The 'in-depth report' on the East Devon Business Forum will not happen

A week ago, the District Council's Scrutiny Cttee met to look at what to do about its oft-postponed task force (or TAFF) looking at the East Devon Business Forum:
Futures Forum: East Devon Business Forum task force to be considered at Scrutiny Cttee: Thursday 22nd January

However, this TAFF has never been referred specifically to as the 'EDBF TAFF'
- but as simply the 'Business TAFF'
Task and finish forums - East Devon District Council

This is despite the repeated references to the TAFF's remit, for example:

Notes of a Meeting of the Business Task and Finish Forum held at Knowle, Sidmouth on 11 December 2012 

RESOLVED: The scoping report be agreed as below: 

Broad topic area: To produce an in-depth report on the East Devon Business Forum to include all business engagement and its relationship with the Council.

new.eastdevon.gov.uk/media/478118/111212bustaffnotes.pdf

Furthermore, it is clear that one of the main reasons for setting up the TAFF was to look at the issue of employment land: 

Minutes of a Meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held at Knowle, Sidmouth on 28 March 2013

*67 Referral from Business Task and Finish Forum

The proposal to widen the remit of the Business Task and Finish Forum... 

RESOLVED that the remit of the Business Task and Finish Forum include employment land planning issues (but not individual planning allocations) without delaying the development of the Local Plan or impinging on the Police Investigation currently being carried out.

www.eastdevon.gov.uk/osc_mins_280313.pdf

This resolution followed on from - and was itself then followed by - countless wranglings over the 'scoping' of the TAFF:
Whitewash? Hogwash? You decide. EDDC’s Chief Executive gives his view? legal opinion? opinion? who knows! | Sidmouth Independent News
My TAFF, your TAFF | Sidmouth Independent News
Scrutiny councillors probing East Devon Business Forum are GAGGED! | Exeter Express and Echo

... claims about undue influence from the EDBF:
The influence of the East Devon Business Forum on the Local Plan | Sidmouth Independent News
"EDDC must distance itself from East Devon Business Forum" - Claire Wright

... or not:

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

... and, indeed, questions about what constitutes 'planning':
“The A3052 corridor” – When is discussing planning applications NOT discussing planning applications? | Sidmouth Independent News

The 'in-depth report' on the EDDC’s relationship with the East Devon Business Forum has never been forthcoming:
Chairman makes decision to postpone next Business TAFF meeting | Save Our Sidmouth

The Scrutiny Cttee voted last week to severely limit the scope of the 'Business TAFF'.

This is from the latest Herald:

Home - Sidmouth Herald

This report is from the East Devon Watch blog:

The second burning issue was the suggested reform of Task and Finish Forums.

23rd January 2015

A proposal from a Democratic Services Officer (advised by CEO Mark Williams?) that the scope of TAFFs should be proposed by officers, seemed pretty well acceptable to the obedient majority – though it is going to be thought about first by one of Cllr Bloxham’s Think Tanks.

The controversial Business TAFF will continue with the same members as before, but without too much embarrassing looking back at relations with the East Devon Business Forum whose demise seemed to be lamented by Deputy Leader Andrew Moulding. He assured everyone that the TAFF will now have perfectly respectable relations with the new East Devon Business Group which genuinely represented the District’s entrepreneurs.It was time to turn the page, he said, and stop attacking the perceived influence of the EDBF on crucial planning decisions. The representative from Axminster concluded,fittingly, that he was not “trying to sweep anything under the carpet!”

5 thoughts on ““Quite honestly, we have fallen flat on our face” with the relocation project, warns Honiton Councillor, Peter Halse”

Sandra Semple says:
23 Jan 2015 at 2:21pm

Who belongs to the new business group? Which companies do they represent and what fingers do they have in other East Devon pies? True, Councillor Moulding is not trying to sweep the muck from under the carpet: he’s removing the muck AND the carpet and saying: look, nothing there but a nice clean floor!

I’m not fooled that easily but it seems most Tory councillors want to pretend the muck was never there. Just one question: if all is squeaky clean why exactly was ex-Councillor Brown expelled from his party?

Tim says:
23 Jan 2015 at 4:30pm

Will we get the usual suspects flying flags of convenience, i.e. allegedly representing business interests that perhaps don’t appear on their personal declorations and just to get over the fact that they are councillors.
When I first came across the East Devon Busines Forum I was struck by who wasn’t on it- then I realised that they may be important businesses but they lacked land or an interest in developing same.

Mark Hawkins says:
24 Jan 2015 at 8:44am

The relationship between the senior officers and the group or it’s hierarchy also gives grave concern. As an example, any who saw Nigel Harrison’s performance at the EDBF TAFF would know that the Graham Brown investigation, and any other into EDBF issues, would not be considered adequate or thorough without a forensic investigation into Mr Harrison’s emails, phone accounts and diary. Then we have the reverential way in which Mr Williams is treated, despite a committee of MPs reacting as normal people would to his mischief. The same can be said for the wretched Mr Cohen, whose arrogance frustrated the Information Commisioner.

“Quite honestly, we have fallen flat on our face” with the relocation project, warns Honiton Councillor, Peter Halse | East Devon Watch

And this report is from the blog of independent District Councillor Claire Wright, who is also a member of the TAFF:

EDDC to “learn lessons” from conflicted relationship but subject of planning is still off limits

Friday, 23 January 2015 2 Comments by Claire

The Business task group, which was suspended in 2013 by EDDC’s monitoring officer, will be resurrected and will “learn lessons” from the former relationship between East Devon District Council and East Devon Business Forum (EDBF).

But it still won’t be allowed to examine planning - the issue within the relationship that caused such controversy in 2012 and is still continuing to this day.

East Devon Business Forum (now disbanded), with its large numbers of developer-landowner members, had a huge influence of the amount of employment land allocated in EDDC’s local plan. And many of the members personally benefited from the relaxation in planning policy leading up to the local plan being prepared – a move driven by the forum.

Members of the forum had further industrial land allocations in the draft local plan itself.

Two independent reports commissioned at great expense by EDDC recommending vastly lower levels of industrial land were dismissed by EDBF and also by EDDC, which endorsed EDBF’s approach.

