Dawlish Discussion

I've just had delivered a letter from Richard Weeks, the farmer who owns Warren Farm. It is quite a long letter so here is my abridged version.

"Dear Local Resident,

Please can you help to save my farming livelihood.

You are probably aware that the new local development plan for Teignbridge means that over 1200 additional new houses are to be built in Dawlish. Because of this development, Teignbridge District Council wants to take my farm away from me. My land at Warren Farm has been farmed by my family for nearly 60 years and my hope is that my son will continue to farm this land. It is a third of my farmland and its loss will make my farming business unviable.

The Conservative led Teignbridge District Council has told me that if I do not sell my farm to them, they will use a compulsory purchase order to get my land at Warren Farm. The land is not required for a new road or something that is wanted by Dawlish people but for a coastal park that is required solely because of the new houses for Dawlish and the extra residents that will be living in those houses.

I have been fighting this threat of compulsory purchase since 2011 and during the last eighteen months. I have had little help from the Conservative councillors or the MP.

The Liberal Democrats have told me that if they regain control of Teignbridge District Council in the forthcoming elections they will NOT support compulsory purchase being used to acquire my farm.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and please use your vote.

Yours sincerely,

Richard Weeks

May 2015."

Thanks Lynne, be good if the letter could be published in the local paper this week. 

The issue of keeping Warren Farm farming isn't just concerned with the nonsense of having a Sangs some distance away from the new build houses. As far as I am concerned the issue is also about local food production. 

I am not saying we don't need new housing stock because we absolutely do.

But somehow that housing need should be balanced with the need to keep fields that one way or the other are producing food free from development or, as in this case, be turned into a coastal park.

Just hadacopy popped through my letter box with a leaflet from Lib Dems

I just got the letter today - the small print at the bottom shows it's from the Lib Dems not directly from Richard Weeks.   I wish him well but can't help thinking he's being used by them to get votes. 

@Lynne

What if you vote LibDem on Thursday and those councillors don't end up on the Planning Committee?

@Mcjrpc - They may/they may not end up on the planning committee but unless they have a personal or pecuniary interest to declare in Warren Farm (and believe me I have done as much research as I can to ascertain which of the 10 candidates standing in Dawlish Central and North East ward do have such interests - and, as it turns out, it seems some do!) then they would be able to speak on and vote on RW's behalf at any council meeting as well as speaking on his behalf in public. (That's how I understand it at any rate). So for example, in any discussion and vote on whether or not Warren Farm should be compulsory purchased they would not only be able to speak on the matter but also vote. Whereas any councillors who have had to declare a personal or pecuniary interest in Warren Farm would not be able to take part in the debate let alone vote on it. 

BTW - the planning committee is slightly different from other council committees in that its individual membership, even if members of the same political party, cannot be whipped. It is a quasi judicial committee of TDC. Indeed I believe it is illegal for whipping to take place.

That's how I understand the situation . If I am wrong then someone please tell me (preferably before Thursday!) 

I know in Dawlish Central the 3 Independent councillors will have to declare a pecuniary interest but if you exclude them are you comfortable with a party political council and no independent voice?  And how do you square that with predetermination?  I take your point on there not being a whip but we all know about deals bring done in corridors and selling your soul to the devil!  I'm yet to decide...

My personal concern is that RW has a voice at TDC. Should it be the case that three of the candidates standing for election have a pecuniary interest to declare in Warren Farm thereby rendering themselves unable to speak and vote on the subject, then they cannot achieve the objective I wish RW to have at TDC.

For me it is that simple.

But I appreciate others have a different take on the situation. 

All I am trying to do is make sure that all of us in Dawlish Central and North East ward are as fully aware as we can be of the candidates situations vis-a-vis Warren Farm and which of those candidates, if successful, could speak and vote on RWs behalf, and which of those candidates could not (irrespective of their thoughts on the matter).

I am not aware that any of the candidates have referred to any planning application concerning Warren Farm. A possible compulsory purchase order, yes. But planning application? Absolutely not. 

Oh and I am told by a senior Tory councillor that "There is no Conservative policy on Warren Farm, no matter how you try to confuse the issue, it is Teignbridge adopted policy".

