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Stand Up For Seaton (SU4S)

Community Action for Seaton's Regeneration Area, 80% owned by Tesco - a floodplain on a World Heritage site bordered by nature reserves, tidal river, the sea and the unspoilt town. SU4S is a state of mind - no members, no structure, no politics. SU4S has objected to 2 planning applications by Tesco, including one for a massive superstore/dot com distribution centre which led to the recent closure on the site of 400 tourist beds with the loss of 150 jobs,a gym and pool - all used by locals.

Friday, November 30, 2007

Big business call for plan on climate

From the BBC website

Business Call for Plan on Climate:*Global businesses have called for a legally-binding and comprehensive international deal on climate change.*A binding agreement on emissions reductions would encourage business to invest in low-carbon technologies, a statement from 150 businesses said.The statement - backed by Prince Charles - will be sent to environment ministers and heads of state ahead of talks in Bali on climate change.Nokia, Tesco, Lloyds TSB and Nike are among the 150 firms that made the call.The signatories represent companies from Europe, the US, China and Australia

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Thursday, November 29, 2007

Reasons to live in Devon...

...and nowhere with a hint of sleaze...

like here

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Do I detect a resonance??

Read this

I reckon there are lessons for us all, especially if I said for this bit ...
"The Thames Gateway would need the full co-operation of a number of Whitehall departments, the report added.." substitute Whitehall departments, read community stakeholders.

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Wednesday, November 14, 2007

The problem of playtime...

It's jawstretchingly interesting to read of what Devon County Council has done for the youth of Seaton, particularly with it's party political overtones not-quite-subliminally embedded in it.
But it evades an essential truth, the youth of Seaton are being sold down the river today, not yesterday. The fact that DCC chopped its budget and the impending new improved application is imminent mean that there is a real risk that the youth of the town will lose out once more. Yes it is time we all worked together, but for the benefit of Seaton's youth, not one's own ego or budgetary minutae. Why am I having this rant?

See here

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Thursday, November 08, 2007

Cities which receive regeneration funding lag behind other cities

The right-wing think-tank "Policy Exchange" says that cities which have received regeneration funding have not derived any benefit from it.

Over the last 10 years they say that £30 billion has been spent on regenerating cities - which they term "urban policy" cities. The think-tank looked at 18 of those cities from Glasgow to Southampton and found that their economic performance lagged behind those of non-regenerated cities by 13% and that a decade ago they had lagged behind other cities by 10 per cent.

It goes on to say that "urban policy" cities offer fewer opportunities for employment, house prices are 30% lower and education, health and business opportunities have not improved. People are 38% less likely to register a new business in an "urban policy" city than in a successful city, pupils are 13% less likely to get 5 good GCSE's and life expectancy in "urban cities" is 20 months less than the others.

It says that two types of cities are emerging, those which are free to prosper and those dependent on regeneration funding.

The full report can be found at
http://www.policyexchange.org.uk/images/libimages/310.pdf