For nearly two years, a small army of lawyers has been trying to decide who to blame for Grenfell Tower’s dangerous cladding. At the outset of the latest phase of the public inquiry into the disaster, lead counsel warned the organisations involved against indulging in “a merry-go-round of buck-passing”.

Robert Booth www.theguardian.com

Some chance.

After hundreds of hours of hearings where architects have blamed builders, builders have blamed manufacturers and manufacturers have blamed regulators, a conclusion about why 72 people died after their homes were wrapped in plastic that burned like petrol is still months away.

Michael Gove now faces a similar problem as he seeks to pin responsibility for similar failures on not just one, but thousands of apartment buildings across England. It is a quagmire that has defeated several cabinet predecessors in charge of housing, to the anguish of hundreds of thousands of people whose homes have been rendered worthless.

“We want to try and cut through that,” the secretary of state for levelling up, housing and communities declared on Monday morning.

Gove’s plan – to give developers until March to come up with a plan to foot the £4bn bill to fix cladding on medium-rise blocks – rests on giving the housebuilders very little room for manoeuvre and stopping them from pointing the finger elsewhere, at least in the first place.

His team understand that the problem requires an urgent fix, not least with the fifth anniversary of the Grenfell fire looming in June and backbench MPs facing considerable pressure from constituents whose lives are in turmoil. They also recognise it doesn’t solve everyone’s building safety problems. But they have decided to start here.

Gove will threaten to strip builders of valuable government contracts and access to subsidies such as the help-to-buy programme unless they promise to do two things: “Fund and undertake all necessary remediation of buildings over 11 metres that you have played a role in developing” and “make financial contributions this year and in subsequent years to a dedicated fund to cover the full outstanding cost to remediate unsafe cladding on 11-to 18-metre buildings”.

The punishments for inaction could include a new law requiring them to pay, restricted access to government funding and public contracts, the pursuit of companies through the courts and even using planning powers to make their operations difficult. Gove has one more “blunt but heavy instrument” in his armoury: a tax hike. The government has already consulted on a new 4% tax on profits of residential property developers to raise £200m a year to help fund remediation works. This could be increased and the Treasury has given Gove permission to “use a high level threat of tax … as a means of gaining voluntary contributions from [developers]”.

Some observers believe this will be a sufficiently tight vice to trigger action. They calculate housebuilders cannot afford to wreck their relationship with the government and will pay up and consider pursuing materials manufacturers and others with threats of legal action of their own.

Stewart Baseley, the executive chairman of the Home Builders Federation, hinted at what may be to come when he accepted that leaseholders should not have to pay for remediation, but said builders should not cover the costs alone. The implication was: what about the companies like Kingspan and Arconic that made combustible cladding materials? What about the subcontractors who may have assembled them wrongly?

If Gove doesn’t manage to quickly reach the £4bn target from the developers (and remember, previous appeals for developers to do the right thing failed), his department’s own coffers could be raided. That is an unappealing prospect given Gove’s responsibility for Downing Street’s flagship levelling up policy and the urgent need to keep investing in social housing.

“Leaseholders shouldn’t pay, the polluter should pay and we want to work with everyone involved to get to a constructive solution,” Gove said on Monday.

Whether that happens may come down to who blinks first.

Meanwhile

£1bn wiped off FTSE house builders as Gove delivers cladding bill

Oscar Williams-Grut www.standard.co.uk 

House builders lost more than £1 billion in value today after the government gave the industry just a few weeks to come up with fully costed plans fix the £4 billion cladding scandal…

….Shares in house builders slumped. Persimmon was the biggest faller on the FTSE 100, down 3.1%, while Redrow dropped 3.3% on the FTSE 250. Other major developers registered similarly sharp falls and £1.3 billion was wiped off the sector’s market value in early trade, according to stockbroker AJ Bell.

UBS analyst Gregor Kuglitsch said the cost of the new measures was “significant”.

“The current market cap of the sector is around £40bn so a £4bn cost would equate to ~10% on a pre-tax basis,” he and his team wrote in a note to clients. “This assumes the listed sector would bear the brunt of the cost, although there are likely some private companies that will also need to pay.”

Gove’s announcement comes on top of the building safety levy and residential property developer tax. Both were announced last year to help fund the government’s £5 billion commitment to tackling the problem.

Stewart Baseley, executive chairman of the Home Builders Federation said: “The largest UK based house builders, who only built a minority of the affected buildings, have already spent or committed approaching £1bn to remediate affected buildings and the recently announced Property Developers Tax will raise billions more.

“We will engage directly with Government but any further solutions must be proportionate, and involve those who actually built affected buildings and specified, certificated and provided the defective materials on them.”

Rico Wojtulewicz, head of housing and planning policy at the National Federation of Builders (NFB), said: “The Government has already introduced one industry specific cladding tax, and now another is on its way. This piecemeal approach is confusing, unnecessarily complex and will likely impact the number of homes built.

“It’s also worth pointing out that the developer paying for remediation will almost certainly not have been responsible for the cladding put on the property – most of which was retrofitted long after construction and has nothing to do with the developer.

“Another construction industry related tax is neither fair, nor proportionate and industry will be dismayed at this scatter gun approach to fixing an issue that several governments set the regulation for.

“Perhaps all MPs will sacrifice a percentage of their salary and pensions to help fund remediation, as the real responsibility lies with legislators?”

A spokesperson for Taylor Wimpey said it has “acted on this already for its customers” and “made sure Taylor Wimpey customers do not have to pay for these improvements.”

“We trust that we will not be penalised for our early action to do the right thing,” the company said. “There are many organisations involved in the issue of fire safety, including large business in our supply chain and indeed Government themselves, and so the proposed response must recognise this.”

Gove said: “Some developers have already done the right thing and funded remedial works and I commend them for those actions. But too many others have failed to live up to their responsibilities.”

Insensitive advice from SSE energy (formerly Scottish and Southern Energy plc) one of the UK’s largest energy suppliers as the government struggles to come up with a solution. – Owl

Hug pets or do star-jumps to stay warm if you can’t afford heating, energy supplier suggests

By Nick Duffy inews.co.uk 

People should hug their pets for warmth and exercise to stay warm to avoid having to turn up the heating, one of the UK’s largest energy suppliers has suggested.

The email was sent to customers of SSE Energy, the electricity and gas supplier acquired by Ovo in 2020, suggesting “simple and cost-effective ways to keep warm this winter”.

