It's beginning to feel that mine so far seems a negative campaign. Obviously as a candidate not supported by a major political party it is important to demonstrate how and why I believe the status quo is not working for the best. I did not anticipate how much misleading information would emanate from the two main parties locally, potentially leaving false impressions that should not be allowed to stick.
Exmouth is a great place to live and to grow up. It is also becoming an increasingly popular destination to retire to. There is possibly a gap during the career development and working years.
The years since I first arrived here in 1977 have seen a number of changes.
The dormitory part of the town which has sprawled outwards over the past thirty years, seems more connected to Exeter than to Exmouth. Developed without thought for community facilities it has had a rather soulless feel. I think one achievement of the current town council is to go some way to reversing this.
The growth of the Exmouth Festival has also been significant in reviving the personality of the town as well as its culture, and in drawing the different parts together.
The docks and Rolle College, which were our most significant economic entities, have been closed down with developers in mind. Nothing has come along to take their place. We have lost an awful lot of jobs and a constant injection of young people as a result of this. The age balance and employment/career opportunities need constant attention.
Town and District planners should freeze any applications for supervised apartment blocks for incoming retired people. That is not to deny the elderly the right to retire here, but to put a brake on the ability of large companies to use our natural resources to draw them here in order to make profit which then goes out of the town. As well as creating a time bomb for the NHS locally. An important task facing the new authority should then be to assess the maximum level of these developments which we can sustain, and whether in fact we are already at saturation level.
The water sports businesses in the town have the potential to really take off. We have just missed out on a marvellous publicity coup when the provisional stag weekend plans of the Royal party were blown out of the water by someone blabbing to the press. If that had been allowed to happen discretely we would have been known worldwide as a premier destination for these activities.
When BBC presenter Jodie Kidd was given tuition here the Western Morning News quoted her instructor as saying 'we are the future of Exmouth, if allowed to get on with it'. I consider it a priority to engage with these important local businesses to see what obstacles they face and how they can be helped.
We also need to encourage more quality eating establishments etc rather than filling up for the sake of it with the likes of Bargain Booze.
More to follow.
Friday 29 April 2011
Monday 25 April 2011
We will fight against overdevelopment. Just as we always have.
Tory claims 5 & 6.
*We have worked to reduce the adverse impact of flat developments in The Avenues in respect of quantity, design, and impact on local services.
*We will fight against overdevelopment, particularly development in the Maer valley. (Previously expressed as: we want to continue to work for the protection of the beautiful Maer valley against any LARGE housing or other development). My capitals.
Or, in Brixington: With a Conservative East Devon we guarantee there will be no over development of the countryside – we will protect St John’s Wood/Bystock. It is our green lung!
Since a number of the Conservative councillors live in the Avenues, one would have thought they had plenty of reason for keeping things ‘nice’.
Take a walk up Lime Kiln Lane, coming away from Exmouth seafront at the top of Maer Road. On your left, for a considerable length of the lane, the hedge has been chopped down and you can see extent of the development on the old Hazeldene hall of residence site. Although there are fewer units on the site than the original application, the 0.93 of a hectare looks pretty full. The houses are still very close to the lane at their rear boundary. The block of social housing flats has not yet been built, but its footprint looks substantial.
This is a development whose impact has been reduced, not by a huge amount, but in the way the Conservative group claims it would. This was done not by elected representatives, but by the residents’ association with the unfortunate acronym, Save our Avenues from Despoilation. Sterling work by their members pointed out the holes in the developers’ figures and arguments and ensured that the authority had to take a rigorous attitude to the application. I am not sure that the members and representatives of SAD would be totally happy with the result.
Carry on up to the top of the lane, which is quiet and leafy for the remainder, then turn left along Salterton Road. Then take the second left into Cyprus Road.
You will immediately notice opposite a monstrosity named Villa Maison. This is the proverbial Cuckoo to its neighbours Dartford Warblers. Little wonder that the most obviously overshadowed neighbour, 6b, is for sale. This was hatched on the current incumbents’ watch.