As a direct result of EDBF’s influence a very controversial and opposed five hectares of industrial land has been allocated in EDDC’s draft local plan.

EDDC’s economic development officer (now left EDDC) was also the honorary secretary of the business forum and enthusiastically backed its members’ planning applications – many of which were contrary to EDDC’s planning policy.

The influence and relationship between EDDC and EDBF raised concerns of serious conflicts of interest.

EDBF’s chairman was former councillor and developer/planning consultant, Graham Brown, who was the subject of a Daily Telegraph sting in March 2013.

Mr Brown was also the subject of a police investigation lasting almost two years, which has now been dropped.

EDBF disbanded shortly after the police investigation started.

So …. there is still a high degree of interest - in Sidmouth in particular - of EDBF and EDDC’s relationship and how it came to pass that a group of developer-landowners held such sway over officers and councillors.

EDDC has repeatedly refused to allow any examination of this relationship, citing the local plan being in draft as the reason - and in 2013 EDDC’s monitoring officer suspended the task and finish forum for those reasons.

It is for pushing a cold hard look at this relationship - which the council refused to do - that I am deemed to have “hijacked” and “undermined” the scrutiny function.

I argued at last night’s scrutiny meeting that lessons could not be learned if the task group could not look at what happened.

However, no other councillor apart from Roger Giles seemed to share my view.

The Business task group will now in the main consider the council’s relationship with business in general.

Not permitted for discussion at the Business task group meetings are: The local plan, individual planning applications, planning policy and individual contracts between the council and contractors or suppliers.

Comments

1. At 10:44 pm on 23th Jan Conrad Black wrote:

Our congratulations to the paid staff at the EDDC for achieving such domination over their political lords and masters. It is now impossible to criticise them - even when they choose to insult the electorate in public and in the press (a Chief Executive should be a civil servant?). They now decide what the objectives are, what you may think, and prevent you from any way of investigating what is actually happening. George Orwell may have been right after all? (Try animal farm.)

No doubt senior officers also cannot be held to account, and certainly not dismissed, by anyone. A privilege given to MPs, and we might question why they should be so blessed either.

I wonder if they understand the irony that having sown the wind they risk reaping the whirlwind?

Exactly what body is ennobled to review the disastrous farrago of the Local Plan, and get it on the road (as it were) and demand to know why earlier planning policy is not being followed and exactly what happened at that time that caused EDDC to ignore its own policy?

2. At 09:48 am on 24th Jan Sandra Semple wrote:

“Individual contracts between council and suppliers” - now that’s a new one that has never, to my knowledge, been mentioned before and has suddenly crept in, rather like the employment land at Sidford did. Obviously something someone doesn’t want scrutinising there ...........

EDDC to “learn lessons” from conflicted relationship but subject of planning is still off limits - Claire Wright

Further reports question the role of officers in determining the scope of what Councillors may or may not scrutinise:
EDDC officer: “Personal agendas” on task groups have damaged scrutiny function - Claire Wright
Changes proposed for East Devon Council task forums to avoid risk of “hijack” by councillors - Claire Wright

When it comes to 'transparency' of decision-making, it appears that all is... not what it seems:
Task and Finish Forum Budget Scrutiny – suspicion about inadequate resources and Local Plan | East Devon Watch
Majority of listed meetings are secret | East Devon Watch
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Knowle relocation project: The proposed "retirement community" breaches the District Council's own plans for "more age-balanced communities".

The delays around the District Council's draft Local Plan mean that strategic decisions are difficult to make and contrary things happen:
Futures Forum: East Devon: "urban sprawl”, taking neighbourhood plans into account ... and the continuing delay in the District Council securing a Local Plan

Meanwhile, senior District Councillors are showing increasing concern about the inconsistencies around plans to relocate:
Futures Forum: Knowle relocation project: "the whole situation is Kafkaesque" >>> "misleading figures, loaded and biased consultations and the heavy handed (and expensive) use of lawyers to force a decision through..."

Indeed, there seem to be several 'contrary things' and 'inconsistencies'...

This is from the front page of the latest Herald:

Home - Sidmouth Herald

To look in more detail at the Save Our Sidmouth claim that "a retirement community would contravene rules set out in the emerging East Devon Local Plan": 

> These plans do indeed appear to be a breach of Strategy 4 of the draft Local Plan, which states:

“Getting more age-balanced communities - many East Devon communities have an overtly aged population profile. Where this is the case we will encourage residential development that will be suited to or provide for younger people and younger families”

East Devon District CouncilThe New East Devon Local Plan 2006 to 2026: ProposedSubmissionDraft of thePlan

Respondents to the District Council's strategic planning process would agree with the need for 'balanced communities', for example:

East Devon Proposed Local Plan Consultation 2012

www.eastdevon.gov.uk/final_response_to_eddc_ldp_consultation_from_web.pdf

This is also a matter of health policy, as the Exmouth Budleigh Health Locality Commissioning Group stated in its representation to the draft Local Plan:

Section 6. Spatial Strategy Page 28- 37:
Page 37 Quote: Balanced communities: c) „Getting more age-balanced communities – many East Devon communities have an overtly aged population profile. Where this is the case we will encourage residential development that will be suited to or provide for younger people and younger families.‟ 
Response: We were pleased to see acknowledgement of this issue and the proposals to address the imbalance, with health care as core policy areas. 

www.eastdevon.gov.uk/local_plan_responses2-2.pdf

Interestingly, Devon Senior Voice, which represents the 'aged-population', nevertheless has the perspicacity to realise that strategic policy needs to address the longer-term issue of 'balancing communities':

R 6.46 Getting more age-balanced communities. 
This we consider this to be an important strategy which needs to be emphasized in the emerging Neighbourhood Plans and particularly in the preparation of the forthcoming Village Plans. The lack of awareness in some of the rural parishes and the consequences of an overtly aged profile to community wellbeing is frightening. The actual task of providing residential properties for younger people takes time to achieve and is fraught with difficulties.

www.eastdevon.gov.uk/6219-devonseniorvoice-mrkencrawford.pdf
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Knowle relocation project: "the whole situation is Kafkaesque" >>> "misleading figures, loaded and biased consultations and the heavy handed (and expensive) use of lawyers to force a decision through..."

