Monthly Archives: March 2019

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

4 Mar 2019

Posted under

Accountability, Cranbrook, Developers/ Development, Development Management Committee, EDDC, Housing (local), Persimmon

“New homes in Devon are built so badly ‘children can remove cement with their fingernails’ “

Owl is confused. Isn’t EDDC’s Building Control department supposed to be passing or failing these new properties?

“The East Devon District Council meeting heard from Cllr Douglas Hull, who proposed the motion and said: “There are so many badly new built houses in East Devon and it is getting even worse”

The Government has been urged to prioritise a new property ombudsman to streamline complaints against shoddy builders as there are ‘so many badly new built houses in East Devon’.

Councillors on Wednesday unanimously voted to call on the government to fulfil its February 2018 pledge to provide the much needed remedy for homeowners as a matter of the highest priority.

The East Devon District Council meeting heard from Cllr Douglas Hull, who proposed the motion and said: “There are so many badly new built houses in East Devon and it is getting even worse.”

Cllr Hull added: “We have to have houses we can be proud of the region, and we have to say that enough is enough. We need to think about the people who end up buying second rate houses.”

He added that in some of the new houses, they are built so badly that small children with can rip out the cement with their fingernails, adding: “If you don’t believe me, try it yourself.”

Cllr Eleanor Rylance added: “We have a quality control issue with a lot of the houses, and then we have a problem with people are renting from a housing association who don’t feel that they can be complain as they will lose their house.

“Cranbrook is developer led but some developers are prone to get people to buy the property before everything is done.”

No developers were named during the meeting, but it has recently been confirmed that Persimmon Homes are carrying out fire safety barrier inspections in Cranbrook after it was found that some new build homes were missing them.

Cllr Ian Hall added: “Some of the building companies in this area just don’t care, and they have no shame.”

Cllr Geoff Pook, who has been involved in the building trade in East Devon, pledged his support for the motion.

The council unanimously agreed to urge the government to fulfil its pledge to introduce a new property ombudsman to streamline complaints against shoddy builders as soon as possible.”

https://www.devonlive.com/news/new-homes-devon-built-badly-2605646

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

4 Mar 2019

Posted under

Accountability, Sleaze, Tax avoidance

Government pulls bill which would have uncovered money launderers

“Ministers have pulled a financial services bill from the House of Commons, fearing the government was almost certain to be defeated on an amendment requiring Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man to clamp down on money laundering.

The Conservative MP Andrew Mitchell and Labour’s Margaret Hodge want the crown dependencies to introduce public share ownership records by December 2020, which the three territories are resisting.

Mitchell said the government had pulled the bill “in face of certain defeat” because it was backed by a group of rebel Tories as well as Labour and the other opposition parties. But the former cabinet minister added that the amendment would be put to the vote whenever the bill was resubmitted.

Hodge said the government had taken an “outrageous step” to pull the bill because “they knew we commanded a majority. I hope the government will accept our proposals but if not we will continue to campaign for public registers.”

Anti-corruption campaigners believe public records of share ownership would restrict the use of anonymous offshore companies by terrorists, dictators, corrupt politicians and criminals. …”

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/mar/04/house-of-commons-financial-services-bill-debate-pulled-crown-dependencies

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

4 Mar 2019

Posted under

Accountability, EDDC, EDDC HQ, Local Government Finance, PegasusLife

EDDC HQ move cost neutral? Don’t make Owl laugh!

“… The new headquarters cost the council £8.7m, while an additional £1.5m was spent on upgrading Exmouth Town Hall – where one third of the council staff are to be based.

The Knowle has been sold to developers Pegasus Life for £7.5m, which has been granted planning permission to convert the building into a 113-apartment [top-end luxury] assisted-living community for older people. …”

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-england-devon-47369240

It has been estimated by a local property developer that the new HQ has a market value of no more than £3.5 million.

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

4 Mar 2019

Posted under

Axminster, High Street decline, Regeneration

Largest store in Axminster town centre to close

“Axminster’s biggest town centre shop is to close – with the loss of 19 jobs.

Trinity House department store is expected to cease trading towards the end of the year – probably in September.

Its owners – Goulds of Dorchester – say it is the victim of the nation’s changing shopping habits which have seen many people switch to on-line buying.