At the bottom of this road turn right into Douglas Avenue. On the opposite side there are a number of overdeveloped blocks of flats, conforming to varying interpretations of taste. There are also two development sites, one freshly demolished, plus yet another former hall of residence, Seacroft, which is subject to a planning application from McCarthy and Stone. The town planners have told the applicants that they are asking for too much on the site, so we are now waiting for the district planners to overrule them. No one seems to have addressed the issue of whether they should be allowed change of use. Despite, as our councillors claim; ‘If re-elected we will continue to press for good quality housing to be built in these locations’.
By now we have the main Rolle College campus on our right. Part of this will be used for education and business start ups etc. in a Big Society project, subject to agreement with the site owners Bovis.
As we enter the conservation area we come upon Rock House, a lovely old house with fine views out to sea, which has been allowed to dilapidate over a number of years. In Sidmouth the owners might have been instructed to maintain it. In Seaton they might already have a breeze block construction on the site. Eagle One have a poster on their boarding showing off 5 very glitzy ‘town houses’. Well worth their wait, I am sure.
At this point you might wish to carry on to the Carlton Hill roundabout to see how many apartments McCarthy and Stone managed to shoehorn into another old hall of residence site.
Or you might prefer to retrace your steps back up Douglas Avenue to the Rolle College playing fields, which comprise the lower part of the Maer valley, not yet subject to the proposals threatening the National Trust land and farm further up. This land currently has protected status, but did a forward looking company like Eagle One really buy it to lease long term to the Boys Brigade?
Better still turn left down to the seafront, then right at the still unfinished bowling alley and walk along the promenade to the marina. Here you will find a modern café bar, The Point, which used to have a nice view across the channel. This view was courtesy of the last three remaining undeveloped plots on the old docks site. These were filled in one by one. The first, directly opposite the café, was rather higher than the artist’s impression suggested it might be. The second was higher still, and the third, on the estuary side, even higher. A stairway to heaven for the developers.
The people who bought apartments in the initial dock developments were assured that no blocks would be higher than theirs. But this is the reality.
When East Devon published its LDF core strategy document, Exmouth Town Council and many individuals made a robust demolition of their targets, which were deemed way in excess of either need or available infrastructure. At the forefront of this was Exmouth mayor and Conservative East Devon councillor Darryl Nicholas, who is unfortunately not standing for re-election.
East Devon responded sympathetically, saying that all targets would be reviewed.
For some reason we haven’t seen the results of this review yet. Did someone tell them there was an election coming?
Sunday 24 April 2011
The trashed bus shelter on Salterton Rd, near hospital corner, has had it's glass replaced promptly and with glass that matches. Well done Street Scene. Of course it only serves to emphasise what an abberration the new bus shelter in The Strand has been. If the relevant people know the style of our bus shelters then how come whoever rushed this through was not aware?
The whole Strand business is very sad. Started as a well meaning desire to freshen up the centre of the town, had a disjointed and short-circuited consultation process, and then work started apparently by stealth before the consultation and planning process had completed before having a belated planning application for a large commercial building pushed through against the wishes of many residents. And now of course applications for referenda that don't necessarily cover all points of view.
I can't find anyone who can suggest an acceptable reason for not completing the planning and having the whole approved or at least debated before starting. Why was this done? There is certainly a sense of being misled when the trees were cut down, the first stage of the work.
Was it arrogance? We'll do this because we want to, after paying lip service to consultation. Or did someone have an agenda? Creating a fait accompli in anticipation of objections to aspects of the building plans. Or were those responsible just too dull to anticipate how this would look?
Is it possible that this was done in a hurry, perhaps as perceived appeasement or compensation to the community over being so badly let down by our representatives over the Rolle College fiasco. It's not the only project that's been rushed through and then listed as an achievement for electoral gain.
