Knowle and the Local Plan will be the main topics for discussion. Details here http://saveoursidmouth.com/2014/11/28/public-open-meeting-in-sidmouth-tues-9th-dec-at-7pm-our-local-district-councillors-have-been-invited/
Category Archives: Knowle/Honiton/Exmouth relocation
EDDC: Please stop calling it “Plan B” – there was no Plan B!
It is NOT Plan B!
Why?
1. You did not factor into your Skypark choice that the supermarket destined for Honiton might change its plans (evidence: you told tenants of the East Devon Business Centre to start looking for new premises).
2. You did not know at the start of your deliberations that there would be space at Exmouth Town Hall (evidence: Devon County Council only recently announced that it would be vacating its space at Exmouth Town Hall).
3. If Exmouth had really been a viable alternative to Skypark, EDDC would have investigated the Rolle College site.
And, surely, with the empty space at Exmouth Town Hall, DCC is charged with getting best value for it. How can EDDC be sure of securing it?
Still, EDDC can always rent a few rooms at the Premier Inn!
“Real Power” to Exmouth with EDDC move
… or just a touchdown hot-desk base for those ever-roving, lower-level employees destined to roam the outer reaches of the district for ever whilst their Lords and Masters enjoy life in their new Honiton HQ.
Could “working for EDDC at Exmouth” become the new Siberia?
http://www.devon24.co.uk/news/eddc_to_bring_power_to_exmouth_1_3866187
Left hand, right hand, upper hand, under hand – or no hand at all?
The agenda for the Cabinet next week makes reference to:
The Office Accommodation Executive Group,
the Office Accommodation Project Executive Group and the
Member Executive Group.
We have heard only of a fourth group: the “Office Relocation Working Party”.
Is the “Member Executive Group” a jargon phrase for the Cabinet?
Why does it seem there no less than FOUR groups working in this: Secret, Top Secret, MI5 Secret and So-Secret-That-Don’t Officially Exist secret perhaps!
Or is it just one group with four names or three groups with two names or two groups with one nameor 4 groups with four names? My head hurts.
Or no groups at all – just one or two people working without supervision calling themselves whatever name seems good on the day?
Or, is it a case of divide and rule, more groups les information? Or just plain old incompetence?
It gets easier and easier to see how omnishambles happen!
Knowle relocation and EU Regulations: the questions that Overview and Scrutiny and/or Audit and Governance probably won’t ask
In Cabinet papers:
“On 4 June 14, Cabinet agreed that specialist expertise be commissioned to advise on the specialist area of European procurement, relating to Skypark. This advice has confirmed that a European procurement process for site acquisition and development was likely to be required, with additional cost and associated delay. Since June, however, as the body of the report explains, Skypark has in any case become less affordable due to the reduction in projected capital receipts likely to be available for the office relocation project.”
So, how come that for around 3 years no-one spotted that the new HQ project would require that it be done under EU regulations to promote fair competition and that this would result in additional costs?
What was EDDC planning to do that would have fallen foul of the regulations?
Who spotted it and how?
How much did the expert advice cost?
Why did the Relocation Manager not spot it earlier – wasn’t he recruited as an expert in these matters at huge cost?
Why is the construction of a new HQ in Honiton not under the same rules (or is it)?
Has anyone checked?
Why was Skypark dependent on the “all eggs in one basket” approach that fell at the first hurdle when the supermarket lowered its offer?
Was this included in the risk assessment?
Was there a risk assessment?
Whose head will roll?
And for future reference councillors and officers, here are the thresholds above which strict EU procurement guidelines are mandatory:
http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/publicprocurement/rules/current/index_en.htm
We like to be helpful where we can.
Trust and accountability
Why does the Cabinet at EDDC not trust its elected members? The Tories have a large majority, so even if it did not trust OTHER councillors it can, presumably, rely on its own members to agree with its policies.
It seems, from the element of surprise shown, that neither minority councillors nor majority councillors could be trusted by the Cabinet with the knowledge that EDDC was seeking a “Greater Exeter” solution to its current problems.
It also seems that those same majority and minority councillors could not be trusted to give useful input and feedback on a plan to move from Knowle to … well, where rather depends what month you are in!
If you are the Leader of a Cabinet that does not trust the majority of councillors, whatever their political persuasion, and keeps most of its business secret, why on earth would a councillor not in the Cabinet continue to accept such a situation?
Voters expect their councillors to represent them, yet how can they do this when the councillors themselves have no idea what is going on with two of the biggest issues facing the council.
