Yet another set of proposals for a 33 hiome Courtlands cross development

have been circulated, this time time the developer has delivered fliers to the local residents who will be overlooked by the proposed development of 33 houses on a field at the rear of houses built in Courtlands lane just inside the Lympstone boundary., although the developer calls it Exmouth.
Already some work has been carried out on the site by digging a pond at the lower part of one of the fields but which has destroyed the natural drainage from the fields and is making the lane (part of the East Devon Way) at the lower edge of the site extremely wet even in this very dry summer, Lord knows what it will be like when the rains comeback!
asimilar but larger plans have previously been rejected by EDDC despite their Officers approval after some very long and protracted battles by both the parish copuncil and local residents who were against development on this open land that acts as a buffer between Lympstone and it larger neighbour,
A greater view of this can be seen at the following link where a form is attached to comment upon the proposals.

courtlandscross.co.uk

A new application for seating in the Strand

Andy Dyer has applied for a pavement licence outside his new pub in the Cafe quarter, could be a retrospective application because he has had chairs and tables out there for weeks blocking the pathway. his formal request is supported by a plan that identifies the space he wishes to have but with a 2 metre clear space. Even with this space will be very difficult for the elderly or young mothers with pushchairs to use the footpath. Disabled people will be very badly inconvenienced as the chairs will spread about as drinkers push them back in their haste to get another cheap pint. Ever since this place opened there has been an offer of cheap booze often resulting in a group of hardened drinkers lounging around the tables and obstructing the pathway.
If readers are concerned they can read the notice fixed to a lamp post and use the address thereon to raise their objections but don't leave it too late and be ruled out of time.

EDDC among the top Rip Off Councils

In the WMN EDDC are listed in the top 5 of councils in the SW who are ripping off the motorists with their car parking fees and fines.

http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/Councils-Devon-Cornwall-defend-cash-cow-car-park/story-19711576-detail/story.html

I suppose that as a motorist I must be pleased that EDDC have selected me to subsidise their extravagances and take the pressure off those who are not drivers!

A super transport interchange?

Which has been muted by the council is not needed to satisfy the needs of the travelling public. what we have already is good enough although some small improvement should be made.

1. The Bus company who have the lease must be made to do some maintenance to preserve the structure of the buildings, shot blasting the steel work and painting it on a regular basis would be a fine start.
2. Repair or replace the broken windows and partitions
3. Renegotiating the terms of the lease to allow alternative uses within the area for say the provision of a mobility centre and possibly a cycle hire store with a rest room and cafe all built with simple construction methods.
4. bring every bus service into the exchange thus making all travelling easier for the public to access without cold wet walks between the various stops.
5. Provide a free phone for travellers to call for taxi's rather that have waiting cabs wasting their time in the hope of getting a fare.
6. Setting up a permanent coach set down and pick up bay within the site so allowing the car parking spaces in Imperial road to be reinstated but to make them pay and display (metered parking would be better)!
7. Convert all surface car parks to a pay on exit system that would save on enforcement costs and also provide the cash needed to make the changes needed to include the options called for in (3)
8. Remove the bus parking to another site to free up space and make employees use the npublic spaces increased available space and provides a small increase in revenue. Alternatively make a charge on the bus company for each vehicle parked within the site

Redevelopment of the rugby ground

the plans to redevelop the rugby ground will soon be gathering speed and although the Council has to put its plans into the public domain there is no compelling rule that makes them either consult the public nor take any heed of public opinion.
This is again a question of want/need/ cash.
EDDC wants top build more things in the town for which there is little appetite from the residents. A Supermarket chain would they hope provide the cash to do these things. It must not be thought that anyone is sayng that the Rugby club cannot relocate to whatever place it feels to be appropriate but the use of the ground must be retained for recreational purposes. In the press a letter writer suggested that converting the ground into a permanent caravan touring site would be appropriate. I totally agree that at least a part of the site could well be used in this manner after all the present club house is very easily converted into  reception and toilet block with on site laundrette for the caravanners who would then get into town to spend their holiday money We already have a few such sites in the area but none so near to the town that would give Exmouth the greatest benefit possible. A supermarket will not encourage other shopping visits (linked visits), whilst still deriving an income for the council from the fees without having to do anything to collect them
The council; and its employees are so blinkered that they just cannot see how the building of another supermarket will bring desolation to our shopping centre even without the anticipated influx that EDDC say will come to see this new store Although curiosity could at first there make some  visit but how many will drive along a very busy road for the "pleasure" of going to a Morrisons/Sainsburys.Waitrose when they have to pass them by on the way. FOGET It EDDC it just won't work. Those who live in the outskirts of Exmouth are more likely to shop in the existing Lidle/Tesco/co-op stores to save the hassle of driving into a congested town centre.

Where has the benevolent Lord of the manor gone?