Charities have warned that millions will be left struggling to afford heating in the year to come after adjustments to the energy price cap in April, with the average consumer expected to see their bills go up from £1,277 to £1,865 a year, an increase of 50 per cent.

SSE’s “tips” for consumers trying to “keep an eye on” their bill prices, still available on its website, suggests that “putting on another layer of clothing is the best thing you can do to keep warm without touching the thermostat.”

It adds: “Some brisk activity will help warm you up. You don’t have to nip down to the gym. Try cleaning the house, challenging the kids to a hula-hoop contest, or doing a few star jumps. You only need to do just enough to create a little extra heat until you feel warm again.”

If that fails, SSE suggests consumers should “have a cuddle with your pets and loved ones to help stay cosy”.

People struggling to keep their bills down could also apparently enjoy “hearty bowls of porridge” or eat ginger that “keeps you warm by encouraging blood flow”.

Labour MP Darren Jones, chair of Parliament’s Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee, told the Financial Times that Ovo should apologize for the “insensitive” remarks.

“Being told to put on a jumper instead of turning on your heating if you can’t afford it, at a time of such difficulty for so many families, is plainly offensive,” he said.

Former Cabinet minister Theresa Villiers said that while the advice was likely well-intentioned, “many people are very anxious about rising energy bills and won’t take kindly to being told to do some star jumps.”

Ovo said: “We understand how difficult the situation will be for many of our customers this year. We are working hard to find meaningful solutions as we approach this energy crisis, and we recognise that the content of this blog was poorly judged and unhelpful.

“We are embarrassed and sincerely apologise.”

Devon tenants are in line for a payout of up to £5,000 if they downsize to free up their home for a family.

Edward Oldfield www.devonlive.com

The scheme is being promoted by West Devon and South Hams councils, who say it is open for anyone renting a home that is bigger than they need in the area they cover.

It applies to tenants of housing associations or registered providers of social housing and is a response to what one councillor described as a “housing crisis” due to a lack of larger properties.

The councils say there is currently a shortage of three and four bedroom homes for local families, with many struggling in cramped conditions.

A statement said: “The scheme is designed to help tenants to downsize to smaller homes as their household needs change.

“For example, when children grow up and leave home. This, in turn, helps the council to free up some of the larger homes in our area for younger families in need.”

Private sector rents have been rising and properties turned into holiday homes due to a rise in demand for staycations as a result of the pandemic, leaving people struggling to find a property and increasing pressure on the social housing stock.

The district councils covering South Hams and West Devon have now introduced an extra ‘High Demand Area’ payment of £2,500 due to the shortage of larger family homes.

The total payment downsizers will receive depends on how many bedrooms become available due to the move.

It includes a £1,000 fixed payment, the extra £2,500 High Demand Area sum, and £500 per bedroom released, with the total capped at £5,000.

For example, if you move from a four-bedroom property to a two-bedroom property you will receive £4,500.

According to Devon Home Choice, there are 46 families in the two council areas classed as severely overcrowded.

That means they need a home with two or more extra bedrooms, or there are at least two children in the home lacking a bedroom. There are also 300 families waiting for a home with an extra bedroom.

Nearly two million children in England are living in overcrowded, unaffordable or unsuitable homes, research has revealed.

The report from the National Housing Federation shows the biggest single housing issue affecting children in England is overcrowding.

The councils say it found there are 1.1 million children living in overcrowded homes, which is having a detrimental impact on their health and development.

There are also a million children whose families cannot afford their rent or mortgage payments, while 293,000 children live in homes that are unsuitable for their needs or health requirements.

A further 283,000 children living with their families in other people’s homes, the report found.

The National Housing Federation said the research shows 1.3 million children are in need of social housing as this is the only suitable and affordable type of home for their families.

It is calling on the Government to prioritise long term and sustained investment in social housing as part of its ‘levelling up’ agenda.

Cllr Judy Pearce, South Hams District Council’s Executive Member for Housing, said: “We face a housing crisis here in the South Hams with too many families living in cramped conditions and we want to change that.

“By helping people to move out of homes that are now bigger than they need, for example when their family grows up and leaves home, we can make sure the next generation also have a suitable home to enjoy.

“This scheme is all about looking at the homes we have in the South Hams and making sure they are allocated as effectively as possible – that means doing what we can to make sure residents live in homes that are the right size for their needs.

“If people are interested in moving, our team can give you practical support. We’ll help you to find a suitable alternative property in the location that you want and with everything you need close to hand.

“As a downsizer, you will be awarded a high priority band for bidding on properties on Devon Home Choice – including priority for brand new homes on the latest developments. We’re also increasing the amount of money you will receive to make that move easier.

“Maybe you’ll choose new items for your kitchen or a new TV to fit your new home. Maybe you’ll spend the money on new carpets or curtains.

“Or maybe you’ll treat yourself to something completely different. You can spend the money however you want and know that by moving you’re helping a young family to have the best start in life.”

Cllr Barry Ratcliffe, West Devon Borough Council’s Lead Member for Housing, said: “We desperately need to make some of our larger houses in the borough available for the local families who are currently struggling in homes that are too small.

“That’s why we’ve decided to give as much help as possible to anyone who is thinking about moving to a smaller home, for example because their own family has grown up and moved away.

“Our team can give practical support with things like filling in forms for making the move. You’ll be given priority, so you can choose a new home in the location you want – including brand new homes on the most modern developments.”

Who is eligible

The Tenants Incentive Scheme is available to applicants who met the following criteria:

• are an existing Housing Association tenant on an Assured tenancy, living in the council areas and whose housing association landlord confirms that the nomination rights for the property being vacated will be given to South Hams or West Devon council;
• are in a family-sized house – two bedrooms or larger;
• want to move to a property that is at least one bedroom less;
• are registered on Devon Home Choice;
• where the move will not result in overcrowding.

How to apply

The councils say the scheme is limited and subject to change. Anyone interested should email devon.homechoice@swdevon.gov.uk or call 01803 861234 (South Hams) or 01822 813600 (West Devon) to find out more and to apply for the available funding.

What we need are community hospitals – oh wait …..

Hospitals in England will be able to use private hospitals and staff under a deal with the NHS to maintain services as Omicron cases surge, avoiding delays in treatment for patients with illnesses such as cancer.

Sarah Marsh www.theguardian.com 

The move comes as hospitals have also been told to find extra beds in gyms and education centres owing to rising numbers of Covid patients.

