Democracy in Exmouth is dead!

It is official. Any idea that the will of the people had remotely any real say in what happens in Exmouth was finally crushed by a few East Devon councillors and support from a handful of self-interested parties.

I attended the disgracefully one-sided planning meeting that endorsed the �400,000 Strand pavilion building to be constructed on the �3,000,000 concrete football pitch known as The Strand.

Despite strong objections from the police, clear rejection from Exmouth Town Council, 2,000-plus signed petition and virtually everybody you meet on the street, they think they know what is good for us.

I think the councillors who passed this planning application must have been shown pictures of Sydney Opera House by mistake.

This can be the only rational explanation for them believing hordes of people will be arriving in Exmouth on coaches and desert the beaches to see what they obviously think will be become the eighth wonder of the world!

When the architect of this structure came on to speak at the meeting, I thought the Queen had arrived by the huge beaming smiles from the committee. The same response cannot be said when an opposing speaker had their say.

The letter of endorsement of the building from the Mayor of Exmouth was read out in detail. My letter to the committee was not, of course, because what I might think does not count.

One of the founding principles in this country has been that each person’s opinion is equal, regardless of wealth, power, gender or creed.

What happened to those principles?

Richard Benford

(via email).