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Thursday, 5 June 2014

Knowle relocation project: District Council cabinet considers its "Relocation Update" and "thus demonstrates little awareness of its surroundings."

Yesterday, the District Council's cabinet met to see where its relocation project is going:
Futures Forum: Knowle relocation project: the current issues: LATEST: District Council cabinet to consider its "Relocation Update": Weds 4th June

Unfortunately for the cabinet, the project has been held up:


SIDMOUTH: Campaigners stall EDDC’s Knowle move

4th June 2014

The marketing of Knowle and Manstone Depot in Sidmouth as part of East Devon District Council's (EDDC) relocation has been put on hold until a pressure group's Town and Village Green (TVG) application has been decided.

View From Online - News from West Dorset, East Devon & South Somerset

The response of the District Council was given at last night's cabinet meeting - as reported on the Save Our Sidmouth website:


“We shouldn’t be surprised by such manoeuvres”, senior EDDC Officer tells Cabinet

June 4, 2014 by sidmouthsid Leave a comment


Deputy Chief Executive, Richard Cohen, has once again showed complete disdain for the serious concerns of East Devon residents. Completely failing to comprehend the impact, particularly on Sidmouth, of the planned Knowle relocation, he resorted to insulting the Knowle Residents’ Association(KRA). 

KRA’s Town and Village Green application has delayed the marketing of the Knowle and other major sites required to fund the building of a new office at Skypark, which has not yet been publicly costed. Cohen told the Cabinet meeting last night that ,”We shouldn’t be surprised by such manoeuvres”.

More to follow...

“We shouldn’t be surprised by such manoeuvres”, senior EDDC Officer tells Cabinet | Save Our Sidmouth

No light cast on Knowle at last night’s Cabinet meeting


June 5, 2014 by sidmouthsid Leave a comment

Deputy CEO, Richard Cohen, sped through what he termed his “holding report” on Knowle relocation, in well under five minutes. “You’ll have to wait” he told EDDC Cabinet members,squarely putting the blame on the Knowle Residents’ Association (KRA) for obliging the Council to spend “some time and money” in fighting KRA’s Town and Village Green Application for Knowle. No mention was made of the EDDC’s appeal lodged with a tribunal, nor of their reasons for so doing. Any reference to precise figures and expenses were glaringly omitted.

Cabinet members, seemed entirely sympathetic, summed up by Cllr Ray Bloxham’s comment , that “It’s a shame that we’re in the situation that we have to delay”.

And Cllr Andrew Moulding’s summary that “It doesn’t matter where we are, provided that we have a facility for dialogue with “the people that we serve”, rang a little hollow. The original “more central location” argument has been dropped, and EDDC’s record on public relations continues to be notoriously weak.

Cllr Cox was perhaps not entirely correct when he said that the Cabinet had been unfairly accused of “going headlong into the unknown”. If he does indeed know the exact calculations of relocation, could he kindly lay the cards on the table?

Sadly, no natural light nor fresh air is allowed to refresh debates in the Council Chamber.The net curtains stay drawn, and forty-odd light bulbs blaze away,however sunny it is outside. Indoors, stuffiness rules.

This council thus demonstrates little awareness of its surroundings. Knowle parkland in the rain, with its copper beech and birdsong was a treat for the senses, for those who took this shortcut to town after the meeting last night. Councillors mostly have a different exit, via the tarmacked car park…naturally.


No light cast on Knowle at last night’s Cabinet meeting | Save Our Sidmouth

There are questions as to how the 'marketing' of Knowle is progressing:

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