Tyrannosaurus Exe still not listening. Franksy.
Category Archives: Exmouth
One planning law for EDDC, another for the rest of us …
If an ordinary citizen started building work before receiving planning permission, they would be stopped. Not our council. As it decides for itself about Knowle, it is safe to say that they are confident they will grant themselves permission whatever:
“East Devon District Council (EDDC) is carrying out the work, expected to take around 38 weeks to complete, as it prepares to relocate some of its offices to the town hall from Knowle, Sidmouth. [Do these works would need planning permission?]
The town council will be moving to 44 Rolle Street, from where it will continue to provide its usual services. [Does this building work need change of use?]
The council’s telephone and email contact details will remain unchanged.
The council of voluntary service will be moving to Ground Floor, Unit 15, Dinan Way, with its telephone and email contact details also remaining unchanged.
The Devon Registration Service will then leave the town hall on November 26, moving to Larkbeare House, Topsham Road, Exeter, with its telephone number also unchanged.
The town hall will remain open while the work takes place to allow EDDC to offer its housing needs, council tax and housing benefits services, which will be available between 9am and 4.30pm, Monday to Friday.
Citizens Advice will also continue to operate a drop-in service from the town hall, between 10am and 12.30pm and between 1.30pm and 3.30pm, Monday to Friday.”
Franksy’s Thought For Today
There have been dolphin sightings over the years in the Exe estuary. We have something precious here and worth celebrating in its own right. Franksy.
East Devon Alliance fields Brixington by-election candidate
… who makes his views known in a letter to the Exmouth Journal:
“Messrs O’Day and Huett, correspondents in your September 1 issue, summed up perfectly the continuing and absolute disregard shown by East Devon District Council (EDDC) towards Exmouth residents.
What is it that EDDC does not understand about the frustration and anger which is brought about by its plans? Why has there been no action following the town poll to request proper consultation on these plans?
Any commercial organisation acting in what I consider such an arrogant and dismissive manner towards its customers would soon be out of business.
EDDC is acting as if it has an absolute right to do with taxpayers’ money and assets as it sees fit.
The officers appear to be running a monopoly, with no competition for the services provided and no fear of losing their extremely well paid jobs.
The ruling group of Conservative councillors have been in place for a long time and seem to have consequently developed a sense of entitlement.
They act as if the money they spend, eg on their proposed seafront development, is theirs alone. It is our money and, as such, we must be involved in how it is spent.
There is a solution though, as shown by Mr Lowder in your September 1 issue.
Local democracy means turning out to vote in the Brixington by-election on October 6 and, if you disagree with how the ruling party is behaving, then vote for change.
Robin Humphreys
Prospective East Devon Alliance candidate
Trelivan Close, Exmouth”
Franksy strikes again!
And adds the following comment:
“Visual comment on the plans for the watersports centre. If it is built on the same side of the road as the lifeboat station, with the new road running behind it, then present users of the seafront carpark will be pushed further back to the recently closed Arnold Palmer putting course. That means a longer trek to the beach carrying everything. If EDDC have their way, they plan to invite a huge number of extra visitors to the area, which will mean more people, more cars overall and possible congestion on the road into Exmouth.
Many years ago, a teacher from Exmouth Community College asked if a youth club could be set up in “La Cuisine”- the old cafe at the open air swimming pool. This idea was repeatedly quashed as it would bring “boy racers’ and gangs of youngsters to the sea front and the residents would not like it. How ironic that the same council are now welcoming a huge development which will have massive implications for the appearance and use of the seafront with alcohol, litter, noise, coming and going as they seek to develop the “Nightime economy.”
Beware residents- you have seen nothing yet ! Franksy”
No more out-of-hours GP service for Exmouth
Interesting because Exmouth at around 35,000 population is substantially bigger than Honiton, with its 12,000 population.
“Devon Doctors, which runs the out-of-hours GP services in the region, is planning to combine the scheme with Devon’s NHS 111 service, which it will take over next month.
Under the plans due to take effect on October 1, treatment centres such as the one at Exmouth Hospital will close in favour of patients phoning the 111 service for help.
