“David Davis has landed a £3,000-an-hour job with JCB, the multi-national construction giant led by a billionaire who has championed a no-deal Brexit.
Theresa May’s former Brexit Secretary disclosed his lucrative role as ‘external advisor’ for Lord Anthony Bamford’s firm in the official MP register of interests on Thursday.
It was revealed the Tory MP will make £60,000-a-year in 2019 and 2020 working just 20-hours-a-year for the firm. …”
Statement by recently-elected town mayor Ken Beer:
“I am issuing the statement below on behalf of Seaton Town Council and it’s staff because of recent comments on social media
Complaints have been made to the Monitoring Officer at EDDC about both former Councillor Richard Webster and Councillor Peter Burrows. There are no double standards, since the Monitoring Officer is investigating the complaints against both individuals. Seaton Town Council has made it very clear that it does not condone Cllr Burrows’ behaviour towards Mr Gary Millar of The Hat Micropub. Equally it deplores Mr Webster’s behaviour towards the Town Clerk and Council staff who have behaved in a wholly professional manner, and his latest comments only seem to aggravate his offence. The Council is concerned about councillors misusing social media and will be discussing new proposals to ensure that all members use social media in a responsible manner.
Ken beer-TOWN MAYOR”
Owl wonders when Swire last got on a bus … or cared about bus fares.
“The Stagecoach South West managing director has agreed there is work to do after a ‘constructive’ meeting with the Ottery Ward councillor. …
The issue of high bus fare prices in Newton Poppleford was highlighted by resident Helen Buttery.
She helped organise a protest in the village in November and said prices in the area were ‘crazy’.
The protest was joined by parents and children from the local school as well as the chair of the Newton Poppleford Parish Council, Hazel Jeffery, who said that the increase of housing means the need for affordable travel is growing.
The protest sparked a meeting between councillor Claire Wright along with Helen and the Stagecoach South West managing director Bob Dennison in December to discuss the issue.
Claire noted that the disproportionately expensive fares were caused by historical zone charges.
In the meeting, Claire said the managing director agreed to look at these zones with a view to making the situation fairer for Newton Poppleford and to also check whether numbers had altered since the scrapping of the ‘child add on’ fare in May last year.
Mr. Dennison told The Herald: “I had a very constructive meeting with Councillor Wright and one of her constituents in December and agreed to look into a number of points she raised about our Newton Poppleford services.
“We have since been analysing current patronage levels and trends in the area and also included information from a focus group and survey focussing on broader issues.
“However, there is still some work to do and the feedback will then require detailed analysis and discussion before we will be in a position to make any firm proposals.”
At the price of £16.60, five adults travelling across Devon for the day costs the same as one adult and two children purchasing a return to Sidmouth.
At the protest, Helen said the removal of the £1 child add on fare, which was available when bought with an adult ticket, means it now costs £4.80 for a child to travel from Newton Poppleford to Sidmouth. …”
https://www.sidmouthherald.co.uk/news/bus-protest-newton-poppleford-1-5855783
Eat or heat …
“Generation rent” is suffering worsening levels of asthma because of the deteriorating quality of housing, a new report suggests.
A survey of 10,000 sufferers found that “millennials” – those aged between 18 and 29 – are now twice as likely to be hospitalised as a result of the respiratory condition than those in their 60s.
Experts at Asthma UK, who compiled the report, said younger people with asthma are now at greater risk because of increased difficulties finding good-quality housing without mould and damp problems.
Figures from the charity indicate a deteriorating picture for millennial asthma sufferers, of whom only 25 per cent where receiving basic care in 2016 …”
East Devon Watch 