The latest Herald carries several pieces on the discussions on the Knowle relocation project at the most recent District Council's Scrutiny Cttee:
Futures Forum: Knowle relocation project: Scrutiny Cttee to consider report on "cost for refurbishment": Thursday 22nd January

Home - Sidmouth Herald

This chimes with the views reflected in the report from the East Devon Watch blog - together with the usual, pertinent comment:

“QUITE HONESTLY, WE HAVE FALLEN FLAT ON OUR FACE” WITH THE RELOCATION PROJECT, WARNS HONITON COUNCILLOR, PETER HALSE

23rd January 2015

At last night’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee senior Tory councillor Peter Halse lashed EDDC’s Relocation Project. He said it risked the Council’s reputation for financial prudence. “At the time (the relocation project) looked OK, but now, with hindsight, it looks pretty bad….Quite honestly we have fallen flat on our face!” He was sceptical about Deputy CEO Richard Cohen’s claimed energy savings, and said employees based in the newer 1970/1980s building, “can’t see any reason why they’d want to move”. He concluded “It’s not just the leadership who are responsible. We need to look this thing full in the face. We can get out of this”.

Sidmouth resident Richard Eley, had already mauled Richard Cohen’s assumptions on future energy cost savings which were “way out of line” with those predicted by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC). Mr Cohen in response welcomed the fact that auditors would now be taking “a useful look under the bonnet, as it were”. In the meantime a preferred developer had now been selected for a mix of care home and residential properties at Knowle. The planning process would have to be gone through by the developer and further attempts to delay the Knowle sale have been factored in to the costs, he added.

When Independent Cllr Claire Wright expressed concern that EDDC’s planning committee would be under extreme pressure to grant permission to develop the Knowle because the whole relocation project depended on it, she was accused of casting doubt on the integrity of councillors.

Independent Councillor Roger Giles didn’t get a clear answer from Mr Cohen about where his 10% annual energy inflation figures came from, only that they were “conservative”! And there was no answer to Cllr Giles’ second question about how much extra the renovation of Exmouth Town Hall would cost.

Tory Cllr Graham Troman (Vice Chair of the OSC) said the Knowle site was an appreciating asset while refurbished offices or new-build on an industrial estate (e.g. Heathpark) would not recoup the money spent on them.

Tory Cllr Sheila Kerridge urged her colleagues to show transparency and “not to be seen to be doing things underhand….Put the matter on hold until we know the figures”. (echoing Cllr Claire Wright’s proposal voted down a few weeks earlier.

Chair Tim Wood concluded that all would be examined in great detail by the auditors so there was no cause for alarm...

Related:
"Honiton for Sale" part 2 - some questions but very little chance of answers
"The principle interest in a report is its probity".
"I have to warn councillors, an election is coming", O&S Committee told

5 thoughts on ““Quite honestly, we have fallen flat on our face” with the relocation project, warns Honiton Councillor, Peter Halse”

Ben Ingham says:
23 Jan 2015 at 2:03pm

I suggest Cllr Peter Halse has said what a number of other Tories are thinking at East Devon, but are scared to admit. Having refused to listen to concerns of the Independents, they now realise there really are risks involved in their relocation strategy, which they unfortunately failed to evaluate. Peter Halse was right to say it is not just the fault of the Leadership, but they do remain ultimately responsible. This strategy was primarily based on officer advice. But that fails to include any consideration of the national political climate when we may have a new government. You cannot expect officers to advise on that. But you can expect the Council Leadership to think that through in detail. They may well deny it, but I suspect, for whatever reason, they did not give it a second thought. If they had done so, the December vote may have been delayed until June. For fear of loosing face, they rushed it.

Suddenly realising that everyone is watching, some of the Sidmouth EDDC councillors are starting to back track. But it is too late. They had the opportunity to vote to delay the relocation process, but chose not to do so. Seven opposition councillors did vote for a delay, none of them from Sidmouth or the surrounding area. And certainly, none of them actually put Sidmouth first. Not even Cllr Stuart Hughes.

But there is one alternative. That is to vote Independent on 7th May 2015. Then we stand a chance of putting this totally unnecessary mess right.

“Quite honestly, we have fallen flat on our face” with the relocation project, warns Honiton Councillor, Peter Halse | East Devon Watch

The Minutes of the meeting reflect more of the 'official' position on Knowle and give considerable space to providing 'answers' to any concerns:
Minutes for Overview and Scrutiny Committee 22 January 2015

There are, meanwhile, several related issues:


EXMOUTH TOWN HALL REFURBISHMENT NOT COSTED AND BORROWING MAY BE NEEDED

25th January 2015

Cost neutral my ….!

“In response to a question about the cost of accelerating refurbishment of the Exmouth Town Hall if relocation to that site (as part of a dual site option) was agreed, it was confirmed that some capital could be used, but some borrowing may also be necessary which would incur costs. This acceleration has only been discussed and not agreed – the implications of it will need to be fully costed. At present there was no allocation in the capital budget to the refurbishment of Exmouth Town Hall. …”

Extract from minutes of Overview and Scrutiny Committee 14 January 2015: Minutes for Overview and Scrutiny Committee 14 January 2015

Exmouth Town Hall refurbishment not costed and borrowing may be needed | East Devon Watch


TASK AND FINISH FORUM BUDGET SCRUTINY – SUSPICION ABOUT INADEQUATE RESOURCES AND LOCAL PLAN

28th January 2015

Highlights:

(4) that there should be greater transparency in the Council financial information (including the Budget and Outturn report) in detailing the use and costs in obtaining external legal services and external consultancy services;

(5) that consideration be given to increasing the resources, possibly in conjunction with neighbouring authorities, for the further development of a coherent strategy and plan for the maintenance and improvement of the economic well-being of the district. (There was a suspicion that inadequate resources devoted to this activity had, amongst other things actually contributed to extra costs and delay in the production of a convincing local plan)

(7) That an annual audit review of the cost and effectiveness of external consultants is undertaken.

…As regards the wider matters of economic development, the budget has clearly been reduced considerably over the years, particularly on tourism promotion, which is now confined purely to the premises costs of some tourist information centres.

