Save Our Sidmouth


by 1 Comment

Questions for the Leader of EDDC

SOS prepared the following questions to ask Councillor Diviani today, but when the “sheer weight of numbers” made him and his staff a bit reluctant to deal with specific issues, we were told these were not on the agenda.

Here they are, for another time.

QUESTIONS FOR THE LEADER

1.Why did he tell the Scrutiny Committee that the revised OPA for the Knowle was submitted by an independent consultant when it was the EDDC Deputy CEO Richard Cohen who submitted the form?
2.Why did he tell the Scrutiny Committee that he had no recollection of telling the Chief Reporter of the Sidmouth Herald that access to the Alexandria Estate was “too problematic”?
3.Can he clarify his claim that David Cameron has endorsed EDDC’s plans to build on the AONB. The PM’s office has been unable to confirm this claim. EDDC can provide no reference.
4.Can he clarify whether he really said that “the jobs of the future” in the Sid Valley are “office jobs”? If so, where is his evidence? Sidmouth citizens have presented anecdotal and statistical evidence that Sidmouth residents who work for major companies based in Exeter or other cities tend increasingly to work at home for much of the week in the (currently) pleasant environment of the Sid Valley whenever they are not networking at their central office or with clients outside the region. Why would they wish to relocate to the Sidbury flood plain? The only office work located in an office block in a rural area is a call centre, surely? Can he clarify if this is his vision for the valley?
5.Can he clarify previous claims about future jobs in the valley? Were we not told that the Fords plan for jobs is for a renewable energy industry? Could this not be located in an existing employment site, such as Chalky White’s now closing garage complex in Sidbury? If jobs are so important, can the Leader clarify why EDDC persistently agrees change of use from employment land to luxury housing all over the valley? Can he clarify how this helps the young working people of the valley? And who benefits?
6.We have also been told that future employment will be provided by EDDC in a giant care home to be built on the parkland and arboretum at the Knowle. Can he clarify why the N.E.W. Devon Clinical Commissioning Group has not apparently been warned of this extra demand on the care services they have to provide?
7.Can Cllr Diviani clarify whether he has considered the evidence that the “jobs of the future” needed for our local food security are jobs in agriculture rather than, say, more than 400 car park spaces and a container park in the AONB near the A3052?
8.Can he clarify whether his statement that he has certainly had “no knowledge of a supermarket in relation to Alexandria” indicates that he knows the supermarket is actually destined for Sidford?
9.Is Cllr Diviani annoyed by Stuart Hughes’s creative work with DCC Traffic managers which appears to wreck the plan to demonstrate that Alexandria Road is inaccessible so we can move all the Fords containers to the Sidford flood plain, whichwill allow us to move Bradfords from Sidmouth and Honiton to a super-site in the AONB so that EDDC can move to the Bradfords site at Honiton station so that we can flog off the Knowle to pay for these moves and then Morrrisons can move into the AONB on the A3052 with 500 car parking spaces, rescuing Sir John Cave from the deprivations caused by the recession. After which we can, finally, secure easy access to the Alexadnria site in order to put in a load of second homes and investment properties for EDBF members to ensure their comfort in retirement
10.Can Paul Diviani clarify why he “listens to” but does not hear what he regards as unsound arguments from the people he represents and yet will not let the public or his fellow councillors listen to, let alone hear, his words of apology for his persistent failure to declare his interest in the East Devon Business Forum? This apology was on the agenda of the last meeting of the full Council. Can he clarify whether his silence on that occasion was evidence of shame or of shamelessness?
11.Can he clarify why EDDC “listens to” but ignores the evidence and the advice of  the two independent consultants it has instructed, but “hears” only the voice of the East Devon Business Forum on planning policy and priorities?
12.Finally, can he clarify why the draft minutes of the previous Scrutiny committee misrepresented the concerns of councillors and citizens so significantly that Cllr Graham Troman had to propose an amendment restoring the thrust of the previous meeting and correcting the remit of the investigation he is charged with undertaking, namely a thorough investigation of the East Devon Business Forum, which was founded by one of its leading members… erm, Paul Diviani?


by 4 Comments

Today’s Mass March..opening speech

With approx 4,000 people in the crowd, not everyone could hear the opening speech by Robert Crick of SOS. So here it is:

Good morning neighbours. Thank you for coming here – we are all in this together.

