What is widely considered the secretive saga of EDDC’s bungled relocation plans, is reaching a costly crescendo…and not just in monetary terms. If the District Council’s plans go-ahead, this unique landmark parkland will have restricted access, and the Public Open Space will be much reduced.
To have your say, see http://saveoursidmouth.com/2015/02/12/where-how-to-send-comments-on-appropriation-disposal-of-land-at-knowle/
The quote from Cllr Susie Bond comes from this post on her blog: https://susiebond.wordpress.com/2015/02/12/local-plan-update-well-sort-of/
But strangely no mention of the Local Plan (nor of the precise costs of EDDC’s planned move from Knowle ) from Cllr Bond’s colleagues representing Sidmouth, in their current leaflet to residents (mentioned on our website yesterday) . EDWatchers can view the leaflet’s two pages here: In Touch Feb 2015 and here In Touch East Devon residents’ survey. Feb 2015
A local resident has had it confirmed (it appears) that email objections count as “written” submissions. If you prefer email please check but it seems it is possible.
Real Zorro (http://realzorro1.blogspot.co.uk/) gives the welcome news that Sidmouth Chamber of Commerce members have been encouraged to object to EDDC’s land grab at the Knowle. This land grab is being attempted in order to give potential developers a nicer package.
It is a pity that the majority of local Tory district councillors do not appear so far to have followed suit – not a peep out of them.
Sidmouth might be better off with Shaun the Sheep, who at least displays some feistiness and fighting spirit, rather than the sheep they voted in at the last election.
Better luck at the next election in May, Sidmothians. What you need is more Independents!
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.
“The town hall development would be funded by the authority, planning deals and private investors, say council documents.”
Now, where have we heard this before!
A Vision
(with apologies to Coleridge)
In Honiton E.D.D.C.
Says its new offices shall be –
Far from the town where, as we know,
The office workers like to go.
No longer all Knowle’s greenery
But superstore and factory.
An Exmouth office, too, a place
Where few will find a parking space –
The building looks like an old barn,
Not like the “dome” in “Kubla Khan”.
But, Oh, the waste of public money –
The ratepayers don’t think it funny:
To build a glass and concrete shed
And trash the park and Knowle instead,
For “Our Great Leader” and his crew
Have no care for the public’s view;
Nor badger-setts, nor many a tree;
Nor office blocks, built ’83;
Nor Chambers, used by you and me;
Nor weekend tourist-parking, free;
Nor jobs and trade Sidmouth will lose;
Nor all the lovely parkland views –
All sold to builders for a fee –
And all for what? For vanity?
This Council, with no Local Plan,
Lets builders build where’er they can.
Yet in my crystal ball I see
A new look for E.D.D.C.:
Independents there will be
As councillors for you and me,
Come from every town and shire
With the Wright One to remove Swire,
Who all will cry: Please be aware:
We will not relocate somewhere
Based on false claims that there will be
“Big”(?) savings made in energy.
We come to bring Democracy,
And Probity, Transparency.
You all know there’s a better way –
It’s signposted by E.D.A.* ,
So, all you readers, lend a hand
And save our green and pleasant land.
(*EDA is East Devon Alliance)
by Mike Temple, Sidmouth (with permission of author)
Letter in today’s Exmouth Journal:
I live in a big old house that costs a lot to heat and maintain, and with my budget tightening, I certainly won’t plan to move.
I don’t think East Devon District Council should move either. Not to Exmouth. Not to Honiton.
To waste £700,000 of our money “just thinking about it” (Cllr Ben Ingham’s letter, January 29) while at the same time drastically cutting services seems not the wisest of moves.
We need more common sense voices like the Independent Claire Wright to urge sense and sensibility on our council.
Rather than expensive vanity projects, they should stay in their old home in Sidmouth (even expensive to heat) and concentrate on spending our money more wisely.
May I make a moving plea to our council: Don’t Move!
JED FALBY
Budleigh Salterton.
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.
Another public consultation, EDDC-style, is underway. Can anyone find the plans online? Unlike planning proposals, comments ‘must be made IN WRITING’ (no mention of website option).