Task and Finish Forum Budget Scrutiny – suspicion about inadequate resources and Local Plan | East Devon Watch

EDDC’S “STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT TEAM” DECIDED WHAT QUESTIONS TO ASK STAFF AND PUBLIC

29th January 2015

No, we didn’t know what or who the “Strategic Management Team” is either – they don’t seem to be mentioned anywhere but we are told it is the head honchos here: http://www.eastdevon.gov.uk/eddc_smt_structure_chart_sept_2014_with_salaries.pdf

Below is a question on survey design on the Whatdotheyknow website that mentions them and where EDDCs replies are “Sir Humphrey Appleton” masterpieces of using lots of words to give almost no information!

So basically the six very highest paid officers devise all questionnaires – presumably including the one that didn’t include staying at Knowle as an option – a very odd decision!

So when you read that just about everyone in East Devon is satisfied witheverything EDDC does, you know who designed the questions to give the most positive answers.

Are you: ecstatic, over the moon or very happy with their creations?EDDC's 2014 Viewpoint Surveys - an explanation. - a Freedom of Information request to East Devon District Council - WhatDoTheyKnow

EDDC’s “Strategic Management Team” decided what questions to ask staff and public | East Devon Watch
Majority of listed meetings are secret | East Devon Watch


TO A LOUSE”: WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO COUNCILLOR MOULDING, AXMINSTER HOSPITAL AND KNOWLE RELOCATION

30th January 2015

“To a Louse” is, of course, the poem by Rabbie Burns which contains the immortal line:

“O would some power the giftie gie us to see ourselves as others see us.”

Bear this saying in mind when reading the following report on a recent meeting about the reduction in services at Axminster Hospital sent in by a correspondent (very slightly edited of its more pungent comments) and compare it with public criticisms about Knowle relocation: a leading advocate of which is one Councillor Andrew Moulding:

“At a well attended meeting to discuss progress in the fight to maintain in-patient beds at Axminster hospital, Cllr Andrew Moulding (wearing both his Town and County councillor hats) spoke to concerned residents about his representations to the Devon CC Health and Wellbeing OSC. He made clear his feelings on the matter to the OSC and stated that his only job as a Councillor was to convey the feelings, views, anger and frustration ohf Axminster people over the shameful way in which the CCG and NDHT had conducted themselves, with misleading figures, loaded and biased consultations and the heavy handed (and expensive) use of lawyers to force a decision through…

A member of the public replied that the whole situation was ” kafka-esque ” and that despite public passion and anger and a huge response ( against the establishment view ) to the Consultation document, it seems as if the publics wishes and views were simply ignored… How do we change this state of affairs…

Jeremy Walden then waded in to say that it wasn’t his place to tell the public how to change things they didn’t like but that the day to do so was soon upon us all…. oooh, cryptic!

However, the real eye opener was when AM then said that the CCG must keep an open mind on the whole issue and could not just proceed as it pleased disregarding public sentiment and that he did not believe them when they said that ” no decisions had yet been made ” – he chuckled good naturedly – again, my only job is to pass on my electorates views, which I will do with a passion… ( confetti rained down from the ceiling, trumpets blared etc ). The CCG and NDHT have not been forthcoming with their figures, the ones they have released are flawed, they have used Commercial Confidentiality as an excuse to withhold data and this does not allow an analytical, reasoned, impartial review to take place by those opposed to the plans. THIS IS QUITE WRONG AND MUST BE CHALLENGED!

Then, oh lord yes, he came up with this peach…

We (the working party – doctors, councillors, league of friends) believe that no decision on this critical matter should be taken until after the General election as governments may change, funding may change, policies may change and so to make the decision before then would be quite wrong as there are too many unknown factors at play. (cue: rousing applause).

Compare, of course, this statement with the Cabinet view at EDDC – of which AM is the deputy Leader – regarding the HQ relocation saga. When a motion proposing a moratorium on the process was proposed by the opposition independent group, the ruling majority were outraged! Why should we hold off on major decisions until after the election; that is not democratic and simply delays good decision making and as for using lawyers to suppress the truth, issuing flawed figures, hiding behind commercial confidentiality, making decisions before consultations complete…. I don’t recall AM making a similar stand then!”

Truly some of us badly need the ability to see ourselves as others see us.

“To a Louse”: with particular reference to Councillor Moulding, Axminster Hospital and Knowle Relocation | East Devon Watch
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East Devon: "urban sprawl”, taking neighbourhood plans into account ... and the continuing delay in the District Council securing a Local Plan

The District Council's website carries clarification on where we are with the Local Plan process:
The new Local Plan - East Devon District Council
Publication and submission of the Local Plan - East Devon District Council

What is the new local plan?

A new Local Plan for East Devon is in production. It sets out policies and proposals for the development of land in East Devon and has been produced following extensive consultation. The plan was submitted for examination in 2013 and hearing sessions were held in February and March 2014. We have, however been asked to undertake additional work on the plan with a view to a reconvened hearing session or sessions. If ultimately found sound at examination and subsequently adopted, the new plan will supersede the currently adopted Local Plan.

What is the new local plan? - East Devon District Council

Post-publication changes consultation

On 15 August 2013, the Local Plan inspector (Mr Anthony Thickett BA(Hons) BTP MRTPI Dip RSA) wrote a letter to East Devon District Council indicating that it would be appropriate to consult on the proposed post-publication changes to the Local Plan. Consultation took place for six weeks from Friday 23 August 2013 until 12 noon on Monday 7 October 2013.

A Consultation Feedback Report has been produced by us. To assist users of the plan we have also produced a tracked changes version of the plan that shows the text changes in situ and also shows the change number alongside these. The comments received can be viewed in the Local Plan representation library.

Post-publication changes consultation - East Devon District Council
East Devon District CouncilThe New East Devon Local Plan 2006 to 2026: Proposed Submission Draft of the Plan

Ten days ago, the Express & Echo carried this piece:

Further delays to East Devon District Council’s vital development document?

By Exeter Express and Echo | Posted: January 21, 2015

EAST Devon District Council has not confirmed when a public consultation regarding its Local Plan, which was due to start this month, will commence, or why there is a delay.

