A couple of days ago “DN” posted this comment on EDW:

“On BBC News website today there is an item about Northampton Conservatives misleading voters, in saying they will protect libraries when they had voted to axe them. Surely something similar with the Conservative Party election leaflet in Seaton and Colyton area ” working alongside Neil Parish he wants to see the hospital bolstered into a community based facility offering high quality care and sustainable health and well being related services”

As I remember it Neil Parish did very little to save our hospital- or much else for our local community. It was the East Devon Alliance Councillors who have been working their socks off to save our hospitals. All the Tories did was to do everything they could to destroy our hospitals and deprived us of some local health services we once had, and lost all the beds. They betrayed the local people. Trust a Tory- never!”

Well, this story has become active in the Axminster, Colyton and Seaton election areas as can be seen from Martin Shaw’s blog. Martin Shaw is the EDA candidate for the Seaton and Colyton County Division.

What is intriguing is that it is the Axminster Tory candidate who has strayed from his patch to try to defend the indefensible. Health care, not just locally but nationally, is one of the Tories Achilles’ Heels.

Axminster Conservative says I’m ‘scaremongering’, but he knows that Seaton Hospital has remained in limbo ever since his colleagues ditched our beds

 seatonmatters.org /April 15, 2021

In a tweet responding to my Nub News article about NHS Property Services’ offering the Seaton Hospital site for housing development, Axminster Conservative candidate Ian Hall has accused me of ‘scaremongering’.

However Ian was present at County Hall three and a half years ago, when his Tory colleagues voted down our last chance to block the closure of Seaton’s beds – in the full knowledge that the CCG together with NHS Property Services, which owns all East Devon’s community hospitals, was preparing an ‘estates strategy’ to identify surplus sites to be sold off. He also knows that at the time, his Conservative government was offering incentives to NHS organisations to identify such sites.

So Ian should not be surprised that it has now emerged, via the Midweek Herald, that NHS Property Services offered our site for development and that this offer is even now being presented to EDDC’s Strategic Planning Committee as one of the options for meeting the excessive house-building targets which his Government has, on top of everything, imposed on East Devon.

Ian may not be worried that NHS PS were also offering up a quarter of the Axminster site, but I expect many of the people of Axminster, who like us in Seaton actually paid for their hospital, will have different ideas – and may well turn to Independent candidate Paul Hayward, who will actually stick up for them, instead.

in Seaton, where NHS PS put up half the site, everyone understands that if 14 houses are built, the Hospital will no longer exist. As I made clear in my article, there is no specific closure proposal. But the information confirms that we have been right all along to be alarmed. Perhaps if there is no scare, NHS Property Services will officially take the offer off the table?

Ian is right of course that we need to cooperate in a health plan for the Axe Valley, also involving Lyme Regis, with both Axminster and Seaton hospitals. But the Triangular Health Forum he mentions has hardly got off the ground despite years of intermittent talk. Meanwhile, until the vaccination programme, Seaton Hospital remained in limbo, almost half empty, still all too ripe for the asset-strippers.

Also:

Two days ago, whilst visiting Dartmouth, Boris Johnson said of the growing backlog of our over-burdened healthcare system:

 “We’re going to make sure that we give the NHS all the funding that it needs, as we have done throughout the pandemic, to beat the backlog.

“We’ve put about £92 billion already extra into the NHS this year and we’re going to do whatever it takes.

Sorry Boris but it isn’t that simple to roll back years of underinvestment in an instant. Consultants, Doctors and Nurses can’t be bought “off the shelf” no matter how much cash you pour into the pockets of Management Consultants – Owl

“Around 2 per cent of GPs are privately owned through Alternative Provider Medical Services (APMS), a policy introduced in 2004. Unlike other practices, they are allowed to make a profit.” [News to Owl – must have been sleeping]

Revolving doors and Chinese Walls (which may be fake – Owl).

George Grylls, Political Reporter | Katie Gibbons www.thetimes.co.uk 

One of the most senior civil servants in the health department is on secondment from an American healthcare giant that has recently taken over NHS services covering 500,000 patients.

Tim de Winter, the deputy director of the government’s Test & Trace programme, has signed a one-year contract that allows him to return to the private sector later this year.

Simon Case, the head of the civil service, has instructed senior staff to declare any second jobs by the end of the week after it emerged that Bill Crothers, the former head of procurement, was allowed to combine roles at Greensill Capital with one of the most senior positions in the Cabinet Office.

In September, de Winter will go back to working at Operose, a subsidiary of US health insurer Centene. He has given up all his responsibilities at Operose during the 12 months he is employed by the government.

Operose recently took over 37 GP practices in London in a deal rumoured to be worth £140 million, taking its total portfolio to 58 GP practices caring for over 500,000 patients in cities including Birmingham, Leeds, Nottingham.

Around 2 per cent of GPs are privately owned through Alternative Provider Medical Services (APMS), a policy introduced in 2004. Unlike other practices, they are allowed to make a profit.

Justin Madders, shadow health minister said: “To be able to walk out of working for the NHS one day and into a company that has taken over NHS services the next is a highly disturbing development”.

A health department spokesman said: “Tim de Winter has not been employed by any other private companies while working for NHS T&T.” He had signed an agreement which included clauses around confidentiality, disclosure and data protection.

Operose Health said that de Winter “cannot carry out any work for Operose Health during the secondment”.

Retail landlord Hammerson has submitted a planning application to turn a former Debenhams department store in Leicester into hundreds of new homes for rent, in a project the firm said reflected a “structural shift” in UK high streets.

www.building.co.uk 

Hammerson is working with private rented landlord Packaged Living on the deal, which will see 300 homes, designed by architect CRTKL, built on the site at the Highcross shopping centre in the city.

The scheme at the former Debenhams store will include 300 flats and a roof garden

The firm said the homes would open on to East Bond Street, with the project also delivering public realm improvements and a roof garden for tenants.

The scheme follows the collapse into liquidation of the retailer at the end of last year with the loss of 12,000 jobs, having spent six months in administration attempting to find a buyer for the business. Hammerson’s project will also see part of the former Debenhams store turned in to flexible retail units.

Mark Bourgeois, managing director for UK and Ireland at Hammerson, said the scheme would support the shops still operating at the Highcross shopping centre, the rest of which will remain open.

He said: “While the structural shift in retail and changing consumer shopping habits have meant that destinations such as Highcross need to adapt their offer and mix of uses, well-connected city centre locations such as this will always be places where people want to be.”

Build-to-rent developer Packaged Living, which has a portfolio of 2,000 homes, has been appointed development manager for the scheme, providing investment, development and operational expertise.

Eileen Wragg www.exmouthjournal.co.uk

Some criticism was expressed by one of this paper’s readers in the letters page on April 7 regarding the Consumer Price Index, and comparing it with the rise in Council Tax.

In his letter he suggested that ‘we consider the wholesale disposal of the present incumbents and maybe a few incompetent managers as well’, stating that the increase is because of ‘extras’.

For his enlightenment, and for others who also may be unaware, the Government has now stopped the Revenue Support Grant which was paid annually to councils to help them pay for necessary services which are provided to residents, such as waste collections and recycling, street cleaning, to help maintain and hopefully even improve these services.

For the past year in particular, there have been extra pressures for Councils to contend with, for instance more frequent sanitisation of public toilets, and loss of income to the sports and leisure centres.

So those are the ‘extras’. One of the biggest sources of income for District Councils is revenue from car parks in their ownership, which have also suffered severe income loss due to the pandemic, yet the correspondent seemed to be advocating free parking, which he said is the case in France. (I would add that in France, two lots of Council Tax are paid, plus a charge for waste collections.)

EDDC has recently had to come to the rescue of sports centres and swimming pools to the sum of £1.3m, so that they can continue to operate. councillors and officers have to find new ways of raising funds to keep up the standards which the public expect, in challenging economic times.

My colleagues and I are proud of what has been achieved since the end of May last year. We have taken control over the Queen’s Drive, listened to what our residents and visitors said and have made the temporary car park into a grassed, leisure area.

Waste collections and recycling rates have increased, and we are now the tenth best Council in the country for recycling, which saves huge sums in landfill taxes, as well as harm to the environment, by preventing waste going into landfill.

In a few weeks, we were delivering a town centre for Cranbrook, which had been promised for many years by previous administrations. We also pulled out of the Greater Exeter Strategic Partnership, which would have imposed mass residential development on East Devon.

I could go on, but if others, especially the critics, have innovative suggestions for keeping the Council Tax down, we would love to hear from you.

Better still, how about standing for election? If elected, you would have a much better understanding of the issues, and it would be an education from which you would surely benefit, whilst also, hopefully, benefiting your community.

Priority connections? – Owl

Broadband provider Jurassic Fibre has installed its first 10Gbps connection at Winslade Park in Clyst St Mary.

Daniel Wilkins​ www.exmouthjournal.co.uk

The business park, which is set to generate around 2,000 sustainable employment opportunities, was connected to Jurassic Fibre’s cutting-edge network earlier this month.

