Category Archives: Sidmouth/ Sidford/ Sidbury

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20 Nov 2014

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EDDC, Knowle/Honiton/Exmouth relocation, Sidmouth/ Sidford/ Sidbury

What questons will councillors have for Mr Cohen this afternoon?

At the Audit and Governance, 2.30 pm, there will be an oral update from Mr Cohen on relocation. So, it’s another opportunity for our representatives to ensure with their questioning that the office move project is not built on shifting sands.

Oddly, EDDC’s latest, and last, edition of their glossy propaganda brochure, ‘Connect’ , doesn’t mention the Knowle at all. Should it have been renamed, ‘Disconnect’ ? And will what Council Leader, Paul Diviani, calls ‘our ground-breaking East Devon app and our connectED e-magazine’, do any better?

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18 Nov 2014

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EDDC, Hugo Swire, Sidmouth/ Sidford/ Sidbury

And now Hugo Swire sorts out residents parking in Sidmouth …. er … not!

His press release starts out, somewhat strangely:

“Shoppers will lose out on 35 town-centre parking spaces under plans to appease elderly residents, who blasted a decision to treble their annual permits fee to £1,800.

[The dictionary defines “appease” as “to make or preserve peace with a nation, group, or person by giving in to their demands, or to relieve a problem”. Sounds like he thinks the residents are being somewhat unreasonable.]

This is Hugo’s solution (we assume he had some hand in this solution as he has said on his blog that he had words with EDDC before it came out):

“East Devon District Council (EDDC) is now proposing to offer current Mill Street users a special permit for 35 of the bays at the Ham East car park.

This would mean they would not be guaranteed a space, but they could stay as long as they wanted once they found one.

Another option would be to buy a regular permit, which allowed the holder to park for three hours at a time, but required the car to be moved three times a day. “

Only EDDC could come up with such a plan that will satisfy neither residents nor shoppers!

Keep up the good work Hugo!

Source: http://www.hugoswire.org.uk/news/ham-parking-spaces-go-residents

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17 Nov 2014

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EDDC, Knowle/Honiton/Exmouth relocation, Sidmouth/ Sidford/ Sidbury, Skypark

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Latest news on Office Relocation, and Land Supply, this Thursday afternoon (20th Nov) at Knowle.

See http://saveoursidmouth.com/2014/11/16/verbal-report-on-office-relocation-this-thurs-20th-nov-at-knowle/

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16 Nov 2014

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Environment (local), Flooding, Misc, Ottery St Mary, Sidmouth/ Sidford/ Sidbury, Woodbury

Hugo needed yet again to sort out Sidmouth’s drains!

Forget Ottery, Hugo – Sidmouth (and Woodbury) need you back to sort out their drains!

http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co.uk/people-rescued-cars-night-stuck-flood-water/story-24541597-detail/story.html

Here is where he promised to sort the sewers out:

http://www.hugoswire.org.uk/news/towns-arteries-clogged-fat

and indeed the clogged fat was said to have been cleared in July:

http://www.sidmouthherald.co.uk/news/news/sidmouth_s_sewers_cleared_of_fatbergs_1_3698046.

Back to the drawing board on water drains and a need to put on the high-vis jacket again, Hugo, with or without the shovel and with or without the clogged arteries!

Just a thought, but it might be Victorian drains trying to cope where massive development and more houses hasn’t led to massive upgrading of infrastructure.

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11 Nov 2014

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Affordable and Social Housing, Cranbrook, EDDC, Environment (local), Exmouth, Feniton/ Talaton, Honiton/ Gittisham, Knowle/Honiton/Exmouth relocation, Newton Poppleford, Ottery St Mary, Seaton/ Colyford / Colyton, Sidmouth/ Sidford/ Sidbury, Uplyme, Wainhomes, West End: WestClyst BroadClyst/ Pinhoe, Woodbury

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Could you, too, be a SWIMBY?

