations will be used to inform the detail of Grenadier’s planning application. …

… Nick Hookway, Save Exmouth Seafront spokesman, Why are the council carrying on with the proposals when there is no developer interested, apart from the watersports centre which is just a small part of the plan.

“When the fun park closes, the rest of the seafront will just be derelict and it is horrifying the thought of the seafront being all boarded up.

“We are concerned that the area will be left empty and there will be an air of dereliction about the whole site. Why should Exmouth residents have to put up with a derelict seafront as a result of this? There is already an air of dereliction on the site as metal hoardings appear. This is a situation that will get worse when these last two businesses close.

… Cllr Philip Skinner, East Devon District Council’s Portfolio holder for the Economy, said: “We have said on a number of occasions that residents will be consulted fully on what is proposed for this vital site on the wonderful seafront of Exmouth. We want to see investment and new, more modern activities there for everyone to enjoy. We look forward to shortly signing an agreement with the watersports centre developer Grenadier who will reveal their building designs soon. Following a period of full public consultation, the proposed watersports centre development will go through the planning decision process later this year.

“We have already received planning permission to build the new road and car park which can begin once a decision on the watersports centre is made. Phase three of the project will see further public consultation independent of any developer and the public’s views will be sought as to what they would like to see there. Everyone will get a number of opportunities to have their say. …”

http://www.devonlive.com/watersports-centre-for-exmouth-seafront-plans-move-a-step-closer/story-30423327-detail/story.html

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4 Jul 2017

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Cranbrook, Developers/ Development, EDDC

First impressions of Cranbrook expansion plans

“Jill Ellis said: “This will make traffic chaos from Cranbrook to the A30 a massive problem. There are already so many accidents because of the layout of the junction. This will get much worse.”

Mac McLaren said: “This planned expansion of Cranbrook has been expressed since the inception. It wont end with the 1200 dwellings, but grow massively, with extra `travellers sites` . The current highways structure does not cause RTC`s, its the drivers. Where better could developers chose for the housing that is required?”

Alan Grace said: “Next week, they will be asking where the wildlife has gone – butterflies are suddenly disappearing, and bird numbers dropping. And the other great question, is why the hospitals and roads can’t cope?”

Rachel Perram said: “Oh the glamour keeps on coming. What about the amazing and vibrant high street and community feel promised by EDDC planners when Cranbrook was in the offing?”

Veronica Anstey: “Don’t like, they keep going on about global warming, yet we are allowing our countryside to be destroyed disgusting.”

Gill Hargrove said: “What about all the extra traffic, roads will be grid locked.”

http://www.devonlive.com/cranbrook-expansion-plans-draw-criticism-from-devonlive-reader/story-30422811-detail/story.html

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3 Jul 2017

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Affordable and Social Housing, Cranbrook, Developers/ Development, EDDC, Gypsy and Travellers, Infrastructure

Cranbrook expansion plans including travellers site

For plans and pictures see quoted article.

“Plans for the southern expansion of Cranbrook have been revealed – and it includes 1,200 new homes, a new primary school, a sports hub, a petrol station, and a site for travellers.

Two new applications for the southern expansion of Cranbrook have been submitted to East Devon District Council for the outline planning permission for 27.2 hectares of residential development, 9.2 hectares of employment development, a new primary school, a local community centre, and sport pitches and tennis courts as part of a sports hub.

Since the build of the new town in East Devon began in 2010, 3,500 homes, a railway station, St Martin’s Primary School, play facilities, the neighbourhood centre, local shops, the education campus, the Cranbrook Farm pub, while construction of buildings in the town centre and the sports pitches are underway, while plans for the ecology park in the town have also been submitted.

Now, as part of the southern expansion for Cranbrook, the town is set to get an additional 1,200 homes, but also a petrol station, a residential care home, employment land, a new primary school, and an all-weather sports facility.

The long-running problem of travellers pitching-up in Cranbrook is also set to be solved as an area has been identified within the employment area site as a potential travellers site, but discussions will need to be held with the district council about the exact location.

WHAT THE APPLICATION INCLUDES

Residential

The parameters plan proposes 27.2 hectares of residential development of up to 1,200 homes.