Currently, there is one GP who provides out-of-hours care on weekday evenings and two at the weekends.
This change means there will be no GP working in Exmouth and patients may face having to travel to Exeter or Honiton for treatment.”
http://www.exmouthjournal.co.uk/news/exmouth_set_to_lose_out_of_hours_gp_1_4689459
Franksy returns to Exmouth!
Pictures with the following statement:
“Franksy represents a group of Exmouth residents who are concerned about further unsustainable overdevelopment of the seafront and loss of public facilities subsidised by taxpayers money.
Franksy will be back to gently express the value of green open spaces and free access to what is left of the uninterrupted seafront along with a concern for longstanding and much loved local businesses who have already lost jobs and been closed down. Franksy welcomes appropriate conservation and development and has the heart of the people. Franksy will be back .
Franksy came back on the front of the once popular closed down railway cafe next to Jungle Fun on Exmouth sea front.
Franksy asks “Is this the road to nowhere ?” as local residents have voiced concern over the proposed change of route of the road to make way for the planned water sports centre.
This would be a massive seafront development the size of a supermarket on the seafront side of the road. It could be a centre for kite surfing but does not seem to offer any water play for residents- no Lido pool, play fountains or paddling pools- and is sited directly opposite the red flag dangerous water area.
Popular local businesses have been closed down to make way for this dream which may never happen. More are to go in the Fun Park area. The email above is just an associate of the Franksy group and not Franksy’s own email but a contact address for this anonymous group.”
Moirai – not quite an Oasis in Swindon
We know from various FOIs that EDDC’s Alison Hayward (who has the terribly impressive title of “Strategic Lead – Organisational Development and Transformation) has had a number of meetings with Moirai, EDDC’s (previously??) erstwhile preferred partner for the Splash/Queens Drive development in Exmouth, and that she appears to have been only EDDC officer present at some such meetings.
We also know that six, as yet unidentified, Exmouth Town Councillors had a visit to the Swindon Oasis Leisure centre. This centre appears to have been portrayed as a model of what can be achieved in partnership with Moirai.
In an effort to keep councillors fully informed on all aspects of Moirai, may we draw attention to the latest Private Eye and its Rotten Boroughs column.
It reports:
HEALTH WARNING
Swimmers hoping to cool off in Swindon’s Oasis pool have been stricken with a nasty bug called cryptosporidiosis – aka “crypto” – which triggers diarrhoea, fever and nausea. Of some 30 recent cases in the town at least 10 have been positively linked to the Oasis, which is outsourced to Greenwich Leisure Ltd.
Yet the council and Greenwich Leisure kept the pool open for three weeks after being warned there was a problem with the water.
A mother alerted environmental health after her son became ill on 19th July, but the pool was not closed until 12th August.
Public Health England has confirmed that some of the reported cases of infection from the pool date back to May.
This is not unfamiliar ground for Greenwich Leisure. It runs Chesham Leisure Centre in Buckinghamshire on behalf of Chiltern District Council. Eleven children and four adults were hospitalised after swimming there in 2014. An investigation found they had been affected by the chemical content of the water, which Greenwich had failed to test. In the same year 800 residents of Reading signed a petition protesting at the “filthy” Greenwich-run Rivermead leisure centre in the town.
What the Private Eye story doesn’t say is that Moirai run the Oasis at Swindon and that they are still engaged in the possible development of another part of Swindon known as the North Star development.
They used to outsource the day to day management to a company created by two of their directors and called Oasis Operations Ltd.
The two Moirai directors ceased to be directors of Oasis Operations Ltd in February 2013. A Mr Wojeichowski became the sole director and later changed the name to MW Contract Services Ltd. That company went bust in January 2014. Greenwich Leisure subsequently took over the day to day running of Oasis.
Council record- keeping – an EDDC example
A recent comment on the original article:
“This finding should come as no surprise to EDDC.