The three-month agreement means private healthcare staff and facilities will be on standby to support the NHS if required and to maintain services for patients who can be referred, including some of those waiting for cancer surgery.

Nightingale hubs are being created in the grounds of some hospitals as part of a move to create up to 4,000 extra beds.

Announcing the deal, the health secretary, Sajid Javid, said: “This agreement demonstrates the collaboration across our healthcare services to create an additional safeguard that ensures people can continue to get the care they need from our world-leading NHS, whenever they need it.”

The move has been put in place to make sure the health service is not overwhelmed and to avoid implementing further Covid restrictions on socialising at pubs, clubs and sports venues as have been introduced in Scotland and Wales.

Last week, the transport secretary, Grant Shapps, said more than one in six NHS trusts across England had declared a critical incident due to Covid pressures in recent weeks, adding that the Omicron variant was putting “very real” pressure on the health service.

The agreement includes Practice Plus Group, Spire Healthcare, Nuffield Health, Circle Health Group, Ramsay Health Care UK, Healthcare Management Trust, One Healthcare, Horder Healthcare, Aspen Healthcare and KIMS Hospital, the NHS said.

Paolo Pieri, the CEO of Circle, said that since the first Covid wave in March 2020, its hospitals had supported the NHS by performing urgent, life-saving operations and treatments for more than 400,000 NHS patients.

“We stand ready to support the NHS in its time of need,” Pieri said.

Spire said the final details of the contract still had to be agreed. The deal expires on 31 March.

A Whitehall source told the Telegraph: “We are going to do everything we can to avoid more restrictions … Our lines of defence through vaccines, testing and antivirals are crucial and holding up but we are also boosting NHS capacity as much as we can.

“Sajid wants the NHS to make use of the independent sector if needed. The aim is to ensure as much capacity as possible is available to help the NHS get through the Omicron wave.”

In March 2020, a similar deal costing about £400m was agreed, when private hospitals provided more beds, ventilators and thousands of healthcare staff to help the NHS fight against Covid. At the time, 20,000 staff were offered, including 10,000 nurses and 700 doctors.

The Centre for Health and the Public Interest (CHPI), a thinktank that has raised concerns about how little NHS-funded work was done under the previous deal, said it doubted the independent sector had the capacity to treat meaningful numbers of NHS-funded patients.

“This new announcement raises more questions than it answers,” said Sid Ryan, a researcher at the CHPI. “Firstly, it’s not clear what help the private sector can really provide when it relies so heavily on NHS consultants working privately outside their core NHS hours. The private sector may have beds, but their workforce is vanishingly small, and just as challenged by Omicron as the NHS, so it seems unlikely their support will be the key difference-maker.

“The last time NHS England stepped in to override local contracting by NHS trusts, the taxpayer ended up footing the bill for a lot of empty hospital capacity. Are we risking that happening again?”

The number of hospitalisations has been slower to rise than Covid cases, relative to previous waves of the disease, with ministers buoyed by the booster rollout. However, hospitals have struggled as a result of NHS staff being among the hundreds of thousands of people self-isolating because of the rapidly increasing number of Omicron cases.

Unveiling her strategy for 2021-25 at the end of September “Alison Hernandez says she takes it seriously but…”, she said key community priorities are breaking the cycle of violence, reducing drug harm, tackling antisocial behaviour and improving road safety. 

Alison Hernandez responded to suggestions that tackling gender-based violence isn’t given high enough priority in her draft plan.   

She said it was important to note that, although violence against women is an important issue, it is crucial to see the statistics in perspective.   “I will just highlight that men are more likely to be a victim of crime than women, and that more men are likely to be murdered than a woman,” she said.

Fast forward three months, Plymouth has new priorities:

Violence against Plymouth women and girls is being tackled

Daniel Clark www.plymouthherald.co.uk 

A commission which has been formed to review what more needs to be done to prevent violence against women and girls in Plymouth will meet for the first time on Monday.

The Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Commission will review what is being done across the city to educate men and boys, prevent and deter these types of crimes and consider what support is available for victims.

It will invite local organisations who work with female victims of violence, to hear more about their experiences and their recommendations about what more needs to be done.

The commission was set up following the death of 18 year-old Bobbi-Anne McCleod who disappeared from a bus stop in the Leigham area of the city last month. Cody Ackland, 24, has been charged with her murder.

The Commission will meet for the first time on Monday, January 10.

A protest in Plymouth which calls for an end to male violence against women following the disappearance of 18-year-old Bobbi-Anne McLeod. (Image: Eve Watson)

Chair of the Commission, Cllr Rebecca Smith, said: “Last year we saw the tragic murders of a number of women in our city at the hands of men. This kind of crime is not unique to Plymouth, however as we heard at our virtual Q and A in December 2021, many women and girls sadly do still feel fear, intimidation, harassment and helplessness on a regular basis. We cannot let this continue.

“Too often the responsibility for tackling male violence against women and girls falls on women. In Plymouth, we want to tackle this issue at the root, whilst supporting anyone who is a victim of this type of crime.

“We have put together an extensive panel of experts from across Plymouth and beyond, who are all committed to the same goal, and I look forward to working with them over the weeks and months ahead.

“On our journey, I am also really pleased that we are able to get guidance and advice from Nazir Afzal OBE – who is a national leading expert in this area.

“One of the first things our Commission will be looking at is ensuring that we have a wide engagement programme, ensuring that as many voices as possible across Plymouth have an opportunity to help shape our work.”

In addition, former Chief Crown Prosecutor for NW England, Nazir Afzal OBE, will be working with the Commission as an independent advisor, bringing expertise from his 24 year career prosecuting the most high profile cases in the country and advising on many others.

He has led nationally on several legal topics including Violence against Women & Girls, child sexual abuse, and honour based violence. His prosecutions of the “Rochdale grooming gang” and hundreds of others were ground-breaking and drove the work that has changed the landscape of child protection.

Over the next three months the Commission will aim to shine a spotlight on the national issue of violence against women and girls and to understand more about the issue for those living in Plymouth.

To do this, the Commission will work:

· To take a proactive stance to better understanding a wide range of views and experiences, and consider what more needs to be done to tackle the issue.

· To improve the perception, and the lived experience of women and girls that Plymouth is a safe city.

· To promote a better understanding of the causes and means of addressing male violence against women and girls.

· To provide impetus for key partners and the private sector to review their contribution to tackling VAWG in the city.

· To take the opportunity to revisit and revise local policies if appropriate, including the Public Health approach to addressing VAWG, and to identify and seek to influence any areas of national policy that need revising.