Employment

Employment provision forms part of the mix of uses within the southern expansion area. It proposes 9.2 hectares of employment land, comprising of up to 35,000 sq m of employment uses and a petrol station with associated convenience retail and facilities. An area is identified within the employment area as a potential travellers site. Provision is also made within the employment area for a future expansion of the energy centre if required.

Education

A two form entry primary school is proposed within the southern expansion area.

Local Centre

A local centre is proposed in the heart of the southern expansion area to serve all the residents and the employment area. It will comprise of financial services, restaurants, pubs, takeaway and business uses.

Open space

Around 35 hectares of green infrastructure will be provides. The sports pitches are proposed in one central location on the southern edge of the development. The outline application sports hub land can accommodate an all-weather playing pitch with floodlighting, senior and youth football pitches, changing facilities, and a youth and children’s play area. Two adult rugby pitches and four tennis courts can be delivered.

The application says: “The adopted East Devon Local Plan identifies the future growth of the town of Cranbrook as part of the strategic growth of the area referred to as East Devon’s West End. Land is allocated within the local plan to meet the demand for the town to grow to 6,300 dwellings.

“The three outline planning applications for the expansion of Cranbrook to the west, east and south were submitted in December 2014 which sought planning permission for up to an additional 4,120 dwellings. The three 2014 expansion area outline planning applications are awaiting a decision.”

The latest application comes following public consultation on the plans over the past two years.

The application says: “The southern expansion of Cranbrook establishes an attractive and sustainable development that will become a place where people will to and enjoy living.

“The vision for the town is that Cranbrook will be a dynamic town, of a size to support a broad range of facilities, infrastructure and opportunities in a vibrant town centre and local centres sustained by its population. Cranbrook will be independent from, yet serving, existing communities, with the identity of surrounding villages always protected by a strong green buffer.

“The expansion of Cranbrook, including the southern expansion area, is able to realise that vision.”

http://www.devonlive.com/major-cranbrook-expansion-plans-revealed/story-30420895-detail/story.html

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3 Jul 2017

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Accountability, Affordable and Social Housing, Developers/ Development, EDDC, Scrutiny, Section 106, Sidmouth/ Sidford/ Sidbury, Spin

Oh, those poor, poor developers with their begging bowls

“Documents show plans to create 36 sheltered apartments for the elderly should be worth nearly £1million to the Sidmouth community – but the developer has shown it is ‘unviable’ to pay more than £41,000.

Churchill Retirement Living hopes to demolish the former Green Close care home in Drakes Avenue to make way for the development.

Its five-figure offer towards off-site ‘affordable’ housing was slammed as an ‘insult to Sidmouth’ by town councillors, who suggested the developer should pay at least £360,000.

After failing to reach an agreement with East Devon District Council (EDDC), Churchill launched an appeal due to non-determination of its application.

Papers submitted to the appeal process from EDDC say there is a policy expectation that half of the site should be provided as ‘affordable’ housing and that there is a ‘substantial’ need for one- and two-bedroom units in Sidmouth.

If 18 ‘affordable’ homes cannot be provided on-site, a payment of £935,201 would be expected so the properties can be built elsewhere.

Churchill said a viability assessment showed building ‘affordable’ homes on the site was ‘impractical’ and ‘unrealistic’.

It added: “It has been demonstrated that the application development is not sufficiently viable to permit the imposition of any affordable housing or planning gain contributions above £41,208.”

An EDDC spokeswoman said: “Unfortunately, the development is not sufficiently viable to pay this [£935,201] sum and, following an independent assessment of the viability of the scheme, it was reluctantly accepted that the scheme could only afford to pay £41,208 towards affordable housing.

“Under government guidance, we are required to reduce our requirements where a development is unviable and so we have no real choice but to accept this position.”

EDDC also expected Churchill to pay £22,536 for habitat mitigation, plus an £18,400 public open space contribution. The total is nearly £1million.

The delay in EDDC deciding the fate of the application was due to officers trying to apply an ‘overage’ clause that would require Churchill to pay up if its profits exceed current expectations.

A Planning Inspectorate spokesman confirmed that the appeal had been validated and it is in discussion with both parties.”

http://www.sidmouthherald.co.uk/news/eddc-wants-1million-in-community-cash-developer-offers-40-000-1-5084604

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3 Jul 2017

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Accountability, EDDC, Transparency

EDDC employee number statistics not published for 6 months

EDDC has now missed six publication dates in a row for its statistics about how many people are employed by them.