In a decision published in January 2004, the Ombudsman found against EDDC in regard to a number of complaints concerning planning matters in Exmouth at Camperdown Terrace. The Ombudsman noted that
‘material relating to the application was misleading and gave no indication that the council was being asked to approve a 6.8 metre high metal boat racking system at the end of their small gardens, nor that the racks would be used for the storage of large motor boats which are moved around the site by a gigantic fork lift truck.‘
Consultees were not provided with sufficient information to make informed comments.
The Council’s record keeping was very poor and there was a failure to give adequate consideration to the points raised by the consultees and others who commented on the application. The Ombudsman found maladminstration causing injustice and recommended that …..
(g) “undertake a review of the record keeping by planning officers and the delegated decision making arrangemnents to ensure that proper records are kept and delegated decisions are made on the basis of written reports, so that those affected may see how a particular decision has been reached.”
The most striking sentence for me is “Consultees were not provided with sufficient information to make informed comments”. Anyone knowing anything about the Exmouth Masterplan consultation, in regard to Elizabeth Hall v Premier Inn, will appreciate how EDDC said one thing meant something quite different, how wanting to see the EH site improved was taken as meaning approval for a Premier Inn. EH is but one of very many examples.
Also, anyone who is familiar with EDDC’s answers to FOIs will be all too familiar with EDDC’s failure to keep proper records of decision making.
The record of this Ombudsman’s finding is no longer available online but I have the 24 page report should anyone want it.”
Exmouth regeneration: contact information for famous artist Banksy
“The changing image of seaside towns”
A 2011 publication, but many relevant points:
“… Older resorts have suffered a lack of investment and political will, with a steadily decaying and inadequate infrastructure, whilst new arrivals are vulnerable to poor quality development.We see too many examples where design quality is sacrificed in a desperate bid to secure investment, reducing the chance of long-term success. …”
“Franksy” artwork update
The reason given by the council for removal of the art work was “it didn’t seem particularly contentious ” but E.D.D.C. were “trying to create a positive vibe in the town.”
As the site was re-visited this morning in order to remove any staples left sticking out by the hasty removal, these photographs were taken of a ripped circus poster to the back of the building, there clearly dated July 13 to 17:
and various little piles of screws left around the base of the building:
The art work was much admired and had a Great Vibe. The torn poster and abandoned debris and weeds less so.
It seems that if it does not emanate from the Thelma Hulbert Gallery (heavily subsidised by EDDC) it isn’t art!
This shows Councillors Diviani, Chubb and O’Leary perhaps indicating their idea of portraiture.
http://www.midweekherald.co.uk/news/gallery_launches_competition_to_celebrate_new_signs_1_4167515
Exmouth’s (fleeting) answer to Banksy … not EDDC’s cup of tea
DJs café was temporarily wrapped with some ‘art’ work yesterday. ‘Franksy’, the artists, left a message and a mobile number clearly displayed in 3 places so that contact could be made for removal and stated that responsible residents would do that. Nothing was dangerous and no criminal damage was incurred. It may have been seen as slightly contentious. Political art can be!
This morning residents saw it had been removed. Stolen? The staples had been left sticking out dangerously. At least 2 hours later, the work was tracked down to a council’s rubbish depot in Camperduin. It’s removal had been ordered by ‘the powers that be.’
Nobody had contacted Franksy on the given mobile number.
Advice is being sought on what should now be done.
The “Exmouth Coastal Community Team”
This ISN’T the Regeneration Board but seems to have as its remit everything that ISN’T Queens Drive. Both are chaired by Councillor Skinner. It seems to duplicate items discussed by the Exmouth Regeneration Board but with a different group of councillors and officers.
At its last meeting
Click to access agenda-22-07-2016.pdf
this “Team” discussed:
Update on Coastal Communities Initiative – Coastal Communities Funding
Visitor Survey
Future Meetings – Next meeting – Friday, September 9th at 11.45, Exmouth Town Hall
The tourism season is already half over – does anyone know if there has been a “Visitor Survey”?
Also, no minutes have been produced for the last two meetings, only notes, with this note from a previous meeting in May 2016:
“LB [Lisa Bowman, Exmouth Town Council] outlined discussions with Clinton Devon Estates regarding joint marketing of investment opportunities in Exmouth.”
