Category Archives: Philip Skinner

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29 Dec 2016

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Accountability, Consultation, EDDC, Exmouth, Moirai Exmouth project, Philip Skinner, Regeneration, Scrutiny, Spin, Transparency

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Bay FM interview: Skinner (EDDC) v MacAllister (SES)

Louise MacAllister, Spokesperson, Save Exmouth Seafront gives her view on the contest. Owl will be happy to publish Councillor Skinner’s riposte if received:

  • SES’s core aim is for independent public consultation before any further work goes ahead on the seafront.
  • EDDC’s consultations have been inadequate.
  • Cllr Megan Armstrong’s survey that SES supported showed that a majority do not want to see wholesale development on the seafront.
  • EDDC’s incompetence around the project has led to the seafront becoming derelict.
  • The spiralling costs of the project further demonstrate the incompetence of the Exmouth Regeneration Board.
  • That the Regeneration Board meet in secret only increases frustration and as such Ms MacAllister has been trying to arrange a Q&A session with Cllr Skinner, the chair of the Exmouth Regeneration Board.
  • Cllr Skinner gatecrashed a SES meeting, this is not public engagement.

Cllr Skinner, Chair, Exmouth Regeneration Board:

  • It is a three-phase development, it’s very exciting, we should be excited!
  • Phase three is ‘open for consultation’ we may even have a hotel?!
  • Existing tenants are blamed for delays.
  • It is REALLY, REALLY EXCITING!
  • Skinner thinks they have consulted extensively but – he doesn’t know the numbers.
  • This is a SERIOUS investment (thank god it’s not a joke investment!).
  • Correction – the ‘recent consultation’ with over 1000 participants that Howard Witts mentioned is in fact the seafront survey undertaken by independent Cllr Megan Armstrong, and which the regeneration board have resolutely ignored.
  • [Seems Skinner finds it amusing that the regeneration board meets in secret as he can be heard laughing while Howard is asking him about this].
  • The Premier Inn and Ocean are apparently architecturally superior and successful, ‘raising the bar in architecture’.

Other points:

  • Everything Skinner claims about his gatecrashing of an SES meeting is untrue, he was unwelcome and people made it clear he was unwelcome. Unfortunately the meeting was not chaired well and so he was enabled to carry on despite this. He was certainly not thanked or clapped as he claims in the interview.
  • The post-march SES meeting was not an open public meeting nor was it advertised as such, it was advertised as a meeting for SES supporters.
  • Cllr Skinner does not think it is Ms MacAllister’s responsibility as SES spokesperson to say that he should hold an open public meeting. SHE AGREES! It is HIS responsibility and he alone should be held accountable for his lack of public engagement she says. As someone who represents a group seeking transparency and openness she will continue to press for this even though it is not her responsibility.

Listen to Louise MacAllister

Listen to Cllr Skinner’s Response

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27 Dec 2016

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Accountability, Affordable and Social Housing, AONB, Audit (EDDC), Developers/ Development, EDDC, Graham Brown, Land Supply, Local Plan, Philip Skinner

AONB – pah, build, build, build!

“A loophole in planning rules is allowing developers to build housing estates in England’s finest countryside.

Ministers are waving through applications for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) despite promising to protect them.

The High Weald in Sussex, the North Wessex Downs and the Cotswolds are among the protected areas being built on.

Six hundred homes, a hospice and a school were approved last month near Pease Pottage in the High Weald despite objections from Natural England, the government’s advisory body on protecting the natural environment.

Campaigners said that the rules were being swept aside in the rush to meet housing targets. Ministers are threatening councils with a “presumption” in favour of development unless they allocate enough land.”

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/protected-beauty-spots-are-sacrificed-to-build-houses-tw2jjrk5r

Recall that, when EDDC dragged out its Local Plan process for years and years (abandoning the first secret attempts run by Councillors Brown and Skinner and starting again) developers had a free run in East Devon.

Should we find that we do NOT have a 5 year land supply when the Local Plan comes up for review (due every 5 years so we should be starting now) then, presumably, that will happen all over again.

Recently (November 2016) EDDC brought up the idea of external auditors being consultants for the review, but the auditors themselves quickly pointed out that they had no experience in such projects and it should be led by an organisation with proper expertise:

“Problem (page 134 of agenda papers):
“Undertake a Review of the process for writing the Local Plan in future”

The solution
“A meeting has been held with our external auditors to scope out this review but it was quickly determined that they are not the right people to undertake this review due to their lack of knowledge of the plan making process. Other options including using the Planning Advisory Service (PAS) are now being pursued.”

Click to access 241116-scrutiny-agenda-combined.pdf

Things seem to have gone quiet again since then, with no public announcement of a new consulting organisation.

Questions: Shouldn’t external auditors anyway be at “arms length” from council business? Which bright spark thought of offering them the job?