The last figures available are for December 2016.

They used to be published regularly, at least quarterly and usually monthly.

What on earth is going on?

Surely, an accurate picture of the numbers of staff employed is required for the design of the new HQ?

Either EDDC are not bothering to record their staff numbers, which at a time of relocation is particularly foolish, or they are knowingly declining to tell us exactly how the figures are changing in this time of austerity and belt-tightening.

Either way, not good.

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30 Jun 2017

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Accountability, Affordable and Social Housing, Austerity cuts, Developers/ Development, Economy, EDDC, Greater Exeter, Local Enterprise Partnership, Post-Brexit Adjustments

UK has lowest economic growth of G7 countries – the implications for East Devon

Owl says: According to our Local Plan, the Greater Exeter Strategic Plan AND the plans of Local Enterprise Partnership, development in East Devon, Exeter, Devon and Somerset (economic and housing) was based on an expectation of constant, uninterrupted high growth. Now what?

“The consumer-driven momentum that has kept the British economy afloat since the Brexit vote is declining rapidly, with new data showing households in the grip of the most protracted squeeze on living standards since the economic crisis of the mid-1970s.

Against a backdrop of rising prices and stagnant wage growth, incomes adjusted for inflation have now fallen for three successive quarters, the first time this has occurred since the International Monetary Fund had to bail Britain out in 1976.

At the same time, the amount being set aside as savings has now slipped to just 1.7% of disposable income – the lowest level on record, and a fraction of the near-10% average for the last 50 years. Just a year ago, it was more than three times the current rate.

The new data from the Office for National Statistics shows that in the first three months of 2017, the mounting financial pressure on consumers brought the UK’s strong performance following last summer’s Brexit vote to an abrupt halt.

On Thursday, separate figures showed an unexpected jump in consumer credit. Households borrowed an extra £1.7bn in May – £300m more than had been expected – on credit cards, personal loans and car finance. A survey of consumer confidence also showed a steep decline.

Despite saving less and borrowing more, consumers still reined in their spending, contributing to economic growth confirmed today at just 0.2% – the lowest of any of the major G7 industrial nations.

Spending in the shops, new car sales and property transactions have all showed signs of weakness, and the Bank of England has expressed concern about rising levels of consumer debt. …”

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/jun/30/britons-savings-at-record-low-as-household-incomes-drop-says-ons

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30 Jun 2017

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Accountability, EDDC, Environment (local)

Rubbish rubbish collections hit the headlines again

Something going very wrong here … seems like ” working well for 99% of users” may be more spin than substance”

“Maggots found in Sidmouth bin after three weeks with no collection

Maggots were found feeding on ‘rotting, stinking mess’ after food bins in Sidmouth were not emptied for the first three weeks of a new waste scheme. …”

…The recent heatwave – which also beat down on ‘disgusting’ overflowing dog bins around the valley – worsened the situation and left 83-year-old Joyce Waterhouse ‘unable to cope’, so a relative took all her recycling to landfill.

East Devon District Council (EDDC) said the rollout to 51,000 homes was working well for 99 per cent of residents and asked people to ‘bear with us’. …”

http://www.sidmouthherald.co.uk/news/maggots-found-in-sidmouth-bin-after-three-weeks-with-no-collection-1-5084529

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29 Jun 2017

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Accountability, Democracy, Developers/ Development, EDDC, Sidmouth/ Sidford/ Sidbury

Sidmouth ward councillor not told about advanced development plans

“A leading Sidmouth councillor has said she is ‘alarmed’ after illustrations as to how Sidmouth seafront could look as part of plans to redevelop the Port Royal area of the town have were revealed.

Consultants are carrying out a scoping study to assess the feasibility of redevelopment of the area on behalf of Sidmouth Town and East Devon District Councils who are the major landowners of the site.

Plans were put on show on Monday and Tuesday at consultation events at Kennaway House in Sidmouth and revealed that the seafront could get up to 30 flats that stand five storeys high.

