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Sidmouth/ Sidford/ getting younger

There are some surprises in the following statistics, researched by a local resident. They compare the 2001 and 2011 census results for 4 areas of Sidmouth and for Sidford.
In that time the percentage of over 65s has decreased in Sidmouth/Sidford – although it is a smaller percentage of an increased population . So there has been an increase of 445 people overall and only 90 of them are over 65. At the same time the percentages of under 15s and 16-64s have increased.
As the researcher says, “This somewhat contradicts EDDC planners assertion that an ageing population means we need another care home in Sidmouth at The Knowle!”
His summary of the figures is given below:
                                                                                           2001                                                               2011
Population                                                                 7895                                                           8340
% 0-15 yrs old                                                                 12.06                                                              12.74
%16-64 yrs old                                                                48.16                                                              48.62
% over 65                                                                         39.38                                                             38.36
 Useful link to government census site  at .http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/interactive/census-map-1-4/index.html 


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East Devon Business Forum…cause for concern?

This question will be investigated by the  Special Committee (TAFF) set up to scrutinise the East Devon Business Forum.

The all-important agenda  for this Committee  will be agreed next Tuesday (6pm 11 December, at Knowle).   Media and public in attendance.

The draft scoping template for this agenda, now on East Devon’s website, gives some cause for concern. See  http://www.eastdevon.gov.uk/business_taff_111212_combined_agenda.pdf

More comment on this and related issues at http://sidmouthindependentmews.wordpress.com


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Questions remain unanswered

It was evidently all too much, at last night’s Full Council Meeting at Knowle, when Independent Councillor, Claire Wright, put nine questions to the Leader, Councillor Paul Diviani. Not one was answered with considered courtesy, or thoroughness. To give an example: when Councillor Wright asked for a precise estimate of the associated costs of relocating Council Offices from Knowle to Honiton,  he irritably replied, ” £350, 000″. There was no attempt to show how this figure was arrived at.

Three questions from the public were treated with equal disdain.

The first was a serious challenge, with evidence provided, of the underestimate of job losses in Sidmouth which would be incurred with any relocation of EDDC HQ. (Errors in their figures have of course already been admitted by the Council, thereby obliging them to revise their Outline Planning Application(OPA)  for Knowle for an astonishing third time! ) This questioner found further flaws in the calculations.

The second question pointed to unsoundness of the Risk Assessment in the OPA, a matter of deep concern to all East Devon taxpayers.

The third member of the public spoke in support of a motion (now deferred) by Sidmouth Councillors Stuart Hughes and Graham Troman, to put on hold any decision on Knowle, as Local Government may well be reorganised  following Lord  Heseltine’s recommendations. (More details of the No Stone Unturned report , at http://sidmouthindependentnews.wordpress.com  6 Dec,  Paul Diviani insults Tory grandee . Related topic also on SIN blog, 17 Nov Relocation in Deep Trouble )