“Councillor Paul Diviani, Leader of EDDC, said: “The British people have spoken and why not? They were asked a question and they have answered it.
As far as I’m concerned it was the right answer because I trust the electorate to get the answer right.”
http://www.midweekherald.co.uk/news/eu_referendum_eddc_leader_says_i_trust_the_electorate_1_4590816
ER … ONLY WHEN IT AGREES WITH HIM!!!!
Cranbrook Town Council Facebook page – not quite Councillor Diviani’s perfect sustainable town (see earlier post)
“LET’S WORK TOGETHER TO STAMP OUT FLY TIPPING
Fly tipping is beginning to be a problem in the Cranbrook area. In a number of recent cases, however, East Devon District Council has been successful in catching the offenders and serving fixed penalties (to cover the clear up costs) which were an average of £150 in each case. Obviously it is in everybody’s interests that we avoid unsightly and potentially hazardous views like this one, so please click for information about what to do if you see incidents of fly tipping or need advice on how to dispose of your rubbish responsibly.”
Remember this post from 20 April 2016 when several of our local dignitaries enjoyed a very chummy night out at the opening of the Deer Park Hotel’s new Orangery?
Colin Brown, East Devon District Councillor for Dunkeswell, EDDC Development Management Committee and Licensing Enforcement Committee, of the Monkton Court Hotel, Honiton; director of Bell Vue Developments
Paul Diviani, Leader EDDC, Devon County Councillor and Local Enterprise Partnership board member and formerly of the Stockland Arms Hotel, Stockland
Jenny Wheatley-Brown, also of the Monkton Court Hotel, Honiton and Conservative candidate for district council seat (lost) at Seaton at the last election and also director of Bell Vue Developments
and
John O’Leary, EDDC Councillor, Licensing Enforcement Committee, with special responsibility for the Thelma Hulbert Gallery, Honiton and Town Councillor for Honiton St Pauls, also formerly of the Stockland Arms Hotel, Stockland
at The Deer Park Country House Hotel for the unveiling of it’s orangery.”
Well, it appears that all of them considered that they were being invited to this knees up in their private capacities, since none of them have declared the event in their “Hospitality and Gifts” expenses at EDDC.
What a very, very, very fine line our politicians tread.
So, if the Deer Park comes before either the Development Management Committee or the Licensing Committee in future Messrs Brown and O’Leary can sit on them with clear consciences.
And for your delectation, here is how the night was described by one attendee:
The building boasts floor-to-ceiling palatial arched windows and decadent chandeliers, and mosaic flooring with dapper decor throughout. The lavish bash was held in Honiton last Friday (April 15). Mike Arscott, sales and marketing director at Deer Park Hotel, said “The orangery launch party was an outstanding success. “It was a genuine privilege to gather over 300 friends, colleagues and constructors together to celebrate the completion of our latest phase of development. “I am extremely proud of the new facilities at Deer Park and look forward to welcoming many old and new faces back to see the beauty and style we have put back into this stunning country house. “The party wouldn’t have been a success without the support from our local suppliers. The madness of the cabaret acts and magic performers plus a simply spiffing fireworks display, will live long in all our memories.”
http://www.eastdevon24.co.uk/news/grand_orangery_unveiling_at_deer_park_is_a_success_1_4501090
Unfortunately, the “Gifts and Hospitality” page of the EDDC website appears to be offline at the moment, but when it is up and running again, you can access it here:
http://eastdevon.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/councillor-conduct/gifts-and-hospitality/
LEPs only have to have one-third business people, which would then leave councils in the driving seat of devolution. Ours ended up with two-thirds business and education (just another business these days) with councillors very much in the minority and in the back seat, or possibly even the boot.
How was that engineered and by whom?
We know that Paul Diviani has been an LEP board member since 2014 ( even though he did not tell other councillors about the LEPs role in devolution until September 2015), so he had to have been aware what was happening.
The selection process for ALL LEP members is shrouded in mystery … not a good way to conduct publicly funded business.