The whole Strand business is very sad. Started as a well meaning desire to freshen up the centre of the town, had a disjointed and short-circuited consultation process, and then work started apparently by stealth before the consultation and planning process had completed before having a belated planning application for a large commercial building pushed through against the wishes of many residents. And now of course applications for referenda that don't necessarily cover all points of view.
I can't find anyone who can suggest an acceptable reason for not completing the planning and having the whole approved or at least debated before starting. Why was this done? There is certainly a sense of being misled when the trees were cut down, the first stage of the work.
Was it arrogance? We'll do this because we want to, after paying lip service to consultation. Or did someone have an agenda? Creating a fait accompli in anticipation of objections to aspects of the building plans. Or were those responsible just too dull to anticipate how this would look?
Is it possible that this was done in a hurry, perhaps as perceived appeasement or compensation to the community over being so badly let down by our representatives over the Rolle College fiasco. It's not the only project that's been rushed through and then listed as an achievement for electoral gain.
Saturday 23 April 2011
Barbecued asparagus on the beach.
This year's first decent picking was very nice barbecued, never tried before. Also kebabs and all the usual stuff,with some salad. Six of us chilling and then playing footie.
Watched the sun shimmering on the water, always special at Easter, and then going down. Kept the fires going with bits of wood from the sand, rotovated from other people's fires. Recycling I guess. Couldn't believe how much of this there was.
Plenty of camper vans on the Orcombe Point road. I really wouldn't want this pedestrianised. There must be other ways of dealing with boy racer issues than preventing the access of those who need or wish to come down by car, whether for sport or even to sit in the car and eat their fish and chips.
Watched the sun shimmering on the water, always special at Easter, and then going down. Kept the fires going with bits of wood from the sand, rotovated from other people's fires. Recycling I guess. Couldn't believe how much of this there was.
Plenty of camper vans on the Orcombe Point road. I really wouldn't want this pedestrianised. There must be other ways of dealing with boy racer issues than preventing the access of those who need or wish to come down by car, whether for sport or even to sit in the car and eat their fish and chips.
Sunday 17 April 2011
LibDems sighted, though not in this ward.
I've been handed a 'Focus' leaflet for the Exmouth Town Ward LibDems. While it's been written in their normal combative style they really do appear to be clutching at straws. And of course it does suggest that they are completely ignoring Littleham Ward.
They have pinched the title of the campaigning website Communities Before Developers, although none of the Exmouth LibDems have yet signed CBD's candidates pledge. I am sure they are aware of it as some of their colleagues in other parts have signed.
They promise to be strong against excessive development and over spending by the tories. They claim that they are the only party who can stop the tories taking overall control of EDDC and ETC.
They are even cheeky enough to produce a graph titled '2009 local election results in East Devon' which gives them 33% of the cake.
According to EDDC's website the only 'local' elections in 2009 were the county council elections plus a by election for Sidmouth Town Council. These bear no resemblance to the grossly undemocratic East Devon District Council, which is 71% tory and 17% LibDem. The County Council does have the chance to swing both ways, as Exmouth knows to it's cost.
The last test of voter preferences in East Devon was last year's general election, where the tory won with just under half the votes cast, say 47% of a good 72% turnout. The Tiverton and Honiton seat, which includes part of our district, was also won by the tories with fractionally above 50%.
So at district level it is likely that half of those who vote or are helped with their votes support the tories, but that they will get many more than half of the seats. And while 33% of individuals did support the LibDems last year, many feel betrayed and will never do so again and many more will not get the opportunity because they will not be putting up candidates.
It is disingenuous of the LibDems to claim they can prevent full tory control at EDDC. They will be lucky to retain their current 10 seats. It is most important that there is a strong enough group of Independents and Greens etc. not only to carefully scrutinise the tories, but to ensure the LibDems pull their weight as part of the opposition, something I understand has been rather lacking over the past year.
They have pinched the title of the campaigning website Communities Before Developers, although none of the Exmouth LibDems have yet signed CBD's candidates pledge. I am sure they are aware of it as some of their colleagues in other parts have signed.
