In his speech of thanks to colleagues at the Full Council meeting on Wednesday (23 May), EDDC Leader Paul Diviani emphasised performance. During the past year, he said, Andrew Moulding, had “performed with dignity and style” ; Phil Twiss had “performed energetically”; and another Councillor was praised for his “artistic dalliances”.
No mention was made of Councillor Stuart Hughes, nor of his star role in setting up the TAFF on the East Devon Business Forum, while he was ably Chairing the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, a position from which he has been unceremoniously removed.
Some in the audience seemed to rate Cllr Diviani’s own script as overly elaborate. Cllr Trevor Cope leapt to his feet, to appeal for a return to Plain Speaking.
Comment and chart sent in to SIN from a member of the public who went to this week’s Full Council meeting at Knowle:
There’s a meeting this evening (24 May), at NP Village Hall. The Parish Council website has just announced that the Newton Poppleford AGM is at approximately 8pm, following the Annual Parish Meeting which is at 7.30. Confusing?
Scroll down to SIN post for 22 May, for more about the vacancy.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-22612705
Lessons to be learned?
On BBC Radio 4 this morning, Sir David blamed our “extraordinary expertise in destroying things” which has led to the disappearance of 60% of Britain’s wildflowers in the past 50 years.
Hedgehogs, natterjack toads, and now small tortoiseshell butterflies, may soon be added to the list of natural things that children will only encounter in pictures.
Time to think twice before building on AONB?
SIN: Let’s hope all those present at this evening’s Full Council meeting were/ are/ listening.
(see http://www.saveoursidmouth.com Critical decisions for East Devon’s future at tonight’s Full Council Meeting, 6.30pm, Knowle)
Parking at the Vets’ has long been a problem for Sid Valley pet owners. Is the only answer to build a new centre on farmland in Sidford’s Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), bringing more traffic to this part of the A3052?
The Sidmouth Herald, 17 May, has an article about the latest (third) proposal for a new Vets’ surgery that would share the Garden Centre car park owned by Councillor Ian Barlow. The Herald report shows a picture of a possible green-roofed building (but no cars near it), which might look good elsewhere.
Are there other, better, suggestions for a convenient in-town site.. away from a busy main road, perhaps?
SIN-ers are invited to Leave a Comment.
There will not be an election, but someone will be co-opted at the Annual Meeting this Friday (24 May) , 7.30pm at Newton Poppleford Village Hall.
SIN has been reliably informed that at least two people have expressed a keen interest in serving their community by joining the Parish Council team.
The following notification is on the parish council website http://www.newtonpopplefordpc.co.uk/Core/Newton-Poppleford-Harpford-Parish-Council/
Interested persons wishing to be considered for the vacancy please contact the Clerk, via email dga.potters@tiscali.co.uk
Those persons who have already put their names forward need not respond. The vacancy will be filled on Friday 24th May 2013.
D G Atkins
Clerk
Full story about new role for the former Head of Regeneration at EDDC, is in yesterday’s Express and Echo (20 May). See also Congratulations, SIN post and Comments, for 17 May .
What is believed to be excessive development threatens yet another East Devon community, this time in the village of Talaton. East Devon Alliance supporters are asked to spread the word about a meeting (Wednesday 5th June at 7.30pm) , which will have speakers from the Campaign for Rural England, and from the East Devon Alliance. This poster gives details: Talaton Meeting 5th June 2013
The EDA is proving a good way to discover precisely what makes East Devon special (at the moment)….
Sidmouth Independent News 