In times or yore it was the custom for the local Lord to build things for the benefit of the people who lived in his manor Thus it became that we were able to enjoy the benefits of running water, public halls and toilets, churches and good roads and not least of all houses to live in. The modern Lord however has employed an agent to oversee his assets that has resulted in a very hard nosed view on what will now be done the local Clinton estates (CDE) being a class example
The connection between the councils and CDE has become so strong that there looks to be little that the Councils are willing to do that will or could prevent a very aggressive agent from running riot within the District Current examples are to be found in Exmouth where the council wants an extension to the Liverton Business park to be completed (it is owned by CDE) and in return it is willing to have a very large housing development on green land in the Littleham valley because CDE say that it is the only way that they are able to pay for the Liverton extension.
Another similar plan to build in Newton Poppleford has been stalled for now due to a last minute intervention by Natural England who have backed the claims of locals and objected top the plans throwing EDDC into turmoil. CDE is very much like the Duchy estates in Cornwall where they are able to get way with so much to the detriment of the public although CDE will not get the tax relief that the Duchy gets.
The Lord is not elected so we cannot get shot of him or his agents but surely in these so called democratic days our views must add up to something more than a gnat bite!

Inherited skills?

Printed in the WMN today Saturday 24th August a letter written by a correspondent from Ivybridge asks if there are any honest MP's any-more?

The fact that we now have a predominantly conservative controlled Parliament and both EDDC and most of the local  East Devon Towns and Parish councils are all controlled by the same party members is this the reason why councillors act in the same way as our parliamentarians?
The secondary question that arises Is the skill to tell porkies bred into politicians or do they learn it? I'l bet mother has very little to do with it,  probably the public schools system that is the kick starter usually the same one that dad and granddad attended, but that is mostly only the parliamentarians!  So how do the local politicians get it unless it is by breeding?

Another letter printed in the same paper points out that MP's are eating heavily subsidised food in their canteens which he describes as eating food from the food banks. The Commons canteens (Bars and restaurants) being subsidised to the tune of £4.9 million whilst the eight Lords canteens lost £2.3 million last year. The correspondent ends up by writing ."It is clearly a do as I say, not not as we do scenario. The expenses scandal hasn't really gone away, they've just moved things around. can we trust any of them? 
The judgement to yours!

Hulham Road with Exeter Road junction

I have been told by Councillor Bernard Hughes that there is to be a HATOC ( highways and Traffic orders committee) meeting to look into the problems that arise at that road junction, maybe we will get some traffic lights there in future and not before time I might add. That together with the Exmouth traffic management plan which Councillor Stuart Hughes has asked to be produced may at last make our town a safer and far easier place to navigate through.

holiday times

The Town Clerk will be back in Exmouth next Friday and at his desk on the 2nd september after his annual leave. Not bad a month off with some more to come as time in lieu. no wonder that local government is in such a state !

I suppose that is why he declares that the council should employ a deputy town clerk so that he can have more time off I believe that there is no need to employ another as already there is an office manager who was intended to cover the time when the clerk was away. 

For all his faults the previous clerk didn't run up so much time in lieu as he just didn't log in overtime and his refusal to accept over the top annual salary increments meant that the council; salary costs were kept to a minimum, looks as if this new bod is a bit of a grabber.Still he is after all he was employed by the tories who are renowned as poor managers.

having taken a couple of days off

and returning to everyday life after removing the garage roof, replacing the beams and then clearing up the ensuing mess I am rather cream crackered. Still it was worth doing and verry necessary at least the roof may not leak now, well see!

