Standard

Posted by

Posted on

9 Apr 2015

Posted under

East Devon Tories, EDDC, Independent Councillors

Candidates District Council elections 2015 – vast majority of seats to be contested, 37Independent candidates

http://eastdevon.gov.uk/elections-and-registering-to-vote/election-documents/district-council-elections-2015/

Three wards are missing from the list as it is presumed candidates are being returned uncontested:
Beer and Branscombe (Geoff Pook – Independent), Clyst Valley (Mike Allen, Conservative) and Trinity (Ian Thomas, Conservative).

ANALYSIS
37 Independent or Independent East Devon Alliance candidates are standing

1 independent candidate elected unopposed (Geoff Pook, Beer)

so, 15 Independent (including 1 elected unopposed)), and 22 Independent East Devon Alliance

One Independent is former Conservative Councillor Roger Boote (Honiton St Pauls) 2 candidates shown as unaffiliated are recent Conservative Councillors Bob Buxton (Dunkeswell) and Andrew Dinnis (Tale Vale) and two candidates show no affiliation Graham Long (Otterhead) and John Dyson (Sidmouth Town)

Yarty, ward of current council leader Paul Diviani, which was uncontested last time, is now being contested by Diviani again for the Conservatives but he is being challenged by Green Party, Independent East Devon Alliance and Liberal Democrat candidates.

BREAKDOWN by WARDS

Axminster Rural 1 seat: 2 candidates, neither Independent
Axminster Town 2 seats: 7 candidates including 1 Independent and one EDA
Broadclyst 2 seats: 4 candidates including 1 Independent
Budleigh 1 seat, 5 candidates including 1 Independent
Coly Valley 2 seats: 4 Candidates including 2 EDA
Dunkeswell 1 seat: 2 candidates including 1 Independent (former Conservative incumbent Bob Buxton)
Exe Valley 1 seat: 2 candidates including 1 EDA
Exmouth Brixington 3 seats: 6 candidates including 1 EDA
Exmouth Halsdon 3 seats: 6 candidates including 1 EDA
Exmouth Littleham 3 seats: 7 candidates including 1 EDA
Exmouth Town 3 seats: 8 candidates, none Independent
Exmouth Withycombe Raleigh 3 seats: 7 candidates, none Independent
Feniton and Buckerell 1 seat: 2 candidates including 1 Independent
Honiton St Michaels 3 seats: 8 candidates including 1 Independent and 1 EDA
Honiton St Pauls 2 seats: 6 candidates, including 1 Independent (former Conservative Councillor Roger Boote)
Newbridges 1 seat: 2 candidates, neither Independent
Newton Poppleford and Harpford 1 seat: 2 candidates including 1 EDA
Otterhead 1 seat: 2 candidates including one no affiliation
Ottery St Mary Rural 2 seats: 4 candidates including 2 EDA
Ottery St Mary Town 2 seats: 5 candidates including 2 Independent
Raleigh: 1 seat: 2 candidates including one EDA
Seaton 3 seats: 10 candidates including 1 Independent
Sidmouth Rural 1 seat: 2 candidates including 1 Independent
Sidmouth Sidford 3 seats: 8 candidates including 1 Independent and 3 EDA
Sidmouth Town 3 seats: 6 candidates including 2 EDA and one unaffiliated (John Dyson)
Tale Vale 1 seat: 1 Independent (former Conservative Councillor Andrew Dinnis)
Whimple 1 seat: 2 candidates neither Independent
Woodbury and Lympstone: 2 seats: 3 candidates including 2 EDA
Yarty: 1 seat: 4 candidates including 1 EDA

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

9 Apr 2015

Posted under

General Election, Hugo Swire

Comments

2 Comments

Parliamentary candidates

Our Labour candidate gives his address as London N1.

Our Conservative candidate gives “Address in the CENTRAL DEVON constituency”. The only candidate not to provide a full postal address.

He doesn’t even have a second home in East Devon let alone a first!

Perhaps he couldn’t afford East Devon prices, or maybe Central Devon is a cleaner and greener place to live …

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

9 Apr 2015

Posted under

Claire Wright, General Election, Hugo Swire

Comments

1 Comment

Influence? Who is influencing whom?

An awful lot of Hugo Swire placards appear to have been placed on land belonging to well-known local developers and/or farmers, some of whom were very enthusiastic East Devon Business Forum members. Claire Wright placards appear to be mostly at private residences or small local businesses.

Who is influencing whom, one wonders?

