By-election may turn into new war over Tesco's plans
A BY-ELECTION to choose a Brixham town councillor could be turned into a new war over Tesco's supermarket plans for the port.
Only two candidates have put forward their names to contest the Berry Head with Furzeham seat left vacant after Vic Ellery stepped down when he became the director of the charity Brixham Does Care.
Lib Dem Torbay councillor Andrew Baldrey and Rosemary Clarke (both pictured), one of the founders of the Brixham Residents Against a Tesco Superstore action group, will now battle it out on November 15.
Cllr Baldrey said he was standing to try to 'bring more sanity into the council'.
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He said: "There is a town council which is costing rate payers. It needs better direction.
"A minority of people trying to push in a sensible direction are consistently being thwarted."
He said he feared the vote would be turned into a referendum on the Tesco proposals.
He said: "The pro-regeneration wing of Brixham needs to win out because otherwise Brixham will be condemned to nothing happening.
"We need to recognise the benefits of a major development in town which would bring jobs, an extra 200 car parking spaces and new shopping space."
Mrs Clarke confirmed she would stand as a politically independent candidate and under the BRATS banner.
Mrs Clarke said: "This (the Tesco scheme) is the single most important issue for Brixham over the next 20 years.
"Standing for election is the best way to give a voice to the local residents and businesses that oppose the giant superstore coming to the centre of Brixham, destroying its unique character and sucking the lifeblood out of the local economy.
"This is such an important issue and is above party politics.
"I will fight passionately for an alternative and more sustainable future for Brixham that builds on our unique and historic character and our strong community and small local shops that makes Brixham so special for both residents and visitors alike."
Last December, Tesco held a public exhibition in the fishing port so residents and traders could have their say on their scheme for the central car park.
The mixed-use project, which was being finalised by Albourne Property on behalf of Tesco, included a new supermarket, 300 car parking spaces, new small retail units and a small number of high-quality town houses.
The design was criticised by many in the port.
It is now understood the two companies have come up with another design which is expected to go on show during a public exhibition before Christmas.
Comments
by AlanGriffey
Friday, November 23 2012, 9:34AM
“@ Orientsteve
I think you'll find when you question her that she's got her finger on the pulse of Brixham. I've met her on several occasions and find her a switched-on, warm person (no pun intended), able to rally people. She's no one trick pony or cardboard cut-out councillor. A good environmentalist and woman of the people. It's been said recently that Brixham has fallen off of the map as far as Torbay Council is concerned but Rosemary Clarke will put it back on.”
by Orientsteve
Saturday, October 27 2012, 12:06PM
“I look forward to quizzing the BRATS candidate on a range of non BRATS Brixham issues!”
by dgldBRIX12
Saturday, October 27 2012, 10:03AM
“The key to the upcoming by-election is to return a candidate who is preferably interested in helping the council to re-connect with the public that it has lost over the past 12 months, rather than a one issue candidate whose organisation's approach to the Tesco development, whether it is right or wrong for the town, has been characterised by misinformation from the start.
Even while Herald Express reporters have sat at BTC meetings writing down their councillor quotes, often wrong, or reported on unhappy meetings, usually incorrectly, a small knife was inserted into the back of democracy in Brixham just recently.
For those who do not follow these events, the council passed a motion that effectively stops the troublesome 3 councillors who are a thorn in the town clerk's side, from getting any items of signifigance onto agendas.
They now have to ask permission of the town clerk, who is just an employee, and the Chairman for their items to be included, and if refused they have to get the support of 3 other councillors in order for this to happen.
The mathematics of the voting patterns on BTC make this dificult to achieve, with the result that those councillors are unable to represent the views of their wards anything like as effectively as they might.
When voting on November 15th bear this kind of outrageous behaviour in mind, and support the candidate who is most likely to represent a broad range of views, and who is also likely to present a new challenge to the overpaid empire builders who run the council away from the gaze of public opinion.”
by spindleshanks
Thursday, October 25 2012, 7:04PM
“If Tescos sponsored Shoalstone pool would attitudes change?”
by reptor2456
Thursday, October 25 2012, 3:29PM
“Moan, Moan, Moan..Thats what makes brixham morons famous... They deserve to rot”
by missladyjayne
Thursday, October 25 2012, 2:51PM
“Well said by Bleach.”
by reiwruwiou
Thursday, October 25 2012, 2:34PM
“Is the Seaton Tesco slap-bang below the main town centre car park? No. In fact the Tesco Seaton is actually on the outskirts of the town (on the site of an old holiday camp.) Visitors are not "funnelled towards" the store in the same way that they would be in Brixham.
Also, will people drive in to Brixham from surrounding areas to shop at Tesco? No, especially not with the bigger Edginswell development (which WILL go ahead, regardless of the council's opinion on the matter) and the inadequate roads going in to Brixham. At best the Brixham Tesco will draw the bulk of its customers from Brixham, and I'm sure that the prices in store will reflect the captivity of the audience (especially when competition has been eliminated.)”
by nick113
Thursday, October 25 2012, 1:14PM
“I meant "drive to Honiton or Axminster".”
by nick113
Thursday, October 25 2012, 1:14PM
“Tesco's has turned out to be very good for Seaton, despite similar opposition before it was built. Locals no longer have to drive to Seaton or Axminster to find a large supermarket, people for East Devon choose Seaton for shopping, the eyesore of the old Warner's camp has gone, and there's been no discernable damage done to smaller shops in the town.”
by Bleach
Thursday, October 25 2012, 12:47PM
“Seriously, what kind of fool thinks that a large, modern supermarket bang in the centre of a picturesque fishing port will spell anything but disaster, what kind of fool thinks the additional traffic will bring nothing but chaos to the town's roads and what kind of fool thinks that this will be anything but competition and ultimately the death of many local shops.”