They promise to be strong against excessive development and over spending by the tories. They claim that they are the only party who can stop the tories taking overall control of EDDC and ETC.
They are even cheeky enough to produce a graph titled '2009 local election results in East Devon' which gives them 33% of the cake.
According to EDDC's website the only 'local' elections in 2009 were the county council elections plus a by election for Sidmouth Town Council. These bear no resemblance to the grossly undemocratic East Devon District Council, which is 71% tory and 17% LibDem. The County Council does have the chance to swing both ways, as Exmouth knows to it's cost.
The last test of voter preferences in East Devon was last year's general election, where the tory won with just under half the votes cast, say 47% of a good 72% turnout. The Tiverton and Honiton seat, which includes part of our district, was also won by the tories with fractionally above 50%.
So at district level it is likely that half of those who vote or are helped with their votes support the tories, but that they will get many more than half of the seats. And while 33% of individuals did support the LibDems last year, many feel betrayed and will never do so again and many more will not get the opportunity because they will not be putting up candidates.
It is disingenuous of the LibDems to claim they can prevent full tory control at EDDC. They will be lucky to retain their current 10 seats. It is most important that there is a strong enough group of Independents and Greens etc. not only to carefully scrutinise the tories, but to ensure the LibDems pull their weight as part of the opposition, something I understand has been rather lacking over the past year.
Wednesday 13 April 2011
Tory claims 2, 3, & 4
An extraordinary town meeting this evening to request a referendum on the Strand building issue. I was surprised by the strength of feeling and impressed by collectively how informed people were in diverse ways. The vast majority want no building at all, though it is probable nothing like this level of opposition would have materialised if they hadn't tried to pervert their iconic gesture. Actually it emerged that that the words cafe and shelter had appeared on the plans at the three option stage, they just were't really discussed.
It was made clear that Mark Williamson was the only Exmouth councillor to vote the way his community wished, while the LibDem leader Geoff Chamberlain voted for approval of the planning permission for the currently envisaged project. Clearly not all and not only tories need culling.
We also heard about the attitude of those in power to the presence of concerned residents and business people making their representations at Sidmouth.
Claim 4: We have worked to support the police in their efforts to reduce anti-social behaviour and increase their visible presence in the community.
The police have been amongst the strongest objectors to the Strand plans because they believe the development will lead to an increase in antisocial behaviour.
It was made clear that Mark Williamson was the only Exmouth councillor to vote the way his community wished, while the LibDem leader Geoff Chamberlain voted for approval of the planning permission for the currently envisaged project. Clearly not all and not only tories need culling.
We also heard about the attitude of those in power to the presence of concerned residents and business people making their representations at Sidmouth.
Claim 4: We have worked to support the police in their efforts to reduce anti-social behaviour and increase their visible presence in the community.
The police have been amongst the strongest objectors to the Strand plans because they believe the development will lead to an increase in antisocial behaviour.
Tuesday 12 April 2011
Tory claims 2 & 3
We have worked to have an improved Strand layout in the centre of Exmouth.
We have worked to obtain the views of residents on what things are wanted, what things should stay as they are, and what should be changed.
The Exmouth Journal has recently carried a stream of letters and complaints that demonstrate clearly that the ruling bodies (I believe all three councils are implicated, all of the same colour) do not listen to what the public wants, and that even when they delude themselves that they have run a public consultation they do not wait for a straightforward conclusion.
The Strand development plans were originally well meaning. I can remember the three alternative suggestions and the final suggested paper plan.
I don't remember being told a decision had been taken, and I don't remember hearing that an accurate scale model was available for comments. I assumed that this would be a given for any major public open space work. I was aware that we were waiting for the design for the 'performance stage', and presumed that would be the final piece of planning before we would be able to see and approve what we were going to get.
I remember being shocked at the savaging of the trees, and reading that the work had been recommended as essential by experts. Some residents spoke to the contractors, who contradicted this official view. I do not remember any announcement at the time that the work was related to the redevelopment.