But Cllr Cathy Gardner, who represents Sidmouth on East Devon District Council and is also the leader of the East Devon Alliance, said she was very surprised on Monday when she saw a five storey block of flats revealed on the consultation boards.

Cllr Gardner said: “We are concerned and I was alarmed at what I saw. At this early stage of the consultation, we expected to see a review of what the limitations of the site are and what would be possible.

“What we certainly did not expect to see what a five storey flats building included in the consultation board.

“I am alarmed that we are looking at five storey building within this area of the seafront. There will be a lot of discussion over the next month about this and I am sure we will get a lot of comments about what people want, but this is not what we expected.”

She said that everyone accepts that the Port Royal area of the town, which includes The Ham, the riverside, the car park, fishing compound, the public toilets, the Drill Hall, the sailing club and the lifeboat station, does need something doing to it, but said that it should be something more in keeping with the town.

She added although it is a consultation exercise, it had the feel of something that was fait accompli, particularly as questionnaires as part of the Sid Valley Neighbourhood Plan survey asks residents their views about Port Royal area of the town are currently out with residents to fill in.

She added: “I am told that feedback from this will be taken into account, but it does seem to be putting the cart before the horse.”

The consultation boards say: “The existing lifeboat station and sailing club need to have a waterfront location for operational reasons, but there are no obvious technical reasons that would prevent the lifeboat station, sailing club, Drill Hall and toilet block from being demolished with an alternative development provided on that part of the Study Area.”

Under potential development opportunities, the boards say: “The development could comprise a building of between 3 and 5 storeys. It could be a single building incorporating various uses including a new lifeboat station, a multifunction unit that could incorporate the sailing club, other water related clubs already operating, public toilets and wider community use. Space could also be created for a café and restaurant. These could occupy the ground floor and first floor of the building.

“Up to thirty residential apartments with potential to be of various sizes could form part of this development occupying the second, third and fourth floors.

The illustrations on this board are only intended to give an impression of the scale and size of a building on the site and how it might appear in relation to other buildings nearby. It is not a proposal for how the building will look

“Pedestrianisation ofthe Esplanade from its junction with Ham Lane running eastwards towards Salcombe Hill would create an opportunity for a vibrant, active frontage to the new development on the allocated site where people can use the space free of traffic whilst maintaining access for emergency vehicles, e.g. lifeboat.

“An access road from Ham Lane could be created to provide additional pedestrian access through the site along with access for service vehicles, access to sailing club storage and some water users.”

The Ham and East Street car parks have also been included in the scoping study area, but as they are within a high risk flood zone, further discussion will be required with both the Environment Agency and East Devon District Council planning department before any proposals can be taken forward.

Consultants will use the feedback to produce a set of recommendations that balance community expectations with what is achievable in the area.

These recommendations are expected to be considered by Sidmouth Town Council and East Devon District Council later in the year.

You can fill in the survey here https://www.snapsurveys.com/wh/s.asp?k=14984725150…”

http://www.devonlive.com/leading-councillors-says-she-was-alarmed-by-sidmouth-seafront-redevelopment-plansrevealed/story-30416690-detail/story.html

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29 Jun 2017

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Accountability, Austerity cuts, EDDC, Environment (local)

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New refuse collection schedules: has EDDC got its priorities wrong?

From a correspondent:

“A couple of very nice Suez employees turned up this morning to pick up our recycling – because we complained (again) on the day at 6pm that it had not been collected, though it was in fact collected on the correct day if rather late in the day i.e. c. 6:30pm.

The employees very kindly explained that the system is not working because they do not have enough lorries. My initial thought was that Suez should buy some more, however it turns out that, so they said, it is not Suez’s fault at all, but (surprise, surprise [sic.]) EDDC’s.

Apparently they say that Suez’s contract with EDDC is to run the collection using vehicles provided by EDDC, and EDDC are simply not providing sufficient vehicles for the number of homes in East Devon, and in particular are not providing enough lorries to cope with the growth in housing numbers. So they say the staff are working many more overtime hours than they would like and are still struggling to make all the collections needed.

Once again it seems that EDDC have got their priorities wrong. They can waste several million pounds on a vanity project for new offices – the financial business case for which would be very suspect if EDDC had actually produced a financial business case – but they cannot afford to provide sufficient vehicles for collecting waste.”