Some people say that we are bananas. BANANA Build absolutely nothing anywhere near anything. Well, that is NOT what this campaign is about.

In 2005 the Town Council, Sid Vale Association, Chamber of Commerce, Hospitality Association and others set up the Vision Group for Sidmouth to consult the community on the future of the valley. The District Council has consistently ignored and sneered at all community attempts to engage with them over the past seven years, despite a wealth of creative positive ideas.

We want development for local human need, rather than for corporate greed. We are passionate about housing for our young workers, training for our local youth, healthy local businesses and a long-term strategy for jobs.

The previous Leader of EDDC told us her vision: the council was “desperate to sell to the highest bidder” this very site, which was given to the people of Sidmouth one hundred and sixteen years ago. Similar asset stripping has been taking place in Exmouth and all across the District.

She was voted out of office and replaced by an independent councillor, Claire Wright, of Communities Before Development. People power works.

Some in the Council are too stupid to see the vast difference between Communities Before Development and Communities Against Development. Well done Claire and other independents who have been subjected to persistent bullying in the Council Chamber.

Let us also pay tribute to the many Conservative Councillors across the District who are refusing the party whip. The current Leader has been found to be mis-leading. He claimed David Cameron has endorsed their plans (not confirmed by 10 Downing Street). He has claimed the jobs of the future for East Devon are office jobs. There is no evidence that call centres are needed in rural Devon.

60 years ago my dad’s uncle was chair of Sidmouth Urban District Council. Brigadier Crick wanted to preserve and extend our public assets to keep this place tranquil and beautiful, not to sell them off to the highest bidder. The current town council chair, Stuart Hughes, has shown magnificent leadership. He is flabbergasted at the District Council’s misleading claims. He has sent to this rally a personal message of support.

Councillor Graham Troman is another local Conservative who has shown moral courage in getting an investigation into those members of East Devon cabinet, who have been at the same time members of a lobby group of big businesses and landowners making substantial profits out of changes in land use. They have been forced to apologise publicly for failing over many years to declare their conflict of interest.

These are the people who are also responsible by law for preserving the East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The EDDC leader has said that sheer weight of numbers will not change his mind. We are here to assert that Democracy is preferable to Dictatorship. Government of the people, by the people and for the people shall not perish from the earth, even in East Devon.

Our numbers are impressive. Our support comes from across the political spectrum. We also have legal arguments, professional opinions, and statistical evidence to argue rationally for genuine local need in housing, jobs, health and well-being.

And we are winning the argument. Our reticent MP has finally capitulated to the bombardment of demands for him to call in the dubious plans for the Knowle. EDDC leaders have twice postponed the publication of their revised Local Development Plan. They have also, in an unprecedented move, revised their Outline Planning Application – to themselves. And today they have at last agreed to engage with the people they represent.

The media inform us that when we get to EDDC HQ we will be invited in for tea and biscuits. We have a long list of questions requiring clarification by our District Council. Let us now march to the Knowle for a frank and open discussion. There may not be enough tea and biscuits to go round.

CLOSING RALLY AT THE KNOWLE

This is a magnificent turnout. Exmouth, Ottery, Seaton, Feniton, Farringdon, Tipton, Budleigh, Branscombe, Sidbury, Sidford WI, Sidmouth Youth Council, The Green Party, Churches Together… we are all here to say that this is wrong.

The District Council Leader says he wants to hear what we think.

Do we want an industrial estate on the Sidford and Sidbury flood plain? NO!

Do we want a megastore in our parish sucking the life out of our town centre? NO!

Do we want to replace this people’s park with second homes and investment properties? NO!

Do we want all employment land in our towns and villages handed over to speculative builders? NO!

Do we want the seafront in our historic town turned into a pile of rubble and then a high rise building blocking access to the sea? NO!
OR
Do the people of East Devon want to preserve all of our Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty? YES!

Do we want the Sid Valley to provide jobs and homes for our children and grandchildren? YES!

Do we want training and apprenticeship schemes developed in East Devon? YES!

Do we want local food security from our fields, woodlands and the sea? YES!

Do we want a community where serving the public good is something we can be proud of? YES!

This morning 4000 people have given the lie to any claim that this campaign is just a small group of old guys. You are all leaders in this campaign. Thank you.