In statement they told The Herald: “As a result of an ongoing review the directors of Goulds (Dorchester) Ltd have announced their decision to cease trading at Trinity House.

“It is expected that the store will close at the end of September 2019, but the actual closing date is yet to be confirmed.

“The store was acquired on leasehold terms in November 2015 along with the premises known as TH2, which housed linens and housewares, until its replacement in 2017 by Costa Coffee.

“Despite having made a considerable investment in the business in an effort to make the Axminster store viable, current trading conditions, coupled with the continuing economic pressures on the department store sector, dictate that the business can no longer sustain an unprofitable branch store in Axminster.

“The company realise that this closure will be a major blow to the town. But even with sympathetic support from the local landlords it has been impossible to stem losses. In common with so many other retailers we are suffering the effects of on-line competition and a change in shopping habits.

“We are deeply sorry at having to take this action not least because our colleagues have done their utmost to help make the store successful and our regular customers will feel the disappointment of losing the only department store in town.”

Axminster county and district councillor Ian Hall said the closure would be a blow to the local economy.”

https://www.midweekherald.co.uk/news/trinity-house-is-a-victim-of-changing-shopping-habits-say-its-owners-1-5916167

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

4 Mar 2019

Posted under

Accountability, Asset sweating, Austerity cuts, EDDC, Public Open Space

The great public asset sell-off

Public open spaces
https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/sold-from-under-you-explainer_uk_5c796bdee4b033abd14b61c8

Land and buildings:
https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/revealed-councils-are-selling-off-buildings-to-fund-more-council-cuts_uk_5c7cdc1be4b0e1f776539948

No-one goes into public service to do this:
https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/council-funding-austerity_uk_5c794d31e4b0de0c3fc03024

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

4 Mar 2019

Posted under

Accountability, EDDC, Voting

Beware politicians bearing gifts – just in time for local elections!

Owl was taken by this BBC news headline:

“Struggling towns to get £1.6bn post-Brexit boost”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-47435565

which reveals that mostly-Labour constituencies in the North are being offered (small) handouts post-Brexit.

Just remember people of East Devon that local elections take place on 2 May 2019 and promises are not always what they seem – and sometimes just nothing more than hot air blown at us by fake unicorns!

AND HERE WE ARE not 5 minutes later and the unicorn has made its appearance. The “Communities” Minister announces that the money will be spent over SEVEN years!

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/blog/live/2019/mar/04/brexit-latest-news-admits-16bn-for-poorer-towns-to-be-spent-over-next-seven-years-politics-live

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

3 Mar 2019

Posted under

Accountability, Planning System, Torbay, Transparency

Comments

1 Comment

Planning troubles in Torbay ….

“Interesting news from Torbay – a private investigator has been hired to look into the planning decisions of Torbay Council. A fat file of evidence has been passed to the investigator based on dozens of interviews of local residents, existing and former council employees.

The investigator who has taken charge is a journalist with twenty plus years of experience with national newspapers, including the Daily Mail. She has a passion for local history and has thwarted numerous campaigns in the past relating to listed buildings and parks. Her connections across Westminster and the media are extensive.

The plan – sponsored by local residents and not by any particular organisation or body – is to publish all the evidence that is collected in a safe place online. Mainstream media outlets are already interested in documentary production and stories emanating from this body of evidence. The investigation is not solely directed against Torbay Council, as other entities have been found wanting, notably the local press.

An email address to send evidence to the investigator has been published. It is thetorbayinvestigation@gmail.com If you have information that you think might help them then please feel free to email it across to them.

So far £900 has been raised privately to help pay for the investigator who has travelled down to Torbay from London. A GoFundMe campaign was launched yesterday and can be accessed at the following URL:

https://www.gofundme.com/torbay-investigation

An independent investigation by this respected and renowned investigator and journalist must surely be welcomed.”

The Torbay Investigation

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

3 Mar 2019

Posted under

Accountability, Austerity cuts, Health and Social Care (local), Inequality

Comments

1 Comment

“Social care ‘near collapse’ as 1 million denied vital help”

Theresa May has been warned that social care is “on the brink of collapse” with more than one million older people denied help with basic tasks.

Increasing numbers are being left without support to get out of bed, dress, wash or go to the lavatory, according to the letter to the Prime Minister signed by a coalition of leading NHS and health leaders, with millions more relying on unpaid care from relatives and friends.