· To review existing partnership arrangements in the city to make sure there is a clear focus and tangible action on addressing VAWG, including its wider impact on the families and children of victims and abusers.

· To ensure there is strong and visible leadership on VAWG for the city to drive through the recommendations identified by the Commission, and to be the champion for change.

As part of the work of the Commission a full engagement programme will be launched, inviting local organisations who work with female victims of violence and residents across the city to hear more about their experiences and their recommendations about what more needs to be done.

Should have used the self deleting WhatsApp? – Owl

Email proves Downing Street staff held drinks party at height of lockdown

ITV News UK Editor Paul Brand reports on the email providing the first evidence of a party on May 20, 2020 in the Number 10 garden

Paul BrandUK Editor www.itv.com 

Downing Street staff were invited to a drinks party in the Number 10 garden during the height of nationwide lockdown to “make the most of the lovely weather”.

An email shared exclusively with ITV News provides the first evidence of a party on May 20, 2020, when the rest of the country was banned from meeting more than one other person outdoors.

The email was sent by the Prime Minister’s Principal Private Secretary Martin Reynolds to over a hundred employees in Number 10, including the Prime Minister’s advisors, speechwriters and door staff.

In it, Mr Reynolds – a senior No 10 civil servant who has run Boris Johnson‘s private office since October 2019 – says:

“Hi all,

“After what has been an incredibly busy period we thought it would be nice to make the most of the lovely weather and have some socially distanced drinks in the No10 garden this evening.

“Please join us from 6pm and bring your own booze!”

ITV News understands around 40 staff gathered in the garden that evening, eating picnic food and drinking. Crucially, they included the Prime Minister and his wife Carrie Johnson.

The email invitation sent by Martin Reynolds, seen by ITV News Credit: ITV News

The May 20 party was first alluded to in a blog by the Prime Minister’s former advisor Dominic Cummings on Friday.

​The email follows allegations about staff gathering in the garden on a separate occasion on May 15, with a photograph emerging of Mr Johnson and his wife sitting with No 10 staff including Martin Reynolds on the terrace with a bottle of wine and cheese.

Downing Street has previously insisted that the photograph showed a work meeting. But the email about the drinks party on May 20 makes it clear that this was a social gathering, which is far harder to explain away.

Less than an hour before the drinks, the then Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden had reminded the rest of England at the daily press conference that they must only meet in pairs outdoors.

---

On May 20, 2020, then Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden told the public at a press briefing:

“You can meet one person outside of your household in an outdoor, public place provided that you stay two metres apart”

---

Guidance allowing the ‘rule of six’ outdoors wasn’t brought in until June 2020 and large gatherings remained banned.

The latest revelations have led to fresh calls for the Prime Minister to be questioned as part of the internal inquiry into a series of parties in Downing Street, launched after ITV News aired footage of Number 10 staff laughing and joking about an event on December 19 2020.

In that video, the Prime Minister’s then spokesperson Allegra Stratton suggested that there had been “no social distancing” at the event, which staff jokingly referred to as a “business meeting” with “cheese and wine”.

ITV News later revealed that the Prime Minister’s Head of Communications, Jack Doyle, handed out awards to staff at the party and made a speech.

Since then, there have been allegations of multiple other parties.

The cabinet office inquiry into the allegations is currently being carried out by senior civil servant Sue Gray, who took over from the Cabinet Secretary Simon Case due to allegations that he knew of at least one party himself.

ITV News understands that the drinks party on May 20 will form part of the ongoing investigations, with the inquiry due to report back this month.

When Mr Johnson was asked on Monday if he and his wife attended the party on May 20, he replied: “All that, as you know, is the subject of a proper investigation by Sue Gray.”

Downing Street told ITV News they would not comment on the story due to the Sue Gray inquiry. 

Street cleaning services in East Devon could be hit as the council attempts to balance its budget for the forthcoming financial year.   

Joe Ives, Local Democracy Reporter www.exmouthjournal.co.uk 

Officers at Streetscene, which cleans and maintains public spaces in East Devon including parks, public gardens and council-owned toilets, say an additional £285,000 is needed to meet the demand for its services. 

But in a draft budget brought forward to the council’s cabinet it was suggested that the costs could be simply unaffordable. 

The extra money for Streetscene would be spent on 11 more employees. Officers at Streetscene say that demand has ‘increased greatly’ over the past few years ‘with a notable uplift in visitors and tourism, and an exponential rise in housing developments across the district such as Cranbrook, meaning more residents and use of our towns, parks, beaches, and public spaces’. 

The officers say that there has been no additional investment in staffing for a decade because of Government austerity measures, adding ‘at the same time demand, population and strain on our services has increased’. 

Last year demand for seafront cleaning alone rose by 29 per cent. 

Councillor Geoff Jung (Independent East Devon Alliance, Democratic Alliance Group, Woodbury and Lympstone), portfolio holder for coast, country and environment, said: “We are only going to be able to supply the minimum service that people expect. If we could have had some more funds we could have looked at improving Streetscene and providing an improved service to our residents and it’s a great shame that all we’re doing at the moment is holding our head above the waterline.” 

Councillor Steve Gazzard (Liberal Democrats, Democratic Alliance Group, Exmouth Withycombe Raleigh) wanted people to be made aware if Streetscene services are on course to deteriorate. He said: “We really must let the residents know because it’s going to be the councillors who are elected who are going to take it in the neck if things get worse.” 

East Devon’s cabinet is expected to discuss the financial issues facing Streetscene in greater depth.  

The 2022/3 financial year begins in April, and the budget will be finalised by the council over the coming months. It is already expected that car parking fees at 19 ‘prime’ locations will rise from £1 to £1.50 and that residents will have to pay an additional £5 a year for East Devon’s element of council tax for a band D property. 

Selaine Saxby MP North Devon speaks passionately in debate organised by Tim Farron MP.

Minister of State Christopher Pincher promises to close a loophole “as soon as we can” and to introduce a tourist accommodation registration scheme “so that we can build an understanding of the evidence and the issues that second homes present“. Ah the evidence base!

“Westminster Hall” debates (actually conducted in the Grand Committee Room next to it) started in 1999. In contrast to the two main chambers, the room is laid out in a horseshoe shape. These debates give MPs an opportunity to raise local or national issues and receive a response from a government minister. The motions are general, neutrally worded, e.g. “That this House has considered the matter of second homes and holiday lets in rural communities.” There is no vote for or against.

