A history of the East Devon Business Forum, part one....... "It was the intention to go to the Overview & Scrutiny Committee with a strong team representing the Forum and refute the allegations made."

The relationship of the East Devon Business Forum and the planning process at the District Council has been much discussed of late - and is the focus of a Task and Finish Forum (or TAFF):
Futures Forum: Scrutinising the East Devon Business Forum...................... "EDDC will not separate the police investigation from the separate issue of interference in the planning process which was one of the causes of the draft local plan being thrown out."
Futures Forum: "Scrutiny committee set up to look at the East Devon Business Forum, which Mr Brown chaired, should now reconsider its scope."

Following concerns raised over two years ago - and well before the 'scandal' broke, the EDBF declared its intent to engage with the District Council's Overview Cttee:

Minutes of the Meeting of the East Devon Business Forum - 6 September 2012

48: Response to Cllr Graham Troman’s complaint and representation at EDDC’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting on 27 September 2012

Members discussed the response to Councillor Graham Troman’s complaint and discussed representation at the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 27 September 2012. The Business Forum noted that this issue had been discussed at the Council meeting on 25 July 2012, when the motion to remove Council financial, officer and administrative support from the Forum had been defeated.

It was the intention to go to the Overview & Scrutiny Committee with a strong team representing the Forum and refute the allegations made. The Chairman indicated that he intended to invite the following members:

Roy Stuart, Greg Page Turner, Val Baker, David Henley/Chris Lorimer, Simon or Joss Dutfield, Bill Murray (who at the meeting reported he would be on holiday), Chris Taylor, Julie Hawker, John Varley and David Hinshelwood.

Members felt that the criticism of the Forum had been unjustified and some of it had arisen due to other issues, such as EDDC’s proposed move from Knowle and the debate this had raised. The Forum had always aimed to be transparent in its operations and always encouraged a variety of business people to its meetings and minutes of all its meetings were available on the EDDC website. 

Councillor Pat Graham, who had been an EDDC representative on the Forum for several years, reported that she felt that the nature of the Forum had changed greatly over recent years and the variety of businesses represented had improved. However, she hoped that more business people from Exmouth would be able to attend. 

Councillor Steve Gazzard, who had been invited to the Forum to obtain more information about its operation, stated that he had found the meeting and both speakers interesting and informative.

RESOLVED that the following members be nominated to represent the Business Forum at the Overview & Scrutiny Committee on 27 September: 

Graham Brown, Roy Stuart, Greg Page Turner, Val Baker, David Henley/Chris Lorimer, Simon or Joss Dutfield, Chris Taylor, Julie Hawker, John Varley and David Hinshelwood.

49: Dates of future meetings
 Thursday 11 October 2012
 Thursday 6 December 2012
 Thursday 7 February 2013 (AGM) 

Minutes of the Meeting of the East Devon Business Forum - 6 September 2012

See also:
Futures Forum: Ex-Cllr Graham Brown, the East Devon Business Forum and the District Council's CEO's pre-emptive strike against the Business TAFF
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