The four-page letter, seen by The Sunday Times, is the first time such groups have united to raise concerns over social care and states that the “perilous state” of the sector had become a “national disgrace”.

The Government is being urged to act after promising a solution to the crisis, with a green paper setting out how to fund social care delayed several times.

Signatories include leaders of the Royal College of Physicians, the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and the Royal College of General Practitioners.”

Source: Times page 2

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

3 Mar 2019

Posted under

Accountability, NHS (local), Privatisation

“At last we are turning away from our mania for hiving off public services”

Owl says: Do not be mislead into thinking, when reading this article, that the NHS has stopped privatisation. In fact, it simply makes it cheaper and easier for private companies to compete with the NHS.

“… In the wave after wave of attacks on the NHS launched by the right, the issue of values is brushed aside. The monopoly of the NHS must be broken. Forget the principles of the co-operative: in practice, runs the argument, it becomes an inefficient monopoly of production and delivery that must be challenged by private sector competition. The NHS can still be free at the point of use, but the structures that provide health must be the closest simulacrum to a market as possible. The NHS can be reduced to a brand that houses a hyperefficient network of private sector deliverers competing for contracts.

Hence the Andrew Lansley health “reforms” in 2012 that compelled the NHS to outsource delivery. But the same thinking informed the Tories’ engagement across the public sector. Thus justice secretary Chris Grayling’s probation service “reforms” in 2013 and the normally sane Philip Hammond, as defence secretary, agreeing that army recruitment could be contracted out to Capita in 2012. Tory antipathy to the public sector was given free rein, the lush public outsourcing industry was turbo-boosted – and the public sector fragmented.

Last week saw the death knell of all three “reforms” and with it a pillar of thinking that sustains the current Tory party. Thursday’s call by NHS England to repeal section 75 of Lansley’s Health and Social Care Act, which requires every significant contract worth cumulatively more than £600K to be outsourced in any circumstance, replacing them with a best value test, is a watershed. It will empower commissioners to weigh up whether the loss of an integrated, co-operative service by outsourcing offsets any short-term financial gain. A health system is a structure of interconnected moving parts that requires co-ordination, backed by the overriding principle that the alpha and omega of decision making is care, not maximum profit. …”

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/mar/03/at-last-we-are-turning-away-from-our-mania-for-hiving-off-public-services

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

3 Mar 2019

Posted under

Affordable and Social Housing, Developers/ Development, Housing (local), Local Plan

“Excessive” housing in a Local Plan allowed to go to appeal

“CAMPAIGNERS battling the impact of Waverley’s “excessive” housing targets are celebrating a landmark legal decision giving them the green light to appeal.

In a fresh twist threatening to undermine the borough council’s adopted Local Plan, which calculates 11,200 houses must be built by 2032, the Court of Appeal agreed last Thursday it would hear the joint challenge by Surrey Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) and Protect Our Waverley (POW).
The challenge centres on whether Waverley had to increase its housing target by 1,600 homes in order to accept Woking’s “unmet need”.

If the joint appeal succeeds – due to be heard later this year – it will anger residents forced to accept unpopular housing schemes driven by Waverley’s determination to meet its housing target, such as a controversial scheme for up to 200 houses agreed last week in Milford (see page three).
Last week’s Court of Appeal decision reverses a High Court decision in October 2018 rejecting POW and CPRE’s case that Waverley should not be obliged to take half of Woking’s unmet need.

Celebrating CPRE’s successful appeal against October’s verdict, Andy Smith, CPRE Surrey branch director, said: “We are pleased that the Court of Appeal wish to see the matter of Woking’s so-called unmet need properly addressed, as there are big question marks over it.

“In the housing requirement numbers for both the Waverley and Guildford Local Plans, this issue of Woking’s unmet need, lurks in the background. It will be good to bring this issue out in the appeal court, as it has profound consequences – not just for Waverley and not even just for West Surrey, but also county wide and nation wide.

“Our countryside is at risk from excessive, arbitrary and unsustainabule housebuilding targets, and that is why we needed to challenge the housing calculations.”

POW chairman Bob Lees highlighted that the appeal coincides with Woking Borough Council declaring it now has no unmet need, and new demographic figures released by the Office for National Statistics implying a much reduced need for new housing.

