Chief Executive Mark Williams revealed to the audience at the packed Council Chamber last night, that EDDC has referred Councilor Graham Brown for investigation by the police. He also said that Council officer Nigel Harrison, the Economic Development Manager has been suspended from his duty as Honorary Secretary of the Business Forum while investigations are being carried out.

Despite this, Mr Williams completely ignored calls for his own resignation for having turned a blind eye to systemic conflicts of interest at the East Devon Business Forum, which Councillor Brown has chaired since 2007. A steady barrage of formal complaints from the public has accelerated in the past year, all firmly brushed aside by Mr. Williams and his senior aides. In reply to a letter on this subject from MP Hugo Swire, Mr Williams dismissed the complaints as being without substance , and informed him that people who were complaining were ‘a small group of politically-motivated activists’.  There was no mention that in 2009, Brown had been removed from his position as Business Champion because of ‘suspicions of impropriety’ over planning issues, by the Council’s own Leader at the time,  Sara Randall-Johnson.

More on last night’s Task and Finish Forum Meeting  on Radio Devon this morning http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/player/bbc_radio_devon

Reports will be also be posted shortly on SOS website.

See also SIN blog http://sidmouthindependentnews.wordpress.com/

 The long-awaited next  TAFF meeting,  is at 6pm TODAY, Tuesday 12th March, at  Knowle,

Chairman Councillor Graham Troman has confirmed that this time it is his own agenda that will be followed.  Details at    http://www.eastdevon.gov.uk/bus_taff_combined_agenda_120313.pdf

This Task and Finish Forum was of course set up to do an ‘in-depth report on the East Devon Business Forum, and particularly it’s relationship with the District Council. It will have no doubt  found the Daily Telegraph’s investigations, published this week, useful background.   http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/9921344/Councillors-for-hire-who-give-firms-planning-advice.html

Members of the public who want to ask questions (3 mins maximum) are advised to arrive at least  15 mins before the start. They must write their name on the sheet of paper on the table just inside the entrance to the Council Chamber. Although a limit of 15 minutes is usually put on the total time allowed for public speeches, this is at the Chairman’s discretion. Demand is expected to be high.

High-profile media will be present.

More on the SIN blog at http://sidmouthindependentnews.wordpress.com

Commenting at 7.30 a.m,  on yesterday’s headline news story in the Daily Telegraph, East Devon District Council’s  Leader, Paul Diviani, said that the revelations involving Councillor Graham Brown, were ‘just allegations’. The Leader claimed that  ‘public perception’ was to blame for actions that EDDC and the East Devon Conservative Association were now taking, against Councillor Brown.

More repercussions from yesterday are reported  at  http://www.claire-wright.org/.

Further background comments at the SIN blog  http://sidmouthindependentnews.wordpress.com