Owl welcomes comment from EDDC for balance.

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28 Jun 2017

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Developers/ Development, EDDC, Sidmouth/ Sidford/ Sidbury

“Sidmouth seafront redevelopment plans revealed”

“… Under potential development opportunities, the boards say: “The development could comprise a building of between 3 and 5 storeys. It could be a single building incorporating various uses including a new lifeboat station, a multifunction unit that could incorporate the sailing club, other water related clubs already operating, public toilets and wider community use. Space could also be created for a café and restaurant. These could occupy the ground floor and first floor of the building.

“Up to thirty residential apartments with potential to be of various sizes could form part of this development occupying the second, third and fourth floors. … “

http://www.devonlive.com/sidmouth-seafront-redevelopment-plans-revealed/story-30414923-detail/story.html

So, mostly housing development rather than regeneration – no surprises there then. First impressions? Owl’s is: meh – overpowering, underwhelming, out of place, dull and boring. But what do Sidmothians think?

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28 Jun 2017

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Asset sweating, EDDC

Seaton: the seafront development people DO want – but there’s no money

http://www.devonlive.com/revisions-made-to-multi-million-pound-seafront-redevelopment-plans/story-30414274-detail/story.html

Well, we have all to first pay for a seafront development Exmouth doesn’t want and then we all have to pay for EDDC’s flash new offices and then … who knows?

Seaton always seems to be the poor relation.

Come on Mr Parish – get your fingers out!

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28 Jun 2017

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Accountability, Audit (EDDC), EDDC, KPMG, Scrutiny, Transparency

EDDC Audit and Governance: new auditors find much to comment on

A little late, as the meeting is tomorrow, but anyone with a spare couple of hours (!) might want to spend it poring over the agenda of the Audit and Governance Committee.

A rather thorough going over after their appointment as auditors has seen KPMG out EDDC under the microscope.

Too many to list here, it has identified numerous financial and procedural weaknesses.

For quick reference the agenda is here:

Click to access 290617agcombined-agenda.pdf

and Owl found the following pages most interesting:

Pages 84-88 detailing financial weaknesses

Page 103 on weaknesses in contract Standing Orders and procurement procedures

Appendix A Risk Review – page 86

Click to access 290617bpauditgovernanceoperationalrisk.pdf

which contains this intriguing comment:

“Risk: [Identified as medium BOLD type is Owl’s]

Incapacitation of all staff for protracted period re Elections

In the event that all election staff were absent for a prolonged period the Council would fail to complete the canvass, fail to publish a revised register and fail to produce accurate data and registers for elections. In the event that the Electoral Services Officer/Manager was absent for a prolonged period it is unlikely that existing staff resources would accept managerial responsibilities.”

and finally – another coruscating reminder of the Section 106 scandal

Click to access item-12-management-of-s106-contributions-report.pdf

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27 Jun 2017

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Accountability, Council tax, EDDC, Environment (local), Ottery St Mary

Ottery St Mary complains about rubbish rubbish collections

Comments from Ottery Matters blog”

“… My parents has been missed ever since the new service started. Tbink they eventually got it collected last Friday after making several calls to EDDC.”

… There is an eddc app that you can use to report missed collections too.

… I spoke with the Waste Collection team earlier this afternoon – there as a long wait on hold, and when I eventually got through I was told that there have been hundreds of complaints about non-collection. Apparently many homes have been missed off the new routes.

First week of new scheme (in the heat wave) we had no collection and ended up with hundreds of maggots crawling out and over our food waste bin. Disgusting!!

So it seems like the new scheme is having major teething issues – and EDDC is failing to get the contractor to get on top of the issues.

… Neither has ours in Knightstones.

… We’ve been waiting 3 weeks in rockbeare! Well just our lane actually! Think we’ve been erased from the map!

… General enquiry. Has anyone else’s recycling not been collected for the last 2 weeks or is it just sunnyhill?”

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27 Jun 2017

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Austerity cuts, EDDC, Environment (local), Exmouth

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Resident complains about Exmouth cleanliness

“Our town centre is FILTHY, specifically Rolle Street and the Strand pavements, the bus shelters and rubbish bins in the same area. Why is our town so FILTHY? What is going on??