The document, which sets out where around 15,000 houses could be built in the next decade or so, went back to the drawing board in April when a Government inspector ruled that the Local Plan, was “unsound” with “serious evidential failings”. The inspector asked the council to provide further evidence to support its housing projections. A council spokesperson said the work is being carried out through a Strategic Housing Market Assessment and is nearing completion – but was unable to say when it would be. The SHMA report was expected last summer but the council subsequently said it was expected in November, but the wait continues.

Dr Margaret Hall, secretary of the East Devon branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England is among the district’s residents to warn that as long as the Local Plan is delayed, “our countryside is not safe”.

While the wait for the plan continues, the council can only refer to the Government’s controversial planning guidelines, the National Planning Policy Framework document, which favours sustainable developments. And the council cannot demonstrate it can satisfy the Five Year Land Supply criteria – that it has enough land suitable for the likely demand in houses over the next five years. So, in the meantime, the council has admitted that its ability to determine new housing developments is “limited” – and this is giving developers the upper hand.

Inspector Anthony Thickett ruled that more data was required to ascertain the likely housing demand and back-up the council’s prediction that 15,000 houses are needed by 2026. He called the absence of an up-to-date SHMA a “serious failing”. And he warned that more houses may be necessary. The delay to finalising the plan is set to cost the council a further £12,000, by way of consultants’ studies fees, on top of the 2013/14 inspection budget of £110,000 plus £50,000 in reserve funding.

After consultation on proposed changes occurs, a draft report from the inspector, with any proposed modification, is expected – it had been anticipated by the summer, after which a subsequent consultation period will follow, with the adoption of a plan likely by the end of 2015, although there is no knowing if this desired deadline can now be met.

Further delays to East Devon District Council’s vital development document? | Exeter Express and Echo

This update is from this week's edition of the Express & Echo - reiterating the same point:

Latest Exeter News | Exeter Express and Echo

Meanwhile, there are concerns that the lack of a Local Plan continues to keep East Devon vulnerable to unplanned development:

East Devon MP voices concerns about prospect of Exeter – Exmouth “urban sprawl”

By Exeter Express and Echo | Posted: January 21, 2015



WHILE listening to his constituents’ concerns regarding the prospect of over-development, East Devon MP Hugo Swire expressed his own concerns about the prospect of an “urban sprawl” between Exmouth and Exeter. The Cabinet Minister made the comments at a recent public meeting called by Vaughan Rosser, a GP and chairman of the Ebford Residents Association with support from Clyst St George Parish Council, amid fears the two settlements are on the verge of being engulfed by new homes.

With a total of 35 houses in the pipeline seeking approval or with approval, Ebford could increase by 53 per cent. And in Clyst St George, if an appeal pending for 25 houses is upheld, the village would swell by 65 per cent. More than 100 people turned out to raise concerns with the MP and hear what he had to say.

Mr Swire stressed that MPs have no statutory role in planning and cannot adjudicate in local planning matters. But he said he was “extremely sympathetic” to the residents’ concerns and was worried about an “urban sprawl” along the estuary corridor from Exeter to Exmouth.

He also expressed concern at the delay in East Devon District Council securing a Local Plan, which sets out where around 15,000 houses could be built in the next decade.

In April, a Government inspector ruled that the council’s Local Plan, was “unsound” with “serious evidential failings” and more data on likely housing demand was required. Consultation is due to get under way soon and, if all goes according to plan, an adoption of the plan is not likely to happen until the end of the year.

Meanwhile, the council can only refer to the Government’s controversial planning guidelines, the National Planning Policy Framework document, which favours sustainable developments.

And the council has admitted that its ability to determine new housing developments is “limited”, it cannot demonstrate it can satisfy the Five Year Land Supply criteria – that it has enough land suitable for the likely demand in houses over the next five years – and this is giving developers the upper hand.

The MP said he would like to see Cranbrook utilised for “much needed” new houses in order for the integrity of existing communities to be preserved. “There is only one main route from Exeter into Exmouth which is already very busy, one secondary school in Exmouth and the primary schools are very full,” he said. We need to think very, very carefully about all this development and I would have thought that with Cranbrook up the road, the answer would be to continue building there.

“Every day that goes by without a Local Plan, is a day too long,” he continued. “Development is always going to be a hugely contentious issue in this part of the world, but there’s a huge shortage of houses, however it’s important that people know what the housing supply is going to be in their areas over the next 15 to 20 year period.

“When the Local Plan was rejected, I argued then for the council to redouble their efforts because there’s the perception that the lack of a Local Plan is a green light for developers and developments are getting through.”

He said Neighbourhood Plans were a vital tool for communities to have their say about development. “These plans are about communities getting together and deciding what sort of development they want , where they want it and what it should look like. It’s important that communities develop these plans because a Local Plan has to take them into account.”

Mr Rosser, added: “We are not trying to block development, we want to use the Neighbourhood Plan process to ensure development is done in a reasonable, coherent and strategic way that’s agreeable to everyone.”

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East Devon MP voices concerns about prospect of Exeter – Exmouth “urban sprawl” | Exeter Express and Echo
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The NHS in East Devon >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> CCG's "Transforming Community Services" consultation extended to 24th February

There are concerns about the future of the NHS - with the looming of various elections: 
both national
The letters NHS stand for a litany of blame, waste and pessimism - Telegraph
NHS 'spin bill' soars as crisis grows - Telegraph
A&E crisis: more 12 hour trolley waits in January than whole of 2013/2014 - Telegraph
Chaos ahead as hospital chiefs veto NHS funding plan - Telegraph

... and local:

26th/27th October: NEW DEVON CCG TAKES URGENT MEASURES AS FINANCES WORSEN:

Comment on the EDA website:

To me it seems to make sense to find opportunities to be more efficient and to implement changes to make these happen.

And clearly with a £14m+ deficit last year and a bigger one this year, then (leaving aside the accumulated deficit) one of three things needs to happen:

a. Increase the local budget by £15m+ per year in order to continue giving the level of services required by the local population;

b. Make straight forward cuts in services to save £15m+ in order to balance the budget in the future – which implies lower levels and quality of services, longer waiting times, no treatment for less serious conditions etc. etc.

c. Find ways to eliminate wastage and improve efficiencies in order to make savings whilst maintaining or improving the level of services, waiting times etc.

