More thoughts from the public on EDDC landgrab at the Knowle are here: https://www.streetlife.com/conversation/3w1f67nozab7/
Info and how/ where/ to object, at this link: http://saveoursidmouth.com/2015/02/04/fact-file-on-knowle-plan-and-land-to-be-appropriated-reminder-deadline-for-objections-20th-feb-2015/
Suddenly, after four and three quarter years of rarely being spotted in East Devon and never appearing to have had a single public thought about its shambolic Local Plan or the Knowle relocation fiasco and never having said anything about any of the massive developments afflicting our district, our current MP Hugo Swire starts saying Knowle relocation is a mistake (duh: Claire Wright’s being saying that for 2 years) and he arranges to talk about planning in Clyst St Mary on Thursday 19 February in the school hall (no time yet given)and in Woodbury Village Hall on Friday, 20th February from 6.30 till 8.0 p.m. So, that’s 2 meetings for Hugo, scores and scores for Claire Wright.
If you have a burning question – particularly about he just seems to have woken up some 3 months before a general election, when it is far too late for most of the towns and villages suffering massive and inappropriate developments already agreed by EDDC – now is the time to ask it.
Save Clyst St Mary Notice of meeting 12 Feb 15 (1)
Thank you to everyone for your support over and attending the meetings. A lot has been achieved in a very short space of time.
The Parish plan is progressing well and there is another meeting(Sorry!) on Thursday 12th February at 7.00pm this is to discuss the draft proposals of the village plan the venue is in the village hall. Once this plan becomes adopted it should help to stop our village from the continual threat of further large scale planning applications from developers!
Many of our residents have asked what our local MP is doing about all these planning applications and why Clyst St Mary has had so many in such a short space of time. Mike Howe has convinced Hugo Swire to come and talk to us on Thursday 19th February in the School Hall at 6.30pm (Sorry we couldn’t get the village hall it was already booked) I would really like to fill the hall to show how much support we have behind us and to ask what he is doing about it! Please Please come if you can.
As of this evening:
Con 1/10
UKIP 10/1
Claire Wright 10/1
Lib Dems 50/1
Labour 100/1
Recall that Claire Wright started out at 66/1 and Hugo Swire at (as we recall) 1/18. A truly astonishing reversal of fortunes – and still 3 months to go.
If you want a truly LOCAL MP who has devoted herself for years to fighting on local issues and has a sound track record on them, she really is the only choice.
Hugo Swire has rarely been here over the last 5 years as his Foreign Office travels take precedence, the UKIP candidate moved here only when his candidacy was announced a few months ago (though still retaining his family home elsewhere), the Lib Dems have yet to reveal their candidate and the Labour candidate dropped out last week and has not yet been replaced.
Remember if you want to bet responsibly and you are over 18, betting can be found under:
Politics/General/Election/Constituencies/Devon East
(NOT East Devon)
And clever those who got in at 66/1!
Message sent in to EastDevonWatch:
FIND OUT HOW CLAIRE WRIGHT WOULD REPRESENT YOU AS OUR NEW MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT IF EAST DEVON ELECTS HER IN MAY. She’ll be at a PUBLIC MEETING IN SIDMOUTH, WEDNESDAY 11 FEBRUARY 2015,
7PM, UNITARIAN CHURCH (AT THE JUNCTION OF HIGH STREET WITH ALL SAINTS ROAD).
The public meeting scheduled for 7 pm on Wednesday 11th February in Sidmouth’s Leigh Browne Room has been moved around the corner to the larger premises at the Unitarian Church on the corner of the High Street and All Saints Road.
A spokesman for Independent Candidate Claire Wright said: “Claire lives in West Hill, Ottery St Mary. Sidmouth was chosen as the first venue in her planned series of public meetings throughout the East Devon constituency as she bids to become our next Member of Parliament.
“Since the meeting was announced last month, Claire has been overwhelmed with messages of support from Sidmouth residents. She has therefore decided to move the event to a larger venue to accommodate the likely numbers.
“Another public meeting is scheduled for Woolbrook on 1st April and Claire will also be attending several events and taking part in election hustings with other candidates in Sidmouth during the run up to May 7th’s General Election.”
When Claire Wright first announced her candidature the bookmakers gave odds of 66-1 against her winning. The odds have shortened week after week since then and she is now seen as the front-runner to displace the current MP.