Please clean this area on a regular basis, daily. It is worse than a third world country.”

Correspondent please note Owl cannot respond to requests for telephone contact.

Any further comment from other Exmothians?

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27 Jun 2017

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Accountability, EDDC, Environment (local)

EDDC’s new rubbish rubbish collection

From a correspondent:

“We are now in week 3 of the new collection scheme.

Week 1 (heatwave): Collection day Tuesday. Reported missed collection Wednesday morning. Told Thursday afternoon it had been collected but it hadn’t. Chased and chased.

Week 2 (still heatwave): Complained again because we had thousands of maggots crawling all over our kitchen waste bin (having been stood in the sun for more than a week). Eventually collection made – but this was not the missed one – it was the next one.

Week 3 (today): Bins not collected again. Call centre clogged with calls from irate residents. EDDC apologetic – and say that there are hundreds of people calling to complain – but simply wringing their hands, not actually doing anything to fix it.

It’s funny, isn’t it, how EDDC PR dept can churn out PR after PR hyping what the council claims it is doing well – but not a peep out of them we residents deserve an apology and an explanation and details of an action plan to fix it.”

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26 Jun 2017

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Accountability, EDDC, Tourism

Former EDDC councillor tells MPs to do what she didn’t – promote local tourism

Mrs Kerridge is the former EDDC Tourism Champion … criticism is too little too late – as she was in a position to change the situation!

“Town councillor Sheila Kerridge said while visitor numbers are falling in Devon but are up 10 per cent in a decade in Yorkshire – where the budget is 100 times bigger.

She argued that Sir Hugo Swire needs to fight for more tourism cash for all of his constituency.

Cllr Kerridge, the former tourism champion at East Devon District Council (EDDC), told a meeting last week: “Devon only receives £45,000 per annum. Yorkshire receives £5million. I want this committee to do something about that – not just for Sidmouth but all of East Devon.

“We should lobby our MP to go to central government to say tourism is vital for the South West, vital for East Devon and vital for Sidmouth.

“Let’s get him to say we need more money. We want our share. We should lobby, lobby, lobby to get our fair share.”

Cllr Kerridge cited figures showing visitor numbers to Devon are down four per cent compared by 2006.

Her calls came after news Sidmouth Town Council had joined third sector tourism board Visit Devon as an early adopter after its relaunch.

Town clerk Christopher Holland said: “We are one of the first councils to get on board with Visit Devon. It can be moulded to how we want it – we don’t want it just to be for Torbay or the English Riviera. We can promote what we want to promote.

“Visit Devon is a good brand but Devon is far behind Cornwall in how we promote ourselves as a destination. We need people to turn off the M5 before they get to Cornwall.”

Cllr Simon Pollentine said: “EDDC have dropped East Devon as a brand by not investing in it. This council is continuing to invest in tourism promotion and they aren’t.”

Cllr Ian Barlow questioned if it was value for money and said £1,000 could buy a lot of promoted posts on Facebook and Twitter.”

http://www.sidmouthherald.co.uk/news/calls-for-fairer-tourism-funding-for-east-devon-1-5078588g

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26 Jun 2017

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Accountability, East Devon Alliance, EDDC, Planning System, Rural communities, Transparency, Woodbury

Greendale Business Park 120% expansion plan – battle for who really controls East Devon planning policy and an EDA councillor excluded from meetings about his own area.

document to support the already approved “East Devon Local Plan.”

The Owners proposal is approx. 120% more development beyond the present developed area. The various coloured outlines show the proposed
development areas.

 

“East Devon District Council recently asked local people about a planning

The Local Authorities proposal for Greendale Business Park. “No further expansion beyond the present permitted developments already permitted”

The Owners version published in a document called the “Greendale Masterplan” which is included in the published consultation documents.

This proposal, known as the “Villages Plan,” will provide planning guidance until 2031 for the larger villages in East Devon and two large industrial sites of Hill Barton and Greendale.

The Villages Plan is not yet approved but the owners FWS Carter and Sons have submitted a “masterplan” proposing a massive 120% expansion to their site. There is considerable local concern that further expansion at Greendale Business Park will now continue.