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5 Dec 2016

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Accountability, EDDC, Exmouth, Philip Skinner, Regeneration, Spin

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Post-truth spin by Conservative Gatecrashers

Owl refuses to publish the EDDC press release that triggered the comment below. Owl considers it a brazen example of “post truth” spin. Suffice to say he tries to twist the situation where he and two other councillors gatecrashed a “Save our Seafront” meeting.

Here is an organiser’s response:

“Councillor Skinner’s press release of 05/12/16 is full of mistruths. In terms of clarification, the meeting Councillor Skinner [attended] was advertised as ‘all welcome’, however it was not advertised as a public meeting but as a Save Exmouth Seafront (SES) meeting in which we were welcoming along new supporters following the large numbers who attended our protest march. I don’t think that gives Cllr Skinner any legitimacy in his hijacking of the meeting – and hijack he did. If he wanted to attend a public meeting to genuinely engage, why did he arrive unannounced so no questions could be formulated ahead of the meeting? He attended and DISRUPTED what was a SES meeting, and judging by accounts of his behaviour – he had no intention to listen to those present anyway.

I have been trying since July to organise a public Q&A session with Cllr Skinner; the idea being for ALL members of the public to be able to attend and put questions to him, not only the supporters of SES. That he attended uninvited and unannounced and simply disrupted a SES meeting does NOT count as public engagement!

If Cllr Skinner was genuinely hoping to use this meeting as an opportunity to engage, the overriding question has to be, why did he not contact the organisers of the meeting, including myself, for I was emailing him in the preceding week asking him to clarify his intent ref the public Q&A? My emails of the preceding week would have been a perfect opportunity for him to tell me he intended to attend the SES meeting. Instead he utterly ambushed the meeting and acted rudely towards many who were in attendance, I therefore take serious issue with him now trying to paint this as a public engagement exercise.”

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30 Nov 2016

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Accountability, Audit (EDDC), Developers/ Development, EDDC, Exeter City Council, Exmouth, KPMG, Philip Skinner, Regeneration

Exmouth regeneration costs – 6 times bigger than Exeter bus station!

It appears that Exeter City Council has spent “more than £500,000” on fees for its £26m bus station and leisure centre development and is getting some stick for this:

http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co.uk/council-have-spent-over-590-000-on-st-sidwell-s-point-and-exeter-bus-station-already/story-29947204-detail/story.html

What’s the fuss? EDDC has already said its costs for Exmouth regeneration (officially supposed to be developer-led and funded) will be AT LEAST £3.2 million.

Should someone be patting Exeter City Council on the back and perhaps giving EDDC some stick? And perhaps querying why the Exmouth Regeneration Board (Chair: Councillor Philip Skinner) and EDDC’s Cabinet doesn’t seem to have a handle on the expenditure.

Maybe another elector should be contacting external auditor KPMG as that seemed to get some action on the S106 crisis.

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22 Nov 2016

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Accountability, Coastal communities, Developers/ Development, EDDC, Exmouth, Philip Skinner, Regeneration

Exmouth Regeneration Board has not discussed council overspend

Strange that! You might think they would need to know what is happening, what has been spent so far and what is to be spent in future.

Yet no mention of funding changes at their last meeting in September

Click to access 150916erpbcombinedagenda.pdf

when officers and senior councillors were almost certainly aware of the problem. Or was that the ” more thoughtful approach” mentioned in the minutes!

Perhaps EDDC just has an open chequebook approach.

Here is what they DID report about Queen’s Drive:

“RC (Richard Cohen) gave an update on the Queens Drive development. It was noted that agreement had now been reached with tenants. There was a meeting next month with Grenadier and there was enthusiasm that the project was moving forward. It was hoped that planning permission would be in place for Phase 2 of the project by the end of the calendar year.

It was reported that a more thoughtful approach could be taken towards Phase 3 of the project and take steps to take this to the market. There was a need to go out to public consultation on Phase 3 o the works and also go out to tender.

Agreement had been reached with the tenants of Harbour View Cafe to end the formal lease and they were currently on licence until the end of September. A request had been made to leave the tenant in situ until the Council needed the site for redevelopment works. The Board members were keen that the building was not left vacant and the tenant remains in situ.
TW (Tim Wood) expressed his disappointment that a cafe/restaurant had not been established at Orcombe Point.

JME (Councillor Elson) raised the issue of having a Master Planning meeting of all /Exmouth District Councillors on Monday 12 September at 6.00pm.”

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21 Nov 2016

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Accountability, Audit (EDDC), Developers/ Development, EDDC, Exmouth, Philip Skinner, Regeneration, Transparency

Save Exmouth Seafront meeting – 1 December 2016, 7.30 pm Harbour Cafe

see:

https://www.eastdevonalliance.org.uk/event/save-exmouth-seafront-ses-meeting/

and Exmouth Splash Facebook page

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18 Nov 2016

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Accountability, Asset sweating, Coastal communities, EDDC, Exmouth, Phil Twiss, Philip Skinner, Regeneration

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Exmouth seafront cost increase – fantasy, incompetent, iconic or ironic!