As the General Election approaches, Hugo Swire MP will be holding a meeting in Woodbury Village Hall on Friday, 20th February from 6.30 till 8.0 p.m. to discuss planning issues. Is this a first? There could be a full house!
From today’s Exmouth Journal:
New group “a breath of fresh air”
David Beasley
A brand new alliance for independent candidates is vowing to change the political landscape across East Devon.
On Tuesday, just 93 days before the national and local elections on May 7, the campaign group East Devon Alliance (EDA) revealed that, as far as the Electoral Commission is concerned, it is now a political party, unveiling a website and manifesto.
However, in reality, the EDA is a broad, umbrella group for similar-minded activists – and now more independent candidates are set to contest district council seats in East than at any point since 1973.
At the launch at the Axminster Heritage Centre, its leaders urged residents – tired of the old political parties – to rally to their cause.
Its leader is Woodbury and Lympstone’s independent district councillor Ben Ingham, with freelance BBC documentary maker Paul Arnott as chairman and Ian Mckintosh, founder of the EDA, and retired circuit judge, its president.
Councillor Ingham said: “For years the three main national political parties have been telling us what they want to do instead of listening and then delivering what we need to have.
“People are so fed up they have even been voting for the nationalist parties as an alternative, but these alternative parties prey on people’s gravest fears… they preach division and separation instead of unity, respect and understanding.”
He said it did not have to be like that and insisted that prospective parliamentary candidate Claire Wright, EDA’s council candidates and other independent councillors had a ‘very definite set of ideas.’
“Our campaign is like a breath of fresh air in a stagnant room,” said Cllr Ingham.
“So, over the next few weeks, all of us in East Devon should open the windows to change, breathe in deeply and take part in the most exciting political event to happen in East Devon for decades.”
Their policies range from ensuring that East Devon District Council (EDDC) is more open and accountable, supporting local businesses, preserving the environment, keeping local hospitals open and backing new developments – but only if they are `sensitive’ to what local people want.
Mr Arnott said: “We will allow vulnerable independent candidates to stand as independent East Devon Alliance candidates in May
“We know how hard it is for independents to stand without the help of a party machine.”
He said that the EDA had heard many complaints from residents about the way things were done at EDDC ‘because of national parties first standing in local elections 40 years ago, it has led today to an atrophied one-party disaster…’
“There’s no point just moaning from the sidelines…the only way to reform our council is through the ballot box,” he said.
“In May, the people of East Devon will be offered independent candidates across the district on a previously unknown scale.”
The following headlines and story relating to the same council, , from only a few years ago, may have some bearing on our own District Council’s office relocation extravaganza.
£9.9m bill to equip Rotherham Council’s new offices
Published date: 26 August 2011 | Published by: Gareth Dennison
Bill: Rotherham Council’s new offices.
ROTHERHAM Borough Council’s multi-million pound new offices will cost £9.9 million to furnish.
The £3 million-a-year rent paid to regeneration group Evans for Riverside House does not include kitting out the buildings.
The first staff will begin moving in before Christmas and the authority insists the total cost is less than staying put in its ageing existing buildings.
… “Political parties are run by gangs. The present gang running the Tory party was formed at university.
“They (the gangs) will bring people in when they need them but very rarely do those people go on to positions of leadership – they get spat out once they’re not needed.” …
Intense media interest in the new East Devon Alliance of Independent Candidates for the 2015 elections, has begun with reports of yesterday’s press launch.
Radio Devon was the first to pick up the story on its news bulletins on Monday, and prominent coverage was given in today’s editions of Pullman’s ‘View from..’ in Axminster, Colyton & Colyford, Honiton, Ottery St Mary, Seaton & Beer and Sidmouth. Here’s a sample: AxminsterViewLaunch
Independent Councillors, Susie Bond and Claire Wright, wrote enthusiastic accounts on their respective blogs: https://susiebond.wordpress.com/2015/02/03/eda-offers-assistance-to-independent-hopefuls/
And needless to say, the Real Zorro, too, gave rave reviews, and has this especially useful post http://realzorro1.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/eddc-its-time-for-change-its-time-for.html
EDWatch will keep you updated on any further reporting this week….and up to and beyond the May 2015 elections…
And so, we’re sure, will http://www.eastdevonalliance.org.uk
See http://www.eastdevonalliance.org.uk/ , report from Editor’s Chair of Pullman’s ‘View from..’