Check this link and consider.. http://www.transitionnetwork.org/blogs/rob-hopkins/2014-10/our-month-rethinking-real-estate-why-i-m-proud-be-swimby

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10 Nov 2014

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AONB, Sidmouth/ Sidford/ Sidbury

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Sidmouth Garden Centre wants to extend business units further into AONB

http://www.devon24.co.uk/news/green_units_won_t_destroy_our_aonb_1_3836721

The owner is a Sidmouth town councillor and on that council’s planning committee.

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7 Nov 2014

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EDDC, Exeter City Council, Knowle/Honiton/Exmouth relocation, Sidmouth/ Sidford/ Sidbury

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Sale of Knowle HQ ‘inevitable’, says EDDC Chief Executive

So reads the headline of a report in today’s Sidmouth Herald, about Mark Williams’ recent talk to the Sidmouth Men’s Forum. The EDDC CEO is also quoted as telling the group, “It is very nice to be (at the Knowle) but it is too big for what we need”.  A pity he hasn’t looked carefully at the research by Robin Fuller ….http://saveoursidmouth.com/2013/08/16/serious-questions-over-size-of-modern-offices-at-knowle/ , nor considered properly costing the option of ‘staying and improving’ , as prudent householders do in times of austerity.

In his presentation, Mr Williams dropped some hints about the future reorganisation of local government, possibly towards one large unitary authority for Devon. This chimes with what EDA has heard from those in the know, who believe East Devon is likely to merge with Exeter and Teignbridge.  Could this be more than a rumour….?

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31 Oct 2014

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Democracy, EDDC, Freedom of Information and EIA, Knowle/Honiton/Exmouth relocation, Sidmouth/ Sidford/ Sidbury

Information Commissioner v East Devon District Council – update

http://futuresforumvgs.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/knowle-relocation-project-analysis-of.html

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30 Oct 2014

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EDDC, Freedom of Information and EIA, Knowle/Honiton/Exmouth relocation, Sidmouth/ Sidford/ Sidbury

Knowle relocation documents withheld by EDDC ..latest update

See http://saveoursidmouth.com/2014/10/30/tribunal-judgement-further-delayed/

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28 Oct 2014

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EDDC, Knowle/Honiton/Exmouth relocation, Sidmouth/ Sidford/ Sidbury

Knowle relocation: secret uncosted cart preceding secret uncosted horse?

http://www.devon24.co.uk/news/eddc_s_relocation_costs_to_remain_confidential_1_3819498

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24 Oct 2014

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EDDC, Ottery St Mary, Sidmouth/ Sidford/ Sidbury

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Local unemployment figures at a record low

Information sent to us by an EDA correspondent, with a following comment:

An article on p.13 of today’s issue of Sidmouth Herald states:

“A fall in the number of people claiming Job Seekers’ Allowance in Sidmouth and in Ottery St Mary has contributed to the lowest Devon-wide claimant figures on record.”

61 claimants in Sidmouth
32 claimants in Ottery St Mary
0.9% of working age population v national average of 2.3%
________________________________________

Only 61 claimants? How does that square with EDDC plans for 1,350 jobs planned for Sidford and their ambitions to reduce commuting?

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20 Oct 2014

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Budleigh Salterton, Exmouth, Seaton/ Colyford / Colyton, Sidmouth/ Sidford/ Sidbury

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Coastal communities: will they change their voting patterns in the next election?

If the things that are currently happening in Exmouth (selling the seafront to the highest bidders, knocking down Elizabeth Hall), Budleigh (the Longboat, inappropriate development), Sidmouth (coastal erosion and job losses) and Seaton (strange statues in the wrong olaces and more retirement homes) it seems a good possibility!

http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/economic-reality-resorts-bring-political-shift/story-23270023-detail/story.html

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16 Oct 2014

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EDDC, Freedom of Information and EIA, Knowle/Honiton/Exmouth relocation, Sidmouth/ Sidford/ Sidbury, Skypark

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“(Merely) noting a report has no place on Scrutiny”, says Independent Cllr Roger Giles

But despite strong and specific criticism tonight, by several Councillors and the members of the public, of Richard Cohen’s controversial update on Knowle office relocation, the Overview & Scrutiny Committee Chair, Tim Wood and others voted …to note  the report!!