And of course, to address the accumulated deficit they may have to have a one-off injection of money or make further cuts to claw it back.

So NEW Devon CCG seems to be trying to do the right thing, but apparently in the wrong way as they are creating a lot of high emotion and objections, perhaps because:

1. They have left it too late – if it became apparent in 1Q 2013 that the costs of services were (say) £3.5m PER QUARTER above budget, then they should have started to identify ways to reduce wastage and improve efficiency in 2Q 2013 not in 4Q 2014.

2. They are keeping the reasoning secret – I think that we all understand that there is not enough money to do everything at tip-top quality, and compromises need to be made. If the CCG want buy-in from both local government and the local population, then they need to explain their reasoning. Of course, they won’t please all of the people all of the time – indeed are likely to please none of the people none of the time – but that is often the consequence of compromise, that the difficulties are spread evenly. But if you keep the reasoning secret, people then wonder what the real motives are and whether the CCG is being honest and open.

3. They leave it to the last minute – the CCG reports have been produced at the last minute (fact) and the appearance (supposition) is that this is to limit the degree of scrutiny and get the changes bulldozed through. However, the NHS is one of the issues closest to most of our hearts (because we all worry that the NHS services need to be there for us if / when we need them), and this seems always likely to back-fire, creating more uncertainty about motives.

4. The solution is disjointed from the objectives – it seems to me that the objectives (e.g. how close should beds be to where the patients live) is not well documented, and so the design of services can be seen as somewhat arbitrary because the requirements are unclear. Of course there will be tradeoffs, but to e.g. centralise all beds without understanding any distance objectives leads inevitably to questions about whether the proposed changes are fit for purpose.

5. Disjointedness – we are told that OSM Hospital will lose all its beds, and that the future is very uncertain – then we are told that it will have a new specialised use. The planning for the NHS needs to be more joined up if we are to have confidence that it is being well run.

Is this the real reason our community hospitals are being cut? | East Devon Watch
Devon NHS body takes 'urgent measures' as finances worsen | Exeter Express and Echo

29th December: CCG’s "TRANSFORMING COMMUNITY SERVICES":

NHS bosses are allowing people more time to have their say over controversial proposals to shake-up community health services across East Devon and beyond.

In September the North, East and West Devon Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), which is £14m in debt, announced its aim to improve care in the community, increasing the number of healthcare professionals and therefore close hospital beds to fund this change. The CCG launched a 12-week consultation process in September which was due to end in December, but it has now announced an extension to its consultation period until February 15.

Under the plans, all inpatient beds will close at Ottery St Mary, Axminster and Crediton hospitals, as well as Ottery’s Minor Injuries Unit (MIU). Meanwhile, Exmouth, Honiton and Tiverton will become Urgent Care Centres serving the surrounding communities.

The CCG’s Transforming Community Services document for Eastern Devon explains that the healthcare vision is for a model where community healthcare is more closely integrated with social care.

NHS bosses extend public consultation over controversial Devon hospital beds closure proposals | Exeter Express and Echo

10th January: EXTRA GP APPIONTMENTS TO REDUCE A&E PRESSURE:

Doctors’ surgeries in Exeter, Mid and East Devon are opening their doors to more people this weekend as the health service struggles to cope with sustained pressure on emergency services. Hundreds of extra GP appointments have been made available across the region to divert patients away from reporting to A&E, where record numbers have led to the worst performance in a decade.

NHS crisis: Extra GP appointments in Exeter, Mid and East Devon to reduce A&E pressure | Exeter Express and Echo

16th January: PLANS TO CLOSE EAST DEVON COMMUNITY HOSPITAL BEDS AND MINOR INJURIES UNITS:

A TOP NHS official has promised to reveal the financial reasoning behind controversial proposals to get rid of some community hospital beds and Minor Injuries Units (MIUs) across East Devon, and look into alternative options.

Councillors, GPs and volunteers met to discuss, and challenge proposals first announced in September by the Northern, Eastern and Western Devon Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), which is £14m in debt.

The CCG said its aim was to improve care in the community, increasing the number of healthcare professionals and therefore close hospital beds to fund this change.

Top NHS boss promises to reveal reasoning behind plans to close East Devon community hospital beds and Minor Injuries Units | Exeter Express and Echo

20th January: SIDMOUTH HOSPITAL COULD BE SWAMPED:

HEALTH bosses have been urged to listen to volunteer groups, as well as patients themselves, in order to ensure that community services are protected at Sidmouth’s Victoria Hospital. NHS chiefs were warned that the town could be “swamped” with extra patients if hospital beds are relocated to Sidmouth as planned.

Local representatives pressed the Northern Eastern and Western Devon Clinical Commissioning Group (NEW Devon CCG) to utilise its “best asset” over the next few months, by involving the Victoria Hospital Comforts Fund and Patient Participation Group in discussions about its ‘transforming community services’ proposals.

The CCG announced before Christmas that it would extend its public consultation period into the new year, following an unprecedented response from residents in Ottery St Mary, Axminster and Sidmouth, where the cuts will be felt most sharply. Under the proposals, Sidmouth will gain in-patient beds from other hospitals, but lose its minor injuries unit, while nearby Ottery is set to lose all its beds as well as its minor injuries unit.

As part of the consultation process, health bosses have invited county councillors and representatives of League of Friends organisations from across East Devon to form a ‘stakeholder group’, working closely with the CCG over the coming weeks. The group met for the first time on Wednesday, where a number of possible alternatives to the CCG’s preferred options were discussed. ‘Stakeholders’ will meet with CCG chiefs on a regular basis and could hold a degree of influence in helping to change the controversial plans.

Speaking at the meeting, Comforts Fund chairman Graham Vincent said he was pleased that the group was being given the chance to play a part. “Someone from the voluntary sector should be involved,” he said. “The League of Friends groups are the best assets that the NHS has. They supply the bricks and mortar, they build the hospitals and cover maintenance costs. And yet, they are not included in major decisions.”

