East Devon District Council has sought answers to find out why Exmouth has not yet been given the promised £150,000 of Future High Streets funding.

Councillors voted to write a letter to East Devon’s MP and a Government Minister to try and answer some outstanding questions about why the town has yet to benefit from the promised cash.

Three days before the General Election in 2019, Simon Jupp, the Conservative candidate who subsequently became East Devon’s MP, announced in a press release that Exmouth will receive new funding from the Government’s new Future High Streets Fund.

His statement said that the secretary of state for housing, communities & local government, Robert Jenrick, had confirmed that Exmouth will receive funding of up to £150,000 to help secure up to £20 million pounds from the Government’s new Future High Streets Fund.

The news surprised East Devon District Council as they had submitted what turned out to be an unsuccessful bid for Axminster as part of the fund and during the debate about which town to submit, Exmouth was not mentioned once during the discussions.

When the final announcement of the towns to receive funding was made on Boxing Day, 2020, Exmouth was not on the list.

East Devon District Council voted in favour of a motion put forward to establish what actually happened, and to write to Mr Jupp and Mr Jenrick to express our disappointment that Exmouth was not as promised given the opportunity to engage with the bidding process for the Future High Streets Fund.

Mr Jupp said that he spoke up for Exmouth in Parliament and that the Secretary of State confirmed that new funding and the process to apply will be revealed very soon and that he was looking forward to seeing Exmouth’s application, and added he hoped that the council would work with him on any application.

Putting forward his motion, Cllr Joe Whibley, who represents the Exmouth Town ward, said: “The promise of money was for one thing only – to win the East Devon seat as it was looking as though Mr Jupp wouldn’t be as secure as they had hoped.

“The offer of money was a complete fabrication and a carrot on a non-existing stick for East Devon.

“Election pledges are often unfulfilled, but the use of the phase ‘will’ is indicative of more. The timing of the announcement and the lack of subsequent action is just plain wrong and needs to be brought to account.”

He added: “If you book a taxi and they say it will arrive at 9am, you feel reassured, and if it arrives a few minutes late, then fair enough. But if it never arrives despite you having been told it will arrive, you want to know why, as we were told we will receive money, we want to know why we haven’t got the promised money.”

But Conservative councillors criticised the decision to bring forward the motion and spoke up in favour of what Mr Jupp had done for East Devon since his election.

Cllr Maddy Chapman, who represents the Exmouth Brixington ward, said: “The only justified frustration is the delay due to the ongoing challenges of the pandemic.”

Councillors voted by 25 votes to 15, with nine abstentions, in favour of the motion

Mr Jupp, when asked for his response, and for answers to the questions, said: “I spoke up for Exmouth last Monday in Parliament and asked when the next round of funding to improve high streets, towns and transport would be made available.

“The Secretary of State confirmed that new funding and the process to apply will be revealed very soon and he’s looking forward to seeing Exmouth’s application.

“Although the process will have been delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, proper plans to boost the town will need to be submitted by East Devon District Council and the Secretary of State said he hoped the council will work with me to put together an application.

“I urge EDDC to grasp this opportunity for the good of our town.”