Daily Archives: 9 Apr 2019

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9 Apr 2019

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Accountability, Air pollution, EDDC, Sidford Business Park, Sidmouth/ Sidford/ Sidbury

Sidford Business Park: deadline for appeal comments approaching

“Representatives for and against the multimillion pound proposal to build on land at Two Bridges in Sidford have until April 22 to send in evidence and comments to the Planning Inspector.

The Say NO to Sidford Business Park has mounted a final push for objectors to send in statements relating to highway concerns after the application was refused on those grounds back in October last year.

The campaign has raised £1,500 towards legal representation at appeal proceedings.

A group spokesman said: “We had been anticipating having to put a plea out to raise significantly more funds in order to fund legal representation at the appeal hearing. At this stage however we do not think this is necessary as we believe we have sufficient funds to support the work that is required over the next few crucial weeks.

“We may however possibly need to consider raising additional funds in a few months time should we decide to seek a professional representative to take the lead on our behalf at the appeal hearing.”

https://www.sidmouthherald.co.uk/news/say-no-to-sidford-business-park-raise-1-500-towards-planning-appeal-process-1-5979874

Say No to Sidford Business Park Facebook page here:
https://m.facebook.com/sayNOtoSidfordBusinessPark/

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9 Apr 2019

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Misc

23 days to local elections – today’s pictures

Cranbrook – planned entirely by East Devon District Council:

Roads to narrow to park on:

ALL the shops for the 3,000 or so people who currently live there:

Eventually it looks as though local villages will be swallowed up and Cranbrook will be a suburb of Exeter:

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9 Apr 2019

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Austerity cuts, Education (local), Inequality, Poverty

“Second-hand uniform banks” for poor children

“Two million children in England have been sent to school in dirty, ill-fitting or incorrect uniform, a children’s charity has said.

A Mirror probe has uncovered a surge in cash-strapped families who rely on handouts from uniform banks for school kit, including basic essentials such as coats, shoes and even underwear.

Figures last month revealed 4.1 million children are in living in poverty and 70% of those are in working families.

An estimated 13% of UK children live in families who are getting into debt to pay for school kit, with 17% cutting back on basic essentials, including food, to dress children for school, according to Children’s Society research.

In response, dozens of uniform banks and exchanges have been set up across Britain.

Sam Royston, of the Children’s Society, said: “These community groups… are clearly in high demand, but it is distressing so many families are getting to this point in the first place.”

Kate France founded the Uniform Exchange, in Kirklees, West Yorks, which provides kit for pupils at 181 schools.

Requests have surged from 600 in 2017 to 800 last year.

This year they are on track to clothe 1,200 children.

Kate said: “We have seen a huge growth. I have also seen a rise in underwear requests from families who need socks, tights, pants and vests.

“I can’t believe that families haven’t got the basics – I find it really sad.”

Nicola Roderick, 25, of Holmfirth, who uses the Exchange, said: “Spending £20 for a jumper is hard when your disposable income is very little…”

A Government spokesperson said: “We’re helping parents to move into full-time work to give families the best opportunity to move out of poverty.

“Meanwhile we have made clear to schools that when setting uniform policies they should keep costs to a minimum and be mindful that they are affordable for everyone.”

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/demand-donated-uniforms-spikes-two-14249909

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9 Apr 2019

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Accountability, Inequality, Tax avoidance

“EU orders UK to recover illegal tax aid from multinationals”

It has been said this was one reason why some people were anxious for an early hard Brexit – and one company mentioned is the Daily Mail!

“BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Britain will have to recover millions of euros from some multinationals after EU antitrust regulators ruled on Tuesday that an exemption in a UK tax scheme was illegal.

The European Commission’s decision, following a 16-month investigation, is part of an ongoing crackdown against multinationals benefiting from sweetheart tax deals offered by EU countries.

The EU investigation focussed on Britain’s Controlled Foreign Company (CFC) rules, which are aimed at attracting companies to set up headquarters in Britain and discourage UK companies moving offshore.

The EU competition regulator said an exemption in the scheme for interest income earned by offshore subsidiaries between 2013 and 2018 – which had been criticised by tax campaigners as a major loophole – flouted EU laws.

“The UK gave certain multinationals a selective advantage by granting them an unjustified exemption from UK anti–tax avoidance rules. This is illegal under EU State aid rules,” European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said.

The Commission said the exemption could be justified if interest payments received from loans did not result from British activities. However, if they were derived from UK activities, the exemption would not be justified.

The Commission did not say which multinationals are affected nor did it give an estimate for the amount Britain would recover, leaving it to UK tax authorities to reassess the tax liabilities.

BBA Aviation, Chemring, Daily Mail & General, Diageo, Euromoney, Inchcape, London Stock Exchange, Meggitt, Smith & Nephew and WPP are some of the companies which have mentioned the EU investigation in their accounts.

Vestager has already ordered Apple, Starbucks, Fiat Chrysler and several other multinationals to pay back taxes totalling billions of euros to various EU countries.”

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-eu-subsidies-idUKKCN1RE0WB