Di Fuller, Sidmouth Patient Participation Group chairperson, who was invited to speak at the meeting but is not currently a ‘stakeholder,’ said she would also be willing to take part in further discussions. “We have had various consultation meetings in Sidmouth and there has been a huge public outcry with regard to maintaining the facilities that we currently have. We realise that we are actually going to increase the number of beds we have, though the demographic change in Sidmouth justifies that anyway. But there are real concerns that the loss of beds in other areas will leave Sidmouth swamped.” She also said the PPG would be a useful group to represent patient views and bring forward potential problems caused by changes to community care.

Various possibilities were discussed during the meeting, with a checklist of potential options drawn up for the group to explore. Though no formal timescale has been placed on the stakeholder group’s work, the CCG has confirmed that its public consultation will end on February 24th.

Speaking at the end of the meeting, former Axminster GP Dr James Vann said it was important that the group acts quickly to calm the public mood. He said: “Our staff are not being well looked after and the CCG has a responsibility to produce a result quickly, having made public a proposal some months ago. You [the CCG] started the ball rolling but it cannot go on and on and on. There is a lot of suffering happening right now because of that statement in September.”

SIDMOUTH: Hospital could be swamped - View from Sidmouth

21st/22nd January: INVESTIGATION INTO CCG TENDERING SERVICES:

THE Government’s health sector regulator is investigating the decision by NHS bosses to commission the Royal Devon & Exeter Foundation Trust (RD&EFT) for its community services in East Devon instead of Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust (NDHT).

Up until November the Northern, Eastern and Western Devon Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) commissioned the NDHT to provide community services, which includes community hospitals, physiotherapy and community nursing.

It subsequently announced the RD&EFT as its preferred provider instead, after launching a procurement process to ensure community based delivery system designed to achieve a step change in integrated care.

Today, health watchdog Monitor announced it would be investigating this decision following a complaint from the NDHT.

If Monitor decides to uphold the complaint and the CCG is forced to put the service out to tender, there is a chance it could be taken over by a private company.

Watchdog to investigate health chiefs’ decision to swap East Devon health care providers | Exeter Express and Echo
Devon health bosses welcome investigation into “flawed” decision to axe trust as provider of community services in East Devon | Exeter Express and Echo
BBC News - £100m health contract investigation in Devon
Updated: Competition regulator to probe NEW Devon £100m contract award | HSJ Local | Health Service Journal

26th January: INVESTIGATION A WASTE OF PUBLIC MONEY:

Tiverton and Honiton MP, Neil Parish said he would be asking officials from Monitor to reverse their decision to investigate. “I’m not happy about the investigation into this decision, it’s a waste of public money and could delay the process,” he said. “After the consultation that’s already happened with local people and doctors, it’s nonsense now to throw everything up in the air.”

He added: “I am in favour of the RD&EFT taking on the contracts – it seems to make sense that the whole process of patients being transferred from the RD&E to community hospitals will run more smoothly. And it should help with protecting our community hospitals as well.”

A spokesperson for the NDHT said that the Care Quality Commission described its integrated community health and social care services as “the best they had ever seen” during the chief inspector of hospitals four-day inspection of the Trust in July.

The Trust has run the community services in East Devon since they were transferred from NHS Devon in April 2011.

MP blasts inquiry into who should run East Devon's community hospitals | Exeter Express and Echo

27th January: REASONS FOR PLANS TO CLOSE EAST DEVON COMMUNITY HOSPITAL BEDS AND MINOR INJURIES UNITS:

HEALTH bosses have reaffirmed the reasons behind their proposals to cut community services at Sidmouth’s Victoria Hospital, but say they are still willing to review options before reaching a final decision. New information detailing the NEW Devon Clinical Commissioning Group’s plans for “transforming” community services was released last week, as part of its extended consultation period.

Following a meeting of invited ‘stakeholders’ – including senior councillors and Comforts Fund representatives – held earlier this month, the CCG produced a supplementary document setting out the reasons behind its proposals to remove the minor injuries unit at the Victoria Hospital.

The CCG – the NHS body responsible for assessing local healthcare needs and buying suitable services – believes in-patient services must remain in Sidmouth, Honiton and Seaton to cope with the towns’ elderly and ‘at risk of admission’ populations. It says the total number of people aged 85 and above is “significantly greater” in Sidmouth than anywhere else in East Devon, with the high incidence of dementia and other common conditions putting the town’s population at the greatest risk.

But opposers remain furious that the CCG is intending to remove the hospital’s minor injuries unit, and, as reported in last week’s Pulman’s View, fear that it could be “swamped” by the extra demand for beds.

Following the public outcry from the communities facing the deepest cuts, the CCG is reassessing its decision and now says it has an “open mind” about the proposals. An initial public consultation period during the autumn has been extended to February 24th, and the recently formed ‘stakeholder’ group will work closely with health bosses over the next few weeks.

It is possible that revisions could be made to the existing proposals, published in September under the banner of ‘Transforming Community Services’. By consolidating its in-patient units from five sites down to three, the CCG says it can save £560,000. It is already planning for an end-of-year deficit of £14.7million.

A supplementary report issued by the CCG last week said: “At the current time, we believe that our proposed option provides the best way to configure in-patient facilities because it meets the criteria we have considered as part of our provisional decision making, and in particular best meets the need for in-patient facilities in the eastern locality. For this reason, we are not currently minded to propose any of the potential alternatives … however, we retain an open mind in relation to the configuration of in-patient services in the eastern locality and will reconsider our proposed option in light of feedback received in response to the consultation and other stakeholder engagement.”

