Conservative MP for East Devon Simon Jupp (whose constituency includes Exmouth) and 29 councillors have called for East Devon District Council's offices in Honiton to reopen to the public in a cross-party letter to council leader Cllr Paul Arnott.

Blackdown House has been closed since March 2020 at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.

It comes after the news that Exmouth Town Hall, which houses further EDDC offices, will reopen its reception to the public for drop-in enquiries from 5 December.

Simon Jupp MP said: "Cross-party pressure led to the council finally agreeing to reopen Exmouth Town Hall but it only adds to the case to fully reopen Blackdown House too.

"It is unfair to council taxpayers to keep the council office closed for residents in Honiton, Axminster, Seaton, Sidmouth, Ottery St Mary, Whimple and Cranbrook.

"I hope the council will rethink their indefensible decision to keep the council's doors closed to the people who pay for it."

An EDDC spokesperson said: "The council is actively recruiting to vacant roles within our customer services team.

"Assuming we are successful in our recruitment then we will look to provide a reception service at Blackdown House on a similar demand-led basis to that which we have announced for Exmouth Town Hall. We will give advance notice of this in due course.

"The council continues to operate an appointment system at both of its offices in Exmouth and Honiton for people to meet with officers and more details on how to do this can be found by visiting www.eastdevon.gov.uk/contact-us."

The letter

Dear Cllr Arnott,

We are glad you've listened to calls to reopen Exmouth Town Hall to the general public. Thank you for making this an earlier date than many of us feared.

In a similar vein, we are writing to ask that East Devon District Council now looks to reopen Blackdown House to the general public on 5 December as well. We believe it is vital to get a face-to-face service up and running serving Honiton and surrounding areas before Christmas.

But as you know, EDDC's Cabinet – which you lead – have decided to keep the doors closed at Blackdown House and the so-called 'appointments system' for visitors until at least February 2023. This is not good enough.

There are digitally excluded residents in and around Honiton as there are in and around Exmouth, and we also fear for the public who wish to speak at or observe face to face meetings, being let in and out by a door guard is hardly an inviting way for residents of the district to be welcomed in to observe or participate in local democracy.

We call on you to immediately reverse the decision made at September Cabinet and reopen the Blackdown House offices to the public. It's what we believe council tax payers expect.

Yours sincerely,

Simon Jupp MP (Conservative, East Devon)

Cllr Philip Skinner Conservative Group leader (Conservative, Tale Vale)

Cllr Sam Hawkins Cranbrook Voice leader, (Independent, Cranbrook)

Cllr Jake Bonetta Labour Group leader, (Labour, Honiton St. Michael's)

Cllr Mike Allen (Conservative, Honiton St Michael's)

Cllr Dean Barrow (Conservative, Honiton St Paul's)

Cllr Kevin Blakey (Independent, Cranbrook)

Cllr Kim Bloxham (Independent, Cranbrook)

Cllr Colin Brown (Conservative, Dunkeswell and Otterhead)

Cllr Alasdair Bruce (Conservative, Feniton)

Cllr Fred Caygill (Conservative, Exmouth Brixington)

Cllr Maddy Chapman (Conservative, Exmouth Brixington)

Cllr Iain Chubb (Conservative, Newbridges)

Cllr Alan Dent (Conservative, Budleigh and Raleigh)

Cllr Bruce de Saram (Conservative, Exmouth Littleham)

Cllr Ian Hall (Conservative, Axminster)

Cllr Marcus Hartnell (Conservative, Seaton)

Cllr Mike Howe (Conservative, Clyst Valley)

Cllr Stuart Hughes (Conservative, Sidmouth Sidford)

Cllr Ben Ingham (Conservative, Woodbury and Lympstone)

Cllr Paul Jarvis (Independent, Budleigh and Raleigh)

Cllr David Key (Conservative, Dunkeswell and Otterhead)

Cllr Richard Lawrence (Conservative, Whimple and Rockbeare)

Cllr Tony McCollum (Independent, Honiton St Paul's)

Cllr Paul Millar (Labour, Exmouth Halsdon)

Cllr Andrew Moulding (Conservative, Axminster)

Cllr Helen Parr (Conservative, Coly Valley)

Cllr Phil Twiss (Conservative, Honiton St. Michael's)

Cllr Tom Wright (Conservative, Budleigh and Raleigh)