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May is when all the councils reorganize. Mayors get elected, committees too, and in the reorganization of East Devon's planning arm--The Development Control Committee--disaster struck!
The Law of the Land states that any committee with legal powers must be politically balanced.
That sounds like a good idea don't it? It prevents any one political party that happens to be in power taking over complete control of everything. As all the really important business of government (whether at national or county level) is done in committees a fair assignment of seats on a proportional basis sounds democratic and probably is...
Sorry to bore you with all this but it's important so please stay with me. The line up for the New Planning Committee of 15 members is 9 Conservatives, 5 LibDems and 1 (One!) Independent.
Ah! But if now the two local Independents, Lesley and Jed, step up to say their piece (and vote their vote) the political balance switches to 9 Con 5 LibDem and 3 (Three!) Independents.
Until this May, all members had accepted this since it seemed important for all local Members to be able to fight their corner. But this is only possible if it is unanimous (thus guaranteeing even the little man a voice) and this year (Shock! Horror!) One member (One!) voted against his own party and against this fair-play system.
So...
Today, and for the next six months at least, Lesley and Jed do not have a vote in the one area of local government that they campaigned for. I'm typing this out hoping it's clear, but I have to tell you, to the local voters that put us in, it is anything but clear.
Still, we soldier on, reduced now from voting on local planning issues to a sort of inspired lobbying of actual voting members.
I told you there would be sad stuff as well as the good news bits.
So it goes.
Cheers!
Jed
This material ©Jed Falby 2004
Jed writes about life as a Devon councillor
On the lst/05/2003 Lesley Roden and I became the first Independent Councillors to represent East Budleigh and Budleigh Salterton at East Devon District Council (EDDC) at Knowle in Sidmouth.
To be Independent sounds fine--no political pressures for local issues - but Lesley and I faced the realities in our very first meetings.
EDDC is controlled by the Conservative majority. They hold the positions of Chair and Vice Chair of the Council, and those same important posts on all the Committees, so most votes are a foregone conclusion--if the 6 Independents vote with the 18 Lib Dems we are still outnumbered (24 to 35). The Independents being truly independent do not always vote the same way, so it's not with votes in Council that we can do any good.
To my great surprise, I discover our real influence is in direct contact with any of the EDDC Officers. As Ward Member I can access the heads of any Department or the Chief Executive at any time, on any project or problem.
Lesley and I know full well that we were voted in by the Town's voters who were fed up with a whole series of Planning blunders--so Planning is where we put most of our efforts. It would be terribly easy to be diverted by dog bins, buses, beaches or tourism--but we try to stay focused on Planning.
A few successes:
'Chance' on Coastguard Road now reduced to an acceptable size
The Cliff Path re-instated above Links Pinewood
Failures:
Trees at Elvestone removed, TPOs and protests notwithstanding
The phone mast at the Games Club still solidly in place
But the most important work is for the future of our Town, that's where I am spending most of my time on two critically important projects.
The Town Design Statement
After a year's work, this is now a 50 page book that will be coming up for the Town's approval at an exhibition in May.
The Traffic / Parking Survey
Working with Devon County (roads) EDDC (Planning), the Police and Chamber of Commerce on how to make our High Street a safer, more pleasant place to shop, stroll or park. No easy answers here!
East Devon is a Conservative Council wriggling under the thumb of a Labour Government that orders EDDC to do more and more, yet reduces the money available by taking our funds and transferring them to needy Labour strongholds in the North. John Prescott's office is removing the old protection from 'Residential Areas of Special Character' (West Hill) and trying to promote housebuilding everywhere (your back garden).
So your support is just as vital now a year later--we need to finish our Design Statement, as once approved by EDDC, it will become an important bulwark against unsympathetic development.
So thank you again for your help last year--and remember, we still need you to get anything done this year too.
Cheers!
Jed
This material ©Jed Falby 2004