Colin Brown, East Devon District Councillor for Dunkeswell, EDDC Development Management Committee and Licensing Enforcement Committee, of the Monkton Court Hotel, Honiton; director of Bell Vue Developments
Paul Diviani, Leader EDDC, Devon County Councillor and Local Enterprise Partnership board member and formerly of the Stockland Arms Hotel, Stockland
Jenny Wheatley-Brown, also of the Monkton Court Hotel, Honiton and Conservative candidate for district council seat (lost) at Seaton at the last election and also director of Bell Vue Developments
and
John O’Leary, EDDC Councillor, Licensing Enforcement Committee, with special responsibility for the Thelma Hulbert Gallery, Honiton and Town Councillor for Honiton St Pauls, also formerly of the Stockland Arms Hotel, Stockland
at The Deer Park Country House Hotel for the unveiling of it’s orangery.
Photographer: Terry Ife (Midweek Herald)
OK – who was it? Excellent April fool notice strapped to a lamp-post in Coburg Road just behind the Museum in Sidmouth. Notice apparently issued to EDDC applying to take over the land presently occupied as Tennis courts and a Bowling Club between Blackmore Gardens and the Rugby Club to build 100+ sheltered homes/accommodation. The applicant is cited as a Mr Paul Diviani.
Whoever it was – well done! Will it provoke any reactions?
Or maybe it isn’t an April Fool joke ….!
A most interesting agenda for the next Scrutiny Committee:
The beach hut omnishambles shambles on .. graphs, pie charts, illustrate how best to fleece beach hut renters …
A most interesting section on why Dunkeswell and Chardstock were added to the Local Plan at the last minute (and removed by the Inspector at the last second). A tale of meetings between Diviani and Moulding (the latter unable to attend the meeting and having sent in a written report), of an eloquent developer coincidentally having the same views as Moulding and the unfortunate absence due to sickness of Diviani when the decision was made ….
What’s that smell?
Recent comment on EDW:
“Please note that the man who claims to have “initiated the East Devon Business Forum” is on the HotSWLEP panel, together with his CEO, and that the former joined the LEP when the East Devon Business Forum disbanded following the exposure and [subsequent resignation of] fellow EDBF member Cllr G Brown in 2013.”
[And also note another member of the LEP is former EDDC Regeneration Supremo Karim Hassan, now CEO of Exeter City Council. Diviani and Hassan will be in charge of all the extra housing that the LEP says the two counties need – nearly 180,000 of them].
“Deputy leader Cllr Andrew Moulding added: “I think we have to trust our leader, supported by the chief executive, to work in our interest to get the best possible negotiated deal we can for devolution and localism in our area.”
http://www.midweekherald.co.uk/news/devolution_deal_moves_closer_despite_concern_1_4406297
Well, that’s us sorted then …
And which councillor has most power and influence to gain from the devolution deal? Councillor Diviani, who is currently slated to be responsible for housing expenditure in the whole of Devon and Somerset – along with his old pal Exeter CEO Karim Hassan (ex-EDDC).
Happy days.
Diviani has put together the usual oleaginous press release about what wonderful things EDDC promises us this year.
Owl refuses to print it, discuss it or link to it – why waste precious breaths on weasel words.
New improved ways of working will make us a leaner and more efficient modern council says the Leader of East Devon District Council, Councillor Paul Diviani in his Christmas message
(translation: we know we have always been a bloated and inefficient council but this is the sort of thing our public relations people tell us we have to say)
“A friend of mine recently told me that when she first moved to East Devon to take up a new job, she thought she had died and gone to heaven. Even now, having lived here for 12 years, she says she still wakes up every morning thinking how unbelievably lucky she is to live and work in such a wonderful place.
There is almost NO doubt that this “friend” will be living in the Blackdown Hills where our Leader protects his backyard like no other).
“East Devon inspires this level of passion in people and no more so than in myself, my fellow councillors and the officers of East Devon District Council. We are all passionate about the work that we do and, above all, we want to ensure that East Devon remains a fantastic place for people like us to live in, work, visit and enjoy.
Why wouldn’t you say you are passionate when “people like you” get a lot of money so that you can live, work and enjoy your status whilst people like “us” get a lot less so that we can find our daily commute a nightmare, our work seasonal and low-paid and our enjoyment of council provided services something we remember from the distant past.
