Daily Archives: 4 Nov 2016

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4 Nov 2016

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Hugo Swire

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Swire’s was bigger than Alan Duncan’s … or was it?

Eton obviously gives some of its former pupils a very, very cruel and odd sense of humour. Here is a report from today’s Times Diary:

“Sir Hugo Swire [Owl does not recognise croney titles but The Times does], the former Foreign Office Minister, was in a waspish mood at a Conservative Middle East Council reception this week.

First, he teased his successor Sir Alan Duncan, for being moved out of Sir Hugo’s former office, “Mine is larger” protested the 5 ft 6 in Sir Alan. “Everything looks bigger from your vantage point, Alam” [Sir] Hugo retorted.

He then apologised for the absence of [Sir] Nicholas Soames, who was defending grouse shooting in the Commons: “I suppose he fears that unless he puts in an appearance, the invitations might dry up”.

Ouch.”

Ha, ha, ha – so, so funny … if you are a 14-year-old at Eton …

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4 Nov 2016

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Accountability, Affordable and Social Housing, Developers/ Development, EDDC, Knowle/Honiton/Exmouth relocation, PegasusLife

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EDDC isn’t like John Lewis (“Never knowingly undersold)!

Letter in today’s Sidmouth Herald:

Cllr Barlow rightly castigates the developers of the 36 Churchill homes for their measly offer towards affordable homes in the light of the profits likely to be made. How much more profit will PegasusLife make from 115 apartments at Knowle, but in this case without any payment at all towards affordable homes? What is more, EDDC have, I believe, “knowingly undersold” the site, including parts of the public park, to pay towards an unnecessary re-location, so that PegasusLife are likely, according to some estimates, to make a net profit of around £26 million. And because of the inadequate care to be provided, this development will very likely put great strain on already threatened local health services. Or does PegasusLife expect most of the apartments to become second homes for the extremely wealthy, as there is apparently nothing apart from cost to prevent this? Either way, is this what Sidmouth needs?

Readers may also like to know that, since they sent in their objections to the Knowle development, well over 50 new documents have been submitted by PegasusLife (in August and on 27 October). Some of these contradict earlier and misleading artist-impressions and show new details and changes including drainage problems upon which people may wish to comment. Comments should reach the planning department by November 11 as the application is likely to be put to the Development Management Committee on December 6.

Michael Temple Sidmouth

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4 Nov 2016

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Accountability, Lobbying, Sleaze

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Ex-Chancellor breaks lobbying rules

“George Osborne has received a stern letter from the Government’s lobbying watchdog over his activities since being sacked by Theresa May.

The former chancellor initially failed to declare that he was setting up a Northern Powerhouse think-tank despite having launched the same policy as Chancellor.

The Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACOBA) was only told of Mr Osborne’s plans after they appeared in the press.

Former ministers are barred from lobbying the Government for two years after they leave office and “must seek advice from Acoba about any appointments or employment they wish to take up within two years of leaving office”.

The body however has no actual powers to sanction Mr Osborne for the late declaration.

In a letter to Mr Osborne, Acoba said: “The Committee would also remind you that advice should be sought on all appointments, paid or unpaid, before they are taken up or announced.”

Lib Dem leader Tim Farron said: “The Chancellor has been rapped over the knuckles for not following due process – having been in the government for the last few years he should know these rules and abide by them.”

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/george-osborne-rapped-by-governments-lobbying-watchdog-northern-powerhouse-a7389591.html

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4 Nov 2016

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Rural communities, Transport (local)

“Bus services reduce social deprivation”

“A 10% improvement in bus services would lead to almost 10,000 more people in work in the poorest neighbourhoods in England, says the study.
Published by sustainable transport group Greener Journeys, the report involved researchers from KPMG and the Institute for Transport Studies at Leeds university.

The Value of the Bus to Society study sought to investigate and quantify the impact of bus services on tackling social deprivation.

It found that a 10% improvement in local bus services is linked to a 3.6% reduction in social deprivation across England, taking into account employment, income, life expectancy and skills.

It concludes that a 10% improvement in local bus services in England’s 10% most deprived neighbourhoods would result in 9,909 more jobs.

The report says better bus services would mean 22,647 people with increased income, the result of a 2.8% drop in income deprivation. …”

http://www.rsnonline.org.uk/services/bus-services-reduce-social-deprivation

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4 Nov 2016

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Accountability, Developers/ Development, Housing (local), Planning System, Spin, Transparency

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“Ministers on course to miss target of selling enough public land for 160,000 new homes by 2020”

“The Public Accounts Committee said the Government will have to order a “significant acceleration in the last years of the programme” to sell land for the remaining 149,000 homes still to be built, over the next three and a half years.

Officials in charge of the policy at the Department for Communities and Local Government had “taken their eye off the ball” before the last election, they said.

The MPs said the Government’s plans to build 160,000 new homes between 2015 and 2020 were “back-loaded, which increases the risk that government will not meet its commitment”.

The Government told the MPs that only enough land for 8,380 new homes – five per cent of the total – had been sold.

They said the “slow start to the new programme” was either because they “took their eye off the ball at the end of the previous programme that ran up to 2015 or are struggling to find suitable sites”.

Meg Hillier MP, chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, said: “There is a desperate need for new homes and public land is an irreplaceable asset.

“Taxpayers clearly have a right to know whether they are getting a good deal from its sale and how many homes are being built as a result.

“Sluggish sales have hindered progress towards the 2020 target while questions continue to hang over the potential of many sites earmarked for sale and whether homes will be in the places people want to live.

“Ultimately the public will judge the success of this programme on the basis of the homes built and the Government must make clear who taxpayers should hold to account for this.”

Earlier this year the Government was criticised after it emerged that officials were not required to keep track of whether new homes were actually being built on public land sold for housing.

It then emerged in January this year that only 1,800 new homes had built on public land out of the 109,000 promised by former Prime Minister David Cameron in 2011.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/02/ministers-on-course-to-miss-target-of-selling-enough-public-land/