Click to access exmouth-coastal-community-team-notes-from-19-05-2016-approved.pdf
Can anyone on the council enlighten us about this one?
“Greater Exeter” protects the countryside – honestly, that’s what they say!
And it must be true, because Andrew Moulding says so! Now, about Exmouth Splat … And look who the money is coming from: developers!
Teignbridge, East Devon District Councils and Exeter City Council have form a cross-boundary partnership to safeguard three internationally important conservation sites.
The three councils have established the South East Devon Habitat Regulations Executive committee to off-set the effects of new developments and population growth on the protected sites.
They will work together to protect places such as the Exe Estuary, Dawlish Warren and the East Devon Pebblebed Heaths for future generations to enjoy.
The committee said protecting the sites was important for a number of reasons, including providing safe areas for all users to enjoy and caring for the bird populations they support.
Human activity on or close to the sites can cause disturbance or even death of protected bird species, it warned.
This new Committee is working with partners including Natural England, Clinton Devon Estates, National Trust, RSPB, Exe Estuary Management Partnership and Devon Wildlife Trust.
Funding will come from developer contributions on new residential housing across the three areas and within a 10km “zone of influence” from the protected sites.
Measures and initiatives planned include a patrol boat on the Exe Estuary, a dog project officer, a review of codes of conduct, new and updated visitor publicity and signage.
Two new wardens will educate and engage with the public and ensure byelaws are observed.
East Devon’s deputy leader Andrew Moulding said: “This joint working between our three Councils is a really important step in protecting our beautiful coast and countryside.
“By working together through collective financial decision-making, we can share resources to protect important areas of conservation and improve enjoyment for residents and visitors alike.” …
http://www.rsnonline.org.uk/environment/councils-join-forces-to-protect-countryside
Top designer offers help with new Exmouth seafront ideas
“Wayne Hemingway is willing to visit Exmouth and share his thoughts on the Queens Drive development.
The East Devon District Council project is currently on hold after a shock announcement the site would be re-tendered because of a lack of progress on the part of original developer, Moirai Capital Investments.
Environmental community group Transition Exmouth contacted the noted designer following the decision. …
… As well as having a good record on community involvement, Wayne demonstrates a sensitivity to traditional seaside entertainments and locales which is why he would be the ideal person to involve in the consultation guiding the revised Masterplan for Exmouth.
He added: “Transition Exmouth calls on Cllr. Philip Skinner, Chair of Exmouth Regeneration Board and Chair of Exmouth Coastal Communities Team to demonstrate a willingness to listen to an outside expert and himself issue the invitation to Wayne Hemingway to visit our town.”
Hemingway has indicated that he is willing to visit Exmouth and has suggested a date, requesting only a formal invite.
The council has outline planning permission to develop the Queen’s Drive site to include a cafe and public open space, retail units, a hotel or holiday accommodation, car parking, and indoor and outdoor play facilities.
This includes the water sports centre at the front of the Queen’s Drive site, where the council has forged a partnership with Grenadier Estates for the proposed new £4 million community-owned centre.
This project is hoped to be under way early 2017.”
Exmouth seafront tenders – time for review?
In response to a Freedom of Information request (below) on 15 February 2016, EDDC refused to divulge any information about the Moirai tender bid for Exmouth seafront.
Owl thinks that now this process has been abandoned, EDDC must divulge this information and that other bidders have no right to keep their bids secret.
Anyone fancy another request?
“Q 1. What information do you hold about any/all organisation that made enquiries in response to JLL’s marketing exercise in respect of the proposals ?
I refer you back to our previous response dated 16th February and quote from this below:
You also asked for the names of the organisations who submitted a bid for this work having been provided already with the number of organisations involved. In considering your request we have contacted the other organisations who submitted a bid and they have confirmed our view that this detail, at this point in time, is commercially confidential to them. We are therefore withholding this detail under Regulation 12(5)(e) of the Environmental Information Regulations.
I confirm that this response still stands and is directly relevant to this question and questions 2, 3, and 4 below.