The following was issued today:
The EDA people realise it’s pretty tough being an Independent. Standing outside party ranks around here leaves them vulnerable to some below-the-belt stuff where they live, and they also have a limited ability to explain who and what they are beyond just local knowledge. There is no party slush find to pay for double-sided A3 colour leaflets.
That is why the East Devon Alliance announced this morning that they are launching just such an umbrella organisation to help Independent candidates to be heard. And to comply with electoral law they have begun the process of registering as a party at the Electoral Commission – which sadly is obligatory still.
All Independent candidates (if they wish to work with us) will be able to show voters via a new website, launched today, what they really hope to do, including:
1. a shared list of Issues and Aims for all those standing as East Devon Alliance independent candidates
2. a personal page to explain why they are standing in their ward
3. a video interview to introduce themselves less formally
4. a fully researched page explaining the problems and opportunities in their ward
From a comment received to the blog:
Coming out of Exeter along Topsham Road today I noticed a number of lampposts flying flags encouraging people to register to vote.
I haven’t noticed any such encouragement anywhere in East Devon, where the Registration Officer and CEO has been criticised for the numbers missing off the voter’s register and inadequate measures to address the issue. Have I missed any in the East a Devon area?
Many have suggested that EDDC should pause until after the General Election to see what is going to happen to local government. Today Labour announced that it is going to allow cities and counties to amalgamate to run many services currently under the control of district councils. So where does this leave the Knowle relocation vanity project?
“… [The Shadow Chancellor] will also pledge that a Labour Treasury will allow city and county regions which come together in combined authorities to keep 100 per cent of extra business rates revenue generated by additional growth. They will then be able to invest this to support further business growth in their regions.
“Local areas will be in the driving seat on key decisions affecting their local economies – with new powers over back-to-work schemes, to drive house building, and to integrate, invest in and plan transport infrastructure. And we will also let city and county regions keep all the additional business rates revenue generated by growth.”
http://press.labour.org.uk/post/109867958254/labour-sets-out-plans-for-biggest-devolution-of
It seems Independent MPs and the very small parties may well hold the balance of power after the next General Election whichever mainstream party has most seats. One vote either way on a contentious issue such as the NHS might well be crucial.
Time for Ladbroke’s to drop Claire Wright’s odds again perhaps!
Stirring words in Parliament on the lack of democracy in Hong Kong about which he said:
During my visit to Hong Kong in January, I met with the President of the Legislative Council as well as a number of legislators from a range of parties, and with a range of views on the constitutional reform debate.
and corrupt companies in the Republic if Congo about which he says:
We expect all companies to act appropriately and to the highest of standards, and encourage anyone with evidence of serious fraud, bribery or corruption to contact the Serious Fraud Office.
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/11265/hugo_swire/east_devon
I’m sure we could find him some similar stuff very much closer to home if he was interested…..!
Honestly, to read the EDDC webpage you wouldn’t think that our Chief Executive and Electoral Returning Officer had recently been brought before a Parliamentary Committee and hauled over the coals for doing little or nothing to register votes over the last few years! What’s that noise? Spinning, spinning!
“National Voter Registration Day is about spreading the word and encouraging people to take action by registering. However, it’s not only young people that we’re keen to register, we want all our residents that are eligible to vote to register, and we hope this day will focus attention on this aim.
Registering to vote is easy, just visit gov.uk/register-to-vote.”
Promises … maybes … looking into … might … eventually … possibly … PM here twice in a week … panic … yabber, yabber, yabber, yabber … same old … .
… but no Diviani or other EDDC Tory councillors in the pictures – has Hugo had a quiet word with Dave? And did the words “Claire Wright … threat to my majority” figure?
Claire Wright started at 66/1 and is today 10/1, just behind UKIP at 8/1. Odds on Hugo Swire have dropped to 1/7.
Should you fancy a bet (but, of course, bet responsibly and be over 18) Ladbrokes Online do not make it easy to place one!
First you need to go to the A-Z of betting headings and choose Politics, then General Election and then General Election Constituencies. At this point they make it even harder: in the A-Z of constituencies our district comes under D for Devon East and not E for East Devon!
East Devon Watch 