Daily Archives: 12 Nov 2016

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12 Nov 2016

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Democracy, Hugo Swire

“Sacked ministers warn Theresa May: Promote us in a year or there will be ‘trouble’ “

Does this include our own dear Hugo?

“Theresa May has been warned by sacked ministers that she must promote them back into Government within a year or face “trouble” in Parliament.

Senior Tories dismissed by the Prime Minister in the summer have privately warned their “loyalty” only stretches so far after being sent to the backbenches.

Some are ready to increasingly rebel over Mrs May’s grammar schools ban and Brexit priorities unless they are put back on the Government payroll soon.

The ultimatum, made in conversations with The Sunday Telegraph, is designed to make sure Mrs May makes good on indications there is a route back to the Government for those who behave. …

… Some 29 ministers left the Government after Mrs May took over as PrimeMinister – a far higher number then her working majority in the House of Commons of around a dozen.

The unexpectedly brutal reshuffle saw Mrs May accused of “purging” allies of Mr Cameron and Mr Gove, who ran against her in the Tory leadership race.

At the time there were warnings that creating new enemies on the backbenches when the Tories only have a slim majority risked undermining her ability to win votes.

It is understood Tory whips and intermediaries for Mrs May’s team have let it be known there are paths back to Government for those former ministers who behave themselves.

However some have grown impatient and are warning that unless they are promoted by July 2017 they will begin to cause “trouble”.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/12/sacked-ministers-warn-theresa-may-promote-us-in-a-year-or-there/

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12 Nov 2016

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Coastal communities, Consultation, EDDC, Exmouth, Moirai Exmouth project, Philip Skinner, Regeneration, Transparency

Exmouth seafront demonstration: video

Just in case EDDC or a local newspaper tries to give the impression of only a handful of protesters today, here is a video which disproves it.

https://www.facebook.com/Exmouthsplash/?ref=br_rs

and here:
http://m.exeterexpressandecho.co.uk/save-exmouth-seafront-campaigners-stage-protest-march-over-redevelopment-plans/story-29889839-detail/story.html

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12 Nov 2016

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Accountability, EDDC, Environment (local), Exmouth, Philip Skinner, Regeneration

Exmouth Save our Seafront rally

Campaigners in Exmouth staged a protest march calling for further consultation on controversial seafront redevelopment plans.

The Save Exmouth Seafront group organised the rally on Saturday morning.

It said the peaceful event was held “to express the public’s feelings that their Town Poll request for an independent consultation about the seafront is being ignored by East Devon District Council”. …

… Save Exmouth Seafront recently raised concerns about the escalating costs of the redevelopment, which the council argues will bring long term economic benefits.

Campaign spokeswoman Louise MacAllister said: “SES have been calling for over a year for an independent consultation on the future of the seafront, and have been previously told that it would be too costly.

“Now we hear that EDDC officers are asking cabinet to accept a more than doubling of projected costs for this contentious project from £1.5m, to over £3m. We call on the cabinet to represent the public as they were democratically elected to do so, and ensure that the assumptions and claims made in this report are scrutinised, and that this flawed project is considered in light of evidence rather than an officer’s report based on countless assumptions.”

http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co.uk/save-exmouth-seafront-campaigners-stage-protest-march-over-redevelopment-plans/story-29889839-detail/story.html

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12 Nov 2016

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Accountability, Hugo Swire

Swire asks 3 parliamentary questions about furniture!

Owl wonders why, in the midst of all our troubles in East Devon, Swire has this on his mind.


https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2016-11-03.51764.h&s=speaker%3A
11265#g51764.q0

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and
Industrial Strategy, what information his Department holds on changes in
the level of use of chemical fire retardants in furniture over the past
five years.

Written Answers – Department for Business, Energy and Industrial
Strategy: Fire Prevention: Furniture (11 Nov 2016)

https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2016-11-03.51763.h&s=speaker%3A
11265#g51763.q0

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and
Industrial Strategy, whether his Department plans to propose amendments
to the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 to
reduce toxic fire retardants in furniture.

Written Answers – Department for Business, Energy and Industrial
Strategy: Fire Prevention: Furniture (11 Nov 2016)

https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2016-11-03.51765.h&s=speaker%3A
11265#g51765.q0

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and
Industrial Strategy, if he will make an assessment of the potential
merits of introducing a mandatory requirement for furniture products to
carry a label stipulating the chemicals used in those products.

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12 Nov 2016

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Accountability, Austerity cuts, Consultation, Health and Social Care (local), NHS (local), Rural communities

“GP defends plans to cut hospital beds across eastern Devon” – or does he?

Another example of post-truth journalism, this time from the Sidmouth Herald. Under the above quoted headline, this is what the GP ACTUALLY says:

“I share the concern that there won’t be enough provision in the community – that would be my number one concern. We can only reduce beds when we see corresponding change in the community. The timescale will centre on getting the services in place.

“I understand the huge financial pressures within the system, but it’s not in anybody’s interest to do it badly. Getting it wrong will inevitably cost the system a lot more. Moving our services in that direction is the right thing to do and trying to make sure we get the capacity right is very important. It will be a disaster if we do not.”

Dr Mejzner admitted there will always be people who require non-acute hospital care, but argued this could be provided in remaining community hospital beds, or with private sector contracts in nursing and residential homes.

He stressed the importance of responding to the public consultation to inform decision-making and raise issues that might have not been previously considered.

The GP added that if respondents do not agree with any of the four options presented – which each propose bed cuts – it is important that they state why the proposals are wrong in order to help health bosses determine the main concerns and issues.”

http://www.midweekherald.co.uk/news/gp_defends_plans_to_cut_hospital_beds_across_eastern_devon_1_4770586

Does that sound like he defends current bed cuts?

We have no system in place, and very little chance of getting it in place in a largely rural community where the costs will be very high and suitably qualified staff are difficult to find and will become more so with immigration controls.

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12 Nov 2016

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Affordable and Social Housing, Cornwall

Housing “need”?

“A review of Cornwall’s social housing register has seen about 12,000 applicants taken off the waiting list.

Cornwall Housing has reviewed the accounts of every applicant who hasn’t logged into the allocation system for more than a year.

Those who didn’t get in touch when they were asked to say they wanted to stay on the register have been removed from the list.

When the review started there were more than 30,000 applicants waiting for homes, that’s now been cut down to 18,500.”

BBC Devon Live website