Save Our Sidmouth


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Questions to Full Council…non-replies from the Leader

EDDC Leader, Paul Diviani, chose not to answer three questions from the public straightaway, at  the Full Council meeting at Knowle  last week (10th April).  He preferred to give written replies, and after a haughty retort (see SOS post April 11th, No ” trial by hearsay” , agreed to Councillor Roger Giles’ request that copies of the replies should be circulated to all councillors. This was done yesterday.

The questions were as follows:

1. From Kelvin Dent of Knowle Residents’ Association:

 On 21st March the Chief Executive wrote to me to say that “We (ie EDDC) are considering the decision of Development Management Committee and our options going forward”. Please would someone let me know what those options are? I can then advise the Knowle Residents’ Association who are your next door neighbours and are still very concerned about what may happen to the Knowle. Thank you.
(Mr Dent had earlier informed Councillor Diviani, by letter, that ” In case you are wondering, I have asked the Chief Executive himself via his PA but have not yet received a response.”)
2. From Richard Eley of Save our Sidmouth:
(summary) As there is a window of opportunity to revise parts of the Local Plan now, before it goes to the Government Inspector, will EDDC consider doing so? There is a precedent for this in South Somerset, which shares EDDC’s Chief Executive, Mark Williams.
3. From Tony Green of East Devon Alliance
(summary) In order to correct the misleading statements made by an EDDC spokesperson to the Sidmouth Herald recently (see article on Call for Council’s Chief Executive to resign, 22nd March 2013) , could the Leader please  identify the spokesperson concerned?
Could the Leader also ensure that a meeting is arranged between Mr Green and the Council’s Communications Officer, so that a press release from EDDC can be issued, correcting the misleading public statements in the aforementioned article?
(For  full question, go to April 11th post, No “trial by hearsay”)
 
Here are Councillor Diviani’s answers, duly circulated to all councillors yesterday3 letters from council Apr 2013
Some councillors, of varying political allegiances,  have already reacted privately expressing extreme dissatisfaction with the (lack of ) content in these answers.


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National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) news

Whosehomeisit keeps a close eye on the NPPF. SOS has just received this update from them:

There are links to two reviews of the first year of the NPPF on the documents tab for whosehomeisit.
Appeal decisions are now up to the close of 12th April 2013. Normally, only appeals for over 40 houses are listed, and some of those may be missed, given the numbers (40-80 planning appeals per day).
I have listed one for only 28 houses, because there is a worrying phrase in it. That is the following:

Essington South Staffs allowed 11/4/2013

The local plan is planned for adoption in late 2015 or early 2016.The development conflicts with the core strategy, but is too small for prematurity to apply. The inspector agrees that a robust supply of 6.4 years is available, and meets P47 of the NPPF. He then says “The presumption in favour of development is not dependent on the lack of a robust 5 year supply”. Is this a step by the inspectors to negate a five year supply as a defence?

Best regards,

David Walsh

whosehomeisit.co.uk