Your friends and neighbours might like to know.
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
We broke this story 10 days ago but good to see the Midweek Herald catching up on Councillor Peter Halse saying EDDC has fallen flat on its face with the relocation project:
http://www.midweekherald.co.uk/news/eddc_relocation_we_ve_fallen_flat_on_our_face_1_3937665
“To a Louse” is, of course, the poem by Rabbie Burns which contains the immortal line:
“O would some power the giftie gie us to see ourselves as others see us.”
Bear this saying in mind when reading the following report on a recent meeting about the reduction in services at Axminster Hospital sent in by a correspondent (very slightly edited of its more pungent comments) and compare it with public criticisms about Knowle relocation: a leading advocate of which is one Councillor Andrew Moulding:
“At a well attended meeting to discuss progress in the fight to maintain in-patient beds at Axminster hospital, Cllr Andrew Moulding (wearing both his Town and County councillor hats) spoke to concerned residents about his representations to the Devon CC Health and Wellbeing OSC. He made clear his feelings on the matter to the OSC and stated that his only job as a Councillor was to convey the feelings, views, anger and frustration ohf Axminster people over the shameful way in which the CCG and NDHT had conducted themselves, with misleading figures, loaded and biased consultations and the heavy handed (and expensive) use of lawyers to force a decision through…
A member of the public replied that the whole situation was ” kafka-esque ” and that despite public passion and anger and a huge response ( against the establishment view ) to the Consultation document, it seems as if the publics wishes and views were simply ignored… How do we change this state of affairs…
Jeremy Walden then waded in to say that it wasn’t his place to tell the public how to change things they didn’t like but that the day to do so was soon upon us all…. oooh, cryptic!
However, the real eye opener was when AM then said that the CCG must keep an open mind on the whole issue and could not just proceed as it pleased disregarding public sentiment and that he did not believe them when they said that ” no decisions had yet been made ” – he chuckled good naturedly – again, my only job is to pass on my electorates views, which I will do with a passion… ( confetti rained down from the ceiling, trumpets blared etc ). The CCG and NDHT have not been forthcoming with their figures, the ones they have released are flawed, they have used Commercial Confidentiality as an excuse to withhold data and this does not allow an analytical, reasoned, impartial review to take place by those opposed to the plans. THIS IS QUITE WRONG AND MUST BE CHALLENGED!
Then, oh lord yes, he came up with this peach…
We (the working party – doctors, councillors, league of friends) believe that no decision on this critical matter should be taken until after the General election as governments may change, funding may change, policies may change and so to make the decision before then would be quite wrong as there are too many unknown factors at play. (cue: rousing applause).
Compare, of course, this statement with the Cabinet view at EDDC – of which AM is the deputy Leader – regarding the HQ relocation saga. When a motion proposing a moratorium on the process was proposed by the opposition independent group, the ruling majority were outraged! Why should we hold off on major decisions until after the election; that is not democratic and simply delays good decision making and as for using lawyers to suppress the truth, issuing flawed figures, hiding behind commercial confidentiality, making decisions before consultations complete…. I don’t recall AM making a similar stand then!”
Truly some of us badly need the ability to see ourselves as others see us.
No, we didn’t know what or who the “Strategic Management Team” is either – they don’t seem to be mentioned anywhere but we are told it is the head honchos here
Click to access eddc_smt_structure_chart_sept_2014_with_salaries.pdf
Below is a question on survey design on the Whatdotheyknow website that mentions them and where EDDCs replies are “Sir Humphrey Appleton” masterpieces of using lots of words to give almost no information!
So basically the six very highest paid officers devise all questionnaires – presumably including the one that didn’t include staying at Knowle as an option – a very odd decision!
So when you read that just about everyone in East Devon is satisfied witheverything EDDC does, you know who designed the questions to give the most positive answers.
Are you: ecstatic, over the moon or very happy with their creations?
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/eddcs_2014_viewpoint_surveys_an#incoming-611211
East Devon Watch 