Save Our Sidmouth

Category Archives: EDDC


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Devon County Council election results for Sidmouth-Sidford.

Stuart Hughes, Conservative,  was successfully returned with 1,923 votes, and  Lawrie Brownlee for UKIP took  second place with 1505 votes . Labour’s Judy Blackwell came third with 361 votes, and Martin Gammell polled 278 for the Liberal Democrats. The turnout was 37.5 %.

Councillor Hughes has taken a firm stand on some key issues in the Save Our Sidmouth campaign. As he stated in his election leaflet,  “I have been vocal in my opposition against a Business Park development taking place within the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and on land susceptible to flooding to the north of Sidford. I shall continue to press for the link road to the Alexandria Industrial Estate from the B3176 so that it can reach its full potential in providing future employment opportunities.” He also chaired the Overview and Scrutiny Committee which set up the Task and Finish Forum  to do an” in-depth report” on the East Devon Business Forum (although this TAFF has so far been prevented from carrying out its proper remit).

And Mr Brownlee  explicitly mentioned SOS in his campaign leaflet: “I am deeply concerned about the proposed overdevelopment by EDDC and am a committed member of Save our Sidmouth/ Sidford. I have attended Council meetings and all the protest marches.”

Full details of the results are at  http://new.devon.gov.uk/democracy/elections-and-voting/election-2013/


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Reminder: Question Time with candidates for Sidmouth/ Sidford, this Monday, 29 April ( Kennaway House, Sidmouth. 7pm for 7.30 start ).

In advance of the Devon County Council Elections next Thursday (2nd May) , Vision Group for Sidmouth has arranged a hustings.

The four candidates who have been invited to answer your questions are:
Judy Blackwell (Labour)
Lawrie Brownlee (UKIP)
Martin Gammell (Lib Dem)
Stuart Hughes (Conservative)
Unfortunately the Labour candidate is unable to attend but has given her permission for the event to go ahead without her being present.

Questions from the public can be submitted in advance in one of two ways:

Please note: Questions  will be selected to give as wide a range of issues as possible, though they should focus on the Sidmouth Sidford Division of Devon County Council.

The event will be chaired by the VGS chair, Dave Bramley, in the cellar bar of Kennaway House, Coburg Road, Sidmouth.   Entry is free.


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Getting to know the Knowle

Advertisements for job vacancies at EDDC now include the mention ‘In the future, East Devon District Council may relocate from its current headquarters to premises elsewhere in the district.’  Presumably this means that despite the recent refusal of the Outline Planning Application for Knowle, the parkland may still be under threat.

Last Sunday’s guided walk through the grounds, which include part of Sidmouth’s Civic Arboretum, was led by Hugh Angus ( former Head of Collections at Westonbirt National Arboretum) who knows a lot about trees!  Here are a few special ones he pointed out:

A splendid-in-autumn red maple (first large tree on the right as you enter the drive leading to the Council offices)

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Then a Judas tree (also on the right hand side of the drive)

P1030082Everyone knows ‘Old Monty’ (with the thickest girth of its type in the UK)   but may not know how to be sure it’s a Monterey Pine. Look for fist-sized cones growing directly from the bark.

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.And you’ll recognise the Monkey Puzzle tree, or Chile Pine, with its thorny bark and branches. This one’s a male and in excellent health. Just as well, as these ancient trees, with edible seeds (the Araucanian Indians ate them fresh or boiled), are globally under threat. P1030097

 

 

 

 

 

Hugh Angus will be back in Sidmouth in June, with broadcaster Roy Lancaster, of RHS fame, for an event at Kennaway House…and more guided walks, no doubt! Details soon at   http://www.sidmoutharboretum.org