To that we must add a third: the lack of a Local Plan and no 5 year land supply and all the problems that is causing. Yet we hear nothing from majority councillors on this dreadful state of affairs, and none of them seem to feel the need to question what is going on.
The Overview and Scrutiny Committee should be investigating these matters, instead of which it is just another rubber stamp committee which asks no questions and uncovers nothing that needs critical examination.
The only hope is that the public can shine lights – but their speaking rights have now been severely constrained, again with almost no dissent from ordinary majority party councillors.
Something is surely badly amiss in the “sovereign state” of East Devon.
Is the (latest!) relocation plan best for business?
From a correspondent:
‘As the EDA website correctly points out, EDDC recognises that local government reorganisation is in the offing.
But Chief Executive Mark Williams has already stated that in the event of local government reorganisation, the Knowle would have to be sold. Save Our Sidmouth (SOS) recently issued a press release highlighting his comments. If the Knowle will be sold for this reason, as Williams predicts, then logically so would the new HQ at Honiton and the surplus space at Exmouth. Why, then, are we proposing to spend £10 million + on a new building that can only be sold for a fraction of that cost?
The extremely lame offering from EDDC is that the new building could be used as a bigger East Devon Business Centre. Unfortunately, that idea has been scuppered by their recently commissioned Carter Jonas report, prepared when they wanted to close the Business Centre and use the funds to build Skypark, which concluded that the Business Centre was out of date, under-used and losing money….
Another definition of “sovereign”
Definition of sovereign in Oxford English dictionary:
NOUN
“supreme ruler”, especially a monarch: as in:
the Emperor became the first Japanese sovereign to visit Britain
Emperor Diviani … hmm … perhaps we shall soon see him in a toga with a laurel-leaf crown.
But beware the Ides of … May 2015!
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/sovereign
EDDC Tory party line on omnishambles: East Devon is “sovereign”
Response sent to a correspondent by EDDC councillor Peter Sullivan on the EDDC omnishambles. You can see the original request at the end of this post.
Interestingly, the reply was copied by Councillor Sullivan to EDDC councillor Phil “I am not and never have been a Whip” Twiss, who responded:
“Thanks for cutting to the chase on this one Peter and saying it as it is”.
Here is the reply, below is the original request for information. You be the judge – if we are a sovereign state. (NB: our bold text)
Definition: “sovereign”: 1. One that exercises supreme, permanent authority, especially in a nation or other governmental unit, as:
a. A king, queen, or other noble person who serves as chief of state; a ruler or monarch.
b. A national governing council or committee.
2. A nation that governs territory outside its borders.
3. A gold coin formerly used in Great Britain.
Dear [Correspondent]
“A memorandum of understanding has been put together which is a starter for taking forward shared services. It will put document on the table which we can now debate within the council and which can go through the democratic process. Without a document on the table there is nothing to discuss.
For as long as I have been a member there have been calls from all political parties for greater links between neighbouring councils I just see this as an on-going process.
In other areas of the country councils are coming together forming combined authorities and attracting considerable financial investment. Although this is not Unitary if that is your concern – the reorganisation into unitary will cost millions, it was about £120M + on-going costs in Cornwall’s case and they are now devolving to 19 regions within the county.
It’s about working together and maintaining our own sovereignty.
As for Sky Park and Manstone this was and has been going through a continuous evaluation recently and this has always been the stated position, as we all know this was only a preferred option not the final agreement as with any business case no decision will be made until ALL the relevant facts and figures are known and with member discussion.
I can remember a major exercise like this with a previous employer who had eventually to look at three different new locations / options for a new HQ, interestingly though it was the Board that made the final decision, the shareholders and workforce and public (even though there was public finances involved ) were informed after the event.
I believe we are being a lot more open and democratic with the way we are moving forward with our future plans.
As you know these issues will be discussed in future council meeting.
Peter Sullivan
[Conservative councillor for Sidmouth Town ward]
This was in response to this enquiry:
Councillors, (also sent to Cllrs Kerridge and Newth)
Three decisions with potentially major consequences for the people of east Devon have been announced by EDDC this week.
1. An agreement has been signed for ever closer union with Exeter and Teignbridge councils.
2. Skypark has been abandoned as a potential site for a new council HQ.
3. The Manstone depot may now be retained as an employment site and accommodate depot facilities currently based at Knowle
I can find no record of any Council, Cabinet, Working Party or sub-committee at which these proposals may have been discussed so can you, as my representatives on EDDC, please tell me:-
1. When and by what means did you first become aware of these decisions?
2. Do you know which Councillors or Officers were involved in making these decisions and on what authority they were published?