That became clear shortly afterwards, when the Strand was turned into a construction site. How convenient it was that the diseased trees fitted the plans so well, and how surprising that the apparently more diseased trees at The Knowle had not been condemned by the same consultant.
By far the biggest surprise came when it was publicised that the use of the building was now to be changed. It is no surprise that there is such anger when the public have been treated with such contempt.
Who took the decision to start the work before the consultation/planning process was complete, and for what reason?
How were the contracts advertised and awarded without a big fanfare to alert the grateful public to the impending works?
Was someone concerned that the proposed changes were likely to prompt unwelcome outbreak of democracy giving a big thumbs down to the whole project?
And of course why were the three councils so desperate to spend this money in the current climate?
Somehow, our ruling party have convinced themselves that these events are an achievement worth advertising in their election literature.
Now, a group of adversely affected traders, having been denied a referendum, are trying to raise funds to bring the issue to judicial review.
I would say enough of our money has been wasted on Sara Randall-Johnson's frivolous legal adventure to preserve their one party state. Save your own money and the public purse.
Use the upcoming local elections as your referendum on this issue. Quiz all the candidates as to their position on what has been done, the way it has been done, and how they would resolve the situation.
Kick out as many as possible of those responsible. Ring fence the money and give the final decision to the people of Exmouth.
We have worked to obtain the views of residents on what things are wanted, what things should stay as they are, and what should be changed.
The Exmouth Journal has recently carried a stream of letters and complaints that demonstrate clearly that the ruling bodies (I believe all three councils are implicated, all of the same colour) do not listen to what the public wants, and that even when they delude themselves that they have run a public consultation they do not wait for a straightforward conclusion.
The Strand development plans were originally well meaning. I can remember the three alternative suggestions and the final suggested paper plan.
I don't remember being told a decision had been taken, and I don't remember hearing that an accurate scale model was available for comments. I assumed that this would be a given for any major public open space work. I was aware that we were waiting for the design for the 'performance stage', and presumed that would be the final piece of planning before we would be able to see and approve what we were going to get.
I remember being shocked at the savaging of the trees, and reading that the work had been recommended as essential by experts. Some residents spoke to the contractors, who contradicted this official view. I do not remember any announcement at the time that the work was related to the redevelopment.
That became clear shortly afterwards, when the Strand was turned into a construction site. How convenient it was that the diseased trees fitted the plans so well, and how surprising that the apparently more diseased trees at The Knowle had not been condemned by the same consultant.
By far the biggest surprise came when it was publicised that the use of the building was now to be changed. It is no surprise that there is such anger when the public have been treated with such contempt.
Who took the decision to start the work before the consultation/planning process was complete, and for what reason?
How were the contracts advertised and awarded without a big fanfare to alert the grateful public to the impending works?
Was someone concerned that the proposed changes were likely to prompt unwelcome outbreak of democracy giving a big thumbs down to the whole project?
And of course why were the three councils so desperate to spend this money in the current climate?
Somehow, our ruling party have convinced themselves that these events are an achievement worth advertising in their election literature.
Now, a group of adversely affected traders, having been denied a referendum, are trying to raise funds to bring the issue to judicial review.
I would say enough of our money has been wasted on Sara Randall-Johnson's frivolous legal adventure to preserve their one party state. Save your own money and the public purse.
Use the upcoming local elections as your referendum on this issue. Quiz all the candidates as to their position on what has been done, the way it has been done, and how they would resolve the situation.
Kick out as many as possible of those responsible. Ring fence the money and give the final decision to the people of Exmouth.
Sunday 10 April 2011
Tory claims 1
The local conservatives have been quick off the mark, their ironically titled leaflet In Touch was through the door before the nominations had even closed.
All decent chaps, work hard in the community etc., etc. The problem is in the dominance their party has in the district which narrows the perspective and obscures priorities.
I would assume the leaflet was not written by someone who lives in or at least understands Exmouth. In particular it makes half a dozen claims in areas that don't exactly stand out as achievements.
