Beach Management Plan: and asking the public to fund a public project

There is now a blue collection box on the seafront:

Donation box installed on Sidmouth seafront to help raise £3.3million for coastal protection scheme - Breaking news & sport in Sidmouth | Sidmouth Herald

Although the accompanying blurb is not exactly frank with the donating republic as to the options actually being considered - and for which funding is being sought:
Futures Forum: Beach Management Plan: 'technically favoured' option or 'preferred' option - and 'preferred' by whom?

The East Devon Watch blog finds all of this a little incredulous:

EDDC WANTS US TO DONATE TO SIDMOUTH BEACH PROTECTION!

24 APR 2017

Presumably so their £10 million vanity relocation doesn’t have to be cut! 

Note: only Sidmouth beach management plan is being dealt with this way (so far) – no other town. We pay council tax – now we are expected to make donations! Though perhaps they will soon install a “make donations to our relocation” boxes in the Knowle reception!

EDDC wants us to donate to Sidmouth beach protection! | East Devon Watch

With pertinent comment from last summer:
Public being misled by Sidmouth beach management plan say two councillors | East Devon Watch

And further observations about what is increasingly expected of taxpayers:
Futures Forum: Volunteers in the community: 'doing jobs for free' or 'empowering communities to take local action'?
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