With a 10Gbps connection from Jurassic Fibre, businesses will benefit from faster and more reliable connectivity, with access to a local customer support team based in Exeter.

Winslade Park is being developed by property group Burrington Estates.

Once completed, it will provide flexible offices, new homes and health and wellbeing facilities, including a gym. It is the largest development of its kind in the South West.

Jurassic Fibre has future-proofed the network of the site to allow new buildings to be installed in line with expansion plans.

CEO and Founder of Jurassic Fibre, Michael Maltby said: “Fibre is to the 21st century as the railways were to the 19th. It is the fundamental requirement for all businesses.

“We are very pleased to be able provide ultrafast full fibre to this unique development.

“It’s vital that businesses have access to reliable connectivity in order to thrive and compete at a national level.

“Our aim is to expand our infrastructure to communities across the South West, enabling gigabit speeds, along with offering the best customer service and local support.”

The ultrafast service will support the customers of Winslade Park in improving efficiency and productivity, not just through faster and more reliable speeds, but through enhanced security and superior customer service.

Mark Edworthy, Group Managing Director at Burrington Estates, said: “We are delighted to be able to provide faster internet speeds and greater resilience to our businesses.

“The connection will cover the whole estate to encourage use of the grounds for outdoor meetings and personal working.

“The homes we build will also benefit from this amazing connectivity, helping those who want to efficiently work from home.”

Founded in 2018, Jurassic Fibre was created to address the digital inequality currently experienced by communities in the South West, which have previously been overlooked by other broadband providers.

From a correspondent:

So . . . . . we have all been summoned to the Polling Stations, on Thursday 6^th May, to once more register our preferences for who will represent our views and aspirations for the next four years?

Having been a diligent voter for over five decades, who can genuinely profess to having seen many local and national politicians come and go – the decision on whether to attend the electoral booth in our village hall to register a vote this year in 2021 is proving genuinely much more difficult than in the past!

Perhaps it’s because the Conservatives seem preoccupied with ‘chumocracy’ ensuring that they and their elite friends always have a place around a 22 feet extending mahogany board room table to ensure that none of them go hungry?

Perhaps it’s because Green Party representatives on East Devon’s Planning Committee over-valued the economic benefits of a scheme to the detriment of our environmental futures, by supporting the loss of green fields for housing, supporting pollution from substantial increased traffic and supporting impermeable car parking on green fields in flood plains?

Freedom Alliances and Monster Raving Loony Parties have never really instilled great confidence and the Labour Party seems a wasted, pointless vote in the predominantly rural South West!

At the last General Election, voting for the ‘truly’ Independent ‘Wright’ person who lived, worked and understood the local community seemed ideal, innovative – even revolutionary – but was ‘Jupperdised’ by a Tory candidate sent down from Westminster to capsize such thoughts of change for the shires!

Disappointingly, Alliances including Local Independents, Liberal Democrats and ‘Uncle Tom Cobley and All’ also recently failed to listen to over 200 members of the Clyst St Mary electorate – who they purport to represent – so there seems little point in trusting them with a vote again?

In theory, the entire outline Winslade Park Masterplan looked impressive, which, perhaps, resulted in (what appeared to be) a pre-determination of the approval decision before the Planning meeting, which was supported almost unanimously (with two ‘sitting on the fence’ abstentions) after recommendations by the Development Manager!

The approval centred on giving such substantial weight to the scheme’s economic proposals that other relevant planning policies in the Local and Neighbourhood Plans were ignored and negated with the housing being specifically included to support the economic growth proposals because, without the housing, the Developers deemed the entire scheme financially unviable!

However, for the record, local residents have recently noticed that the development seems to have significantly slowed and questions are now being asked as to whether the much-lauded employment and economic benefits have been postponed, delayed or shelved entirely, leaving only the promotion of lucrative housing in a village that has no local housing need?

In post-pandemic times, are we going to require such extensive employment/economic growth (with many now choosing to work from home), so perhaps the developers are experiencing leasing, financial or viability problems?

Who is answerable if these approved major economic growth proposals are shelved, leaving only the residential plans on green fields and multiple-storey blocks of apartments in a rural village – the politicians who naively supported a pipedream and not reality?

Do local government ombudsmen/women/persons or Secretary of State planning inspectorates have any teeth to right potential wrongs if a planning decision proves flawed in the future?

Whoever can truly represent the people and answer these questions satisfactorily is certain to get votes from this community?

Work on plans to protect Sidmouth from the sea has been paused so the potential for ‘bigger and better’ defences can be explored.

Daniel Clark eastdevonnews.co.uk

East Devon District Council’s (EDDC) cabinet voted to put an existing £9million scheme on hold – as previously dismissed options may now be affordable.

Permission for temporary rock armouring at crumbling Pennington Point will be sought in the meantime.

The move – made possible by a funding boost – could mean that the realisation of a scheme for the town is delayed by up to two years.

EDDC’s current preferred option for Sidmouth is to spend £9million on a new rock groyne on East Beach and raising the height of the seafront splash wall.

Modifications to the River Sid training wall and shingle replenishment and recycling would also be carried out.

Now, other options are back on the table as extra money has been made available due to changes in eligibility for funding from various bodies.

In 2017, Sidmouth town councillors backed a scheme with four additional semi-obscured offshore ‘reefs’ that decrease in size towards East Beach.

As this cost up to £20million – the most expensive of all the options – it wasn’t taken forward.

Other rejected ideas included modifying the rock groynes at Bedford Steps, York Steps and East Pier Rock into ‘T’ shapes and placing a slope of large boulders next to the sea wall.

The preferred option for the beach management plan for Sidmouth.

Back on the table? Previous options for Sidmouth seafront which had previously been ruled out.

EDDC engineer Tom Buxton-Smith told a cabinet meeting on March 31: “There is a desire to see if a better scheme can be delivered than the one proposed, but, to do so, it will need us to pause the project to see if they are technically viable.”

He said of mooted temporary rock armouring at Pennington Point: “In the short-term, it will slow down erosion rates, meaning the cliff edge will be kept away from residents’ houses for longer, the mouth of the River Sid remains better protected from south-easterly storms, meaning a reduction in flood risk to Sidmouth town, and removes pressure to deliver the BMP [Beach Management plan] quickly, which will allow time to further assess other options and allow further post pandemic public consultation.”

But he added: “It is possible that temporary planning permission will not be granted, the rock armour will be unsightly, and will be the first thing residents/visitors see of the World Heritage site when looking east from The Esplanade, and placing rock armour in front of the cliffs could be argued to be desecrating a pristine site with many important designations, albeit temporarily.”

Councillor Denise Bickley, who represents the Sidmouth Town ward, said: “If we were desperate to plough ahead, it’s like being on the M5 when you want to be on the M4.

“It’s pointless to keep ploughing ahead with the wrong plan, so we can go back to the drawing board and find good ways to change it so everyone in the town can be as happy as can be.

“Pausing it, a temporary solution and to really get it right is so important.”

Cllr Geoff Jung, EDDC’s portfolio holder for coast, country and environment, added: “If we do this, then it is imperative that we a approve the investigation of temporary planning permission and installation of rock armour at East Beach to protect the gardens and the cliffs as, if we delay the scheme, we need to see if we can get some temporary rock revetment on the beach as early as possible.”

Cllr John Loudoun, who represents the Sidmouth Rural ward, said: “The residents of Cliff Road, whose parts of their gardens are falling daily into the sea, have a great deal at stake in this.

“We need to think of the residents above East Beach as, if we do this, it brings added angst and anxiety to them as they thought they knew what was going to happen and when, now they are less certain.

“So to give the support and encouragement, we need to go with the temporary permission, and I hope we can deliver all of this is good time for those residents and the rest of the town.”

Cabinet members voted in favour of pausing the project for six months to look at the viability of other, previously dismissed, options.

It will take up to half a year for engineers and specialist consultants to review and assess the various alternatives.

Members also approved investigating securing temporary planning permission for the installation of rock armouring at East Beach.

Dr Stephen Hopwood is a spokesman for the Freedom Alliance.

Owl is posting extracts of a recent blog on Dr H just to give a flavour of where he is coming from – go online for the full Monty. 

Quack Totnes Cancer Conference Ends in Farce – The Quackometer Blog

www.quackometer.net 

“Earlier this month, I wrote about how Dr Stephen Hopwood was opening a new alternative cancer clinic in Totnes, Devon, that was to “offer real alternatives to the conventional approach to cancer health care”.

To celebrate the opening, Hopwood was holding a cancer conference, inviting people with cancer to come along, and inviting a range of cancer cure peddlers to temp attendees with their magic beans.

What followed was quite extraordinary.

Local Devon MP, Dr Sarah Wollaston, after re tweeting my blog post, got in contact with the local Trading Standards. She was not the first to do so; prior to my post, others had also expressed their concerns.

Trading Standards have recently come under academic attack for failing to act on breaches of various consumer protection laws around health claims. A study placed 39 complaints to various Trading Standards. None resulted in prosecution; many complaints were simply ignored.