“So over the next four years we will be rising to meet the many challenges that reduced funding and increased demands on our services brings. In order to make necessary savings of £2.6m, we will be using new ways of working, involving systems thinking principles and our ‘WorkSmart‘ approach, which together harness the latest technology and modern working practices. Our move from Knowle to new accommodation in Honiton and Exmouth is part of this plan and will help us become a modern day council in every sense of the word.
Over the next four years we are going to have to do the darnedest to make you think that things are getting better whilst we slash services, increase costs for those that are left and hope like hell that we can keep the REAL cost of the move from Knowle under wraps. And presumably, “we” didn’t WorkSmart before but we will gloss over that.
“All of this will make us leaner, more efficient and better placed to deliver the kind of service that we know you, the residents of East Devon want. We are keen to keep improving and to help us do so, we will be listening to what you have to say in consultations and through our viewpoint surveys.
WE may be getting leaner, but our fat cats (particularly our developers) will be getting fatter and fatter. We’ve covered “more efficient and better” above – the repetition is getting a bit tedious now!
“Great services and great service, first time and every time is the standard that we have set for ourselves. To do that we need to be bold, creative, open and innovative, but above all we must pull together as one council. These are values that set us apart and make the council a place where people want to work – in fact, over 93% of our staff said they would recommend the council as a place to work!
Well, yes, you will get great service and great services if you are a developer. But, frankly, for the rest of us, if you turn out to be timid, hidebound, closed and backwards we will never hear about it from you. And they are NOT “great values that set you apart” – it is how ALL councils are supposed to be! And can we see that survey of the staff please – in its entirety as, so often, your so-called surveys leave a lot to be desired in terms of design.
Focus on four priorities
“To help us deliver these aspirations, we have developed our new council plan, which provides a constant focus on four main priorities:
(ALL councils focus on four or more priorities – this seems to be a public relations rule – but hope that everyone forgets what they were before a local election. East Devon Watch will NOT forget on your behalf.
“We will be encouraging our communities to be outstanding, by helping them to solve their local problems. We also want to encourage people to live healthier, more active lifestyles through sport and exercise and to make the most of the wonderful countryside that surrounds us.
Don’t come to us when you want money or help – do it yourself – and when it all gets too much take a LONG walk in what countryside remains after we have concreted over most of it.
“We will continue to promote East Devon as an outstanding place in which to do business and we will strengthen the local economy by attracting inward investment and supporting businesses.
Developers – we are still your bestest friend. Businesses that we approve of – we are the council that gave you the East Devon Business Forum and its leader Graham Brown and now give you (or rather they give to you via us) the Local Enterprise Partnership. Businesses that we don’t approve of – fend for yourselves.
“It is so important that our natural and built environment is protected and we will be working to reduce levels of waste produced in the district, as well as controlling levels of pollution through education and enforcement of environmental legislation.
Have to say, this one almost renders Owl speechless (or rather hootless) – they are going to reduce pollution by educating US! And “enforcement of environmental legislation” – remember that this government is attempting to water down environmental legislation to almost homeopathic levels and our council is slavishly behind this government in every respect.
“We will be prioritising a culture of openness and transparency by keeping our residents fully informed and we are fully committed to innovative ways of working and commercial thinking, including an improved digital service to give our customers the chance to self serve.
Ah, the culture of openness and transparency where, unless you own a computer, you will be cut off from the majority of council services. The same culture that keeps so many committees and think tanks secret behind closed doors. The culture that allows the majority party to have talks about privatising our services out to the Local Enterprise Partnership and wants to delegate the decision-making and agreement signing to the CEO and Leader without ANY councillor knowing what exactly either or both may be signing. Hmmm.
Pride in our achievements
“But as we draw near to the end of the year, it is only right that I mention with great pride, a few of the many significant achievements that this council has made during 2014/2015.
Quick, someone, gloss over all our omnishambles – look for something, anything that we can boast about!
“Top of the list of our accomplishments is housing. We have delivered a grand total of 388 homes for local people, which is our highest number of new affordable local homes in one year. It is our continuing aim to provide more good quality, local homes for local people.
Those would be the good quality homes that, in Cranbrook, the town with almost no shops. Homes which, if you get your way, will now be built on much-needed car parks! And what about all those affordable homes that developers refused to build and you allowed them to strike out (for example, Seaton Tesco land, where Tesco and the developer were “too poor” to provide any affordable homes). And let’s see how many Pegasuslife can provide at the Knowle!!!