“Calls have been made for the sacking of the ‘owner’ of the Exmouth Seafront Regeneration Project after costs spiralled from £1.5million to more than £3million.

However, East Devon District Council’s (EDDC) cabinet backed the plans with a majority vote, despite heavy criticism from some councillors.

http://www.exmouthjournal.co.uk/news/seafront_plans_backed_despite_soaring_costs_1_4780508

Rob Longhurst (Ind), Ben Ingham (Ind) and Eileen Wragg (LD) spoke against, saying that it was incompetence.

Ian Chubb said it was worth paying and he was happy paying the extra costs. Unclear whether he meant worth paying despite the increases or worth paying despite the incompetence, but nice of him to offer to fund the increased costs personally.

Phil Twiss said they had to proceed because to stop would be to go backwards. Of course only true because they have destroyed existing attractions before getting the plans right and before knowing the real costs – so they can’t go back.

Philip Skinner got his words mixed up when he said the plans were iconic but clearly he meant ironic, and thought it was good for Exmouth because they all like doing watersports.

Tom Wright obviously thought the debate was about football not water-sports because he kept referring to the premier league, and said that Exmouth residents should be grateful for the cost increases.

Honestly, Trump or EDDC Tories – not sure which are the greater fantasists!!”

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13 Nov 2016

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Accountability, Coastal communities, Consultation, EDDC, Exmouth, Moirai Exmouth project, Philip Skinner, Regeneration, Transparency

Laura Freeman’s speech at the Exmouth seafront march – Skinner where are you?

““In April this year, just over 4,500 Exmouth people voted yes in a Town Poll. We voted yes for independent, public consultation. This means that we told East Devon District Council – and anyone else listening – that we want to have a say in what happens on our seafront.

“We came out in huge numbers, despite none of the usual help that comes with a general or council election. We came out despite the fact that polling stations were only open for a very, small space of time. Some of us even went out prior to voting, to stand around town – in all weathers – to tell people about the poll, as many people didn’t even know what was going on.

“And what’s happened since the poll in April? Nothing. Why are we being ignored? Ignored by the very people we elect. Well, that’s just not good enough. Today, we have sent a message to East Devon District Council. We have said “We will not be ignored. Our views are important.” East Devon District Council, you need to listen to us.

“We live here. We work here. Some of us will have grown up in this town like generations before, and others will have moved here for a better life or opportunity. When people feel they are being ignored, they shout louder. And that’s what we are doing here today. We are shouting louder!

“Now for those who don’t know, there is a group of people at East Devon District Council who are responsible for the development of this site on the seafront. They are the ‘Exmouth Regeneration Board’. The Chair of this board is Councillor Philip Skinner. We asked Councillor Skinner to come today, along with all East Devon District Councillors and all Exmouth Town Councillors.

“Now, we’ve asked Councillor Skinner to meet with the public before, but this has proven a very tricky task. Actually, we’ve been asking him for months. But he just cannot seem to find any time for meeting with the public. Though, we will still keep trying!

“Councillor Skinner, we hope that you – as someone who can influence something that affects our lives so much – will still come and meet with the people of Exmouth, to answer questions we have, and discuss our ideas and concerns. But with the demolition of assets, closing of businesses and loss of jobs, I’m sure everyone here today will all agree with me, that this meeting with Councillor Skinner must happen soon. There is urgency in this situation.

“So, thank you all for coming here today, standing side-by-side with other members of your community.

“We have shown East Devon District Council that we will take to the streets when they refuse to listen to us through official platforms.

“In a few weeks’ times, on Thursday, December 1, we are having an SES meeting at 7.30pm in the Harbour View Cafe. I really hope many of you will be there. I know that together we can create some great ideas to sort through this situation, and help to protect, as well as enhance, this town we call home.

“Oh, and before I finish, please show your support for the businesses still trading on the proposed development site, The Crazy Golf Course is open today, so go and have a play! And also pop along to the Harbour View Cafe for a nice hot cup of tea and cake! Thank you so much!”

http://www.exmouthjournal.co.uk/news/save_exmouth_seafront_speech_by_laura_freeman_1_4773423

Well done, Laura!

