Knowle relocation project: "… it’s interesting that they can manage to arrange all these special meetings before going into purdah, but they can’t possibly find the time to progress the Local Plan!"

The District Council has said it won't be able to publish much of the material for the local plan before the elections:
Future vision hit by yet another setback - News - Sidmouth Herald
Futures Forum: The District Council and the draft local plan..................... "We are working as hard as possible to complete the work."

However, observers have noticed how time is being found to spend on other matters:
Time to vote in new offices, no time for a Local Plan | East Devon Watch

East Devon District Council accused of “forcing” a vote on controversial relocation project

By Exeter Express and Echo  |  Posted: February 25, 2015

A LEADING East Devon District Councillor has accused the council of “forcing” a vote on its controversial relocation project ahead of the local elections in May.

The council’s relocation project is set to be decided upon next month, because of the looming local elections

Ward member for Ottery St Mary Councillor Claire Wright, criticised council officials for prematurely “forcing” a vote on the project “just days “ before the pre-election period known as purdah which prevents council’s from making any major decisions so as not avoid the risk of prejudice.

The council was pursuing plans to relocate to a purpose built office at SkyPark. However, at the end of November, the local authority announced a U-turn on its plans and instead the council backed the revised plan for the council to retain the council-owned East Devon Business Centre at Heathpark in Honiton where a new build will also be constructed – formerly earmarked for a supermarket – and to use existing space at Exmouth Town Hall.

Councillors have been informed that a meeting of the Cabinet has been brought forward a week to March 11, and will include a report on the office relocation.

A joint meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny and Audit and Governance committees is being held the day later to make recommendations on the relocation report.

And, at an additional meeting of the full council on March 25, a decision will be made on the relocation.

Cllr Wright, said: “It is a shocking indictment of the way that the Conservative leadership operates at the Knowle. This is the most controversial and costly project, apart from the local plan, which incidentally has been deliberately delayed until after the election, in years.

“There has been stacks of concern about the facts and figures, as well as the enormous cost and the millions that would need to be borrowed. So, instead of waiting to allow a new council to make up its own mind on the plans, the Conservatives force through a vote, just days before the election period starts. What a disrespectful way to run a council.”

A council spokesperson, said: “The special council meeting to decide on the proposed office move needs to take place before the end of March so that the proceedings do not fall inside the purdah period leading up to the local election on May 7, during which time no major decisions can be taken.

“The scheduled date for Cabinet was March 18, but there would not have been sufficient time for the council to receive the paperwork from Cabinet so as to discuss it on March 25.

“It was therefore agreed that the cabinet meeting would take place on March 11, to allow more time.

“It also followed that the cabinet reports and recommendation would need to be referred to Overview & Scrutiny and Audit & Governance Committees before full council. The chairs of those committees have therefore agreed to meet in a single session on March 12, with one item on the agenda – office relocation.

“That will allow time for all the documentation to be processed and available for councillors to make an informed decision at their meeting on March 25.”

he added: “At full council in December, embers rejected a proposal that the decision should be postponed until after the election and tasked the deputy chief executive with continuing to progress the project. In the interests of transparency, the cabinet deliberations must be scrutinised by both committees.”

East Devon District Council accused of “forcing” a vote on controversial relocation project | Exeter Express and Echo
‘East Devon District Council accused of “forcing” a vote on controversial relocation project’ , reports Exeter Express and Echo | East Devon Watch
EDDC re-arranges meetings, in unseemly attempt to rush through approval for office relocation | Save Our Sidmouth

EDDC to force through vote on office relocation just days before purdah

Tuesday, 24 February 2015 1 Comment by Claire

All councillors were sent this email earlier today, which seems to indicate that a vote will be forced on the office relocation project just days before the election period starts!

It is a shocking indictment of the way that the Conservative leadership operates at the Knowle. THE most controversial and costly project (apart from the local plan, which incidentally has been deliberately delayed until AFTER the election) in YEARS.  Stacks of concern about the facts and figures, as well as the enormous cost and the millions that would need to be borrowed.

So, instead of waiting to allow a new council to make up its own mind on the plans, the Conservatives force through a vote, just days before the election period starts.  What a disrespectful way to run a council.

.........................................................................................

The Cabinet meeting scheduled for 18 March has been brought forward a week and will now be held on Wednesday 11 March 5.30 start

(The agenda will include a report on the Office relocation) Cabinet members, Chairman of the Council and Chairman of O/S, please note that the Cabinet briefing will now be held before Council on 25 February (tomorrow) before Council.

A joint meeting of Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Audit and Governance Committee will be held on Thursday 12 March at 5pm. This is an additional meeting. This will be a single issue meeting to discuss and make recommendations on the Office relocation report discussed by Cabinet the previous evening.  The recommendations of Cabinet will be referred to that joint meeting. 

If members of the joint meeting are in agreement, the meeting will be chaired by Tim Wood, Chairman of the O/S Committee with Ken Potter as Vice Chairman.  The internal and external auditors will attend.

An Extraordinary meeting of the Council will be held on Wednesday 25 March at 6.30 pm to make a decision on the Office relocation. This is an additional meeting.  Recommendations from Cabinet and the joint O/S A&G committee will be reported to that meeting.

Comments

1. At 08:12 pm on 24th Feb Roger Giles wrote:

Probably the greatest threat facing the people of East Devon is that from rapacious developers taking advantage of the Conservative administration`s failure to deliver an adopted Local Plan. Amazingly the Conservatives have decided to park up the matter until after the May election, adding considerably more complacency to their incompetence.
Contrast this with the desire to push through the unnecessary, unpopular, and vastly expensive office relocation project with the utmost speed!
Oliver Cromwell said: “You have sat here too long for any good you have been doing lately ... Depart, I say; and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go! ” Those words were repeated in the House of Commons by Conservative MP Leo Amery on 7 May 1940 and forced the resignation of Conservative Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain.
Is there a Conservative Councillor at EDDC brave enough to do likewise?

EDDC to force through vote on office relocation just days before purdah..
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