“Homelessness in East Devon is extremely low thanks to our homeless prevention initiatives and we are working hard through our Empty Homes Plan to help owners of neglected empty properties in East Devon to bring their properties back into residential use, which will relieve pressure on the private and public housing sectors.
Homelessness in East Devon is characterised by two homeless people dying in the street in Sidmouth very recently and food banks in all major towns. And just how many “owners of neglected property” will you be working with and how?
“Finally, it gives me enormous pleasure to say that the finalisation of our Local Plan is now within sight and we are anticipating being able to adopt it early next year. This detailed and robust document will help us deliver the aspirations and housing needs of local people, as well as land for employment. It will also help protect our beautiful countryside from unwanted and inappropriate development.
Ah, finally – the Local Plan. The plan that was orchestrated for years by ex-Councillor Graham Brown (he of the front page of the Daily Telegraph sting and where originally all meetings were held in secret and with no minutes until Claire Wright forced publication) and the East Devon Business Forum. Which then had to be started all over again from scratch, was thrown out by the planning inspector once, thrown out again a second time and which the said planning inspector has now decided to complete himself! The one that left the whole district open to a development free-for-all. Omnishambles Number One for the past 5-7 years. Best keep this one for last and hope no-one notices.
“Exciting times lie ahead for us and we are looking forward to working with you all to achieve the greater good for East Devon.
You bet exciting times lie ahead, but not perhaps, exciting happy times. More and more development, not a hint of where the money for the accompanying infrastructure will come from, a vastly increased Cranbrook, small villages being forced to take extra development as their built-up boundaries are being dismantled, developers continuing to build high cost homes in high cost areas
“May I now wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy new year.”
Enjoy it while you can – it can only get worse but, don’t worry, I will be at the helm ….. with my trusty cabinet …. and officers …. and the Blackdown Hills will be just fine!
Councillor Paul Diviani
Summary: “Just give me 500 Christmassy words of milksop basic council jargon will you please, officers and then I will leave you alone till this time next year. And, whatever you do, DO NOT MENTION EXMOUTH SPLASH!
Will Diviani and Williams go head-to-head on this one, or does Swire have it in the Santa sack already (presuming it isn’t too far beneath him)?
This is the unelected and unaccountable body that wants to run Devon and Somerset
http://www.heartofswlep.co.uk/
and this is what it wants to do:
“Our ambition is to maximise our area’s assets and inspire innovation and entrepreneurship to create long-term economic growth. We want to see our urban centres fulfil their capacity for growth whilst ensuring that our rural areas flourish through enterprise and improved competitiveness.”
This is their ” vision” for our area:
http://www.heartofswlep.co.uk/current-priorities
This is what it is currently spending our money on:
http://www.heartofswlep.co.uk/current-activities
These are the unelected people running it:
http://www.heartofswlep.co.uk/chief-executive-and-non-executive-directors
including our own Paul Diviani, who will be in charge of housing for Devon and Somerset if this comes off (hope you won’t be needing a Devon and Somerset Local Plan guys) and Andrew Leadbetter (DCC councillor in charge of the rural broadband omnishambles).
Most of their current money (around £65m) has already been pledged to their favoured projects and most of the leg-work of who does what appears to have been pretty much sorted out.
Makes the East Devon Business Forum look like nursery school! Oh look, it has its own Business Forum:
http://www.heartofswlep.co.uk/heart-south-west-business-forum
Time to re-read “Brave New World” and “1984” Owl thinks!
Perhaps it just means lots of self-employed people with zero-hours staff. Anyone else find this jargon for “big subsidies to business to try to kick-start failed projects” annoying? It hasn’t worked, so pump more taxpayer money into it. AND the number of jobs to be created (Owl seems to remember it was 6,000 at Skypark alone a while back):
Councillor Paul Diviani, leader of East Devon District Council, said:
“We are over the moon to be awarded Enterprise Zone status as important recognition of East Devon’s strategy for growth with the potential to provide 10,000 jobs and 18,000 homes in East Devon.”