I look forward to your responses
[A correspondent]
Sidmouth
EDDC in danger of breaking the law with Skypark? Is there a smokescreen and/or a smoking gun?
No wonder EDDC wanted to keep its deliberations about a move to Skypark secret!
In Cabinet minutes they reveal:
“However, within the negotiation, due diligence process and legal advice it has become clear that such an arrangement could potentially fall outside of European Union regulations. This would have then required a new site search exercise, cost and delay.”
Now, what was the deal that might have been unlawful? When was it revealed that it might be unlawful? How much did the legal advice cost? Did the project continue after the advice was given? Is this the real reason the project was abandoned and the loss of the supermarket just a smokescreen?
Click to access 031214-cabinet-agenda-public-version.pdf
page 37 onwards
If Honiton and Exmouth now makes so much sense why waste hundreds of thousands of pounds on Skypark?
All efforts now are towards saying what a sensible and brilliant idea EDDC upper echelons have come up with for Exmouth and Honiton presence.
So why did they waste hundreds of thousands of pounds of OUR money on Skypark?
From their press release we learn:
“It is clear there is a need to increase service provision for housing benefits, Council Tax, housing advice and register and debt advice in both Exmouth and Honiton and there would be significant demand led presences in Sidmouth and Axminster.
“The council would provide surgeries in other towns as they do in Cranbrook, Seaton, Ottery St Mary, and would experiment with frequency and range of services depending on demand.”
It must have ALWAYS been clear that Exmouth, Honiton, Sidmouth and Axminster needed to be close to accessible services and that the need for these services would only increase as development increases. (Oddly Seaton doesn’t seem to need them – perhaps it will be left stateless when new mergers take place!).
Yet, given all of the above, Skypark was chosen. Why?
It is absolutely impossible to pull the wool over our eyes, EDDC – you blew it, you blew it spectacularly and no amount of “justification” for the latest plan will persuade us otherwise.
See you at the ballot box – though we would suggest to disenfranchised majority party councillors, as much in the dark as minority ones it seems, that a change at the top is now called for – and long overdue!
The Omnishambles Buck Stoppers Awards go to …
“Buck of the Millenium” awards go to:
Leader Paul Diviani – Leader, that’s a clue! He led his fellow-councillors up the Skypark creek and dropped them in their supermarket boat without paddles.
To the members of the Relocation Working Party for … well for nothing- wasting public money perhaps? Councillors Bloxham, Buxton, Cox, Diviani (of course), Elson, Gazzard, Hull, Moulding, Newth, Stott and Twiss. Particular mention here for Councillor Newth who, as a Sidmouth councillor, allowed the Knowle and all its employees to slip away on her watch.
Special mentions must go to the Chief Executive Mark Williams and particularly to the Deputy Chief Executive Richard Cohen who managed to make the whole process so secret that no checks and balances could take place, let alone consultation. It is possible that the fatal flaws would have been spotted much earlier had they been in the public domain so why … .
And, last but definitely not least, let us not forget “embedded” Relocation Manager Steve Pratten, hired out from Davis Langdon for a huge fee to provide us with …. er … pass.
To all these we would really like to say ….. goodbye.
A statistic: the amount of money spent on this failed project would have paid a good part of the upgrade costs of the Knowle.
THERE WAS NO PLAN B! ALL WAS DEPENDENT ON A NEW SUPERMARKET AND NOW PANIC PLANNING
Oh, the panic! No supermarket so no Skypark – now what! Think, think …. oh heck, we’ve sold the Knowle site – humungous panic. Wait, wait, there’s some space in Exmouth, there’s some space at the East Devon Business Centre (especially now we have told tenants they will need to leave), yeah, that should do it, quick, quick, a press release, oh heck, how are we going to talk our way out of this one, how can we fix it before the next election! Now, who can I pass the buck to? What, me, buck – no way!
Oh, and someone had better tell the councillors – oh damn, they have read it first on the EDA website and the Express and Echo.
That’s another fine mess you’ve got me into Ollie …. Ollie …. where are you Ollie!
Time to lie down in a darkened room …. what’s that, the last person left and turned the lights out?
