Ironically, this stunning accord came shortly after restrictions on public speaking at planning meetings had been approved, by 29 votes to 16, with 4 abstentions!

Four Sidmouth Councillors, were amongst the 16 objectors, who had supported the earlier motion (also by Independent Councillor Claire Wright) to defer consideration of any changes to public speaking rules for one year. They were Cllrs Hughes, Kerridge, Newth and Troman, though only one, namely Councillor Graham Troman, stood up to give his reasons, based on his own research that the average public speaking time at planning meetings over a 12-month period, was in fact a mere four and a half minutes.

The other local representatives, Cllrs Christine Drew, Peter Sullivan and Chris Wale, voted in favour of the restrictions. A recorded vote had been very narrowly approved, and has now been published on the EDDC website http://www.eastdevon.gov.uk/230714_council_mins.pdf .

For more reports on the Full Council meeting, go to http://eastdevonalliance.org/

N.B. CORRECTION, with apologies to Cllr Sheila Kerridge. SOS has been informed that Cllr Kerridge voted AGAINST immediate restrictions on public speaking at planning meetings, not for them, as originally stated in this post, which has now been edited accordingly.