Again, anyone remember the “one new job to be created to one new home” mantra – now, with more money it’s nearer half a job per house! Try paying the mortgage on that small enterprisers!
And the new zone:
“Hopes of an influx of new businesses to East Devon have been raised after a joint bid with Sedgemoor for Enterprise Zone status was approved.
The bid, which was given the green light by Chancellor George Osborne as part of the Autumn Statement, comprises five sites across two locations in the Heart of the South West (HotSW), four in East Devon and one near Bridgwater in Sedgemoor.
The Enterprise Zone combines the South West’s largest brownfield site at Huntspill Energy Park near Bridgwater with the innovation led offer of Exeter Science Park, the low carbon credentials of SkyPark, expansion space for Exeter Airport business park and the development of the new community of Cranbrook as a small enterprise town, all linked by the M5 corridor.
Benefits of enterprise zones include the local area being able to keep 100 per cent of the growth in business rates over 25 years, to re-invest in infrastructure and growth generating projects.” …
http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co.uk/Green-light-East-Devon-Sedgemoor-Enterprise-Zone/story-28248291-detail/story.html
… to the press release about where to site gypsy and traveller accommodation in East Devon. Cranbrook and around the M5 and A30 suggested:
But there is another possible location not mentioned – the Blackdown Hills!
Wonder why? Surely gypsies and travellers would much prefer the countryside to suburban Cranbrook?
Anyone wishing to suggest any part of the Blackdown Hills as a suitable location can do so in writing to:
Planning Policy Section
East Devon District Council
Knowle
Sidmouth, EX10 8HL
Comments must arrive on or before: Monday September 21, 2015.
Perhaps with a copy to the councillor for the Blackdown Hills, Paul Diviani, Leader, East Devon District Council.
We aim to secure an outstanding and sustainable quality of life for everyone in East Devon.
Now, let’s get it straight: we are talking about developers here – who did you think I was talking about?
Where we live, work and play has a tremendous influence on our well-being. We shall seek to conserve and enhance the environment through the social and economic well-being of the people who live and work here. We must achieve a proper balance between the environment, the economy and our communities by weighing the relative merits to ensure sustainability and resultant harmony.
Of course, I am talking only about the Blackdown Hills here – the rest of you will just have to cope with whatever developments we decide to throw at you.
We want to be safe in our communities and to that end we will work in partnership with the other authorities to achieve that. We will look after the disadvantaged of all ages, to ensure that lack of finance and opportunity is not a barrier to the quality of life we all desire. With local housing for local people our top priority, we shall enable good quality and sustainable development to produce the 250 affordable homes we need every year. Then, at last, we will enable families to live and work in close proximity to each other, emulating the cohesive neighbourhoods we remember and desire.
I’m not daft: I shall be needing the police to provide me with a bodyguard if things get any worse and they cut 25-40% of our government grant AND we build a new HQ for ourselves. And we are still talking about developers: we will ensure that they never lack finance or opportunity to ensure that they have the quality of life they all desire and we will always look after them. 250 affordable homes – well, 90% of a massive average house price is affordable to our pals, what are you grizzling about.
We want our public realm to remain attractive; whether it be the award-winning parks and gardens or the pavements and pathways we traverse daily. We are fortunate that we can all share not only the nationally designated Blackdown Hills and East Devon AONBs (Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty), but also the only English, internationally recognised, natural World Heritage Site, known as the Jurassic Coast, which together comprise two-thirds of our District. As our landscape defines our style, so we shall recognise that renewable energy will have an increasingly important part to play in the way our district looks and powers itself.
Did you really have to put parks and gardens in there (those Sidmouth people will moan about that) and AONBs and the Jurassic Coast in this bit speechwriter? Oh, well, if you must, just don’t expect us to worry too much about them if they are not in the Blackdown Hills.
We want there to be equal opportunity for work and in particular to achieve high quality jobs in the emerging high tech and green industries. No longer should our young people be forced to leave through lack of housing or employment. Those who wish to depart will always have the option to return to their roots in later years. If they do, we will be there to look after them.
High-tech jobs for rich but dim kids for whom we will buy houses or buy-to-let properties in their names from our profits or cashed-in pensions. Er, what exactly are “green industries” speechwriter? Oh, that’s right, industrial sheds at the Growth Point painted in Racing Green!