Welcoming last week’s decision, Mr Lees said: “This is great news. It provides Waverley Borough Council with a golden opportunity to significantly reduce the mandatory number of new houses to be built in the borough over the next 14 years.

“POW fought against the housing requirement at the examination of the Local Plan. POW fought again in the High Court. POW will fight in the Court of Appeal. POW is fighting to protect our Waverley against unneeded development of our towns, of our villages and in our beautiful countryside.”

Waverley has set aside a “fighting fund” of £300,000 to defend its Local Plan. Responding, borough council leader and Farnham councillor Julia Potts, said: “This news is obviously extremely disappointing for us, but we will, of course, be vigorously defending our adopted Local Plan; the plan we believe represents the best possible vision for the borough’s future.
“It means we can work in partnership with the borough’s towns and parishes to develop Neighbourhood Plans, so communities can mould new development where they live. It means we can safeguard our borough against inappropriate development.

“It should be remembered that Waverley did not bring this legal action, but we have to defend both the borough and town and parish councils, whose Neighbourhood Plans are now threatened by this action. We all want appropriate plan-led development and we did everything possible at the inspection to defend a lower housing number.

“It is extremely disappointing that a few determined individuals continue to raise these legal challenges, despite the High Court upholding the Local Plan following the hearing in October 2018 and despite it having been approved by a government inspector.

“We are committed to preserving and protecting the adopted Local Plan. It will remain our principal planning document and continue to guide our planning decisions.”

http://www.farnhamherald.com/article.cfm

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

2 Mar 2019

Posted under

Accountability, NHS (local)

NHS Patient Survey on “Improved Access to GP services” in Devon

If you want to have your say on “improved access” to GP services in Devon there is a survey you can fill in here:

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/66MFMTV

What they really want to know is whether patients would be prepared to see another GP from another practice in another area out of normal office hours, how far they would be prepared to travel and by what means.

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

2 Mar 2019

Posted under

Accountability, Austerity cuts, Economy, Sleaze, Transport (local)

Work for HS2 and enjoy parties and gym membership!

“HS2 Ltd has been accused of wasting “eye-watering” sums of taxpayers’ money as it emerged that the government-owned company spent almost £54,000 on gym memberships and £6,360 hiring party photo booths.

The spending by the company building the high-speed rail line was revealed in official financial returns. Analysis showed that £640,000 was spent on aerial promotional films and £96,712 went on an HS2 “pop-up shop” at Euston station.

The Times previously revealed that HS2’s total spending reached £5.5 billion even before full construction of the line has started. The equivalent of one-tenth of the project’s entire £55.7 billion budget has been spent in the last nine years as part of preparations for Europe’s biggest infrastructure project.

The latest figures prompted fresh accusations that spending on the scheme was out of control.

HS2 will eventually link London, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds, with the Y-shaped network due to open fully by 2033. The first phase of the line between London and Birmingham is expected be completed in 2026, with extensive work already under way.

An HS2 Ltd spokeswoman said: “HS2 is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform Britain’s economy and we are committed to delivering value for money for the taxpayer. We have a duty to inform and consult people and communities affected by a project of this size.”

Penny Gaines, chairwoman of the Stop HS2 group, said: “These figures show the eye -watering scale of expenditure. This spending is funded entirely from the taxpayer. If it hadn’t gone on HS2 it could have been used for other priorities, such as schools or the NHS.”

Source: Times (pay wall)

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

2 Mar 2019

Posted under

Accountability, Health and Social Care (local), NHS (local), Sidmouth/ Sidford/ Sidbury

“Sidmouth doctor speaks out over struggling GPs and lack of extra funding”

“A struggling Sid Valley GP surgery missed out on extra funding after it all went into secondary care, prompting a Sidmouth doctor to speak out.

Doctor Joe Stych, a practice partners at Sid Valley Practice, has voiced his frustration after a funding bid was denied to redevelop Blackmore Health Centre which was rated as ‘unfit-for-purpose’, by regulators the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Dr Stych said Sidmouth GPs had been working hard on a plan to future proof GP services in Sidmouth for the last two years.

The latest setback follows the disappointment in 2016-17 when a plan to buy and redevelop the centre was turned down.

Dr Stych said a plan to extend the Beacon Medical Centre and move GP services from Blackmore Health Centre to Sidmouth Victoria Hospital was proposed, helping support the hospital’s medical Ward.