Extract from council papers:
Report to: Cabinet
3 December 2014
Relocation Update – key decision
Purpose of report
In particular to make Members aware that Marketing of Knowle and Manstone sites is completed and further discussions with bidders are in progress and ….. to advise Members of changed circumstances and proposed changes to the preferred new HQ site.
Recommendation
1. Note project progress following the previous update report of4 June 2014
2. Recognise emerging changes to the relocation project agreethe following:
a. The marketing exercise for Knowle and Manstone has resulted in a range of offers and , following a detailed assessment process,
we have received price, form and quality of development propositions that merit further detailed negotiation toward selection of a preferred developer.
- Leading offers for Knowle do not include options to sell Manstone in which case EDDC can choose to retain Manstone for the foreseeable future as a depot function and continued employment use .
- The reduced offer for EDDC’s Heathpark site no longer represents a sufficiently persuasive level of capital receiptand will not be pursued further.
- The retention of Heathpark in EDDC ownership means that this now represents the most cost effective and straightforward location to develop a new headquarters building for the Council.
- Relocation to Skypark is no longer a viable proposition based on the reduced offer for Heathpark and combination of Knowle market value and prudential borrowing.
- The East Devon Business Centre (EDBC) should preferablybe retained and could potentially be combined within a new EDDC HQ development.
In the interim, Exmouth Town Hall has been vacated by Devon County Council Services and represents a new opportunity within the relocation plan.
- A new HQ in Honiton can be restricted in size and cost to a170 desk equivalent scale with an improved Exmouth Town Hall for 80 EDDC staff as a main satellite office in the District’s largest community.
As part of its commitment to more mobile working and accessibility, the Council will offer a service presence as customers require in future at locations elsewhere in the District.
- That relocation continues to make financial and operational sense on a whole life cost basis, specifically 20 yr. projections
combining capital receipt and repayment of prudential borrowing versus existing office running cost and unfunded expenditure on
existing building repair, maintenance and improvement.
Authorise the Deputy Chief Executive (Development, Regeneration and Partnership) in consultation with the Office
Accommodation Executive Group to take forward further actions in pursuit of the above recommendations and Project
Plan
4. Agree that further reports are produced for Cabinet and Council on project progress and to seek formal approval for any disposal of Knowle
AND MORE MAJOR COCKUPS:
Between Feb 2014 and now circumstances have changed. The offer price for our Heathpark site has reduced. The supermarket concerned has, along with others in the sector, revised its business model. In this case the retailer revised their offer around a reduction in size of food storeand significantly reduced the offer price for the site. This reduced offer takes a significant sum of
money out of the funding package to deliver a new build at Skypark as well as providing a replacement of EDBC. Also, a key plus point regarding Skypark was the prospect of a turn-key guaranteed maximum price arrangement to completion of a new HQ that would minimise uncertainty and reduce risk
.
However, within the negotiation, due diligence process and legal advice it has become clear that such an arrangement could potentially fall outside of European Union regulations. This would have then required a new site search exercise, cost and delay.
Do recall that, all down the line, EDDC insisted that the relocation would be “cost neutral”!
STOP PRESS: EDDC U-TURN: SKYPARK OUT, EXMOUTH AND HONITON IN
Cabinet agenda – including costs information on Knowle refurbishment
Click to access 031214-cabinet-agenda-public-version.pdf
One highlight:
ED Leisure Management Ltd has requested additional funding of £400,000 to support its capital investment in Exmouth Leisure Centre, including the provision of indoor climbing,increased gym and studio facilities.
BUT NOT A WORD ABOUT NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN EAST DEVON, EXETER AND TEIGNBRIDGE ON A JOINT WORKING AGREEMENT BEING SIGNED.
EDDC’s Skypark move is off!
Surprise, surprise! The following statement has just been issued by East Devon District Council:
25 November 2014
Development at Knowle and changes to destination to be considered by cabinet
Significant changes to the preferred location of new council offices in East Devon will be discussed at cabinet next week (Wednesday, 3 December).
Cabinet will hear the latest developments since it was last reported in February and how changing market conditions mean that SkyPark is no longer the preferred option.
Whilst SkyPark has been the leading contender as the relocation site, the council was very clear that no decision was going to be made on the final location until all the facts and figures were known with other key pieces in what is a complex jigsaw slotting in to place.
Instead, recommendations to cabinet are to retain the council-owned Heathpark site in Honiton and potentially combine East Devon Business Centre with a new headquarters. This will allow existing tenants of the business centre to remain.