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

9 Apr 2015

Posted under

East Devon Tories, General Election

Comments

1 Comment

Conservatives have circular pre-formulated standard letters for farmers, pensioners, small businesses etc

Should you receive a personal letter from the Conservative Party that seems specific and personal to you (e.f. pensioner, farmer), be aware that it is actually a circular letter sent to lots of people with only the name changed:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3031803/Dear-target-voter-Tory-letter-writing-kit-woo-farmers-pensioners-women-revealed.html

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

9 Apr 2015

Posted under

Claire Wright, Feniton/ Talaton, Graham Brown, Independent Councillors

Susie Bond (Independent, Feniton) standing again and supports other independent candidates

See her latest blogpost here: https://susiebond.wordpress.com/2015/04/09/and-were-off/

You only have to look at the records of our Independent councillors such as Susie, Claire Wright, Roger Giles and Ben Ingham to see that independent councillors makes the biggest impact on scrutiny of our current majority Conservative council. Now we need them to be the decision-makers.

Recall that before Susie was elected Feniton was in the hands of ex- councillor Graham Brown …

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

9 Apr 2015

Posted under

COVOP, East Devon Alliance, EDDC, Environment (local), Latest news, Local Plan, National Planning Policy Framework, Neighbourhood Plans, Wainhomes

Housing ‘crisis’ based on shaky foundations?

Simon Jenkins believes so. For those who missed it first time round, here’s his evidence…http://www.spectator.co.uk/features/9452952/the-myth-of-the-housing-crisis/

 

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

9 Apr 2015

Posted under

Claire Wright, General Election, Hugo Swire, Ottery St Mary

Naughty Hugo Swire “MP” – not

A reader has pointed out to us that, in the poster that has gone up in West Hill (why just West Hill one wonders – surely this “very influential” ex-MP doesn’t feel threatened by Claire Wright!) extolling the “virtues” of Hugo Swire he refers to himself as “Hugo Swire, MP”.

In fact, although he remains a Minister of State at the Foreign Office (so that he can carry on jetting all over the world influencing people and presumamably being influenced by them in turn since this is not usually a one-way street) he is NOT an MP – he is a Parliamentary Candidate, just like all other Parliamentary Candidates in East Devon and everywhere else.

All MPs ceased to be MPs when Parliament was prorogued in March. At that time they had to clear their offices and hand back all their identification and other passes, etc.  If his “team” can’t get this very simple fact right, what else might they be getting wrong?  Time for a slap on the wrist for the election agent who is supposed to be on top of these things.

However, it should be noted that, because many MPs would lose their Google ranking, Facebook links, etc if they had to change their websites, an exception has been made for social media where web addresses may remain the same (at least for now and until the results of the election when former MPs will have a lot of social media reorganisation to do).

Here is the official text from the Parliament website:

“House of Commons

When Parliament is dissolved, every seat in the House of Commons becomes vacant. All business in the House comes to an end. There are no Members of Parliament. MPs revert to being members of the public and lose privileges associated with being a Member of Parliament.

MPs are allowed access to Parliament for just a few days in which to remove papers from their offices. The facilities that the House provides for MPs in Westminster during a Parliament are no longer available to them from 5pm on the day of dissolution.

Until a new Parliament is elected, there are no MPs. Those who wish to be MPs again must stand again as candidates for election.”

http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/elections-and-voting/general/dissolution/

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

8 Apr 2015

Posted under

General Election, Hugo Swire

Hugo Swire: not the first time he has “put his foot in his mouth”

Oh no, it happened in 2007 too and cost him his job at the time, though David Cameron forgave him and gave him a better job!

https://thehuntsman2007.wordpress.com/2007/06/18/hugo-swire-puts-foot-in-mouth-and-quickly-removes-it/

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

8 Apr 2015

Posted under

General Election

Comments

3 Comments

Evening Standard survey shows Londoners don’t trust politicians

” …In a series of stark findings, it shows:

Three quarters of Londoners believe MPs have not done enough to “clean up” politics, or improve its image, since the 2009 expenses storm.

More than half believe MPs are more motivated “by helping themselves” – with less than one in ten thinking they are primarily driven by the aim to “help others”.

Sixty per cent back a ban on MPs, elected for this Parliament, having second jobs outside the Commons.”

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/parliament-has-failed-to-restore-trust-after-mps-expenses-scandal-10161775.html

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

8 Apr 2015

Posted under

EDDC, Planning System

Comments

1 Comment

EDDC seeks “planning solicit

We thought we had one – Mr Gordon Lennox – but he now also appears to be Monitoring Officer (temporary or permanent – who knows) since the last one we (temporarily) shared with South Somerset seems to have gone – all very confusing!