The company`s agents have submitted a multitude of documents to support their claim for continued expansion and in a bid to overcome possible objections have re-introduced a “liaison group” which they claim is:

“To provide better lines of communication and wider understanding”

A few years ago, following a great many complaints, contentious planning applications and planning appeals the owners of the Business Park were asked by the County Council to invite Planning, Environmental Officers and locally elected representatives to form a liaison group.

This was a success for a few years, but was disbanded by the management 18 months ago, however they held a liaison meeting on Wednesday June 21st at their offices.

There is local concern over who the owners invited to attend.

There was no invitation for members of the Residents Association, Woodbury Parish Council were restricted by the company who named two Councillors they wished to attend. Most controversially the “Terms of Reference” was changed by removing the word “Local” from “Local Elected Member of the District Council” and the invitation was sent to Conservative Budleigh Town and District Councillor Tom Wright but not the current ward member.

The local ward Councillor Geoff Jung (EDA Independent) who is also the secretary of the Residents Association and a Parish Councillor says:
“This is not the normal practice for a “Liaison Group”, but the company has the right to invite whoever they wish to these meetings.”

“It`s totally “legal” but it`s certainly not democratic, I am unable to represent people as a member of Residents Association, nor as a Parish Councillor, nor as a District Councillor”. “I now have the most bizarre situation that I must direct residents with local concerns to the new Chair of this Liaison Group, Conservative Exmouth Town and recently elected Local County Councillor Mr Richard Scott.”

“It`s standard practice that a District Councillor represents his own ward at Liaison meetings and this requires the approval of the District Council. Cllr Wright has ignored this protocol and attended but, I am very pleased to hear that planning officers from the District Council will not attend the meetings until my inclusion is agreed.”

“There are serious local concerns regarding the recently submitted “Greendale Masterplan” and I suspect that the re-introduction of this Local Liaison Group is to do with these expansionist plans”

The Planning History.

Thirty years ago, the business park was a farm with some agricultural buildings which the owners claimed to be “redundant for farming use” They were given permission to be converted to Industrial units. More agricultural buildings were built and again allowed to become Industrial. Many of planning applications were “retrospective” (Built or converted prior to Planning Permission being submitted.

In 2009 the Business Park was permitted to enlarge to its present size as an “Exception Site to the then Local Plan” This was because the East Devon Business Forum (chaired by disgraced Conservative Councillor Graham Brown who boasted to a daily Telegraph “sting” reporter that he could provide approval for planning for a fee). The Forum claimed there was an acute lack of Industrial land available within the district.

Steadily the owners have built a very large Business Park in the open Countryside which was never the local planning authorities policy.
The residents of the rural village of Woodbury Salterton consider that any further expansion will destroy their beautiful village set in the open countryside, and for the last 10 years have campaigned for better planning protection.

The Local Authority with their recently approved Local Plan decided on the location for housing and commercial land, and agreeing with the village residents that further expansion of Greendale Business Park would not be appropriate or suitable.

The Local Plan is a blueprint for district planning until 2031 and includes policies for commercial and industrial developments to be built close to urban settlements. Substantial commercial opportunities exist at Cranbrook, Exeter Airport and on land known as the West End (on the outskirts of Exeter). This is to follow the Government`s planning policy that people should not be required to commute far from their homes to a place of work.
The village community, through their Residents Association, their Parish, District and County Councillors have strived for a sensible balance of development and the proposals included in the Local Plan and the emerging Village Plan are a direct result of 10 years of hard work of campaigning and lobbying.

Councillor Geoff Jung says:

“The decisions for both the Local Plan and the Villages Plan were decided democratically and agreed by full Council and by a Government Planning Inspector. The owners of Greendale must not be allowed to bulldoze further and further into the countryside.”

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26 Jun 2017

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Accountability, Affordable and Social Housing, EDDC, Housing (local), Knowle/Honiton/Exmouth relocation, PegasusLife

Expensive new HQ and luxury apartments for rich elderly people or good-quality social housing? Tough choice for EDDC

Sidmouth resident Mike Temple has the lead letter in today’s Guardian on social housing. Our council is MUCH more interested in moving into its very expensive new offices (£10 million and counting) than building, or encouraging the building of, social and truly affordable housing. As shown when it agreed to sell its Knowle site to PegasusLife for super-luxury housing for only rich, elderly people, with PegasusLife attempting to exploit a loophole via a planning appeal to avoid any on-site or off-site affordable properties.

