Save Our Sidmouth

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Now EDDC obliged to revise its own Outline Planning Application for Knowle, Sidmouth, for the FOURTH time!

In response to this news, SOS has issued the following press release:

‘Save Our Sidmouth, (SOS)…through the research done by one of its constituent members, the Sidmouth Chamber of Commerce… has for the third time queried the supporting economic data prepared by East Devon District Council. This data referred to the number of predicted jobs losses in the town should EDDC re-locate from their HQ building at the Knowle to Honiton. 

The Economic Impact Assessment submitted by the EDDC relocation team was again found to be seriously misleading and inaccurate.    The estimate of job losses arising from the application has now been revised upwards three times and will now reach 75, from the first prediction of 3 job gains. 

This will double the current levels of unemployment in Sidmouth and is a completely unacceptable level of damage to the local economy.   Combined with the loss of parking and parkland, this makes the case for rejecting this ill-judged proposal overwhelming. 

As a result of this, SOS welcomes the decision by the EDDC Planning Team to further delay the consideration of this application. The application will not now be considered in January.   

It is astounding that the Relocation Team at EDDC have had their Economic Impact Assessment rejected three times by their own Planning Department.   It is a complete humiliation for those responsible, and proves beyond doubt that they are incapable of managing a project of this scale.  Confidence in the authority to competently deliver the relocation has accordingly collapsed. 

The only sensible course of action is for EDDC to withdraw the application and reconsider the matter in a calmer way.   The process has descended into farce. ‘

Richard Thurlow (Chair, Save our Sidmouth)


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TAFF on East Devon Business Forum can’t look at planning, or Local Plan…

….because of legal restraints. So said EDDC’s Chief Executive at tonight’s first meeting of the Task and Finish Forum at Knowle.  This advice was accepted by TAFF Chairman, Cllr Troman, who had noted with some disappointment that two members of the committee (of 6) were unfortunately absent.  He also remarked on the ‘record number’ of members of the public present.

Here’s a brief resume. (More to follow in the next few days. Comments also at http://sidmouthindependentnews.com )

Independent Councillor Claire Wright’s motion that TAFF should  look at the Business Forum’s influence on planning policy was not seconded.

The Chairman was ‘disappointed’ that the Honorary Secretary of the Business Forum, Nigel Harrison, had not provided him with a full copy of the EDBF official constitution,  for reference at this meeting.

Cllr Mike Allen asked the Chief Executive “What is the current legal relationship between EDDC and the Business Forum?” After some hesitation, Mark Williams’s answer was, ” a type of joint body”.

 

 

 

 


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URGENT! Will TAFF on the EDBF go off course?

The East Devon Business Forum has been widely criticised as a lobby group of developers and landowners who, allegedly, have had an undue influence on planning in East Devon. Hopes were raised that the TAFF committee set up to investigate links between the Council and the Forum would reveal if there was any truth in this perception.

Amazingly, the draft template for the scope of the enquiry, just published, excludes from discussion planning policy and the East Devon Local Plan. (Like a Jimmy Savile investigation excluding mention of sexual abuse?)

So expect a vigorous debate this Tuesday, 6pm at Knowle, at the first meeting of this Task and Finish Forum (TAFF), to decide its agenda.

Media reporters will be there. Public urged to attend, to ensure Councillor members of the TAFF Committee can fulfil their task, specified by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Sep 2012), ‘to.produce an in-depth report on the East Devon Business Forum to include all business engagement and its relationship with the council.’

You will recall that this  O&S Committee resolution was initially incorrectly minuted. The minutes were subsequently revised, following a complaint by Councillors involved, and by SOS observers. The resolution quoted above is from the revised minutes.