We have worked to retain the key elements of the Rolle College site for business start - ups, education and community use.
I had never dreamt that Rolle College would be an election issue.
Our community has been badly let down by the machinations of politicians of different colours. The worst was the Blair government who dictated the change of ownership to the University of Plymouth free of charge but then insisted the University were legally obliged to cash it in for maximum value rather than reach any solution that restored the campus' value to the community. That is, they took something which belonged to us, insisted it was given to this proven asset stripping institution, and then they stood in the way of a morally balancing restitution of our property back to us. It might be said that our MP and other local worthies fought less tigerishly than they might have done in resisting this misappropriation of our assets.
However, once all this was accepted as a fait accompli, the previous LibDem administration on the County Council set aside a sum of money from the sale of Exeter Airport to purchase part of the College main site so that at least a small part of that which was originally given to our community for the purpose of education would be fulfilling that purpose.
One of the first acts of the incoming Tory administration following the County Council elections in 2009 was to take away this money. County leader John Hart was sufficiently bare faced about this to blame the LibDems for 'not ring-fencing' the money. These mustelid convolutions were echoed by East Devon's tory leader Sara Randall-Johnson.
I understand a number of people are working hard to make the best of a bad job with the option that is left. Surely though the Big Society fig leaf will always be dependent on the good will of the developers who now own the site. This is a company with long standing Conservative links who will no doubt enjoy the benefit of extra leverage over their use of the rest of the site.
I am sure all involved with the bid have the best of intentions, and may well include the local candidates.
However to claim any credit from this on behalf of the party which finally took away any chance of permanent ownership of even a part of the site leaves a bad taste. It is akin to Mrs Thatcher claiming credit for raising children's consumption of water after taking away their free school milk.
All decent chaps, work hard in the community etc., etc. The problem is in the dominance their party has in the district which narrows the perspective and obscures priorities.
I would assume the leaflet was not written by someone who lives in or at least understands Exmouth. In particular it makes half a dozen claims in areas that don't exactly stand out as achievements.
We have worked to retain the key elements of the Rolle College site for business start - ups, education and community use.
I had never dreamt that Rolle College would be an election issue.
Our community has been badly let down by the machinations of politicians of different colours. The worst was the Blair government who dictated the change of ownership to the University of Plymouth free of charge but then insisted the University were legally obliged to cash it in for maximum value rather than reach any solution that restored the campus' value to the community. That is, they took something which belonged to us, insisted it was given to this proven asset stripping institution, and then they stood in the way of a morally balancing restitution of our property back to us. It might be said that our MP and other local worthies fought less tigerishly than they might have done in resisting this misappropriation of our assets.
However, once all this was accepted as a fait accompli, the previous LibDem administration on the County Council set aside a sum of money from the sale of Exeter Airport to purchase part of the College main site so that at least a small part of that which was originally given to our community for the purpose of education would be fulfilling that purpose.
One of the first acts of the incoming Tory administration following the County Council elections in 2009 was to take away this money. County leader John Hart was sufficiently bare faced about this to blame the LibDems for 'not ring-fencing' the money. These mustelid convolutions were echoed by East Devon's tory leader Sara Randall-Johnson.
I understand a number of people are working hard to make the best of a bad job with the option that is left. Surely though the Big Society fig leaf will always be dependent on the good will of the developers who now own the site. This is a company with long standing Conservative links who will no doubt enjoy the benefit of extra leverage over their use of the rest of the site.
I am sure all involved with the bid have the best of intentions, and may well include the local candidates.
However to claim any credit from this on behalf of the party which finally took away any chance of permanent ownership of even a part of the site leaves a bad taste. It is akin to Mrs Thatcher claiming credit for raising children's consumption of water after taking away their free school milk.
The Invisible Men (and women)
The list of candidates has been published. I'm disappointed to see no Greens in the Littleham ward, though I knew this would be the case.
I am astonished to see that there are no LibDems either, in the district council election, in this ward. Last time around this was a hotly contested ward, with a strong showing from three LibDems and by far the highest voter turnout of any of the Exmouth wards.