More on tonight’s O&S meeting to follow.

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14 Oct 2014

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EDDC, Local Plan, Sidmouth/ Sidford/ Sidbury

Sidmouth dismissed?

While being questioned by the Parliamentary Select Committee yesterday, Mark Williams referred to “the two main towns in East Devon: Exmouth and Honiton.”

Sidmouth Councillors might not be too pleased to hear this. Should they let him know that Honiton’s population is substantially less than Sidmouth’s?

To check what was said, go to this link  https://eastdevonwatch.wordpress.com/2014/10/14/official-transcript-of-eddc-ceo-evidence-to-parliamentary-committee-on-voter-engagement/

 

 

 

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19 Sep 2014

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Austerity cuts, Axminster, Ottery St Mary, Sidmouth/ Sidford/ Sidbury

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Cuts to local hospital beds and services: MP says “not a time for whipping up excitement”

http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/NHS-bed-closures-scrutiny-hospital-admits/story-22951197-detail/story.html.

A public meeting is being arranged on this urgent matter to discuss the situation in Ottery St Mary on 7 October – more details to follow.

In the meantime MP for the Ottery and Sidmouth area, Hugo Swire, has apparently said this is “not the time for whipping up excitement” and, on the bright side, means more time and space for clinics:

http://www.claire-wright.org/index.php/site/comments/hugo_swire_on_ottery_hospitals_bed_losses_this_is_not_the_time_for_whipping

As yet there seems to be no comment from the area’s other MP, Neil Parish (cuts at Axminster Hospital).

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17 Sep 2014

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Austerity cuts, Axminster, Ottery St Mary, Sidmouth/ Sidford/ Sidbury

Local hospital bed closures – consultation

Axminster and Ottery St Mary hospitals are set to lose all their beds and Sidmouth hospital will lose its minor injuries unit under the cost-cutting proposals.

12 weeks consultation on these plans start today.

Full Report here:

http://www.newdevonccg.nhs.uk/get-involved/get-involved/community-services/101039

The East Devon section is here:

http://www.newdevonccg.nhs.uk/file/?rid=105273&download=true

Just one problem: none of the recommendations (which should also include doing nothing as a costed option) have ANY numbers attached to them. So, we don’t know what things cost now, we don’t know what the new recommendations will cost, so there is no idea what savings, if any, may be made.

But no doubt our District Council will come to our aid …..

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4 Sep 2014

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Austerity cuts, Democracy, EDDC, Sidmouth/ Sidford/ Sidbury

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A challenge for our readers!

Two comments on the 330% increase in car parking fees in Eastern Sidmouth have queried: whose idea was this to begin with, which councillors had input into it and where is the paper trail? Add to that: why only Sidmouth and not similar car parks elsewhere in the district?

We know from correspondents that Councillors Hughes and Newth say they have no knowledge of the matter.

So – was it an officer (who parks for free at Knowle)? A councillor who doesn’t live in Sidmouth? A councillor who does live in Sidmouth? Or, as seems most likely, the secret (no published agendas, no public minutes) Asset Management Group***? Or maybe an “embedded”officer? The CEO?

Over to you …

***
It is impossible to work out who is on the Asset Management Group on the EDDC website. However, trawling through the list of councillors, it appears to be:

Bob Buxton – Honiton
David Cox – Ottery
Paul Diviani – Yarcombe
Graham Godbeer – Coly Valley
Andrew Moulding – Axminster (? Chairman)
Ian Thomas Trinity (Axmouth)

Maybe those pursuing EDDC’s lack of transparency might want to ask for OUR Asset Management Forum’s minutes, have the request refused and ask the Information Commissioner to take a look and decide …..