Opinion | Setting the record straight on the Strand traders situation in Exmouth

Ed: Nub News is impartial and does not endorse views expressed in opinion pieces.

This article is the view of Cllr Joe Whibley and concerns commercial negotiations, now completed, for use of the grassed areas in the Strand for outdoor seating.

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Over the last few weeks we've seen a mixture of anger and hysteria over the Strand emerge, much like last year.

First of all, I must state, that accusations of greed on the part of the council are a little wide of the mark - this started as a point of principle for members and officers and grew out of control, for reasons discussed below.

It was EDDC's intention to get this all sorted months ago, but for various reasons, this hasn't happened. As I write this, we appear to have reached the endgame, with businesses having negotiated what is, I believe, a much fairer fee for the use of what remains EDDC land.

Before I go into the rights and wrongs of the situation, I'd like to outline the role I've been taking in this, and be clear about some of the misconceptions that have appeared on social media.

I always wanted the Strand 'experiment' of last year to continue, and made that clear to all parties. It was brilliant.

I supported the businesses in their view that the proposed market rent of the site was far too expensive and the businesses know that. I decided, as I did last year, to work from within the council to help them to arrive at a fairer figure.

I don't join the baying crowds, come out and declare my support for the businesses in one of the now-regular social media campaigns, because then I wouldn't have had any say in the matter and I'd have alienated the council administration and officers.

I acted as a go-between, relaying and decoding messages between the council, the Torbay Development Agency and the Strand bar owners. And I was one of two councillors who attended a meeting to hear their concerns.

There was much opposition to giving as much as an inch of ground on the valuations, but I fought for a reduction and was listened to, something that would never have happened had I manned the barricades with a 'Down With This Sort of Thing' banner. Play the game, be open and honest, people will work with you and things get done.

Does this mean I think that the settlement is fair? It's fairer, certainly. Other businesses not on the Strand may see this as preferential treatment, and I'd be hard pressed to disagree. More on this in a minute, but EDDC have been manoeuvred into a position by which we have little choice but to concede some ground.

The social media campaign followed what has been a difficult process. An outside company, the Torbay Development Agency, were engaged to value and fix the rents for this year in a bid to make the process as fair as possible.

Time pressures and numerous staffing issues at both ends meant this didn't happen and the situation ran away from EDDC.

At the end, we were having to ask TDA to negotiate on our behalf - we didn't have control over that situation, which doubled an already difficult task. I'm not going to discuss the ins-and-outs of it, but believe me when I say, many lessons have been learned from this and conversations about how, and when, future issues such as this are dealt with will happen very soon. There are some very serious questions to be asked and I'll be asking them.

Then we turn to the methods employed by the proprietors of the businesses on the Strand. Social media has proven a powerful tool, and I completely understand the use of it to campaign. It works for them, not just on this issue.

However, on many occasions, the names of unelected officials, just doing their job, were called out in videos. A suggestion that EDDC was Chris Rock and deserved a slap from Exmouth's Will Smith was both inflammatory, and potentially dangerous - as elected officials, we're all watching our backs to some extent given the murders of MPs and such like we've seen in recent times.

It was meant as a light-hearted jibe, but I think there is a fine line to be walked and it was most definitely overstepped on this occasion - I have told the businesses this, and at this stage it is something we will need to agree to disagree on. I hope they will be more thoughtful in future.

My worry is that people across Exmouth and the district will see this and think, 'If I kick up a fuss, the council will back down'. This is not the case - the Strand is an exception based on the unique circumstances and opportunities for the town as a whole it offers. And however frustrated business owners felt, I wish there was another option from the one chosen this year.

Finally on this, having seen some 'victory videos', I'd like to question the wisdom of the 'war reporter' stance taken - pretty poor taste, I think.

I'd also like to note that this decision again impacts the fundraising efforts of some charity days, most notably Mayor Gazzard's Transplant Awareness Day - they'll not be able to use the green space as they previously have.

It would be a lovely gesture if Spoken and The Grapevine could see their way clear to a small amount of fundraising on behalf of this worthy cause.

The Strand is a strange anomaly, as I say - something of an exception. We need to build something long term, for the future, to make the Strand a go-to destination in the town. The businesses all understand this, and have committed to entering these discussions.

I sincerely hope talks can be fair to all, conducted in a mature and productive manner. This process will begin later in the year.

Let's put this behind us and look to the future. Good luck all - I wish all the traders well. Let's hope for good weather to make this a worthwhile year for the businesses involved, and most importantly, Exmouth.