On paper this is quite a diverse ward and certainly should not be a foregone conclusion for the tories. I do feel the LibDems are letting their supporters down. They have built their party's growth over the last 30 years or so on a network of committed local representatives, people like Trevor Cope, now an Independent. They have been particularly important in providing an opposition in areas like the West Country, where they have long been the second party.
After they got into bed with the tories nationally, they lost a lot of these long term committed people who objected to the terms of the coalition agreement and to the constraints that this placed on the conduct of opposition. The local party has been very quiet since, unless you count the name calling when Trevor and Paull Robathon handed in their cards.
If they are failing to provide adequate opposition both in the council chamber and on the ballot then they are letting down all the people who have supported them with their time and their votes for all these years.
East Devon does not function as a representative democratic institution even when the LibDems are performing as an opposition should. One party having over 70% of the seats does not lead to good, effectively scrutinised decision making. When the next largest group of 17% are sitting uncomfortably on their hands we have a level of dominance that would make Messrs Gadaffi, Mugabe or Putin happy.
I am astonished to see that there are no LibDems either, in the district council election, in this ward. Last time around this was a hotly contested ward, with a strong showing from three LibDems and by far the highest voter turnout of any of the Exmouth wards.
On paper this is quite a diverse ward and certainly should not be a foregone conclusion for the tories. I do feel the LibDems are letting their supporters down. They have built their party's growth over the last 30 years or so on a network of committed local representatives, people like Trevor Cope, now an Independent. They have been particularly important in providing an opposition in areas like the West Country, where they have long been the second party.
After they got into bed with the tories nationally, they lost a lot of these long term committed people who objected to the terms of the coalition agreement and to the constraints that this placed on the conduct of opposition. The local party has been very quiet since, unless you count the name calling when Trevor and Paull Robathon handed in their cards.
If they are failing to provide adequate opposition both in the council chamber and on the ballot then they are letting down all the people who have supported them with their time and their votes for all these years.
East Devon does not function as a representative democratic institution even when the LibDems are performing as an opposition should. One party having over 70% of the seats does not lead to good, effectively scrutinised decision making. When the next largest group of 17% are sitting uncomfortably on their hands we have a level of dominance that would make Messrs Gadaffi, Mugabe or Putin happy.
Monday 4 April 2011
Nominations in.
Over to Sidmouth to hand in the forms. Chatted with a candidate for Axminster Parish Council and with the vice chairman of the district Conservative Party. I think the latter had overheard some of my previous conversation, as he was telling me how diverse his group is and he doesn't think Independents will do well this time. I would beg to differ.
The current make up of the authority is Conservative 42, LibDem 10 and Independent 7. Total 59. This is massively disproportionate compared to voter percentages.
There is always a strong perception in Exmouth that we are treated as the poor relations of the district. The largest town which often seems to have the smallest voice.
Currently there is also a perception that the LibDems, traditionally the mainstream alternative in these parts, are hamstrung by their national party's parliamentary coalition with the Tories and unable or unwilling to provide effective opposition or scrutiny. If there is ever a time for the voters to seek a more interesting mix in the council chamber, it must be now.
I am realistic about my chances but that doesn't mean I discount them. If I didn't think I had something to offer I wouldn't be standing.
The current make up of the authority is Conservative 42, LibDem 10 and Independent 7. Total 59. This is massively disproportionate compared to voter percentages.
There is always a strong perception in Exmouth that we are treated as the poor relations of the district. The largest town which often seems to have the smallest voice.
Currently there is also a perception that the LibDems, traditionally the mainstream alternative in these parts, are hamstrung by their national party's parliamentary coalition with the Tories and unable or unwilling to provide effective opposition or scrutiny. If there is ever a time for the voters to seek a more interesting mix in the council chamber, it must be now.
I am realistic about my chances but that doesn't mean I discount them. If I didn't think I had something to offer I wouldn't be standing.
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