He added: “It was ranked by Devon CCG as the third highest priority project for funding needed locally, but it was overlooked.

“Funding went to the first, second, fifth and eighth ranked projects.

“All funding in Devon has gone to secondary care.

“No funding has been assigned to struggling GPs.

“It is ludicrous that this scheme has been unsuccessful. It makes no sense to me.

“It would increase capacity and improve patient care at the same time as saving the NHS money.

“The overall scheme cost was small at £1.3million but would have made a huge difference.”

Dr Stych said the Government had since revealed its ‘10 year plan’ for the NHS with focus on moving more work out of hospitals into GPs and the community.

He added: “Without the infrastructure to support existing health services, let alone an expansion into the community, even more challenging times lay ahead.

“The reality is that we are already working at capacity and have no room to expand.

“We are already limited in what we can achieve by space constraints.”

He said the practice has an enthusiastic team with GPs in extended roles, operating on skin cancer and performing carpal tunnel operations so patients do not have to travel to Exeter.

They are involved in research to offer new and developing treatments to patients and train medical students and junior doctor.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “The latest round of funding applications were highly competitive and the funding was prioritised on the strength of bids received from local NHS teams.

“The Devon STP (Sustainability and Transformation Partnership) will benefit from more than £50million to transform services for patients.”

The spokesman added that the funding was not allocated proportionally but on the strength of bids received.

Each was evaluated against six criteria – deliverability, service and demand management, transformation and patient benefit, financial sustainability, value for money and estates.

The Devon funding will go towards University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust – with £29.7million going to transforming urgent and emergency care, £9.3million to Devon imaging facilities and £3.5million to digital histopathology.

A further £8million was given to Devon Partnership NHS Trust for adult acute mental health service across Devon.

The spokesman said: “GPs are the bedrock of the NHS, and the ‘long term plan’ makes clear our commitment to the future of GPs, with primary and community care set to receive £4.5billion more in real terms a year by 2023/24.

“Last year a record 3,473 doctors were recruited into GP training and the new five year contract for GPs will see 20,000 more staff working in GP practices – helping free up doctors to spend more time with the patients who need them.”

A spokesman for the NHS in Devon said: “The Sidmouth scheme was a high priority for the Devon Sustainability and Transformation Partnership and we are still working with the practice and our partners to explore other options.”

https://www.sidmouthherald.co.uk/news/sidmouth-doctor-speaks-out-1-5911840

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

2 Mar 2019

Posted under

Accountability, Affordable and Social Housing, Housing (local)

The many drawbacks for buyers using Help to Buy (as well as greedy developer rip-off prices)

” … One of the biggest drawbacks of Help to Buy is that if you choose to sell up, the Government will ask for its 40% stake back. But with house prices falling in inner cities, Kim says this isn’t necessary bad. “Upon selling the property, if it does make a loss then the Government will absorb 40% of the loss made,” she said.

“One of the biggest benefits is the number of companies now offering the scheme. There were plenty of options all over London.”

But she says, bear in mind that after five years you will have to start paying back the interest – and your current salary is taken into consideration for this.

The government loan is interest free for the first five years. After that the borrower is charged a fee of 1.75% of the loan’s value. That fee then increases every year at 1% above inflation.

“You also can’t sub-let a buy to let property” she adds.

“This means that everyone living in the building is an owner – minimising any risks of investors renting neighbouring flats to frequently changing tenants. But bear in mind, you will have to pay a ground fee.”

However, while being unable to sub-let means you’ll be able to build a community with local residents, if you choose to move out, the only option you have is to sell up.

This, she says, means she won’t be able to work abroad or travel in the near future, as she’d not be able to rent the property to pay off her mortgage in the meantime.

Speaking of the drawbacks, she added: “Any profit made upon selling the flat will be shared with the Government – you’ll keep 60% and pay back 40% of the total amount made from the sale.”

“The Help to Buy scheme has been a very beneficial for first time buyers who otherwise would not be able to get on the housing market. But due to the complex nature of the equity stake from the Government, buyers do need to go into this with their eyes open,” explained Richard Campo, manager at mortgage advisor Rose Capital Partners.