But the involvement of a local MP no doubt prompted TS into action and the BBC reported that they had initiated an investigation into claims that the clinic and conference were in breach of the Cancer Act of 1939. Hopwood accused the MP for being a “shop front” for the pharmaceutical industry. Classy.

A local Trading Standards Officer told Hopwood,

In view of the above I would advise you to remove the above references regarding the treatment, either by direct means or otherwise, of cancer from your website, and other documents associated with your business. I would also recommend that you remove any other references made regarding the treatment of cancer not specified above. Failure to do so could render your business liable for prosecution under the above legislation. I would request that these references are removed within the next 7 days.

Unexpectedly, local radio station Totnes FM waded in to report the story. Given that Totnes is a hotbed of New Age thinking and the radio station airs programmes such as “The Psychedelic Shed” and “Totnes Tales” with their in house medium, I was surprised at their no nonsense approach to the story. They kept people up to date with the latest developments and even invited Dr Hopwood on for an hour where he was given the grilling of his life……”

See also: No action over Totnes ‘baking soda’ cancer doctor

Voters across Devon in the county council elections will be able to vote for a new political party that wants to “end the lockdowns, protect medical freedom of choice and protect human rights and liberties.”

Daniel Clark, local democracy reporter www.radioexe.co.uk

The new Freedom Alliance is fielding candidates for 20 of the 60 seats in Devon, from Seaton to Hartland and from Combe Martin to Salcombe.

The Freedom Alliance, officially recognised earlier this year, say they are committed to the principles of personal freedom.

Dr Stephen Hopwood is a party spokesman and a doctor who has worked in Totnes as a holistic practitioner for 25 years, and said: “These are unprecedented times and we aim to show that we are indeed a viable force to be reckoned with. More and more people are intelligently analysing what is true and what is not and beginning to see through the false narrative. We have decided to stand to support these people in this understanding and to directly oppose this unacceptable rollout in our community.

“We’re offering electors the chance to vote for a genuine opposition to the measures which have been imposed by the government – measures that we do not believe were even remotely justified by the scale of the threat in the first place.

“Our economy has been ruined and our individual freedoms massively curtailed. Our fundamental human rights are in real danger of being lost and we believe we must act now to protect our community and humanity.”

The Freedom Alliance believes that freedom of speech and the freedom of people to gather are fundamental human rights. They say everyone should be free to make their own medical choices, such as whether to have a vaccine, get a test or wear a mask.

“We reject the kind of restrictions that have been imposed on us in the last year under the guise of a pandemic which is just not justified by a proper rigorous scientific study of the data,” said Dr Hopwood.

“We have seen the threat of covid exaggerated and large numbers of deaths caused by the lockdown itself – a huge cost in human misery, with people unable to get treatment or not being diagnosed for other illnesses. The toll on mental health and on society as a whole has been completely appalling, punitive and very damaging.

“Old people have been imprisoned in care homes. Children have seen their education blighted and been coerced into virus testing regimes and mask-wearing which is all hugely psychologically damaging. Businesses and livelihoods have been unnecessarily destroyed.”

The Freedom Alliance is calling for an end to lockdown and believes testing or vaccination should be voluntary. The party rejects compulsory mask-wearing and says vaccine passports are unnecessary and discriminatory.

Elections take place on Thursday 6 May, with voters electing councillors to serve on Devon County Council for the next four years. The entirety of the 60-strong council is up for election, with 56 ‘single-member’ electoral divisions and two ‘two-member’ divisions’.

The current composition is 41 Conservatives, seven Labour, six Liberal Democrats, three Independents, one Green Party, one East Devon Alliance and one North Devon Liberal.

The Conservatives and Labour are the only parties who are fielding 60 candidates, with the Liberal Democrats fielding 55. The Green Party is fielding 45 candidates, with one from UKIP, five from Reform UK, and 20 from the Freedom Alliance.

The East Devon Alliance have three candidates, the Trade Unionist and Social Coalition have six, while there are 28 Independent candidates.

Coronavirus infection rates in North Devon have hit the milestone figure of zero – with no cases in a seven day period.

Daniel Clark www.devonlive.com

In the seven days between April 3 and 9, there was not a single positive case from the 9,942 tests – from lateral flow and PCR – that were carried out.

It means that the district becomes the first in England since the second wave began to record an infection rate of 0.

Three positive cases though have subsequently been recorded – one from April 10, 11 and 12 – but as the infection rates cover a seven day period five days in arrears, it means that for one day, North Devon’s infection rate is 0.

Coronavirus cluster map showing North Devon and it\’s 0 infection rate for the period from April 3-9

Across the rest of Devon, in the same seven day period, Torridge (2 cases), West Devon (3), East Devon (8), and South Hams (6) also recorded cases that were in single figures, while infection rates in Exeter and Teignbridge were also below the 10/100,000 mark, with Mid Devon (18.2/100,000) the highest of Devon’s districts.

At an upper tier level, Devon as a whole has the second lowest infection rate in England, with 7.2/100,000, with only East Sussex having a lower rate.

The sale of collapsed regional airline Flybe has been completed – meaning the company is set to fly again with the chance of services resuming in the summer.

George Thorpe www.devonlive.com

In March last year, the airline which had a hub based at Exeter Airport and also operated flights from Cornwall Airport Newquay went into administration with all flights grounded as a result.

Disruption to the aviation and travel industry brought on by the coronavirus pandemic were partly blamed for the firm’s collapse.

However, in a statement released today, the joint administrators who were brought in following Flybe’s demise have confirmed that the assets of the airline have been sold off to a new company affiliated with investment adviser Cyrus Capital.

Along with this, the administrators confirmed that a new company previously known as Thyme Opco Limited will now be renamed “Flybe Limited”.

The completion of the agreement – which was first signed on October 19 – includes the transfer of Flybe jobs as well as assets and other parts of the business.

Speaking about the sale, Flybe Limited said that it is hoping to launch planes into the skies again this summer.

A Flybe Limited spokesperson added: “We are extremely excited to announce the conclusion of almost six months of dedicated hard work by the great team at Flybe, the UK Civil Aviation Authority, the European Commission, and the many others who made this announcement possible.

“Today’s news represents a critical first step in our mission to accomplish the first-ever rescue of an insolvent British airline.

“Subject to further success with vaccinations and relaxation of travel restrictions, we plan to launch a new and much improved Flybe sometime this summer on many of our former routes where there remains a critical need for a strong, reliable, and customer-focused airline.

“While our company will initially be smaller than before, we intend to grow, create valuable jobs, and make significant contributions to essential regional connectivity in the UK and EU.”

Simon Edel, joint administrator and EY-Parthenon Turnaround and Restructuring Strategy Partner said: “Completion of the sale of Flybe is positive news for local communities previously served by Flybe.

“The launch of a new Flybe will enhance regional connectivity across the UK and create new job opportunities within the airline industry.

“Flybe stands to make an important contribution to local economies as they rebuild after the pandemic and as restrictions ease to allow an increase in air travel.”

Owl’s view is that we need a “changing of the guard” in County Hall. It’s a pity that the minority parties have not reached local agreements not to compete with one another where one party is well placed to win. For example, the Lib Dems and the Greens reached such an agreement in Exeter City but this has not been extended at County Council level. Did “central office” veto any local deals?

Owl understands that the East Devon Alliance (EDA) was prepared to work with their coalition partners. For their part the EDA is only fielding candidates in divisions in which they won or came a close second last time.

Owl generally supports independent candidates in local elections, where they are genuinely independent. But once bitten twice shy.

In East Devon, over the years, we have had two particularly outstanding independent councillors: Roger Giles and Claire Wright. Many who admired them formed the East Devon Alliance (EDA) as a vehicle to provide more “quality assured” independent candidates. Crucially EDA candidates have all signed up to a set of core principles based on the Nolan principles – see their web site.

Unfortunately, the Indy brand has been devalued by Ben Ingham. In 2019 he pulled  together an ad hoc group of “independent” candidates and campaigned as an independent in the District Council elections. Voters, looking for a change, took the opportunity presented to reduce the Tories to a minority party and Ben Ingham anointed himself leader of a coalition.

Tellingly, he refused to allow any EDA independents to join his cabinet or committees and effectively formed a coalition with the Tories. We have learned the hard way that his “independents” spanned the range of genuine Independents, quasi-Independents, and “really-not-very-independent-at-all-but-I probably-wouldn’t have-got-in-if-I-still-called-myself-Tory” independents.

Owl can spot examples of each of these in the County candidate lists.

In contrast an EDA indy is quality assured.

As for the others it is worth looking to see if they are District Councillors and, if so, what their voting record is. (A good test is how they voted in the GESP debate).

A few other observations from Owl.

Owl has previously reported that Ben Ingam, having rejoined the Conservative party, failed to be nominated as the Tory candidate for the Exmouth and Budleigh Coastal Division. Given his ambition, Owl assumed he would pop up somewhere else, but he has failed to do so.