Recognising our foremost economic activity, we welcome visitors drawn to our stunning coastline, our vibrant market towns and villages set in our beautiful countryside, which would not be so but for the custodianship of our farmers who we will support in their efforts to maintain food security and in the process, bring delicious local produce to market. In recognition of the many small rural businesses which are the backbone of our economy, we shall continue to lobby for fast broadband which will also stop our youngsters being disadvantaged solely through location.
I will always support the Farmers Market in the Blackdown Hills and will ensure that we get broadband before everyone else in the countryside, the rest of you will just have to cope as best you can. And any farmers out there who want to put up your land for great big developments like others have before you – come and see us very soon!
We shall communicate in a positive manner with all our residents which will ensure positive leadership and positive partnerships. We want people to feel they really can influence public decision-making but realise, in the spirit of localism, individual and community initiatives reflect responsibilities rather than rights. Truly sustainable places are about happy communities, living and working together in wonderful places.
We ALWAYS communicate with our residents in a positive manner, even when it is bad, bad news and we DEFINITELY have positive partnerships with our developers. And NO WAY are the plebs going to influence us – we have the rights, they have the responsibility to do as we say! And if our developers are happy, we are happy.
We all want to be proud to live in East Devon and when that is realised, we shall be content.”
Except that WE will build dark, Satanic mills!
Fade out with the Monty Python film with the famous scene of the masses offering adulation to the Messiah and his mother saying
“He isn’t the Messiah, he is a Very Naughty Boy”.
Original taken from – notes in RED from The Owl.
Now we have had time to digest the findings of the judge in Information Commissioner and Jeremy Woodward (and many, many thanks are due to Jeremy and his occasional stand-in Richard Thurlow for doggedly pursuing this) there are SO many questions to be asked, some of which current commentators have already suggested. Now, where will the buck stop and who is going to answer questions ?
First and foremost we must be concerned with the damning evidence. In Tower Hamlets, when the Commissioners arrived to take it over, the first thing they did was sequester ALL documents and correspondence though it is believed that some were already missing. Is it possible that some of OUR evidence is vulnerable to deletion and shredding? We hope not but we cannot be sure. However, traces will abound everywhere and sometimes what is missing throws even more light on what is going on.
At best what has occured is incompetence and, at worst, deceit – as a correspondent says – which is it?
The questions people are posing:
1. The different versions of documents and their legibility. The Judge in the case is STILL not sure he has original documents or all documents. He says that for months EDDC said that they could not provide legible copies of documents and yet, at the last moment, some turned up. However, the judge also says that he is not entirely sure they saw ALL the documents they were meant to see – he refers to document 5A when he appears not to have been given document 5, for example.
2. At the hearing Richard Cohen admitted that he did not give an original version of a document to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee but an “amended” one. Where is the original copy of THIS document and would it have changed what that committee decided?
3. Why did EDDC officers and top councillors keep delaying the process. Were they hopeful that this could be kept under wraps until after the election tomorrow. They almost managed it if this was the case.
4. How and why were the decisions to prevaricate made and by whom: was it CEO/Cohen/Diviani or a larger (or smaller) group?
5. How will those in (4) above manage to keep this from the NEXT Overview and Scrutiny Committee?
6. Who decides what goes to an Overview and Scrutiny Committee? Those in (4) above! And will it go to the Standards Committee? (Answer here: almost certainly not if the same people remain in power).
7. What is now the position of Knowle sale?
8. Who takes these decisions – officers and then the councillors are led by the nose, or councillors and then officers are led by the nose or a combination of councillors AND officers and then everyone else is led by the nose? We know from Councillor Peter Sullivan that, as a Conservative councillor, he was not allowed to see documents. Who was in the “golden circle”?
9. Why did NO-ONE blow the whistle when they realised what was happening? Why was it left to brave Independent councillors, bloggers and – most important – local resident Jeremy Woodward, to uncover this very dirty, dirty linen?
Usually well-informed sources tell us that Paul Diviani and Andrew Moulding have been seen together being very, very friendly and obliging to an independent candidate.
Now why should that be, when, as Tory Whip Phil “I’ve never whipped anyone in my life” Twiss memorably said: Independents never do anything useful for their electors?