There is a formal batting order, which makes it relatively easy to skim the transcript (see here) for the salient points:

• the MP whose debate it is to make an opening speech
• backbenchers
• frontbencher from the third largest party to sum up
• frontbencher from the official Opposition to sum up
• the minister to respond
• the MP whose debate it is to sum up (if there’s time)

In this case, the debate was opened by Tim Farron Lib Dem (Environment and Rural affairs plus Housing, Communities and Local Government).

Selaine Saxby MP for North Devon made a strong case for the impact not just in her constituency but in Devon and Cornwall. (See text below).

Many constructive points were made on what could be done by the formal opposition shadow speakers: Patricia Gibson SNP as “third party” speaker (who mentioned the problems of Cornwall as well as Scotland) and Matthew Pennycock Labour shadow Housing, Communities and Local Government who referred back to Selaine Saxby. E.g. Devolve more  powers to local councils, increased supplement on second home stamp  duties and the  need for planning permission for change of use. (Easy to find at the end of the full transcript.)

The Ministerial reply from Minister of State Christopher Pincher was rather predictable, placing emphasis on the need to build, build, build and on the “Help to Buy” and “First Homes” schemes.

He stressed that the government has committed to close the loophole in the business rate system: “we will introduce our proposals to close that loophole as soon as we can”.

He also mentioned reforming the planning system and introducing a new infrastructure levy as in some way helping.

He went on: “I can confirm that we propose to consult on the introduction of a tourist accommodation registration scheme in England so that we can build an understanding of the evidence and the issues that second homes present, particularly when driven by the rise of online platforms such as Airbnb. We will launch that consultation later this year and will begin the process of a call for evidence in the coming weeks”. (aka: “kicking into the long grass”).

As Tim Farron replied: “I welcome the review that the Minister talked about. That is all good—but it is all we got. I was not overwhelmed by a tidal wave of urgency—in fact, quite the opposite. In the seconds that I have left, I want to say to the Minister that inaction is action. It is action on behalf of those who own multiple homes against our communities. I want to see an awful lot more than we have seen today. By the time a part of what we proposed is looked at in a review, which will take years because they always do, there will be another 32% [rise in one year in the number of holiday lets in one Lakeland District] and then another 32%, and the communities at risk of dying that I talked about earlier will be actually dead. We need urgency right now, so I ask for further meetings immediately. The Minister talks about the planning rules, but how about letting national parks pilot the differential in planning use categories? That, at least, would be a start, to demonstrate that it could be possible. I am disappointed by the lack of urgency, but I am grateful for the opportunity.”

Tim Farron Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs), Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Communities and Local Government), Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Extract from Opening Speech

….I have been calling for the Government to take action from the very beginning, so I confess to being frustrated and angry that Ministers have yet to do anything meaningful to tackle the problem. As a result, many of us living in rural communities feel ignored, abandoned and taken for granted by the Government, and we stand together today as rural communities to declare that we will not be taken for granted one moment longer.

In South Lakeland, the average house price is 11 times greater than the average household income. Families on low or middle incomes, and even those on reasonably good incomes, are completely excluded from the possibility of buying a home. Although the local council in South Lakeland has enabled the building of more than 1,000 new social rented properties, there are still more than 3,000 families languishing on the housing waiting list. Even before the pandemic, at least one in seven houses in my constituency was a second home—a bolthole or an investment for people whose main home is somewhere else.

In many towns and villages, such as Coniston, Hawkshead, Dent, Chapel Stile and Grasmere, the majority of properties are now empty for most of the year. Across the Yorkshire Dales, much of which is in Cumbria and in my constituency, more than a quarter of the housing stock in the national park is not lived in. In Elterwater in Langdale, 85% of the properties are second homes. Without a large enough permanent population, villages just die. The school loses numbers and then closes. The bus service loses passengers, so it gets cut. The pub loses its trade, the post office loses customers and the church loses its congregation, so they close too. Those who are left behind are isolated and often impoverished in communities whose life has effectively come to an end……

…During the pandemic, I have spoken to many local estate agents across our county. Around 80% of all house sales during the past two years have been in the second home market. Those who have the money to do so are rethinking their priorities, investing in the rising value of property and seeking a piece of the countryside to call their own, and we can kind of understand that. I do not wish to demonise anybody with a second home, or to say that there are no circumstances in which it is okay to have one, but let me be blunt: surely, someone’s right to have a second home must not trump a struggling family’s right to have any home, yet in reality, apparently it does. Every day that the Government fail to act is another day that they are backing those who are lucky enough to have multiple homes against those who cannot find any home in the lakes, the dales or any other rural community in our country…..

Selaine Saxby Conservative, North Devon 1:59 pm, 6th January 2022

Speech in full:

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Sharma. I thank Tim Farron for securing this important debate.

I feel like a stuck record for raising the issue of second homes in North Devon again. My constituency is not just rural but coastal, and many of the issues described by hon. Members are exacerbated many times over on the coast, where we have only the sea to draw on for extra residents or houses. Therefore, down the south-west peninsula, in both Devon and Cornwall, MPs have been highlighting this issue ever since I was elected. Although the pandemic has seen a perfect storm, resulting in a rush to purchase second homes in beautiful locations or to convert properties to short-term holiday lets, it is not a new problem. I was contacted during the 2019 general election campaign by the Croyde Area Residents Association, which was concerned even then that second homes accounted for 64% of properties in the stunning surf village of Croyde.

The issues around second homes are well documented with regards to a shortage of affordable properties for local residents. In the past year of the pandemic, we have also seen many evictions of local residents who have rented their homes for many years, so that owners can convert their properties to short-term holiday lets. North Devon has always welcomed second-homers and those visiting our beautiful coast in short-term holiday lets, but what we are now seeing is unsustainable, and we need action to address the problem before we become a complete ghost coast.

Like me, North Devon Council has written numerous times to the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, and now to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, on this matter. In its most recent letter, North Devon Council detailed the following concerns about the critical situation facing our housing market. Average house prices in North Devon have increased by 22.5% in the past 12 months—the second-highest rise in England. There has been a 67% reduction in listings for permanent rental properties in 12 months—the highest reduction in the south-west, and the fourth highest nationally. There has been a 33% increase in the number of people on the housing register in 12 months, a 21% increase in the number of dwellings registered for business rates for holiday lets over 24 months, and a 7.5% increase in the number of second homes in just 12 months.