Q 2. Who were the two applicants who were not chosen at the final interview ?
See above
Q 3.Did any of the two unsuccessful developers include ‘residential’ elements in their proposals? If so details please/
See above
Q 4. Please supply fullest details of the proposals that the two unsuccessful applicants offered.
See above
Q 5. Please provide details of all persons who comprised the selection panel that chose Moirai.
The selection panel was made up of Cllr John Humphreys, Cllr Tim Wood, Cllr Andrew Moulding, Richard Cohen and Alison Hayward
Q.6. Can you kindly confirm that the number of organisations, out of the 4,000 plus that were contacted by JLL, who chose to submit themselves to the final selection process was only three?
4 were initially interviewed and then, in March 2015, we considered 3.
Q 7. Taking into account EDDC’s promise to the public on the non-inclusion of ‘residential’ on the Queen’s Drive site, did any member, officer or advisor ever consider that EDDC’s ‘offer’ to developers had failed to attract a suitable candidate for preferred developer? If so full details please.
No information held”
A lesson in political hypocrisy in Exmouth
Last night, Councillor Bill Nash spoke vehemently at an Exmouth Town Council meeting in favour of the demolition of play facilities in Exmouth to make way for “regeneration” – indeed there was a public spat with another Conservative councillor who was against it.
However, in his own interest he raised an objection to these plans:
The power of whipping?
Conservative councillors in Exmouth do not see eye to eye it seems
From a correspondent:
This evening, Exmouth Town Council met to discuss the planning application to demolish Jungle Fun and Crazy Golf.
There was a packed public gallery and councillors Fred Caygill (Conservative), Brenda Taylor (Liberal Democrat) and Tim Dumper (Liberal Democrat) did what they should do – spoke to represent the views of residents. Exmouth Town Council then voted 4 to 3 against the application. Councillors Caygill, Taylor, Dumper and Masding (Green) voted against.
However, one councillor – Conservative Bill Nash – caused quite a stir.
Councillor Nash was the first councillor to speak after public speaking ended, first requesting a recorded vote and then speaking in support of the application. He turned to the public gallery to speak in what seemed to be a very heated way, and appeared to have the erroneous idea that all the public were worried about was phase 3 (the final stages of development as planned). He seemed agitated and several people thought he spoke somewhat patronisingly, saying that it was “a straightforward demolition”. He did not seem amenable to any discussion with anyone who did not share this viewpoint.
After the recorded vote, and as the public left the gallery, councillor Nash turned to councillor Fred Caygill (who was sitting next to him) and appeared to say to him, in a very agitated and angry way, that he wanted a quiet word with him for a couple of minutes.
Cllr Caygill, to his credit, did not rise to this but – as Chair Councillor Lynn Elson became aware that members of the public were watching this exchange – she advised them to stop.
It was not clear from the exchange exactly what Councillor Nash wished to discuss with Councillor Caygill after the meeting.
What ‘Architects Journal’ has to say about Exmouth Splat remarketing!
“If you’re stuck in a sweltering office and need a professional reason for beachfront leisure to be at the forefront of your mind Exmouth could be the answer
East Devon Council is soon to be seeking ‘fresh ideas’ for the coastal town’s Queen’s Drive with £18 million plans by development partner Moirai Capital Investments expected to be cannonballed into the deep blue.
The sun baked site – just metres away from a sandy beach and the cooling waters of the English Channel – had been earmarked for new apartments, retail and a multi-screen cinema.
But after lengthy legal negotiations with site tenants the local authority has decided new concepts are in order and has announced it is considering to re-market the plot.
Now it’s your opportunity to dust off your contacts in the area – Moirai has already declared its intention to rebid – and let your imagination go wild.
Although before you commission a working model water slide or any mankini strewn renders it’s worth considering the brief. The council – seeking the predictable twin pillars of a ‘money making and vibrant’ solution – has in mind wet weather facilities catering for the many non-heatwave days of the year.
Furthermore the site already has outline planning permission for a café, retail units, play facilities and a hotel or holiday accommodation which the council prefers over any residential.”
East Devon Watch 