“We have seen eye watering ground rent and service charges to the degree where lenders were declining mortgage applications due to the prospect of high future rises and subsequent concerns on affordability on the mortgage.

“Even the introduction of leasehold houses was only stopped by developers when mortgage lenders refused to offer products for these properties.

“The loan offered on Help To Buy is set as a percentage rather than a fixed amount, meaning if a house price doubles the loan would stay fixed, less any capital repayments, while the government would double it’s share (20% outside London, up to 40% in London). As such, serious thought needs to be given on how to exit or refinance down the line. …”

https://www.mirror.co.uk/money/what-dont-tell-you-help-14035383

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

1 Mar 2019

Posted under

Accountability, Council tax, East Devon Tories, EDDC, Hugo Swire, Neil Parish, Police (local)

“Demand made for more police in East Devon after council tax hike”

Owl cannot understand how East Devon Tory councillors, who have voted time and time again for austerity, who have preened themselves for having one of the lowest council tax rates in the country, and instituted savage cuts can act surprised when they get less for more!

And don’t forget every time there is a vote in Parliament to cut anything – our two MPs vote for those same cuts – unless they affect their salaries or tax breaks for the rich or farming, of course in which case they fight tooth and nail for them!

“Give us more police’, East Devon councillors have demanded, to help tackle increasing incidents of disorder in the region.

Wednesday night’s full council meeting saw councillors agreed to write to the Chief Constable for Devon and Cornwall Police to recognise the needs of East Devon when deciding how to allocate extra resources after the council tax rise will enable 85 new officers to be recruited.

Councillors demanded that extra police be provided to the region, particularly in light of the number of PCSOs being cut from the current 196 to 150.

It comes after the Police and Crime Panel chose not to exercise their veto on Alison Hernandez’s proposals that would see council tax rise for £24 a year for the average Band D council tax payer.

Cllr Tom Wright, who proposed the motion, said that over the last two years, the increase on tax payers is 20 per cent, so residents should expect to see a significant improvement in the service.

“As East Devon residents are the biggest contributors to the police budget in Devon, other than Plymouth, it is only fair that we should get a fair share of the larger cake.

“The increase for this year that the police are getting from us is an extra £1.5m and for that we should get more police on the streets.”

Cllr Alan Dent added: “PCSOs can nip in the bud problems that can arise.”

He gave the example of a problem of people coming from North Devon to Budleigh Salterton to do wheelies in the car park.

Cllr Dent said: “They were zooming around across the car park. I got cross and took pictures of them. They gave me an earful, but I gave the pictures to our PCSOS, and in 24 hours it was dealt with and we never saw them again.”

He said that there was another incident where garden furniture was stolen from a show house. Cllr Dent again took photographs of the perpetrators, gave them to the PCSO, who said ‘I know who they are and will have a word with their parents.’

“That is the value of PCSOs and why we need them in the community,” he added.

Cllr Brian Bailey said that PCSOs stop people going down into the depth of drink and drugs. He added: “Extra funding mean officers can go into schools and educate people and get them on the right track.”

He said that there was another incident where garden furniture was stolen from a show house. Cllr Dent again took photographs of the perpetrators, gave them to the PCSO, who said ‘I know who they are and will have a word with their parents.’

“That is the value of PCSOs and why we need them in the community,” he added.

Cllr Brian Bailey said that PCSOs stop people going down into the depth of drink and drugs. He added: “Extra funding mean officers can go into schools and educate people and get them on the right track.”

And Cllr Eileen Wragg said that extra police would help tackle the ‘proliferation in drug use in Exmouth which is harming our youngsters, and has even resulted in the death of some of them’.

The motion, calling for the chief constable to recognise the needs of East Devon when deciding how to allocate extra resources, received almost unanimous support from the council, with only Cllr Megan Armstrong abstaining.”

https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/demand-made-more-police-east-2599799

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

1 Mar 2019

Posted under

Accountability, Affordable and Social Housing, Developers/ Development, Housing (local), Sleaze

“Help-to-buy scheme pushes housebuilder dividends to £2.3bn”

“Britain’s biggest housebuilders paid out £2.3bn in dividends in their most recent financial year, as the help-to-buy subsidy pumped up their profits and house prices.

The nine biggest housebuilders listed on the London Stock Exchange declared the dividend payouts in their last full financial years, according to an analysis by AJ Bell, an investment platform.