The number of properties advertised for permanent rental via Rightmove, compared with those available for Airbnb, really highlights the issue. Many of us had hoped the problem would have passed by the end of the summer, but at the start of November in Barnstaple, the main town in my constituency, there were 126 Airbnbs and two private rentals. In Ilfracombe, there were over 300 Airbnbs and three private rentals. In Lynton, there were 104 Airbnbs. In Woolacombe, there were 196 Airbnbs but not a single private rental on Rightmove.

The council’s housing staff are now dealing with a huge increase in the number of people presenting as homeless, and they have also seen a major shift in the type of people asking for assistance. These people are homeless simply because they are forced to present as such, as they have been evicted by landlords who wish to convert their properties from private residential use to short-term holiday use. Given the numbers I have mentioned, it is impossible for them to find alternative accommodation on the open market. I want to take this opportunity to thank the housing team at North Devon Council for their tireless work in trying to help families who find themselves in an incredibly difficult and stressful situation through no fault of their own.

Although tourism is a major part of the North Devon economy, the lack of housing available for permanent residential use is starting to have a major impact on the lives of far too many residents, as well as on local businesses and public services such as health and education, which are struggling to recruit because of the lack of housing and which are also suffering from existing staff leaving the area because of eviction and the lack of affordable housing. Major employers in North Devon have indicated that the lack of available housing is now being considered when deciding whether to invest in the area. Local schools and colleges, and the health service, cannot recruit quality staff because of the lack of housing. Even our much-loved North Devon District Hospital is struggling to find accommodation for just the handful of new students that started there this year.

The recent shift from permanent residential to holiday use, and the substantial increase in house prices, means not only that a permanent home is out of reach for many people living and working in the area. Public attitudes to new house building have also changed. Virtually every housing scheme in North Devon, particularly the larger ones, is meeting substantial opposition from the community, with many objectors citing fears that the properties will become second homes or holiday lets, and that they will invariably be unaffordable for local residents. The situation is exacerbated by the fact that viability challenges raised by developers mean that on average only around 20% of new homes built in North Devon are affordable, by any definition.

A proliferation of short-term holiday lets in an area not only changes the character of a neighbourhood but can also increase antisocial behaviour and noise nuisance, primarily because there is so little regulation of short-term holiday lets. We are already starting to see that, with an increase in the number of complaints received by the council relating to noise, antisocial behaviour, parties, hot tubs and so on.

I recognise that any intervention in the housing market has a huge risk of unintended consequences and potential increases in prices in some sectors, but I very much hope that some steps can be taken to level the playing field between the short-term and the long-term rental markets through the various current tax inequalities, to ensure that the short-term holiday let market is better regulated and that a change of use is required to convert properties from primary residence to holiday lets. It seems bizarre that some of the holiday lets in my constituency have to have a change of use to become a long-term rental, but the situation is not the same the other way round. Restrictions of just 10 months’ occupancy are imposed by local councils for good reasons at the time they were imposed, but those restrictions are now not being reversed. Support is needed for small district councils to enable them to confidently take those steps, if they are able.

We also need to take steps to bring back into occupation derelict properties that have been left empty for months or years. Councils have powers, but the processes are slow and expensive, and the proximity of my own home to derelict houses suggests such powers are not being readily acted upon.

Most people dream of owning their own home, and I fully support the Government’s ambition to help people to achieve that dream. To do that in places such as North Devon, we need to find a solution for increasing the supply of affordable housing and we need to review the guidance and tests in place to assess the viability of developments, to ensure that the level of affordable housing provided is not affected by issues such as an unreasonably high valuation placed on the land.

Our councils need more control and flexibility in access to funding to build affordable homes and to protect them for occupancy by local residents, so that they are available to future generations. New homes need to be available to those who want to live in these rural and coastal constituencies. There are innovative schemes such as rent to buy from companies such as Rentplus, community land trusts for small rural communities need to be more accessible to small planning authorities, and more needs to be done so that our local plans really do reflect the needs of our local communities.

Like many of my constituents, I would like the lights over Christmas to be on in my neighbours’ houses, but far too many closes like mine are deserted through the winter. I very much hope that the new Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has some plans, blue sky or otherwise. During the pandemic, this Government showed that we can act quickly when we need to. The time is now to address the imbalances in the housing market, before the lights go out for good and the whole of the North Devon coast becomes a winter ghost town.

None – Remember Owl waits a couple of weeks before listing planning applications. Experience has shown that changes are sometimes made to the list during the following week. We get a more complete list by waiting.

Are you all keeping up? – Owl

No 10 partying in lockdown: who enjoyed what and when

Rowena Mason www.theguardian.com

15 May 2020

Sources told the Guardian there was a “wine and pizza” party in the Downing Street garden and inside No 10 during the first lockdown when socialising was banned. It is understood to have taken place after a press conference, and was described as having had a celebratory feel with drinking late into the evening. After No 10 denied this, a photograph was obtained by the Guardian showing Boris Johnson, his wife and two officials at a table with wine and cheese, with another 15 officials in the rest of the garden with wine bottles visible. No 10 says Johnson had been having a work meeting and went up to his flat with his family just after 7pm that evening.

20 May 2020

Dominic Cummings lifted the lid on a May gathering in the Downing Street garden, with invites to a “social distanced drinks”, which is believed to have been organised by the civil servant Martin Reynolds. No 10 has not denied that Johnson and his wife attended, with reports of food on tables and drinking. Restrictions on social mixing were still in place at this point.

13 November – Boris and Carrie Johnson flat party

This is the date that Johnson’s chief adviser, Cummings, and communications director, Lee Cain, left their roles. Sources have reported loud music and sounds of a party coming from the flat occupied by Johnson and his wife on this date. Cummings has alleged there had been “other flat parties” and suggested the pair’s “bubble” policy should be investigated. Asked if a party went ahead in his flat on 13 November, Johnson said: “No.”

27 November – Downing Street leaving do

While England was still in the grip of its second national lockdown, a leaving do was organised in No 10 – said to have been for Cleo Watson, a former aide to Cummings. A source told the Guardian that Johnson had personally attended and given a speech, remarking on how full with people the room was, before leaving to continue working.

10 December – Gavin Williamson’s staff party

When London was in tier 2, which only allowed socialising in groups of six outside, the then education secretary, Gavin Williamson, threw a party in his Whitehall department. The most senior civil servant in the department, Susan Acland-Hood, attended and admitted that there had been a “work-related” gathering hosted in the canteen. She did not dispute people had been drinking wine, and appeared to blame Williamson for instigating the event. She recalled he had wanted to “say a few words” to thank staff after a difficult year.