There are quite a few “Freedom Alliance” candidates mainly elsewhere in the County but one is standing in Seaton and Colyton. Readers, like Owl, may wonder what a “Freedom Alliance” party stands for. Beware, this was formed in response to what it sees as unnecessary “governmental restrictions and curtailments on free people” during the COVID-19 pandemic. So this might pose a “UKIP” type of threat to the right wing Tory vote, making some of their seats more vulnerable.

Devon County Council local elections candidate list announced

Daniel Clark www.devonlive.com

The full list of candidates who are standing for election to Devon County Council has been announced.

Elections will take place for all 60 seats on Devon County Council on Thursday, May 6, with voters going to the polls to elect their representatives for the next four years.

The entirety of the 60-strong council will be up for re-election, with 56 ‘single-member’ Electoral Divisions and 2 ‘two-member’ Divisions’.

The current composition of the council consists of 41 Conservatives, 7 Labour, 6 Liberal Democrats, 3 Independents, 1 Green Party, 1 East Devon Alliance and 1 North Devon Liberal.

All elected councillors will serve their usual four year term upon their election.

More than a quarter of the council will change, with 17 current councillors not standing for re-election, including the current chairman of the council Stuart Barker and cabinet member Barry Parsons, as well as the former leader of the council Brian Greenslade.

The Conservatives and Labour are the only parties who are fielding the maximum of 60 candidates, with the Liberal Democrats fielding 55.

The Green Party are fielding 45 candidates, with one from UKIP, five from Reform UK, and 20 from the Freedom Alliance, who are standing on a platform of ‘no lockdowns, no curfews’.

The East Devon Alliance have three candidates, the Trade Unionist and Social Coalition have six, while there are 28 Independent candidates.

Below is the list of candidates who are standing, with the * denoting where they are the sitting councillor who is up for re-election.

DEVON COUNTY COUNCIL

EAST DEVON

Axminster

Ian Hall (Conservatives) *

Paul Hayward (East Devon Alliance)

Jules Hoyles (Liberal Democrats)

Oliver Tucker (Labour)

Broadclyst (2 councillors to be elected)

Ellis Davies (Labour)

Peter Faithfull (Independent)

Henry Gent (Green Party)

Tom Hobson (Conservatives)

Mathieu Holladay (Labour)

Jamie Kemp (Liberal Democrats)

Sara Randall Johnson (Conservatives) *

Exmouth (2 councillors to be elected)

Tim Dumper (Liberal Democrats)

Josie Parkhouse (Labour)

Michael Rosser (Green Party)

Richard Scott (Conservatives) *

Jeff Trail (Conservatives) *

Joe Whibley (Independent)

Daniel Wilson (Labour)

Exmouth and Budleigh Salterton Coastal

Brian Bailey (Independent)

Christine Channon (Conservatives) *

Keith Edwards (Labour)

Brigitte Graham (UKIP)

David Hayward (Reform UK)

David Ireson (Green Party)

Penny Lewis (Liberal Democrats)

Feniton and Honiton

Jake Bonetta (Labour)

Cathy Connor (Liberal Democrats)

Phil Twiss (Conservatives) *

Otter Valley

Jess Bailey (Independent)

Steve Bloomfield (Labour)

Luke Gray (Green Party)

Charlie Hobson (Conservatives)

Jake Slee (Liberal Democrats)

Seaton and Colyton

Paul Blackmore (Freedom Alliance)

Marcus Hartnell (Conservatives)

Angela Marynicz (The Democratic Network)

Martin Shaw (East Devon Alliance) *

George Tomkins (Labour)

Martyn Wilson (Liberal Democrats)

Sidmouth

Stuart Hughes (Conservatives) *

Louise MacAllister (East Devon Alliance)

Colin Mills (Labour)

Whimple and Blackdown

Iain Chubb (Conservatives) *

Wes Healey (Green Party)

Karen Hoyles (Liberal Democrats)

Liz Pole (Labour)

EXETER

Alphington and Cowick

Yvonne Atkinson (Labour) *

Julyan Levy (Green Party)

Katherine New (Conservatives)

Rod Ruffle (Liberal Democrats)

Duryard and Pennsylvania

Bea Gare (Women’s Equality Party)

Michael Mitchell (Liberal Democrats)

Rich Parker (Green Party)

Percy Prowse (Conservatives) *

Martyn Snow (Labour)

Exwick and St Thomas

Lee Gillett (Conservatives)

Rob Hannaford (Labour) *

Jamie Lynde (Green Party)

Frankie Rufolo (For Britain Movement)

Maya Skelton (Liberal Democrats)

Heavitree and Whipton Barton

Danny Barnes (Labour)

Alfie Carlisle (Conservatives)

Debbie Frayne (For Britain Movement)

Lily James (Liberal Democrats)

Lizzie Woodman (Green Party)

Pinhoe and Mincinglake

Tracy Adams (Labour)

Paula Fernley (Green Party)

John Harvey (Conservatives)

Kate Jago (Independent)

Henry Mayall (Liberal Democrats)

St David’s and Haven Banks

Andrew Bell (Green Party)

Arden Foster-Spink (Conservatives)

Joel Hambly (Liberal Democrats)

Carol Whitton (Labour) *

St SIdwell’s and St James

Sue Aves (Labour) *

Johanna Korndorfer (Green Party)

Kevin Mitchell (Liberal Democrats)

David Moore (Conservatives)

Wearside and Topsham

Christine Campion (Liberal Democrats)

Helen Dallimore (Labour)

Andrew Leadbetter (Conservatives) *

Jon Mills (Green Party)

Wonford and St Loye’s

Marina Asvachin (Labour) *

Jack Eade (Green Party)

Peter Holland (Conservative)

Kris Mears (Liberal Democrats)

MID DEVON

Crediton

Martin Binks (Conservative)

Elin Bold (Labour)

Christopher Hurley (Freedom Alliance)

Frank Letch (Liberal Democrats)

Creedy Taw and Mid Exe

Ann Conway (Freedom Alliance)

Paul Edwards (Green Party)

Margaret Squires (Conservatives) *

Thomas Stephenson (Labour)

David Wilson (Liberal Democrats)

Cullompton and Bradninch

John Berry (Conservatives) *

Andrea Glover (Liberal Democrats)

Edward Southerden (Labour)

Hannah Watson (Green Party)

Tiverton East

Jason Chamberlain (Labour)

Matt Farrell (Liberal Democrats)

Andrew Perris (Independent)

Colin Slade (Conservatives) *

Tiverton West

Richard Chesterton (Conservatives)

Trevor Cope (Green Party)

Ana Hendy (Independent)

Peter Hill (Labour)

Willand and Uffculme

Simon Clist (Liberal Democrats)

Fiona Hutton (Labour)

Charles Kay (Freedom Alliance)

Ray Radford (Conservatives) *

Adam Rich (Green Party)

NORTH DEVON

Barnstaple North

John Agnew (Labour)

Robbie Mack (Green Party)

Rob Pet (Freedom Alliance)

Ian Roome (Liberal Democrats)

Natasha Vukic (Conservatives)

Barnstaple South

Lou Goodger (Green Party)

Philip Hawkins (Labour)

David Hoare (Conservative)

Josie Knight (Freedom Alliance)

Caroline Leaver (Liberal Democrats)

David Luggar (Independent)

Braunton Rural

Mark Cann (Labour)

Stewart Johnstone (Freedom Alliance)

Pru Maskell (Conservatives)

David Relph (Green Party)

Liz Spear (Liberal Democrats)

Chulmleigh and Landkey

Valerie Cann (Labour)

Paul Henderson (Conservatives)

Turtle Knight (Freedom Alliance)

Glyn Lane (Independent)

Philip Mason (Independent)

Victoria Nel (Liberal Democrats)

Nick Withers (Green Party)

Combe Martin Rural

Katherine Armitage (Freedom Alliance)

Oliver Bell (Labour)

Andrea Davis (Conservatives) *

Julie Hunt (Liberal Democrats)

Steven White (Green Party)

Fremington Rural

Frank Biederman (Independent) *

Stephen Jarvis (Green Party)

Finola Oneill (Labour)

Scott Paddon (Conservatives)

Paddy Sullivan (Freedom Alliance)

Helen Walker (Liberal Democrats)

Ilfracombe

Cecily Blyther (Labour)

Paul Crabb (Conservatives) *

Syed Jusef (Liberal Democrats)

Lesley Mason (Freedom Alliance)

Netti Pearson (Green Party)

South Molton

Steve Cotton (Independent)

Steven Hinchcliffe (Labour)

Gill Saunders (Green Party)

Val Schenn (Freedom Alliance)

Alex White (Liberal Democrats)

Jeremy Yabsley (Conservatives) *

SOUTH HAMS

Bickleigh and Wembury

John Hart (Conservatives) *

Christopher Oram (Liberal Democrats)

Edward Parsons (Labour)

Emma Relph (Freedom Alliance)

Win Scutt (Green Party)