Help to buy, introduced in 2013 and recently extended until 2023 for first-time buyers, was one of the flagship policies of the coalition government. Former Conservative chancellor George Osborne hoped to boost home ownership among young people, as house price growth far outpaced wage growth.

However, many economists believe the scheme boosted house prices without making a significant impact on the supply of new houses, enabling a profits bonanza for Britain’s biggest housebuilders and their shareholders.

In 2012, the final full year before the help-to-buy scheme was introduced, the top nine firms – many of which had been battered by the financial crash – paid dividends of only £57.7m, according to AJ Bell. Dividends declared in the companies’ most recent financial year were about 39 times greater.

Since 2013 the nine housebuilders have paid out nearly £8bn in dividends, while City analysts forecast another £5.2bn in payouts in 2019 and 2020. Furthermore, shareholders have also enjoyed appreciation in housebuilders’ share prices, which have been sustained by the promise of further profits.

Persimmon, half of whose sales were part of help to buy, was responsible for 2018’s largest giveaway. Its shareholders collectively earned £732m in dividends in the year ending in December, after the company earned more than £1bn in profits.

Taylor Wimpey declared dividends of slightly less than £500m during the same period. Barratt Developments declared £435m in the year ending in June 2018. Bellway, Berkeley Group and Bovis all declared dividends of more than £120m in their last full financial year.

The large profits of housebuilders have attracted heavy criticism, amid a continued housing crisis and rising homelessness. Persimmon’s former chief executive, Jeff Fairburn, resigned in November following public fury over his £75m bonus, which had been scaled back from £110m after investor outrage. …”

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/mar/01/help-to-buy-pushes-uk-housebuilder-dividends-to-23bn

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

1 Mar 2019

Posted under

Accountability, Post-Brexit Adjustments

“UK supermarkets lowering standards and dropping products ahead of Brexit, study finds”

This is how supermarkets routinely operate in third-world countries – less choice, lower standards!

“Supermarkets have begun removing product ranges and lowering their standards when it comes to fresh produce in preparation for Brexit, and British customers are already showing recessionary behaviours, according to new research from Kantar.

Retailers have begun simplifying imported product ranges, and even removed some items, ahead of 29 March, Kantar’s report revealed. There are concerns that a hard Brexit could lead to long delays and disruption, with potential for prices to jump and shortages of certain foods.

“Consumers may see some changes in what is available every week through the year with more space for offers where retailers can respond quickly to opportunities and deliver surprise,” researchers warned.

Meanwhile, while retailers have traditionally had very strong rules related to the size, shape and colour of fresh produce items many companies are now changing these rules.

“As Brexit draws near, retailers will be rejecting less than ever. Ultimately, this means many shoppers will need to spend extra time learning how to pick their own,” Kantar said. …”

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/brexit-food-shortages-recession-prices-rising-shopping-high-street-a8801926.html

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

1 Mar 2019

Posted under

Economy, Hinkley C, Local Enterprise Partnership

“MPs are set to review the government’s plans for Britain’s energy sector after a string of major projects were abandoned by international companies”

Owl says: Such a shame that our Local Enterprise Partnership – dominated by people with a vested interest in the nuclear industry – has put all our growth and regional investment eggs in the Hinkley C basket!

“MPs are set to review the government’s plans for Britain’s energy sector after a string of major projects were abandoned by international companies.

The Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy Committee said it would look into the government’s plans to see if they are fit for purpose.

It will examine if the country needs a new approach to speed up investment into low-carbon, low-cost energy and secure supplies in the long term.

The decision comes after Japanese firms Hitachi and Toshiba pulled out of the Wylfa and Moorside nuclear projects, dealing a serious blow to the government’s plans.

The committee also said it will investigate concerns over foreign investors in British nuclear. This comes amid worries about Chinese involvement in major projects.

Committee chair Rachel Reeves said: “In the wake of investment decisions over nuclear plants at sites such as Moorside and Wylfa, a giant hole has developed in UK energy policy. With coal due to go off-line, and the prospects for nuclear looking unclear, the government needs to set out how it will create the right framework to encourage the investment needed to plug the gap.

“In this inquiry, we want to examine the government’s approach to creating the right conditions for investment to deliver the secure energy capacity to meet the nation’s needs. A bigger shift in our energy infrastructure to a low cost, low carbon energy system is necessary.