17 December

A quiz was held for members of the private office of Simon Case, the cabinet secretary, who was originally meant to be investigating the reports of parties in No 10. Invitations were sent out titled “Christmas Party!” and about 15 people were thought to be in attendance over Zoom. Responding to the claims, a government spokesperson said it was a virtual quiz with a small number of people from the office taking part from their desks. “The cabinet secretary played no part in the event, but walked through the team’s office on the way to his own office. No outside guests or other staff were invited or present. This lasted for an hour and drinks and snacks were bought by those attending. He also spoke briefly to staff in the office before leaving.”

18 December 2020 – Downing Street Christmas party

A party was held in No 10 when London was in tier 3 restrictions, which banned social events, according to multiple sources after the Daily Mirror first broke the story. Several dozen people – a mix of civil servants and political staff – reportedly attended and were told to bring “secret Santa” presents, with cheese and wine laid on. While Johnson’s spokesperson insisted no rules had been broken and then denied any party took place, a video filmed four days after the event was published by ITV. The leaked footage showed Allegra Stratton, the prime minister’s then aide, rehearsing for televised press conferences and laughing and joking with aides about a party on 18 December. Stratton all but confirmed the event had taken place by laughing it off as a “business meeting” but added: “It was not socially distanced.”

15 December 2020 – a festive No 10 quiz

A Christmas quiz was also organised for No 10 staff, with invitations emailed to everyone who worked in the building. Some guests were said to have dialled in by Zoom but others apparently attended in person and sat in groups of six, some wearing Christmas jumpers. A photograph later emerged in the Mirror of the prime minister taking part.

25 December 2020 – Christmas Day socialising

The prime minister’s “bubble” has come under scrutiny before, after his spokesperson did not deny that Nimco Ali, a close friend of Carrie Johnson, stayed with them over Christmas. One of the explanations offered was that Ali was considered part of the Johnsons’ childcare bubble. However, under the rules, the arrangement was meant to be purely for a second household to look after children, with the adults not meant to be socialising.

Bankruptcies happen gradually, then suddenly, an Ernest Hemingway character famously deadpans in The Sun Also Rises. Yet the aftermath of insolvency can play out painfully slowly, as observers of Carillion’s collapse, four years ago this week, can testify.

Jasper Jolly www.theguardian.com 

Carillion had its fingers in a lot of pies, to the point where it is difficult to explain what its main business was: was it construction, or something woollier like “support services”? Cleaning and maintenance are crucial to almost any business, but they are also shockingly easy to outsource to complex and faceless conglomerates. That complexity extended to accounts built on the directors’ “increasingly fantastical figures”. To borrow the Queen’s question about the credit crunch, why did nobody notice?

Carillion’s crash was so severe that it has sparked years of navel-gazing by accountants and their regulators. The latest chapter will open on Monday, when a tribunal in London will look at allegations that KPMG, a former partner at the auditor and certain current and former employees issued “false and misleading information and/or documents” to the regulator, the Financial Reporting Council (FRC). KPMG declined to comment ahead of the tribunal.

KPMG self-reported the latest problems, which relate to information handed over during standard FRC inspections of audits of Carillion and Regenersis, a London-listed IT company later renamed Blancco. The regulator will not allege misconduct in the audits, nor that the financial statements were imperfectly prepared, but the tribunal will probably shine more unwelcome light on a profession that has taken a beating ever since the global financial crisis.

The existence of a dominant “Big Four” is not usually a good sign in any industry. Safe to say that Deloitte, EY, KPMG and PwC have all had their scandals (try Autonomy, NMC Health, Conviviality and BHS respectively) in recent years. Smaller hangers-on such as Grant Thornton have also had their moments (Patisserie Valerie and Sports Direct).

The FRC and the broader audit profession have also been in the proverbial dock in recent years. At one point there were no fewer than five separate “Whither auditing?” inquiries, and the government is close to publishing a set of reforms to audit and corporate governance that it hopes will make it much harder for balance-sheet black holes to slip past auditors unnoticed. The FRC will be replaced by a new Audit, Reporting and Governance Authority, probably in 2023.

However, recent reports suggested that business lobbyists had got their claws into the reforms, watering down some more controversial elements in favour of a “business-friendly” regime fit for a wheeler-dealer post-Brexit Britain. Gone, according to the Financial Times, will be proposals to make directors personally oversee financial reporting controls; this will be demoted instead to the corporate governance code. The code sets the standards, but companies can opt out as they see fit.

There are other options for seeking accountability. This week’s tribunal is one of three investigations the FRC is still running on the Carillion collapse – there is another into KPMG’s audit itself, as well as one into the company’s former directors. The government’s Official Receiver has filed a claim form suggesting that it could seek damages of as much as £1bn from KPMG for audit negligence. (KPMG has promised to contest any claim, though none has yet arrived.)

Yet industry sources suggest that readers don’t hold their breath for a payout on that scale. The Carillion fallout keeps coming – but we will have to wait even longer for answers on why it happened, and how we can avoid a repeat.

Homeowners will still be able to object to individual planning applications after the government confirmed a U-turn on reforms to the system.

Melissa York www.thetimes.co.uk 

Ministers had planned to replace the planning application process with a zonal system and mandatory housebuilding targets, stripping homeowners of their right to object.

The Times reported in September that the shake-up of planning laws was to be abandoned after a backlash from voters and Conservative MPs in southern England. A change of approach from the government, however, was contained in a submission to the Lords built environment committee.

In the report it said: “There will be a continuing role for public consultation as part of the planning application process. Even where the broad principle of development is agreed . . . all the details would still need to be consulted on with communities and statutory consultees, and approved by officers or committees where appropriate.”

The government’s submission added: “Our reforms will give communities a greater voice from the start of the planning process . . . We also want to see more democratic accountability, with communities having a more meaningful say on the development schemes which affect them, not less.”

In response to the move, Tom Fyans, director of campaigns at the countryside charity the CPRE, said: “It appears the government now genuinely understands the need for local communities to have a powerful voice in planning decisions. These are encouraging signs that suggest a fundamental change of approach when it comes to determining what gets built where.”

The Lords report warned that ministers would not hit their target of building 300,000 new homes a year unless they stopped dithering over planning reforms. The cross-party committee said that uncertainty and delays in overhauling the system had had a “chilling effect” on housebuilding.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe, chairwoman of the committee, said: “The most important aspect in terms of housing supply is planning. Frankly all the twisting and turning over reform has had a chilling effect, creating uncertainty for housebuilders and planners.