Or perhaps EDDC is expecting SO much work with the thousands of houses to be built the planning department must expand.

And “Strategic Lead – Legal, licensing and Democratic Services” is that Mr Gordon Lennox too? Or someone else? Only recently EDDC made one of its most senior officers redundant and another couple quietly drifted away – are we back to boom after bust?

“Joining our talented legal team, you will support our Strategic Lead (Legal, Licensing and Democratic Services) in providing a highly efficient and effective legal service. You will offer your first-class legal advice in planning and listed building law as well as administrative law to our council officers, committees and sub-committees. You will draft, negotiate and complete related legal documents and you will represent the Council at court and in planning appeals.”

http://www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk/index.php?option=com_jobs&task=detail_job&id=17441:planning-solicitor&Itemid=

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

8 Apr 2015

Posted under

Claire Wright, General Election, Hugo Swire

Comments

4 Comments

Do you really want to vote for a candidate who is at the “top level of Government and has influence?

 

One who spends his time with his Big Business buddies all over the world with precious little time for his constituency, who makes tasteless jokes about expensive cars, Greeks and people on benefits at a £15,000 per table fundraiser and who has no idea whatsoever about the devastation being wreaked on East Devon by his government’s planning rules?  If so, feel free to vote for this man:

hugowest

 

Or you might you vote for someone who refuses to be the mouthpiece for big business, instead promises to support the local small to medium businesses, to fight for and protect the NHS in her area and has a solid record of objecting to the most devastating planning policies that this district has ever seen – Claire Wright.

Here she is drawing crowds at Ottery St Mary, Sidmouth, Budleigh Salterton, canvassing in Eastern Exeter

otterypublicmeetingcrowd  sidmouthwoolbrookcrowd_pic  budleighpublicmeetingphilip2  broadfieldsstpetersschoolfeb15  ottery_hosp_protest_oct_14

and there are many more pictures of her at smaller locations and venues on her website, talking to people and basing her Manifesto on what they told her they needed to happen in this district:

See and hear her speak:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ZYXMTm1lgmg#t=0

 

 

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

8 Apr 2015

Posted under

EDDC, EDDC Monitoring Officer, General Election

Comments

4 Comments

Purdah for local newspapers: a good idea or a bad idea?

Whilst there are government directives regarding the purdah period for councils (to prevent them tying a future to expensive decisions that will affect them) there is no such rule for newspapers.

One local newspaper has today announced that it will operate a purdah period to ensure that candidates are treated fairly, yet another one stated that it would report political news throughout the election period.

Would it be fair if, say, one candidate got a mountain of negative publicity and behaved really badly and one got a mountain of positive publicity and behaved impeccably, to keep this news from readers?

Surely, a fairness policy then appears to protects the least liked and least popular candidates from harm and the most popular and most liked from being given credit. This can then skew election choice. Is that really fair?

Is it perhaps more a case of not wanting to tread on powerful feet?

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

7 Apr 2015

Posted under

Claire Wright, Democracy, General Election, Transparency

“BIG MONEY” INFLUENCE NEEDS TO BE TAKEN OUT OF UK POLITICS


Commenting on the publication of a new poll by the Committee on Standards in Public Life outlining widespread mistrust amongst the public towards major donors to political parties, Director of Unlock Democracy Peter Facey commented:

“It is clear from the Committee on Standards in Public Life that the public do consider the influence ‘big money’ has on politics is important and that it makes very little distinction between influence from individuals, companies and trade unions.

“This research should make sobering reading for politicians from across the political spectrum. It ought to spur them into action. Let us hope that it does not take another funding scandal before they are prepared to do so. With public confidence in politicians continuing to plummet, urgent action is required.

“Introducing a cap on donations to political parties may be risky but not as risky as doing nothing. It is high time government and opposition parties alike ended the rhetoric and got around the negotiating table.”
Summary of the polls findings:

82% of people considered party funding to be an issue of “some” or “great” importance.

81% of people believed people donated to political parties in the hope of receiving favours, special treatment or special access and influence over the party.

85% of people thought that politicians very often or sometimes do special favours for donors.

76% of people thought that politicians very often or sometimes based decisions on what their donors wished.

52% of people thought that giving special favours to donors was never acceptable.

In a separate poll, the CSPL also found that the percentage of people in England who believe that MPs are dedicated to doing a good job for the public dropped from 46% to 26% between 2008 and 2010.