Is it remotely possible that Paul and Andrew are desperately trying to nobble a few new recruits to make up the Tory losses expected on May 7th?
Below are parts of the speech made by Paul Diviani made when he was elected Leader of East Devon District Council in May 2011 :
“My experience has always been to ensure the business is based on economic fundamentals; for example, borrow only to create future wealth without overstretching your resource.
“Recessions do pass and our responsibility will be to help our many small businesses survive and prosper; our High Streets to retain or revert to smaller and unique outlets in the interests of local diversity; our youth to have the opportunity to live and work here; our many senior citizens to enjoy a quality of life they have earned; for the vulnerable to be protected; and for you as councillors to have the satisfaction of knowing you are part of that; and, more widely, for the people of East Devon to have the confidence that our aspirations are in harmony. Truly sustainable places are about happy communities, living and working together in wonderful locations. The future may not be orange, but it is bright.”
Some call it safe, clean and green – to which I would add seen.
“Safe comes through good design at the planning stage, through working with the police, fire and rescue and all the other services that deal with our society’s well-being, with particular emphasis on the vulnerable of whatever age.
“Clean is the public realm – paths and pavements on which we travel, the quality of our parks and pleasure grounds, efficient and convenient services, such as waste recycling and collection.
“Green will come as no surprise! Two-thirds of our district is nationally designated as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which makes East Devon such a fabulous place to live, work and play.
“Seen is about perception and reality and is all about effective communication. All too often we read that EDDC doesn’t listen, doesn’t care, sits in an ivory tower – the list goes on. The cynical view of the last government – decide, consult, do it all anyway – is not my approach.”
“Obviously, we [EDDC councillors] won’t all agree on everything but my path is one of consensus and inclusivity. I hope you will agree that we have a quite different looking Cabinet to align with the Officer responsibilities. We want to align talent and experience with positions rather than through patronage.”
https://sidmouthindependentnews.wordpress.com/s=clean+green+seen&submit=Search
Real Zorro
http://realzorro1.blogspot.co.uk/
has drawn attention to the lamentable lack of policies from East Devon’s Tories (except, of course, for HQ relocation, which is the only things that has occupied them for MONTHS) with their website bereft of information or ideas about what they would do if re-elected.
A similar state of affairs pertains over at the Tiverton and Honiton official Tory website with a post which has been on the website since well before 2010 and which is still there today (but probably not tomorrow!). And what an embarrassing post it is! No doubt once it has been drawn to their attention it will disappear but, fear not, EDW has kept a copy for posterity and took this recent screenshot (taken on 19 February 2015 but the same page is still there today).
http://www.tivertonhonitonconservatives.co.uk/campaigns
On the webpage (under the heading “Campaigns”) EDDC Tories state that UNDER LABOUR in 2009:
♦ There were 200 fewer rural schools (there are now even fewer)
♦ 1,400 rural post offices had been lost since 2000 (even more post offices have since been lost)
♦ 384 police stations had closed in the shires in Labour’s first two terms (even more police stations have been closed and we have far fewer police on the streets
♦ Dramatically widened funding gap between urban and rural areas (the funding gap between urban and rural areas has widened even further)
and they promised that, if they were successful in 2010 they would:
have an agenda that would:
RESPECT RURAL PEOPLE
♦ Give rural communities a voice to decide their own future
♦ Respect the rural way of life
♦ Only regulate where self regulation fails
♦ Fairer rural funding
They said that they would
EMPOWER RURAL COMMUNITIES
♦ Return real power to individuals and communities
♦ Give villages the right to build their own affordable homes
♦ Allow councils to oppose development planned for green belt land
THEY SAID THEY WOULD
PROTECT RURAL SERVICES
♦ Realise the social value of vital rural services like post offices
♦ Give parents the power to stop rural schools closing and open new ones
♦ Allow rural public services to diversify
♦ Pilot new rural transport solutions
They said that they would
REVIVE THE RURAL ECONOMY:
♦ Cut tax rates for small businesses to encourage growth and protect jobs
♦ Allow councils to offer rural business rate discounts
♦ Simplify the planning system to improve accountability
♦ Reduce the burden of regulation to give businesses more freedom
East Devon Watch 