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12 Nov 2016

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Coastal communities, Consultation, EDDC, Exmouth, Moirai Exmouth project, Philip Skinner, Regeneration, Transparency

Exmouth seafront demonstration: video

Just in case EDDC or a local newspaper tries to give the impression of only a handful of protesters today, here is a video which disproves it.

https://www.facebook.com/Exmouthsplash/?ref=br_rs

and here:
http://m.exeterexpressandecho.co.uk/save-exmouth-seafront-campaigners-stage-protest-march-over-redevelopment-plans/story-29889839-detail/story.html

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12 Nov 2016

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Accountability, EDDC, Environment (local), Exmouth, Philip Skinner, Regeneration

Exmouth Save our Seafront rally

Campaigners in Exmouth staged a protest march calling for further consultation on controversial seafront redevelopment plans.

The Save Exmouth Seafront group organised the rally on Saturday morning.

It said the peaceful event was held “to express the public’s feelings that their Town Poll request for an independent consultation about the seafront is being ignored by East Devon District Council”. …

… Save Exmouth Seafront recently raised concerns about the escalating costs of the redevelopment, which the council argues will bring long term economic benefits.

Campaign spokeswoman Louise MacAllister said: “SES have been calling for over a year for an independent consultation on the future of the seafront, and have been previously told that it would be too costly.

“Now we hear that EDDC officers are asking cabinet to accept a more than doubling of projected costs for this contentious project from £1.5m, to over £3m. We call on the cabinet to represent the public as they were democratically elected to do so, and ensure that the assumptions and claims made in this report are scrutinised, and that this flawed project is considered in light of evidence rather than an officer’s report based on countless assumptions.”

http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co.uk/save-exmouth-seafront-campaigners-stage-protest-march-over-redevelopment-plans/story-29889839-detail/story.html

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8 Oct 2016

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Accountability, EDDC, Exmouth, Philip Skinner, Regeneration

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Skinner defends loss of seafront business and boarding up derelict sites

” … A number of seafront businesses, including DJ’s Cafe, have been forced to close this year, but it’s now being argued these attractions could have stayed open.

District council officers evicted the Wright family from Jungle Fun, Arnold Palmer Putting Green and Crazy Golf to make way for the proposed seafront regeneration.

The site has been earmarked for demolition to make way for a £4million watersports centre as part of the development.

The Wright family was given a stay of execution on the fun park, which will remain open until the end of August next year.

Large metal grey fences have now gone up around Jungle Fun, Arnold Palmer Putting Green and Crazy Golf.

East Devon District Council (EDDC) has confirmed it would be open to having attractions back on the site next summer, provided all demolition work has been completed.

Phillip Skinner, chairman of the Exmouth Regeneration Board, said: “The site must remain boarded up for safety reasons, at least until surveys have concluded, and clearance and demolition have been completed.

“We will look to open up the site again for the summer, if we are able, and will consider leisure, entertainment, food and drink-type attractions if this is feasible.”

In response to the news, Louise McAllister, of the Save Exmouth Seafront, said: “It is shocking that EDDC is stating that it ‘may open up the site again for summer (2017)’.

“While we would love to see the site back in use, if it was to be reopened, surely the existing successful businesses should never have been forced to close in the first place.

“The actions of EDDC surrounding this closure are so far removed from the best interests of the town that they are beginning to seem like either acts of deliberate cruelty towards the seafront tenants, or an example of the most dreadful project management imaginable.”

http://www.exmouthjournal.co.uk/home/questions_raised_over_exmouth_seafront_plans_1_4708024?utm_medium=email&utm_source=eshot&utm_campaign=newsletterlink

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24 Sep 2016

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Consultation, Democracy, EDDC, Exmouth, Misc, Moirai Exmouth project, Philip Skinner, Regeneration

Exmouth seafront regeneration: an alternative view

In this week’s Exmouth Journal an interview with Dr Louise McAllister, spokesperson for Save our Seafront:

img_1304

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2 Sep 2016

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EDDC, Exmouth, Franksy, Philip Skinner, Regeneration

Franksy returns to Exmouth!

image

image

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.”

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18 Aug 2016

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EDDC, Exmouth, Philip Skinner, Regeneration

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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?

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6 Aug 2016

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Consultation, Exmouth, Philip Skinner, Spin, Transparency

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Exmouth regeneration: Spin, Skinner, Spin!

Q: When is an answer not an answer? A: when it is an EDDC senior councillor’s answer!

Transcribed from Exmouth Journal:

Q – We mentioned the visitor’s survey. If the outcome of the survey is that overwhelmingly visitors like the seafront the way it is and don’t want much to change, will that be the way the council then proceeds?

A – “The visitors’ survey doesn’t involve local people, it’s for visitors only. It will give us an indication of what visitors perceive is a visitor wish list when they go on holiday, what they like to see.

The interesting thing is this survey is being conducted by the South West Research Company, and we looked for a company from the South West because, when we talk about benchmarking Exmouth Against other seaside towns, it’s no good trying to compare Exmouth against Blackpool. We wanted to try and compare a South West offer with other South West seaside towns and resorts so we can see where we are.”

Umm…and the answer to the question is…?!