For more information about the CCG’s proposals, visit Transforming Community Services within NHS NEW Devon CCG

SIDMOUTH: CCG backs up hospital proposals - View from Sidmouth

30th January: AXMINSTER TO LOSE ITS IN-PATIENT BEDS:

“At a well attended meeting to discuss progress in the fight to maintain in-patient beds at Axminster hospital, Cllr Andrew Moulding (wearing both his Town and County councillor hats) spoke to concerned residents about his representations to the Devon CC Health and Wellbeing OSC. He made clear his feelings on the matter to the OSC and stated that his only job as a Councillor was to convey the feelings, views, anger and frustration of Axminster people over the shameful way in which the CCG and NDHT had conducted themselves, with misleading figures, loaded and biased consultations and the heavy handed (and expensive) use of lawyers to force a decision through…

A member of the public replied that the whole situation was ” kafka-esque ” and that despite public passion and anger and a huge response ( against the establishment view ) to the Consultation document, it seems as if the public's wishes and views were simply ignored… How do we change this state of affairs…

“To a Louse”: with particular reference to Councillor Moulding, Axminster Hospital and Knowle Relocation | East Devon Watch

See also:
Futures Forum: Meeting to consider health proposals for East Devon... 7pm Wednesday 14th January... making informed choices >>> East Devon's Health Profile
Futures Forum: Meeting to consider health proposals for East Devon: 7pm Weds 14th January: booking essential
Futures Forum: The future of health services in East Devon... "challenged health economies"
Futures Forum: The future of health services in Sidmouth... "The MIU closure is not about cash, but about the provider not being able to deliver."
Futures Forum: Sidmouth's ageing population: "Without urgent investment in coastal communities, some areas will struggle to retain the working age families needed to fuel the economies of towns dominated by old people’s homes."
Futures Forum: The future of health services and how they will affect Sidmouth: meeting at Stowford Rise Community Centre.... Tuesday 11th November
Futures Forum: Community hospitals in East Devon: consultation on NHS proposals begins
Futures Forum: Healthcare in Devon: consultation 'dangerous' and 'wishy washy'
Futures Forum: Healthcare in Devon: proposed framework for services now open to consultation
Futures Forum: A more dementia-friendly Devon
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What to do about car emissions ... and embodied carbon ...

Following on from the posts looking at car emissions:
Futures Forum: What to do about car emissions: from Paris to London...
Futures Forum: What to do about car emissions ... and what to do about plane emissions ...

... and in view of the debate around embedded carbon in building projects:
Futures Forum: Knowle: old bricks vs new build: embodied carbon: pt 3
Futures Forum: How sustainable is the construction industry? ... 'Concrete is responsible for 7-10% of CO2 emissions' ... 'The industry must shift its emphasis beyond recycling and towards reuse'
Futures Forum: "The greenest building is the one standing" > Why do developers prefer to demolish buildings than renovate them?

... let alone looking at the bigger picture:
Futures Forum: The semantics of sustainability: 'sustainable development'... or 'sustainable growth' ... or 'sustained economic growth'... or 'development for sustainability'...

... what about the role of 'embodied carbon' in cars themselves?

A lot of work has already been done on this:

Embodied energy in automobiles:
Treloar, et al. have estimated the embodied energy in an average automobile in Australia as 0.27 terajoules as one component in an overall analysis of the energy involved in road transportation.[10]
Embodied energy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Embodied Carbon Sankey Diagram | Sankey Diagrams
Carbon footprint V embodied carbon - Circular Ecology

Hybrid fallacy
The ecological and social destruction caused by cars goes far beyond carbon emissions and ensnarled cities. The harvesting and mining of resources – rubber, iron, rare-earth metals for hybrid batteries, copper, plastics and so forth – plus the energy-intensive manufacturing process – comprise a massive ‘embodied’ energy and resource demand. Some 20 to 40 percent of the energy an automobile uses in its lifetime is ‘embodied energy’, consumed before it is purchased. None of this is solved by building hybrid cars. The car culture is a resource pig.
Deep Green: Cars, Corporations and Society | Greenpeace International

The true carbon tyre-print of your car
It's not just the exhaust pipe emissions. Makers now conduct life-cycle assessments that calculate a car's full CO2 cost.


Duncan Graham-Rowe for the Guardian Professional Network
Thursday 9 December 2010 14.18 GMT
You've opted to trade-in your gas-guzzling old banger in favour of an ultra-efficient shiny new car. But just how much energy, resources and ultimately CO2 went into manufacturing it?
As car companies begin to make this kind of information available, should we be thinking more about the total environmental impact of cars – from the factory to the scrapyard – or is this just a thinly veiled attempt to distract us from the main culprit spewing out of the exhaust pipe?
The vast majority of car emissions do come from using them, not making them, says Mark Stanton, group chief engineer of Jaguar Land Rover. "But if we only focus on the tailpipe [exhaust], we may lose sight of the total emissions," he says. That's because, as conventional engines become more efficient, the production emissions will make up an increasingly larger proportion of the total, he says.
For the latest Jaguar XJ, that figure is roughly a quarter, says Stanton. This is based on a life-cycle assessment, a process that Jaguar Land Rover will now use on all new models. The XJ is the first to get this treatment.
Green cars: how green are electric vehicles and hybrid cars? | blog.greenwisebusiness.co.uk
The true carbon tyre-print of your car | Guardian Sustainable Business | The Guardian

There is certainly more pressure being applied to the automotive industry:

Doing nothing on climate change could cost auto industry millions 

Mon, 09 Jun 2014

Business Forward says new EPA rules will add just $7 to cost of new car

When it comes to climate change, the auto industry will be better served by working with the energy industry on cleaner energy plants than dealing with more and more severe weather incidents in the future. That's the finding of a new study by Business Forward, which says that supporting the EPA's new rules – which is supposed to make energy plants 30 percent cleaner – is the right move. The reason lies in just-in-time production methods, which can be tremendously impacted by severe weather incidents.

Doing nothing on climate change could cost auto industry millions

Nevertheless. the auto industry is responding, for example:

Bentley becomes first car maker to receive Carbon Trust standard for water, waste and carbon reduction 

Stephen Kennett • 2degrees • Community manager • News • 29 Jul 2014

The certification has independently verified Bentley’s environmental achievements between 2011-2013, which saw the company achieve a 16% reduction in CO2 relative to the number of cars manufactured, a 35.7% reduction in water use and an absolute reduction in the amount of waste being produced.

Bentley becomes first car maker to receive Carbon Trust standard for water, waste and carbon reduction | 2degrees Community | 2degrees

And 'green services' to industry are providing lots of input, for example:

embodied carbon | blog.greenwisebusiness.co.uk

To finish, however, here is a defence of the 'green car':
"Electric Cars Aren't Greener" Myth Debunked

And here's a large bucket of cold water over the whole idea of putting the brakes on movement:
Transport: breaking through the impasse | Innovation | Transport | spiked
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