In addition, it is recommended that the council use the existing office space at Exmouth Town Hall, recently vacated by Devon County Council. This would allow for a smaller building in Honiton and existing tenants at Exmouth Town Hall to remain.
Interest
Marketing of Heathpark began last year and the highest value commercial interest came from a supermarket operator. The offer price negotiated at that time was attractive as part of the funding package to relocate to SkyPark but the supermarket reduced its offer in line with a new business sector model. The reduced offer makes a sale of the site no longer attractive.
In response to marketing of Knowle and Manstone, a mix of proposals were received, which contained variations on residential, retirement and/or care and extra care communities whilst retaining the public park. All proposals were based on the removal of existing buildings at Knowle (whilst keeping or re-provisioning the bat roost). A range of matters still need to be explored before selecting a preferred bidder but once selected, it will be for the developer to enter into discussions with the planning authority to explore proposals.
Among the bids are proposals to develop Knowle only. It could well be that a preferred developer is selected that leaves Manstone to continue operating as a depot for the time being. The depot functions currently provided at Knowle Depot would be transferred across to Manstone.
New build at Honiton and refurbishment of Exmouth Town Hall will be funded by capital receipts and prudent borrowing. Over a 20 year period the spend will at least pay for itself with savings accruing after then. This would allow the council to remove itself from a costly, uncertain and increasingly impractical future at Knowle.
Essential repair works to existing buildings would cost £1.5 million and there is no funding allocation to cover this cost. Refurbishment of all existing buildings would cost up to £15.9m. Knowle has high annual energy costs of £83,900 per year compared to a predicted energy cost for Honiton/Exmouth combined of £33,700 per year.
Operationally, a twin site approach accommodating around 250 officers will be supported by mobile working. The council aims to expand its digital offering and has an ongoing project to improve existing online transactions and develop a further online service for customers who would like to do their business online.
Demand
Sites in two of East Devon’s major towns provide an ideal opportunity for the council to respond to the demand for various services. It is clear there is a need to increase service provision for housing benefits, Council Tax, housing advice and register and debt advice in both Exmouth and Honiton and there would be significant demand led presences in Sidmouth and Axminster.
The council would provide surgeries in other towns as they do in Cranbrook, Seaton, Ottery St Mary and would experiment with frequency and range of services depending on demand.
In the longer term, the council needs to consider the shape of local government. A combined Honiton and Exmouth office base offers a more flexible approach to our accommodation requirements involving new and modernised offices in two locations. In a world of increasing co-operation between local authorities, a smaller headquarters and an accessible presence around the district offers a better proposition for our customers.
If a successor organisation or other local government arrangement inherited Knowle from the council it is unlikely that such care would be shown toward its future use as shown by the East Devon District Council.
Cabinet’s decision next week will then be considered by full council on Wednesday, 17 December.
“Greater Exeter” – just as EDA predicted months ago, weeks ago, days ago and hours ago!
Well, we did break this story long before the three councils deigned to tell us – perhaps we spooked them into bringing it into the public domain!
Four questions:
How long have these talks between the three councils been going on?
Where are the agenda items/minutes where our EDDC councillors democratically voted and agreed on this?
Will this “Board” meet in secret? (We are fairly sure we know the answer to that one!)
How does this affect/change Knowle/Skypark relocation plans?
Maybe you have more questions?
EDDC Deputy Leader rails against failure to provide details of finances, and about secrecy.
Cllr Andrew Moulding has said not a word about the same issues regarding Knowle office relocation.
But in his other role as a Devon County Councillor for Axminster, he seems greatly exercised by them. See him in action at this webcam link to DCC’s recent debate on the NHS failure to provide details of the finances for the community health provision rationalisation while maintaining secrecy.http://www.devoncc.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/118538 ( Just click on Cllr Moulding’s name, for his speech near the beginning of the meeting.)
Planning decision quashed because important information not released to the public
Today a wind turbine … tomorrow … ?
“…“Local authorities would do well to note the strictness of the test here: breaches of the access to information provisions of the 1972 Local Government Act, and of the undertakings in a Statement of Community Involvement, will mean decisions taken are liable to be quashed upon challenge, unless the decision would inevitably have been the same without the breaches. Inevitability is a hard thing to prove.” ..”
New light on Knowle, thanks to Mark Williams
See today’s press release from Save Our Sidmouth http://saveoursidmouth.com/2014/11/20/chief-executive-sheds-new-light-on-knowle/
East Devon Watch 