Save Our Sidmouth

Category Archives: East Devon Alliance


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SOS Mass March..first Anniversary today!

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Diviani Cohen and barbarians advance
(More photos and videos archived in CATEGORIES-MASS MARCH)

The 4,000 people who joined the Mass March to Knowle organised by Save Our Sidmouth on 3rd November 2012, will remember the mood of cheerful determination mixed with strong anger at East Devon District Council’s “democratic deficit” (Leader, Paul Diviani’s own words). The scale of support for the protest, from campaigners across East Devon, took even the organisers by surprise. Since that event, more members of the public have been attending EDDC meetings, and are witnessing the style and standard of debate, which has led to continuing disquiet. Of current concern is of course the Knowle office relocation decision, a multi-million pound ‘ambition’ which puts taxpayers’ money at risk. SOS has published evidence to show it is based on unsound calculations,and opposition has been voiced not just by SOS, but by many Councillors with strong business acumen.

The Mass March has set many things in motion. Click here for a summary, and note of other developments this year: First anniversaryMass March


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Councillor Twiss has “nothing further to add”

Save Our Sidmouth Chair has received the following reply to his e-mail (see Letter to Phil Twiss, published on this SOS website yesterday,27th Oct):

Dear Mr Thurlow,

Thank you for your E Mail and the comments you make. I have nothing further to add other than to make clear that a decision has already been made by members of East Devon District Council to relocate away from Knowle based on a number of factors including reports from professionally qualified consultants commissioned by EDDC.

No final decision has yet been made on where EDDC will move to and a stake holders meeting will be held in the near future to update people on possible sites for relocation and when a decision will be made.

It has well publicised that to “stand still” i.e. remain at Knowle will cost tax payers from all of East Devon £4.1 million more than by relocating away from Knowle (in maintenance and running costs of the building over a period of time in which a new build would be operational with the higher cost of running Knowle ongoing indefinitely after the new build costs have been paid) and I do not wish to saddle future generations with that debt which it is not possible to “service” from relatively low reserves held by EDDC.

I personally look towards a very positive economic future for Sidmouth and the likelihood that jobs lost in a move from Knowle by EDDC being replaced elsewhere in the surrounding Sid Valley area and that this needs to be factored in when considering the overall picture and not just Knowle in isolation. It is particularly disappointing that barely a mention is given to future generations and their prospects for employment more locally in a variety areas of well paid employment roles that suit them.

Kind regards

Phil

Phil Twiss

EDDC Councillor

Honiton St Michael’s ward, Portfolio holder, Corporate Services


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Letter to Phil Twiss, majority party Chief Whip at East Devon District Council

Chair of Save Our Sidmouth has been obliged to remind the Chief Whip that there has been no reply to his previous letter. Here is Richard Thurlow’s e-mail, dated 27th October, 2013.

‘Dear Cllr Twiss,

In late September the Sidmouth Herald published a letter of mine, commenting on EDDC’s intentions for the Knowle. (Letter to Herald 1-10-2013 )

You replied to this in your letter published in the same newspaper on the 27th September, casting doubts on our assertions, and I replied to your letter in the Herald on the 4th October, challenging you on several points and asking you to clarify certain issues.

I have awaited your reply since that time. Unfortunately there has been none; I can only assume that you have never seen my letter.

Accordingly I attach it for your attention and would be extremely grateful if you could reply .

The main questions which SOS have are summarised below:

You state that-
“remaining in Knowle is not an option”
“the move is necessary”
“the Knowle buildings are not Fit For Purpose”
None of these statements is supported by any facts; they represent an EDDC predetermined view, to which any evidence is then related.

We challenge you to define” Fitness For Purpose” and then provide real measured evidence as to how the Knowle fails this definition.

You acknowledge that there will be significant job losses in Sidmouth, (90). The 20 jobs he sees as being created were in fact estimated to be created by the provision of a Care Home on the Knowle; which has now been abandoned by EDDC.
In the light of this, perhaps you can tell us where and what these new jobs will be; in any event they will hardly be an adequate replacement for high quality jobs in EDDC offices.

EDDC’s own figures state that local spend by EDDC employees is nearly £1m pa, and that £3.5 m pa accrues to the Sidmouth economy through competitive tendering. Sidmouth will certainly lose the former, and may well lose much of the later, because it will be geographically more remote and therefore costs will be higher.
Please will let us know how these economic losses to Sidmouth will be replaced?

Our detailed calculations, (by a professional) show that the existing “modern” offices, (built by EDDC in 1970 onwards), are nearly sufficient in area to satisfy their need. You dispute our figures.
Please provide the detailed calculation which supports your rejection of our figures.

We know that a 20% Design and Construction contingency has been incorporated, but the existence of Build and Occupation risks has been omitted from the Risk Table.
Perhaps you will say why EDDC are not considering publicly and proactively managing these risks through such a Table|?

Please will let us know why EDDC propose to relocate from the Knowle when their proposals are in direct contravention of Policy E3 in their new Local Plan, which states that “Permission will not be granted for the change of use of current or allocated employment land and premises where it would harm business and employment opportunities in the area”.

Regards

Richard Thurlow, Chair SOS’