Both polls can be found here:
http://www.public-standards.org.uk/OurWork/Public_Attitude_Surveys.html

http://unlockdemocracy.org.uk/media/news/entry/big-money-influence-needs-to-be-taken-out-of-uk-politics

The only Parliamentary candidate who does not take donations from Big Business or Unions is Independent Claire Wright.

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

7 Apr 2015

Posted under

Claire Wright, Democracy, East Devon Alliance, EDDC, General Election, Hugo Swire, Independent Councillors, Latest news, Sidmouth/ Sidford/ Sidbury

Comments

1 Comment

Meet the Candidates (East Devon PPCs, and for Sidmouth Town and District Council), organised by VGS

Click here for details: VGS hustings poster1.pages

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

7 Apr 2015

Posted under

Claire Wright, General Election, NHS (local)

100 doctors: use your vote to ensure the NHS in England is reinstated

“Leading doctors in the NHS have accused the coalition government of a catalogue of broken promises, funding cuts and destructive legislation which has which has left the health service weaker than ever before in its history.

… As medical and public health professionals our primary concern is for all patients. We invite voters to consider carefully how the NHS has fared over the last five years, and to use their vote to ensure that the NHS in England is reinstated,” they write.

The signatories to the letter include Dr Clare Gerada, former chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners; Prof John Ashton, retired director of public health; epidemiologist professor Michel Coleman; Simon Capewell, professor of public health in Liverpool; Trisha Greenhalgh, professor of primary care at Oxford; Martin McKee, professor of European public health, and Raymond Tallis, emeritus professor of geriatric medicine in Manchester.

The letter, which the doctors have written in a private capacity, challenges the government on its NHS record and deplores the current pressures facing the health service.

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/apr/07/more-than-100-top-doctors-attack-government-record-on-nhs

The only Parliamentary candidate who has done this for years and continues to do it is Independent Claire Wright.

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

7 Apr 2015

Posted under

General Election

Devolution is a key election issue for 18-24 year olds

Just a third (32 per cent) of 18 to 24-year-olds polled by ComRes, for the Local Government Association (LGA), said they are certain to vote in May’s election.

Almost two-thirds (64 per cent) said a manifesto commitment to shift power and funding for public services from Westminster to their local community would be important in enticing them out to the ballot box on May 7.

Half (51 per cent) said national TV debates between the main party leaders would encourage them to vote and just 26 per cent would be persuaded by celebrities.

Other findings of the survey of young people include:

73 per cent said decisions about how local public services are run should be made by their local council rather than national government in Westminster.
Three-quarters (75 per cent) of 18 to 24-year-olds believe their local council is best placed to make decisions about services for young people in their area as opposed to MPs (12 per cent).

Seven in 10 (71 per cent) said they would find it easier to influence services run by their local council rather than those run by MPs in Westminster.

Despite young people trusting councils more than central government and MPs when it comes to their local area, too many local decisions – such as how to give young people the advice, skills and experience needed by local businesses – are dictated by government.

http://www.local.gov.uk/web/guest/media-releases/
/journal_content/56/10180/7166749/NEWS

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

7 Apr 2015

Posted under

EDDC

Comments

1 Comment

Sickness figures rocket at EDDC

No big surprises in the agenda of the final Cabinet of the current council:

Click to access 150415-cabinet-agenda-public-version.pdf

Let us hope for many new faces and MUCH more transparency from the next one, assuming that the next council keeps the system.

However, one thing has been revealed that EDDC has had a very poor record for sickness absence and after attempts to improve it, things have got much, much worse.

Latest figures shows that, after some improvement from April to September 2014 (0.64 – 4.61 days averages) it absolutely skyrocketed between October 2014 and February 2015 (5.64 – 9.39)

Sounds like a lot of people are very sick at EDDC.

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

7 Apr 2015

Posted under

Affordable and Social Housing, COVOP, EDDC, Local Plan

More on the demonstration on planning outrage to be held in Sidmouth on Sunday

http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co.uk/East-Devon-demonstration-protest-8220-way-housing/story-26295112-detail/story.html

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

7 Apr 2015

Posted under

East Devon Alliance, EDDC, Sidmouth/ Sidford/ Sidbury

Comments

3 Comments

Sidmouth Streetscene, Easter 2015

 

Sidmouth Streetscene Easter 2015

A correspondent writes: Streetscene at East Devon District Council are responsible for emptying litter bins and keeping streets and footpaths clear of litter. This is how they dealt with things over the Easter Bank Holiday 2015. Surely our Sidmouth District Councillors should insist that this is better managed?

Sidmouth Streetscene 2. Easter 2015