(for info: Teignbridge District Council was Conservative controlled for the majority of the past 4 years and Conservative led (with Independent group support) for the latter 12/18 months. The Teignbridge Local Plan, which amongst other things identifies Warren Farm as the site for the coastal park Sangs, was adopted in May 2014).    

The question is...

Is this a publicity stunt to get votes for LibDem, if not why is it only LibDem that have beeb either a) approached or b) only ones in agreement. wouldn't the green party not support Mr Weeks too, or is this soley between LibDem and Mr Weeks only.

Yes I agree it would be lovely to see Richards son "farm" the land, it would actually be lovely to see anyone "farm" that land, the only use I see it for is carboots and other than the few sheep that go about there daily life moving from one field of Mr Weeks to another I don't actually see much "farming" going on there at all, so not sure what the massive issue or dispute here is.

I'd say, either use the land or sell it and make a quick buck!

I do not know the history of who approached whom.

I do know however, from reading election literature and/or asking the candidates their opinions, that as well as the Lib Dems, the Green Party candidates and the UKIP candidate are also in support of RW's cause.

The farm is used as a farm. I saw sheep there only recently. As far as I am aware breeding sheep is a farming occupation.  

Back in December someone else queried the 'farming' activities at Warren Farm so I took the liberty of asking RW what goes on at Warren Farm. Here is part of his reply:

"We have around 20 acres of spring barley growing in the spring. Hay and  silage are produced at the farm from the grass that grows there but we wont be hay making at this time of the year. Straw and hay are stored in the barn.".

The polls have just opened.

If you wish Richard Weeks' voice to be heard at TDC then it makes sense to vote only for those who can give him that voice.  (see my post immediately above this one).

and get rid of that woman who says everything thats wrong about her party

@Lynne,

In December 2013 Richard Weeks approached Martin Wrigley, Cockwood Residents Association Chairman (later a Lib Dem District Council candidate for Dawlish) after having contacted serving Dawlish District Councillors to no effect. Martin worked with Richard to set up a meeting with Anne Marie Morris later in 2014. No help was forthcoming from AMM at that time - but it was always hoped that a solution could be found either by AMM or by Teignbridge to enable an equitable solution to come forward. It was only when all of these avenues were completely exhausted that the matter was taken up politically.

Hope this clarifies the chronology.

Gary Taylor 

Thanks for the info Gary.

December 2013 was when I remember reading about it in the Gazette and I subsequently made my first post on this website about Warren Farm. (And goodness knows how many posts have I made about the same subject since that time).

Wonder how things will pan out for Warren Farm in 2015?

On my letter, the bottom of the page reads..

Printed, published and promted by S. Morgan for and on behalf of Richard Younger-Ross and Newton aboot Liberal Democrats at 41 Higher...

The Liberal Democrats HQ. The same text that appears in all their literature.

It's clearly not written by Richard Weeks and it is so transparently authored by the likes of Wrigley and Taylor.

It's not even subtle, it's an insult to all of Dawlish, Do they think we're so stupid?

I resent 'Ricahrd Weeks' and co telling me I should vote Liberal Democrat based solely on his plight and nobody elses.

Richard Weeks should feel ashamed of being party to this.  What of those who have really suffered under the Tory/Lib Dem coalition? Take austerity for example, the Bedroom tax, foodbanks..

Who represents them?

But of course the Lib dems cannot represent anyone in the area who is on benefits or who cannot afford to heat their homes in winter - the people who do not have a farm  to pass onto their children in the first place.

But then again the Lib Dems and Tories only represent a narrow section of society, what do they care about the real victims, as comparatively fewer of them engage in the election they don't matter that much to the Lib Dem Team. It's all about votes. ' Winning Here' is the only thing that matters.

Weeks doesn't really, they're just using him.

I might have supported the Save Warren Farm campaign if Weeks wasn't a puppet on string for a bunch of scheming career politicians. And if it was part of a broader remit helping all of those who are worse off under the coalition and  Tory led TDC.

Hold the Lib Dems to account when they fail Weeks and drop him like a stone, but I will fail to see Weeks as a victim of just the Tories when that happens. But also of the Lib Dem's manipulative ways and his own poor judgement.

@Lynne. Could you please ask farmer weeks which field(s) of his at warren farm has the spring barley growing on it. thanks.