Some musings from Sidmouth Sid, on the outcome of past EDDC elections. And looking forward to the next one, in 2015) .
The interesting thing is that if Sidmouth had elected 7 independents rather than 7 conservatives, we would have been guaranteed representation on the Committees by law. When you consider that the Local Plan Panel voted 5-4 in favour of the Sidford employment land allocation, and there was no Sidmouth member present, there is a good chance that the Sidford proposal would not have gone through, because our guaranteed independent member would obviously have voted against. Moreover, the LPP had no local knowledge of the site.
At the Planning Committee, Sidmouth would have had two guaranteed representatives rather than one. Sidmouth was the only town at the July 17 DMC meeting to have its representations ignored: had we had two guaranteed independent members rather than one, we might have prevailed. Again Sidford and Knowle might have been kicked into touch.
Finally, with seven more independents, the political balance of the whole council would be different, and there is a good chance that the ruling Conservatives would have felt morally compelled to invite non-Conservatives to sit in the Cabinet. Again Sidmouth might then have a voice, whereas at the moment we are not represented.
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If the 7 Sidmouth councillors were to resign the Conservative whip and become Independent Conservatives, we would have more democracy in EDDC and Sidmouth would get a say.