Dartmouth and Marldon

Carlo Bragagnolo (Reform UK)

Lynn Gunnigle (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition)

Jonathan Hawkins (Conservatives) *

Kevin John (Labour)

Christian Parkes (Freedom Alliance)

Simon Rake (Liberal Democrats)

Ivybridge

Victor Abbott (Liberal Democrats)

Roger Croad (Conservatives) *

Simon Gedye (Freedom Alliance)

David Trigger (Labour)

Kingsbridge

Julian Brazil (Liberal Democrats) *

Peter Burgess (Freedom Alliance)

Samantha Dennis (Conservatives)

Paul Furlong (Labour)

Bettina Rixon (Green Party)

Salcombe

Jonno Barrett (Labour)

Jim Blake (Freedom Alliance)

Rufus Gilbert (Conservatives) *

Mark Lawrence (Liberal Democrats)

Lily Rixon (Green Party)

South Brent and Yealmpton

Paul Bishop (Labour)

Richard Hosking (Conservatives) *

James Sandy (Freedom Alliance)

Daniel Thomas (Liberal Democrats)

Totnes and Dartington

Jill Hannam (Labour)

Jacqi Hodgson (Green Party) *

Stephen Hopwood (Freedom Alliance)

Jame Rogers (Conservatives)

TEIGNBRIDGE

Ashburton and Buckfastleigh

Su Maddock (Labour)

John Nutley (Liberal Democrats)

Sarah Parker-Khan (Conservatives)

Andy Williamson (Green Party)

Bovey Rural

George Gribble (Conservatives) *

Eoghan Kelly (Independent)

Sally Morgan (Liberal Democrats)

Anna Presland (Green Party)

Lisa Robillard Webb (Labour)

Chudleigh and Teign Valley

Jerry Brook (Conservatives) *

Richard Keeling (Liberal Democrats)

Emily Simcock (Green Party)

Rick Webb (Labour)

Dawlish

Bruce Mattock (Trade Unionist and Social Coalition)

Noel Nickless (Conservatives)

Linda Petherick (Independent)

Jeff Pocock (Labour)

Richard Ward (Reform UK)

Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrats)

Exminster and Haldon

Alan Connett (Liberal Democrats) *

Lucy Rockcliffe (Green Party)

Bhav Studley (Labour)

Dudley Swain (Independent)

Terry Tume (Conservatives)

Ipplepen and the Kerswells

Chris Clarance (Conservatives)

Alistair Dewhirst (Liberal Democrats) *

John Hodgson (Labour)

Graham Read (Green Party)

Jane Taylor (Independent)

Kingsteignton and Teign Estuary

Andrew McGregor (Liberal Democrats)

James Osben (Trade Unionist and Social Coalition)

Ron Peart (Conservatives) *

Christopher Robillard (Labour)

Newton Abbot North

Phil Bullivant (Conservatives)

Ryan Hall (Trade Unionist and Social Coalition)

Liam Mullone (Independent)

Lesley Robson (Labour)

Eloise Rokirilov (Liberal Democrats)

Newton Abbot South

Janet Bradford (Independent)

John Fitzsimons (Labour)

Jane Haden (Trade Unionist and Social Coalition)

Alex Hall (Conservatives)

Colin Parker (Liberal Democrats)

Doug Pratt (Green Party)

Teignmouth

Sean Brogan (Trade Unionist and Social Coalition)

David Cox (Liberal Democrats)

Jackie Jackson (Labour)

Sylvia Russell (Conservatives) *

TORRIDGE

Bideford East

Annie Brenton (Labour)

James Craigie (Independent)

Will Douglas-Mann (Green Party)

Jude Gubb (Independent)

Linda Hellyer (Conservatives) *

Stephen Potts (Liberal Democrats)

Bideford West and Hartland

Dylan Billson (Labour)

Bert Bruins (Liberal Democrats)

Keith Funnell (Green Party)

Joel Herron (Independent)

Tony Inch (Independent) *

Paul Jelf (Freedom Alliance)

Robin Julian (Independent)

Jeffrey Wilton-Love (Conservatives)

Northam

David Chalmers (Liberal Democrats)

Leonard Ford (Independent)

Simon Mathers (Green Party)

Dermot McGeough (Conservatives)

Jake McLean (Labour)

Holsworthy Rural

Claire Davey-Potts (Liberal Democrats)

Jim Lowe (Labour)

James Morrish (Conservatives)

Cathrine Simmons (Green Party)

Pete Watson (Independent)

Torrington Rural

Chris Bright (Liberal Democrats)

Ruth Funnell (Green Party)

Andrew Saywell (Conservatives) *

Siobhan Stride (Labour)

WEST DEVON

Hatherleigh and Chagford

Lynn Daniel (Green Party)

George Dexter (Liberal Democrats)

James McInnes (Conservatives) *

Matt Morton (Reform UK)

Douglas Smith (Labour)

Okehampton Rural

Terry Edwards (Labour)

Patrick Gilbert (Liberal Democrats)

Tony Leech (Independent)

Bob Rush (Reform UK)

Lois Samuel (Conservatives)

Brian Wood (Green Party)

Tavistock

Mandy Ewings (Independent)

Chris Jordan (Green Party)

Debo Sellis (Conservatives) *

Mike Sparling (Labour)

Pete Squire (Liberal Democrats)

Yelverton Rural

Judy Maciejowksa (Green Party)

Tony Marchese (Labour)

Mark Renders (Independent)

Philip Sanders (Conservatives) *

Ashley-Ross West (Liberal Democrats)

[Delayed as EDDC web site has been undergoing maintenance]

• Construction of a manege Andrewshayes Cottage Dalwood Axminster EX13 7DYRef. No: 21/0986/FUL | Validated: Thu 01 Apr 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of first floor rear extension. 83 Millhead Road Honiton EX14 1RFRef. No: 21/0989/FUL | Validated: Thu 01 Apr 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of porch 38 Lincoln Close Feniton Honiton EX14 3EQRef. No: 21/0988/FUL | Validated: Thu 01 Apr 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Certificate of lawfulness for the provision of a detached ancillary caravan / log cabinBadger Down Marley Drive Lympstone Exmouth EX8 5DYRef. No: 21/0984/CPL | Validated: Thu 01 Apr 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of single storey rear extension and front roof extensions 81 Bradham Lane Exmouth EX8 4AWRef. No: 21/0987/FUL | Validated: Thu 01 Apr 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Proposed erection of timber barn for storage of agricultural equipment and fruit from the newly planted orchard. Land East Of Southcombe House Salcombe Regis Sidmouth EX10 0JNRef. No: 21/0969/FUL | Validated: Thu 01 Apr 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Single storey rear extension and raising of existing garage roof to convert a section of the rear of the garage into a utility room 75 Winston Road Exmouth EX8 4LRRef. No: 21/0952/FUL | Validated: Thu 01 Apr 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• T1: Ash, fell Reason: The tree is dying from ash dieback 27 Eyewell Green Seaton EX12 2BNRef. No: 21/0957/TRE | Validated: Wed 31 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Certificate of lawfulness for the installation of roof lights.2 Cornishes Cottages Woodbury Exeter EX5 1LHRef. No: 21/0967/CPL | Validated: Wed 31 Mar 2021 | Status: Approved
• Enlargement of rear extension. 4 Burrow Close Newton Poppleford Sidmouth EX10 0BSRef. No: 21/0947/FUL | Validated: Tue 30 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision

• T1 Beech – Height 15 m. Reduce by 2m. Danger to neighbour’s property. T2 Ash – Height 18 m. Fell. Worries of dieback and danger to neighbour’s property. T3 Horse Chestnut – Height 15m. Reduce main tree by 2m. Remove 1 sub-dominant tree moving through main tree, touches roof of neighbouring house and electric cables. Remove 1 second sub-dominant limb which also touches the neighbour’s roof and electric cables, to leave space for Lime to prosper. T4 Ash – Remove 1-3m limb 70mm in diameter, touching neighbour’s electric cables. T5 Oak – Remove 3x 3m limbs, 50mm in diameter to reduce weight over pavement to improve figure of tree. T6 Oak – Remove 3x 4m limbs, 80 mm in diameter to reduce weight over pavement to improve figure of tree. T7 Holme Oak – Fell. Unhealthy and dangerous condition. 6 Kingsholme Colyford Colyton EX24 6RJRef. No: 21/0931/TRE | Validated: Thu 01 Apr 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Prior approval for proposed change of use of agricultural buildings to form 3 no larger dwelling houses and 2 no smaller dwelling houses (class C3 use) and associated operational development under Class Q (a) and (b) Barns To North Of Crosshill Farm Weston Honiton EX14 3PFRef. No: 21/0950/PDQ | Validated: Tue 30 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• G1 Hornbeam – Reduce 2 trees away from Alder House to the south to gain 2m vertical clearance, MDC 50mm T1 Elm Fell. T2 Field Maple – Reduce height to 2m, MDC 250mm T3 Willow – Reduce south western aspect by 3 to 4m, MDC 50mm T4 Sycamore Fell. T5 Hazel Thin out by removing older growth, retaining young stems for continued growth Reason Appropriate Arb management Alder House Parsonage Way Woodbury Exeter EX5 1EFRef. No: 21/0949/TRE | Validated: Wed 31 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Outdoor pool with plant in existing outbuilding and re-grading / landscaping works within the walled garden; localised repairs and reinstatement of section of collapsed garden boundary wall. Pomeroy House Gittisham Honiton EX14 3AJRef. No: 21/0944/FUL | Validated: Thu 01 Apr 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Change of use of the land to a mixed agricultural/equestrian use, along with the erection of a stable block and formation of a new vehicular access. Land And Buildings South West Of Heathayne Cross Colyton EX24 6RSRef. No: 21/0933/FUL | Validated: Tue 30 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Reserved matters application (access, appearance, landscaping, layout, scale) pursuant to the outline planning permission ref: 12/1291/MOUT (Phases 7 and 9) for the construction of a local centre, play area (NEAP) and multi-use games area with associated public square, parking, access road and landscaping; the partial discharge of conditions 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 and 19 of outline planning permission 12/1291/MOUT relating to phases 7 and 9. Land At Old Tithebarn Lane Clyst HonitonRef. No: 21/0936/MRES | Validated: Tue 30 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Extension to existing cubicle building Higher Mallocks Farm Woodmanton Woodbury Exeter EX5 1HGRef. No: 21/0935/FUL | Validated: Tue 30 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Erect cover to silage clamp Higher Mallocks Farm Woodmanton Woodbury Exeter EX5 1HGRef. No: 21/0934/FUL | Validated: Tue 30 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• T1 – Monterey Cypress To reduce low lateral branches growing toward the property to achieve a 3 metre clearance from the building. Pruning cuts of up to 75mm To remove low split branch overhanging the garage. To crown lift second and third order branches over garage to achieve a 3 metre clearance. Pruning cuts of up to 75mm. To reduce extended limbs so as to fall in line with the rest of the crown. Pruning cuts of up to 75mm. This work is in order to prevent damage occuring to the adjacent buildings by rubbing or falling limbs and also improving the form/aesthetics of the tree Weir Lodge Millford Road Sidmouth EX10 8DPRef. No: 21/0911/TRE | Validated: Tue 30 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Reserved matters application, for the construction of one dwelling and detached garage/car port, seeking approval of appearance, landscaping, layout and scale (pursuant to outline planning consent 19/2676/OUT) 1 Heath Cottages Broadclyst Exeter EX5 3GZRef. No: 21/0909/RES | Validated: Tue 30 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision

• T1 – Holly – To reduce height by approx 3 metres T2 – Bay (Multi stemmed) – To reduce crown to historic reduction points. T3 – Yew – To reduce height by approx 3 metres in line with historic reduction points. G1 – Sycamore group – To re pollard at historic pollard points. All of the above have historically been pruned and managed as a high hedge, the work above is to maintain this level in order to both increase light into the garden of this property and neighbouring properties whilst also reducing the stress on the historic pollard/pruning points caused by several years of new growth. T4 – Oak – To reduce crown by approx 25% of the foliar area via thinning, removing branch ends of up to 4 metres and making pruning cuts of up to 75mm. To improve form, reduce shade cast and reduce stress on the historic pruning/pollard points. T5 – Yew – To reshape and balance crown via reduction of lateral branch ends of up to 2 metres, making pruning cuts of up to 75mm. To improve form and balance. T6 & T7- Monterey Cypress and Thuja – To dismantle to ground level. These trees are in close proximity to and suppressed by a large Monterey Cypress, the trees are poor specimens and are beginning to show signs of decline. It is felt that removal is the best option. Weir Lodge Millford Road Sidmouth EX10 8DPRef. No: 21/0906/TCA | Validated: Tue 30 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Retention of greenhouse Rose Cottage Hawkchurch Axminster EX13 5XDRef. No: 21/0907/FUL | Validated: Thu 01 Apr 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Proposed extension to garage and car parking space, plus new roof to house entrance canopy. 1 Arden Close Budleigh Salterton EX9 6JGRef. No: 21/0916/FUL | Validated: Tue 30 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Two storey split-level rear extension. 8 River View Drive Colyton EX24 6PRRef. No: 21/0929/FUL | Validated: Mon 29 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of detached summer house. 40 Honey Park Road Budleigh Salterton EX9 6EGRef. No: 21/0926/FUL | Validated: Mon 29 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• T1, Sycamore : 360 degree 2 metre crown reduction to ensure tree no longer interferes with neighbouring dwelling Barclays Bank 106 High Street Honiton EX14 1JWRef. No: 21/0921/TCA | Validated: Mon 29 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Conversion of existing two apartments back to one house with the conversion of attic, addition of dormer windows, addition of two storey side extension and rear single storey extension. Trow View Two Bridges Road Sidford Sidmouth EX10 9PLRef. No: 21/0910/FUL | Validated: Mon 29 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• T1, lime : reduce second and third order branches by 1 – 1.5m to a suitable side branch with no reduction in height. No cuts larger than 50mm. Reason – to allow more light into the house and garden. 18 The Cricketers Axminster EX13 5RGRef. No: 21/0905/TRE | Validated: Mon 29 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of single storey extension 1 Lock Close Sidmouth EX10 9GBRef. No: 21/0903/FUL | Validated: Mon 29 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of double garage and shed. Bickwell Meadow Muttersmoor Road Sidmouth EX10 8RHRef. No: 21/0922/FUL | Validated: Wed 31 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision

• Construction of front porch, alterations to roof design and provision of new external materials. Brackenbed Bendarroch Road West Hill Ottery St Mary EX11 1JYRef. No: 21/0923/FUL | Validated: Wed 31 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Proposed single storey rear and side extension and replacement front porch 2 Wynards Close East Budleigh Budleigh Salterton EX9 7ETRef. No: 21/1010/FUL | Validated: Mon 29 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• T1 – Maple Fell to near ground level and replant with Silver Birch – Betula pendula standard 12-14cm The two adjacent Maples are being removed as part of a planning application for 51 Butts Close and are being replaced by two Silver Birch, Mr Liddiard wants to remove the remaining Maple and replace with the same species. 52 Butts Close Honiton EX14 2FSRef. No: 21/0928/TRE | Validated: Tue 30 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of rear dormer window and first floor extension including balcony. 4 Underhill Close Lympstone Exmouth EX8 5JERef. No: 21/0877/FUL | Validated: Tue 30 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• T1, eucalyptus – lightly reduce third order branches by approximately 0.5m. T2, rowan – formative prune to encourage better form. T3, eucalyptus – shorten back crown over adjacent rowan by approximately 1m. T4, pine – shorten back first order low limb over park by 2m and lift lower branches to clear 3m from ground level. T5, willow – remove and grind stump – decay at base. T6, pine – shorten back two low first order branches over shed. T7, hawthorn – remove dead wood. Flat 1 Norton Garth Court Station Road Sidmouth EX10 8NYRef. No: 21/0882/TCA | Validated: Tue 30 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• T42 Birch tree extensive stem base decay located between root buttresses and extends downwards to the root system. Section fell. Within falling distance to the gardens, risk of failure. T43 Oak Dead tree. section fell to leave a monolith habitat at 2-3 metres height. Gittisham Hill House Sidmouth Road Honiton EX14 3TYRef. No: 21/0885/TRE | Validated: Tue 30 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• T1, Holly : remove two main stems to lower young growth. T2, Spindle : reduce second and third order branches by approximately 0.5m. Little Myrtle Millford Road Sidmouth EX10 8DPRef. No: 21/0859/TCA | Validated: Wed 31 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of tree-house The Holt Exton Lane Exton Exeter EX3 0PNRef. No: 21/0858/FUL | Validated: Mon 29 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Replacement of existing shopfronts. 139 And 141 High Street Honiton EX14 1LWRef. No: 21/0852/FUL | Validated: Tue 30 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Side and rear extension 30 Lime Grove Exmouth EX8 5NPRef. No: 21/0840/FUL | Validated: Mon 29 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision

• Variation of condition 2 (plans condition) of planning permission 20/1963/FUL (Proposed new two-bedroom dwelling with off-road parking and garden) to reduce size of plot and size of dwelling. Sundown Littlemead Lane Exmouth EX8 3BURef. No: 21/0822/VAR | Validated: Tue 30 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Demolition of existing bungalow and garage and construction of 4 terraced houses, off street parking and associated landscaping Hillcrest School Bungalow St Johns Road Exmouth EX8 4EBRef. No: 21/0817/FUL | Validated: Tue 30 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Variation of condition 2 (approved plans) of planning permission 20/1170/FUL (Construction of detached dwelling, associated works and landscaping following demolition of agricultural building (alternative to residential change of use of agricultural building to dwelling under class Q approval reference 19/0238/PDQ) to allow modifications to elevation details of dwelling, relocation of air source heat pump and bin/recycling storage facilities, revisions to landscaping and realignment to part of eastern boundary of site Upcott Farm Broadhembury Honiton EX14 3LPRef. No: 21/0785/VAR | Validated: Wed 31 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Demolition of existing retail store and Bus Garage and construction of residential apartment block containing 9 residential units together with associated landscaped gardens and private parking Axe Valley Mini Travel/Sureware 26 Harbour Road Seaton EX12 2NARef. No: 21/0649/FUL | Validated: Tue 30 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Agricultural barn Land At Ratcliffes Huxham Exeter EX5 4EWRef. No: 21/0645/FUL | Validated: Tue 30 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• T1, weeping beech – shorten side second and third order branches by 1.5m to clear roof by 3m and over drive and hedge to give clearance of 2.5m with no cuts larger than 75mm. Heronsbridge Little Knowle Budleigh Salterton EX9 6QSRef. No: 21/0548/TCA | Validated: Tue 30 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Erection of low level timber fence and raising of the chimney. Rosemary Cottage Church Street Sidford Sidmouth EX10 9RLRef. No: 21/0493/FUL | Validated: Mon 29 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of two storey rear extension and new and altered side windows at first floor level (revised scheme to 20/2342/FUL) 7 Briar Close Exmouth EX8 2NLRef. No: 21/0469/FUL | Validated: Thu 01 Apr 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of twin unit composting toilet Feneck Ponds CowleyRef. No: 21/0291/FUL | Validated: Mon 29 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Replace existing garage with double carport and store. Charton Tree Cottage Rousdon Lyme Regis DT7 3XXRef. No: 21/0067/FUL | Validated: Tue 30 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision

First of all this is an example of the need for a strong and independent press. These revelations of “cronyism” would not have come to light without the joint investigations conducted by The Financial Times and The Sunday Times.

Secondl, it is still getting worse.  it has now been revealed that a senior civil servant, Bill Crothers, worked for Greensill Capital – the financial firm at the centre of the David Cameron lobbying row – while still employed in Whitehall. news.sky.com  – Owl

www.bbc.co.uk

David Cameron’s efforts to lobby ministers on behalf of the finance firm Greensill Capital are to be examined during a government review.

The investigation will be led by lawyer Nigel Boardman. In an earlier statement, the former prime minister said he had not broken any rules.

But he admitted: “I accept that communications with government need to be done through only the most formal of channels, so there can be no room for misinterpretation.”

What did David Cameron do?

The man behind Greensill Capital – Lex Greensill – worked as an unpaid adviser to David Cameron when he was prime minister, and developed a policy designed to ensure small firms got their bills paid faster. The scheme also benefited Mr Greensill’s company.

Mr Cameron went on to work for Greensill Capital after leaving office, and tried unsuccessfully to lobby the government to increase the firm’s access to government-backed loans.

He pressed Treasury ministers – including sending Chancellor Rishi Sunak text messages – for emergency funding for the company, in which the former prime minister had a financial interest.

David Cameron and Lex Greensill also met Health Secretary Matt Hancock for a “private drink” in 2019 to discuss a new payment scheme for NHS staff.

Mr Cameron is reported to have told friends he was set to earn as much as £60m from shares in Greensill, where he had worked since 2018.

In his statement, he said: “Their value was nowhere near the amount speculated in the press.” But he has not given any more details.

In the end, Mr Cameron’s pleas to the Treasury for emergency loans for Greensill Capital were not successful.

The firm has now gone bust, throwing the future of thousands of workers at Liberty Steel, a company backed by the finance firm, into doubt.

Did this break any rules?

Mr Cameron didn’t appear to do anything wrong, under the current rules.

They state that: “On leaving office, ministers will be prohibited from lobbying government for two years”.

Mr Cameron stood down as prime minister in July 2016 and joined Greensill in August 2018.

But former Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said the rules may need to be strengthened to ban former ministers from lobbying government for five years.

“Former ministers, prime ministers must never be lobbying for commercial purposes – cabinet ministers should not be entertaining such lobbying.”

Why is he still facing calls to be investigated?

Although Mr Cameron has been cleared by a watchdog of breaking lobbying registration rules, a Sunday Times investigation has shed new light on his dealings with Mr Greensill when he was prime minister, in the early days of the Conservative/Lib Dem coalition.

In 2012, Mr Greensill was made an unpaid adviser in Mr Cameron’s government, with a Westminster pass and access to government departments.

He used this access to promote a government-backed loan scheme he had devised.

Mr Cameron and the late Lord Heywood, the most senior civil servant at the time, were fully behind it, believing it would help to deliver on a promise to speed up payments to small firms.

But Mr Greensill also stood to make a lot of money from the scheme, even though the Sunday Times claims many in Whitehall had serious reservations about it.

How did Greensill’s scheme work?

Mr Greensill’s specialism was supply chain finance – a service for companies which don’t want to wait months for their bills to be paid.

For a small fee, the finance company pays the seller as soon as the goods are delivered, and get its money back when the bills are eventually paid by the customer.

Mr Greensill’s firm was at one point valued at $7bn (£5bn), with a fleet of four private jets.

He helped to convince the UK government to set up a supply chain finance scheme for pharmacies – paying them early for money they were owed by the NHS. In 2018, Greensill Capital won the contract to run it.

Why did Greensill Capital collapse?

Questions had been asked before about the sustainability of Greensill’s business since at least 2018.

But the final blow came last July, when one of its insurance companies withdrew cover that protected some of Greensill’s investors.

Liberty Steel, Britain’s third-largest steel producer employing 3,000 people in England, Scotland and Wales, was receiving financial backing from Greensill.

Its future is now in doubt.

Why does any of this matter?

The relationship between those at the top of government and big business has never been under more scrutiny, following questions over the way Covid contracts were awarded.

Critics argue that it is too easy for ministers and top civil servants to use their inside knowledge of Westminster to enrich themselves when they leave government. The danger is that decision-makers could have one eye on their next pay day, rather than the best interests of the country.

In 2010, Mr Cameron warned that the “the far-too-cosy relationship between politics and money” was “the next big scandal waiting to happen”.

There is also a question of access. Who gets time with ministers to push their cause?

There are thousands of lobbyists – from trade unions to environmental groups to multinational companies – why do some people appear to get favoured treatment?

What will the review look at?

The government says the review, which will report back by to PM Boris Johnson by the end of June, will examine the awarding of contracts for supply chain finance.

Downing Street says it will look at “how contracts were secured and how business representatives engaged with government”.

Mr Boardman will step down as a non-executive board member at the government’s department for business during the review.

Labour has criticised the scope of the review – and has called for a special Commons committee to investigate instead.

Boris Johnson’s government has been accused of corruption, privatising the NHS by stealth, operating a “chumocracy” and mishandling the pandemic and climate crisis, by Sir David King, a former government chief scientist.

Fiona Harvey www.theguardian.com 

“I am extremely worried about the handling of the coronavirus pandemic, about the processes by which public money has been distributed to private sector companies without due process,” he told the Guardian in an interview. “It really smells of corruption.”

King contrasted the success of the vaccination programme, carried out by the NHS, with the failure of the government’s test-and-trace operation, which has been contracted out to private companies.

“The operation to roll out vaccination has been extremely successful, it was driven through entirely by our truly national health service and GP service – just amazing,” he said. “Yet we have persisted with this money for test and trace, given without competition, without due process … I am really worried about democratic processes being ignored.”

He said: “This is a so-called chumocracy, that has been a phrase used, and that is what it looks like I’m afraid: it is a chumocracy.”

Last May, King set up an independent alternative to the government’s Sage committee, which advises on the pandemic. The intention was for the unpaid members of Independent Sage to offer public advice without political influence, after it was revealed that Johnson’s then adviser Dominic Cummings had sat in on some Sage meetings.

King, a former professor of chemistry at Cambridge University, has a long history of working with governments of all stripes. He was appointed chief scientific adviser under Tony Blair in 2000, serving until 2008, and under the Tory-Lib Dem coalition was appointed chair of the Future Cities Catapult, launched in 2013. He also worked under Johnson as foreign secretary during Theresa May’s premiership.

King said: “He was my boss – he wrote me a handwritten letter to congratulate me on my climate success.”

King rejected the argument that the government had to act quickly to counter the pandemic and had been forced to ignore normal processes in doing so. “People say it’s a crisis – I say the government is using a crisis to privatise sections of the healthcare system in a way that is completely wrong,” he said. “A fraction of this money going to public services would have been far better results.”

He accused the government of acting deliberately to carry out ideological aims of privatising the NHS. “It is slipping this through in the name of a pandemic – effectively, to privatise the NHS by stealth,” he said. “I’m quite sure this has not been an accident, I’m quite sure this has been the plan, there has been clarity in this process. The audacity has been amazing.”

King, who has made the climate crisis one of his key areas of focus, is also concerned about the police and crime bill, which would give police the powers to shut down protests regarded as a nuisance.