“As a committee, we will want to consider what more the government needs to do to attract greater investment into financing future energy capacity, including renewables.”

http://www.cityam.com/273977/mps-launch-inquiry-into-government-energy-policy-after

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

1 Mar 2019

Posted under

Accountability, Austerity cuts, Privatisation

When privatisation goes (so terribly) wrong, who suffers?

But no worries – a very few people have got very, very rich on the back of these failed projects!

“The Ministry of Justice’s “botched contracting” of probation services will cost the taxpayer £467m.

Reforms to probation services, which began in 2013, have failed to meet expectations, the National Audit Office has said in a report out today.

Although, contracts with probation providers were ended early, the ministry’s “rushed roll-out” will still be costly, the NAO concluded. …”

https://www.publicfinance.co.uk/news/2019/03/mojs-probation-services-contracting-botched-and-costly

AND

“Fresh shots have been fired at the Ministry of Defence (MoD) from both government and private sector for failures in procuring public contracts.

The department must share the blame with outsourcing giant Capita for “failing dismally” at meeting the Army’s recruitment targets, a service which the FTSE 250 firm was tasked with delivering in 2012, MPs said on Friday.

The influential Public Accounts Committee (PAC) group of MPs accused the Army of “naively” launching into the decade-long contract, and said Capita did not fully understand the complexity of it.

PAC chair Meg Hillier said the contract was “intended to meet the Army’s annual recruitment targets and save money in the process”.

“It has failed dismally at the former and has a mountain to climb in order to hit its target for the latter.”

A December report by the National Audit Office found as of July 2018, the Army was seven per cent below its required strength in terms of regular soldier numbers due to the lack of successful recruitment. …”

http://www.cityam.com/273964/your-country-needs-you-capita-and-mod-must-share-blame

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

1 Mar 2019

Posted under

Accountability, Austerity cuts, East Devon Tories, EDDC, Local Government Finance

PROPERTY SPECULATION SAFEGUARDS REJECTED BY EDDC TORIES

Owl says: The safeguards proposed in the amendment below, which was rejected by the Conservative majority, appear to Owl to be entirely sensible, and a necessary check on an inherently risky strategy. Owl considers that the East Devon Tories is showing a reckless disregard for financial prudence, and for their stewardship of public money – OUR money.

Independent councillors at East Devon District Council tabled a Notice of Motion, to allow a full debate and vote, on EDDC`s highly controversial Commercial Investment Framework (CIF) at the council meeting on 27 February.

The CIF would allow EDDC to borrow £20 million to speculate in the property market. But the EDDC Chief Executive refused to allow the Notice of Motion to appear on the agenda paper for the full council meeting.

The Independents therefore had to resort to Plan B – and move an amendment to the Cabinet minutes.

At the council meeting on 27 February, Cllr Roger Giles (Ottery Town) moved an amendment to EDDC Cabinet minute 160 of 6 February. The amendment (BELOW) was to introduce safeguards to what he described as a high risk strategy; it was seconded by Ben Ingham (Woodbury).

The amendment was to add the following words:

“The Council recognises that property investment is a potentially high risk strategy, and therefore agrees that any such property acquisitions should only be undertaken after stringent financial assessment taking into account the following guidelines:

1. Any property purchases should be made within East Devon, to maximise local expertise in the property market, and to benefit the local economy;

2. A firm of Commercial Chartered Surveyors should be appointed to provide a full Valuation report and Schedule of Condition in respect of each property; a financial assessment should be provided by an appropriate Qualified Firm in respect of existing tenants; the said reports of any property purchase should be submitted to the full council for approval prior to purchase;

3. An annual report detailing purchase costs and all disbursements relating thereto shall be made to the full council”.

At the meeting, Independent Councillor Roger Giles said that the strategy:

* was not in accord with the council`s economic development strategy, because property could be purchased outside of East Devon;

* was high risk, and would massively increase the council`s indebtedness;

* would result in just 4 of the council`s 59 councillors being involved in major decisions;

* did not have public support – there was considerable public unease about the council strategy.

Other Independent councillors expressed concerns about the strategy, and spoke in support of the amendment.

At the conclusion of the debate, the Conservative majority on the council voted down the amendment, and decided to press on without the safeguards proposed.