New Lobbying bill before parliament

The government’s rushing through a new law which, if it passes, will stop us running the type of campaigns which have made us who we are The campaigns which have seen 1.7 million of us act together, locally and nationally, for over four years. In fact, if the new law passes, and we continue campaigning as we do now, the office team could even risk being sent to jail. The law's called the 'Transparency of Lobbying, Non-party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Bill'. And if it goes through without any changes, it’ll wipe out our campaigning by slashing what we can spend during the year before elections. Not just general elections, either. Local elections, European elections and referendums, too. The government’s rushing through a new law which, if it passes, will stop us running the type of campaigns which have made so much difference. [1] The campaigns which have saved our forests, fought privatisation in the NHS, and defeated the snoopers' charter. [2] The campaigns which have seen 1.7 millions of us act together, locally and nationally, for years. In fact, if the new law passes, and we continue campaigning as we do now, twe could even risk being sent to jail. The law's called the 'Transparency of Lobbying, Non-party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Bill'. And if it goes through without any changes, it’ll wipe out our campaigning by slashing what we can spend during the year before elections. Not just general elections, either. Local elections, European elections and referendums, too. But if we act now and we act together, we could make the government reverse their plan. Chloe Smith, the minister responsible for pushing this law through parliament, is coming under more and more pressure to re-think. If hundreds of thousands of us speak up now, we could swing her decision. Can you email Chloe Smith now to tell her why it's important that we're able to campaign during elections, and what you think of her plans to stifle us? There’s no template email, because it’s really important that Chloe Smith hears your personal reasons for being a member of 38 Degrees. Anything you write to her now is better than her not hearing from us at all.Click here to get started:https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/lobbying-bill People power is at the heart of 38 Degrees. We don't spend too much, but our campaigns do cost money. Without being able to spend - employing staff, buying billboards, or printing leaflets about where politicians stand on local issues - we just won’t be able to make the issues which matter to us all, like the NHS and fair taxation, top of the agenda at the next election. The three main political parties have a combined membership of around 433,000. [5] There are 1.7 million of us. Per member, the parties would be able to spend over £130 - 38 Degrees a national campaigning organisation, would be able to spend around 23p. Put simply, this will make it hard to influence the next election, and every one after that.Can you email Chloe Smith now?https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/lobbying-bill It’s not clear whether this law is just badly written, or if the government is simply fed up of being criticised - but it’s a huge threat. And it doesn't only affect us: from big charities to tiny single-issue campaigns, the sector is scared and furious. The government’s trying to slip this through with as little fuss as possible. Not only did they introduce it on the day before MPs knocked off for the summer, they also tied it into a whole raft of other new rules on lobbying. And some of the new rules, like the register of lobbyists, are things people have been been pushing for, although they’re not yet strong enough..It is still still hoped to campaign for tighter controls on dodgy lobbying - but before that, we have to fight to make sure we're not silenced during elections.Chloe Smith needs to know that whether by accident or intention, this law isn’t fit for purpose. Can you email her now? It's a really worrying time. The potential impact of this law is only just becoming clear. The Cabinet Office says it won’t affect us.  But experts , from lawyers to charity chiefs, are telling us it will. This threatens the entire way millions of us campaign together. It’s not just us. Amazing people-powered campaigns like HOPE not hate's fight against the BNP in Barking and Dagenham, or Make Poverty History, just wouldn't be possible during election periods. Right when ordinary people should be able to have the most impact. It's no exaggeration to say this law will make it easier for registered political parties like the BNP to campaign without challenge.The government's doing its best to rush this law through without consultation or feedback. If we act together now, we can let them know that 38 Degrees is more than just a name millions of people committed to campaigning for a better, fairer Britain.  Are not willing to accept this bill wiothout a fight, and we We won't remain silent while they try to stop us.Can you email Chloe Smith? Our freedom to act and speak freely may depend on it.https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/lobbying-bill [post paraphrased from an e-mail; sent by 38 degrees on August 22nd to their supporters but which we thought everyone should be made aware[

Exmouth Carnival

Will take place on Saturday 12th October and the precession starts at about 7pm (see adverts for precise time) in the day there is an all day fun event in the Strand that will whet the apetites of all and sundry ready for the main event in the evening. carnival in Exmouth has a long tradition which goes back to pre-war days but the procession really took off when in 1995 it was taken over by a new committee who rescued it from virtual bankruptcy and turned it al round into the success that we see today. That committee retired in 2007 and handed on to another committee all of their savings and quite a lot of equipment and goodwill to enable carnival to go forward from strength to strength. A short experiment by the Exmouth Chamber of trade and Commerce to run an alternative carnival floundered after only three years as they didn't make enough money to keep it going without the drive that came from the carnival committee, so it folded. Exmouth Carnival is a member of the East Devon carnivals group and their website can be found at the following link
http://www.eastdevonhub.co.uk/Carnivals where details of all the carnivals in the region can be found.

new Councillor to be elected

The vacancy on the Town Council caused by the passing of the late Jean Mitchell will be filled by a by-election on the 5th September. this vacancy has not been very well advertised by the election office at EDDC but their spokeswoman emphatically states that the vacancy and notices asking for nominations have been posted according to election law even though there was no notice in any part of the Withycombe Raleigh ward where the vacancy has occurred. It is evidently sufficient if  notices at the Town hall and at the EDDC Hq in Sidmouth are displayed!
There are two candidates one each from the blue party and the yellows who are in partnership to govern the country from Westminster so where is the choice for the public?

Sea Front the splash

EDDC have published their intention to apply to themselves for planning permision to change the sea front play areas into a new themed park with pay on entry sites removing the present carpark back onto the golf area and re-routing the road to satisfy the few who want to have a better access to the water to allow them to play at kite surfing.
All of this at a cost of £10 million at a time when money is short and families are struggling to pay their way. How ever can this council think that this will help the people of Exmouth or indeed East Devon when visitors who are the main target of the councils vision can no longer afford to visit the town and go where the facilities are free or at least less costly.
The people of Exmouth should be allowed to determine what they want and act as the planning committee on this and any other similar proposal in Exmouth.

to be relocated, redeveloped, lost for ever?

And this too redeveloped or lost for ever! both photos from the official Exmouth Town Council publicity cd.

Why EIN?

Apart from being an acronym for the full title Exmouth independent news it is also German for the number one and  it is hoped that this blog will be considered as the number one site from which readers can get the low-down on the latest good or bad things happening in Exmouth and the surrounding area,

A look at the past, Exmouth circa 1950's . This blog is not simply a reminder of what was good and has gone but a look into what we have now and how the changes could have an effect on our lives and those of our successors.

Addairial photo of Exmouth circa 1950's published with the kiend permission of Mr J Pascoe Watson