He said: “It’s extremely worrying, as we pride ourselves in Britain on having developed a true democracy. Any democracy needs to give voice to dissent. There’s a real danger that we’re going down a pathway that leads away from democracy.”

King recently signed a letter calling on the supreme court to reconsider its pursuit of Tim Crosland, a campaigner against the third runway at Heathrow, for contempt of court. “I think he is being set up as an example to others,” said King. “It shows [the government’s] churlish attitude towards people campaigning.”

Does this signal the end of domestic flying, or will it be “saved” in the UK by a slow and fuel-dirty rail system connecting the regions, with all the investment concentrated on HS2? – Owl

Kim Willsher www.theguardian.com 

French MPs have voted to suspend domestic airline flights on routes that can be travelled by direct train in less than two and a half hours, as part of a series of climate and environmental measures.

After a heated debate in the Assemblée Nationale at the weekend, the ban, a watered-down version of a key recommendation from President Emmanuel Macron’s citizens’ climate convention was adopted.

It will mean the end of short internal flights from Orly airport, south of Paris, to Nantes and Bordeaux among others, though connecting flights through Charles de Gaulle/Roissy airport, north of the French capital, will continue.

The climate commission set up by Macron had originally recommended the scrapping of all flights between French destinations where an alternative direct train journey of less than four hours existed.

This was reduced to two and a half hours after strong objections from certain regions and from Air France-KLM, which, like other airlines, has been badly hit by local and international Covid-19 restrictions on travel.

A year ago, the French government agreed a €7bn loan for AF-KLM on the condition that certain internal flights were dropped, but the decree will also stop low-cost airlines from operating the banned domestic routes.

The chief executive of Air France-KLM, Benjamin Smith, has said the airline is committed to reducing the number of its French domestic routes by 40% by the end of this year.

The transport minister, Jean-Baptiste Djebbari, told MPs: “We have chosen two and a half hours because four hours risks isolating landlocked territories including the greater Massif Central, which would be iniquitous.”

The measure, part of a climate and resilience bill, was passed despite cross-party opposition. The Socialist MP Joël Aviragnet said the measure would have a “disproportionate human cost” and warned of job losses in the airline sector. Other MPs, including from the Green party, complained that watering down the climate convention’s recommendation had made the measure meaningless.

Mathilde Panot, of the hard left La France Insoumise, said the measure had been “emptied”, while her colleague Danièle Obono said retaining the four-hour threshold would have made it possible to halt routes that “emit the most greenhouse gases”.

The French consumer association UFC-Que Choisir had called on MPs to retain the four-hour recommendation and give the new law “some substance … while also putting in place safeguards that [French national rail] SNCF will not seize the opportunity to artificially inflate its prices or degrade the quality of rail service.

“The Covid-19 pandemic is exacerbating pre-existing environmental and social crises. It must lead us to rethink our health policies in order to face the challenge of future health crises of infectious origin.”

It added that banning domestic flights if a direct train alternative of fewer than four hours existed it would have a “real impact” on reducing CO₂ emissions and would not adversely affect travel times or prices.

“On average, the plane emits 77 times more CO₂ per passenger than the train on these routes, even though the train is cheaper and the time lost is limited to 40 minutes,” it said. “Our study shows that … the government’s choice actually aims to empty the measure of its substance.”

Details of the exact routes that will be halted will be published in the official decree. Flights from Paris to Nice, which takes about six hours by train, and Toulouse, four hours by train, will continue.

France’s new law will be watched closely by other countries. Austria’s coalition conservative-green government introduced a €30 tax on airline tickets for flights of less than 217 miles (350km) last June and a ban on domestic flights that could be travelled in less than three hours by train.

Meanwhile, the Netherlands has been trying since June 2013 to ban short domestic flights. In 2019, Dutch MPs voted to ban flights between Schiphol airport in Amsterdam and Zaventem airport in Brussels, a distance of 93 miles. However, the ban was seen as breaking European commission free-movement regulations and was not implemented.

“..Let one anecdote stand in for the bigger picture. The Tories sold half the magistrates’ courts and more than a third of county courts in England and Wales between 2010 and 2020, and about 600 police stations. The same government is engaged in a screeching U-turn today and trying to deal with the tens of thousands of Covid-delayed trials by opening “Nightingale courts”, although I doubt that Florence Nightingale would have sent the lowliest British soldier in Crimea to our fetid prisons.

Bewildered detectives reported to former chief crown prosecutor Nazir Afzal that a police station in the north-west was included in the fire sale and an organised crime group bought it. The gang run it as a pizza restaurant and a front for the distribution of drugs – “extra toppings”. Afzal tells me police intelligence heard the gangsters “crowing” about getting one over on their old adversaries….” (extract)

Full article here: Nick Cohen www.theguardian.com 

Is this the start of the “New Normal”? – Owl

A property developer owned by a French investment management group has announced an ambitious £2bn plan to build 5,000 retirement homes across 40 urban sites in the UK over the next decade.

Julia Kollewe www.theguardian.com 

As town and city centres are being reshaped as a result of the changes to UK high streets accelerated by the coronavirus pandemic, Retirement Villages Group (RVG) said it had won planning permission for a £110m retirement community of 196 one and two-bed apartments to rent or buy in central West Byfleet in Surrey, on the site of a 1960s office block with shops and a car park, which will be knocked down.

In its first move into north-west England, the company, which was acquired by Axa Investment Managers’ property arm in 2017, has also won the go-ahead for a new £65m village of 147 retirement homes on the site of a former garden centre in Chester, 10 minutes from the town centre.

The sites are being developed in response to rising demand from people aged over 65 looking to downsize from their family homes, and keen to live close to town and city centres. Construction will start on both sites this summer and the homes are expected to be put for sale or rental off-plan towards the end of next year.

The homes will be centred around a community square, and residents will have access to a restaurant or cafe, wellness centre with gym and swimming pool, library and support and care services if needed.

Traditionally, retirement villages have been built in rural areas as “gated communities”, but a number of firms have embarked on constructing apartment blocks designed for elderly people in urban areas, taking advantage of empty retail and office sites.

Legal & General has set out plans to build 3,000 retirement homes in UK city centres in a £2bn project in coming years, in an attempt to revive ailing high streets.

The Covid-19 pandemic has triggered a surge in online shopping and exacerbated the decline of big city centre high streets. Many office workers have been instructed to work from home since the outbreak a year ago, prompting companies to draw up long-term plans for more home or hybrid working, split between home and the office.

There is a shortage of purpose-built retirement housing in the UK. A report published last year by Cass Business School, the Association of Retirement Community Operators and the Centre for the Study of Financial Innovation found that just 7,000 new homes designed for older people are built each year. This, it concluded, is “insufficient to serve the 180,000, 65-plus households that will be created each year over the next decade”.

RVG was set up in 1981 to build housing-with-care and today runs 16 sites with 1,500 retirement homes in the UK. In 2017, it was acquired by Axa Investment Managers’ alternative investments and property arm.

More than 100 NHS treatments or “clinical services” were axed or postponed every week last year because of poor maintenance of hospitals and other health service buildings.

Ben Glaze www.mirror.co.uk

Labour research uncovered the “number of incidents caused by estates and infrastructure failure which resulted in clinical services being delayed, cancelled or otherwise interfered with owing to problems or failures related to the estates and infrastructure failure”.

House of Commons Library analysis of latest NHS Digital data shows 5,908 incidents in 2019/20 – up 23% from a year earlier when there were 4,810.

It means an average of 113 incidents each week, or 16 a day.

Clinical service incidents can be caused by power supply problems, equipment failures, waste management issues or problems with heating or flooding.

An NHS intensive care unit was evacuated last month amid fears its roof could collapse.

Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Kings Lynn, Norfolk, declared a critical incident.

Labour plans to tackle Health Secretary Matt Hancock over a £9billion NHS-wide maintenance backlog when ministers answer departmental questions in the Commons on Tuesday.

Shadow Health Minister Justin Madders said: “These figures reveal the true cost to patients of years of underfunding in the NHS.

“Waiting lists were already at record levels pre-Covid and have got worse in the last year and so additional delays and cancellations because the Government has failed to support basic maintenance and infrastructure costs are unacceptable.

“Patients should not be suffering longer in pain because of this.

“The Government’s record on hospitals is shameful.

“Instead of improving or maintaining basic hospital facilities they’re letting the repair bill grow and grow.”

According to NHS Providers senior policy officer Patrick Garratt, the maintenance backlog bill rose by 40% between 2018/19 and 2019/20, from £6.4bn to £9bn.

The Department of Health was approached for comment.

If you recently made a comment that wasn’t posted please accept Owl’s apologies and re-send it to Owl’s email. (Owl thinks it related to the solar farm post)

Owl gets a lot of spam and very occasionally a genuine comment gets dumped in the spam bin. This time it coincided with one of those occasions when, overnight, WordPress updates the blog admin pages to give them a completely “new look”, leaving Owl’s wings flapping and head spinning. In the learning process the comment got deleted.

Moral of the story is: never try to teach an Old Owl new tricks!