“The fire at Grenfell Tower has highlighted a number of issues relating to government housing policy in recent years, not only the failure to apply proper safety measures but also its whole approach to social housing.

The 2012 national planning policy framework, often described as a “developers’ charter”, has given precedence to expensive private development while discouraging social housing. The result is that through land-banking, slow build-out rates and using the housing market as an investment, house prices have risen way beyond the reach of most average-wage earners. At the same time, an increasing proportion of the incomes of the lower paid is spent on rented accommodation, which is often of poor quality.

Among the 72 Conservative MP landlords who voted against the 2016 housing bill to make “rented properties fit for human habitation” were the communities secretary, Sajid Javid, housing minister Brandon Lewis (who has also said installing fire-sprinklers could discourage house-building), fire minister Nick Hurd, and David Cameron.

Official Statistics on social housing show that since 2010 the number of government-funded houses for social rent has plummeted by 97%.

Gavin Barwell, until recently housing minister and author of a white paper that offered proposals to ease development while doing little to promote social housing, has – like the government he serves – failed to act on the recommendations in the report on the fire at Lakanal House in 2009. Like previous Conservative minsters he preferred light-touch regulation so that warnings have been ignored at national and local government level.

The result is a system that has failed to protect our citizens – cost-cutting and reckless decisions were made with little fear of anyone being held responsible.
Mike Temple
Sidmouth, Devon”

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/jun/25/grenfell-tower-tragedy-shows-social-housing-system-has-failed-uk-citizens

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23 Jun 2017

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Austerity cuts, Business Rates, Economy, EDDC

Oh, oh – no business rates devolution? Where’s the lost income coming from?

“Councils demand ‘clarity’ over funding after business rates devolution is dropped.

A steering group which spent the last 15 months consulting on how 100% business rates retention would work has been disbanded after the exclusion of local government finance legislation in this week’s Queen’s Speech.

Parliamentary time to consider the Local Government Finance Bill in the last Parliament ran out before Theresa May called this month’s General Election. However, the sector was stunned this week when the government made it clear that it would not revive the process for at least two years.

Room151 has seen a letter sent to members of the steering group from Anne Stuart, the newly-installed civil servant leading the business rates retention process.

It said: “I’m sorry this should be my first communication, but I am emailing because as you will have no doubt seen, the Queen’s Speech did not include a new Local Government Finance Bill and so it will not form part of the Parliamentary timetable for this session.”

In her letter, she thanked members of the steering group but said she would only be in touch “once we are in a position to resume working with you on the future of local government finance reform.”

However, she said that ministers remain committed to local government taking greater control of its income. “We are engaging ministers on the options for future reform without an immediate Bill…,” she said.

Ministers have reaffirmed their commitment to a thorough, evidence-based review and that work will continue with local government on that issue, Stuart said.

One steering group member told Room151: “This is more than a year’s work down the drain.

“If the government is planning to introduce any reform by executive order, it needs to make sure they take the sector with them.”

Lord Porter, chairman of the Local Government Association, said that the failure to move on with business rates devolution was “hugely concerning”.

He said: “While negotiating Brexit will be a huge challenge for the government, it cannot be a distraction from the challenges facing our public services. The day-to-day concerns of our communities go far beyond Brexit.

“Only with adequate funding and the right powers can local government help the government tackle the challenges facing our nation now and in the future.”

Jo Miller, Solace president and chief executive of Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council, said: “I am disappointed that key legislation—absolutely fundamental to ensuring the future sustainability of local government—has now been dropped.

“Local government urgently needs clarity around our future funding—at present we simply face a cliff edge from 2020. This must urgently be resolved.”

A DCLG statement said: “The government is committed to delivering the manifesto pledge to help local authorities to control more of the money they raise and will work closely with local government to agree the best way to achieve this.”

The steering group to guide the process of business rates devolution was created in March last year after George Osborne announced that primary legislation would be introduced to allow councils to keep 100% of growth in business rates—up from the current 50%.”

http://www.room151.co.uk/funding/councils-demand-clarity-over-funding-after-business-rates-devolution-is-dropped/