“The government needs to bite the bullet and actually build housing of all types and tenures.”

The report said: “The challenges facing the housing market have been well documented: too many people are living in expensive, unsuitable, poor-quality homes. To address these complex challenges in the long term it is necessary to increase housing supply now.”

Local councils should be forced to come up with a plan for their area, Neville-Rolfe said, as more than half do not have an up-to-date strategy for building more homes.

Help to Buy, the government’s flagship homeownership scheme, is criticised for pushing up prices. The £29 billion cost of the scheme would “be better spent on increasing housing supply”, the committee said.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said: “We share the ambition to reform the planning system to meet the demand for more high-quality homes and create a fairer housing market. We delivered more than 216,000 homes in England in 2020-21, well above the 186,500 forecast for the whole of the UK, and are investing a further £12 billion in affordable housing over the next five years.”

Ministers and officials are spending billions of pounds on projects that are never properly evaluated, according to the head of the National Audit Office.

Oliver Wright www.thetimes.co.uk 

Gareth Davies says that too often the government has not learnt from its failures and has “little information” on “what difference is made by the billions of pounds being spent”.

In an article for The Times Davies, who took over at the spending watchdog in May 2019, says that he was concerned to see that lessons that might have helped the government to deal with Covid had not been learnt.

He says there is little evidence that things have improved even though it has “never been more important that the government makes the right choices” after the pandemic.

Recent research by the National Audit Office (NAO) found that only 8 per cent of big government projects had robust evaluation plans in place.

“Prior to the pandemic the government did take forward many lessons from the simulation exercises it undertook to prepare for potential pandemics,” Davies writes. “However, it did not act on some warnings that would have helped it prepare for a pandemic like Covid-19.”

He adds: “What we have found by auditing government’s work is that many of the interventions carried out by government are either not evaluated robustly or not evaluated at all. This means government is not learning from its successes or failures, and has little information in most policy areas on what difference is made by the billions of pounds being spent.”

Davies cites the Kickstart Scheme, launched amid much fanfare last year to fund employers to create high-quality six-month work placements for people aged 16-24. He says that the Department for Work and Pensions had “limited assurance over the quality of the work placements created by the scheme”, or whether the jobs created “would have existed anyway”.

“Without having done more during the scheme’s operation to monitor what kinds of jobs and training employers are providing in practice, the department will find it much harder to deliver a robust estimate of the scheme’s long-term impact,” he writes.

Davies also says that there are no consequences for failure or not robustly assessing projects and pulling the plug on those that are not performing. “The incentives to evaluate and learn what works and why must be stronger than the instinct to avoid evaluating in case it uncovers bad results,” he writes. “At present public bodies face limited consequences if they do not evaluate their work. This needs to be addressed.”

When Michael Gove was Cabinet Office minister, he pledged to set up an internal Whitehall unit to assess all government projects against their aspirations and pull the plug on those that were not performing well.

“There can be a tendency in government where you get ‘vanity of authorship’, ” Gove said. “It is, ‘I launched this programme and I’ll defend it come what may’. We want people to know that the government is not simply trumpeting the fact that x amount of money has been spent on a new scheme but we go back to citizens and say: ‘This is what we tried. This worked. This didn’t work. This was the basis on which we acted.’ ”

However, Gove has since moved on to levelling up and housing and there have been no more announcements about the proposed evaluation unit.

 

A very unsatisfactory non-answer to Simon Jupp’s question – Owl

Simon Jupp Conservative, East Devon

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to announce the successful local authority bids in the third tranche of the Active Travel Fund.

• Hansard source(Citation: HC Deb, 7 January 2022, cW)

Trudy Harrison Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department intends to make an announcement on this matter very shortly

Sadly, looks like the slow death of Exeter’s “high street” to Owl

Exeter city centre has seen vast changes over the past few shops with many shops coming and going from independent traders to massive chains such as Debenhams, Topshop and House of Fraser.

Anita Merritt www.devonlive.com

The presence of them remains unforgotten in Exeter, especially because where they once stood still remains the empty shell of what once stood there.

This week, some welcomed good news was received with the announcement that after five years since Jamie Oliver’s chain Italian restaurant closed its doors in Princesshay, the independent owners of existing popular restaurant and wine bar Margoux in Mary Arches Street will be moving into it.

An opening date will be announced shortly, but it is hoped to be in late February or March when it launches as a restaurant and cocktail bar.

The fate of the city centre’s numerous other vacant shops remains unclear.

Ann Hunter, board director of Exeter Chamber and InExeter Business Improvement District (BID) manager said: “Exeter is a city bursting with culture and a huge variety of retailers from award-winning independents to new eateries.

“Compared to the national average, Exeter has a low high street vacancy rate. We’re seeing a number of innovative and High Street changing developments coming through which will continue to drive growth for the city.

“St Sidwell’s Point which brings a leisure offer to the heart of the city, together with Colson’s Parade bringing a hotel and hospitality, are among some of the new and exciting developments due to open this year.

“We also have new leisure and hospitality businesses in the pipeline, so it is a really positive and encouraging time for the city.

“Footfall remains very positive here in Exeter, although down slightly on 2019. However, the national high street average is down 25 per cent. We are therefore continuing to see many people enjoying our vibrant city and we encourage them to continue to do so in accordance to government guidelines.”

Here is a reminder of the shops Exeter has lost while hope remains that they could be taken over during 2022 to bring more visitors to Exeter:

Argos

Argos in Exeter’s Guildhall Shopping Centre (Image: Devon Live)

Among the shops to be hit by the coronavirus pandemic is Argos in the Guildhall Shopping Centre.

In September 2020, Argos wouldn’t confirm whether several Argos branches across Devon, including its Exeter city centre, would reopen.

It has remained closed and signage on the outside now directs customers to how they can shop online.

Gok Wan’s Bling

The former TV show setting of Gok Wan’s Bling (Image: Devon Live)

A sudden spark of three weeks of excitement was injected into the Guildhall Shopping Centre this summer when TV celebrity host Gok Wan took over the vacant unit opposite H Samuel.

The former home of The Works, which has stood vacant for a long time, was temporarily taken over by film crews after Exeter was chosen as the perfect location to host brand new daytime ITV series Bling.

Filming took place in a unit opposite H Samuel for the new ITV show Bling, hosted by Gok Wan (Image: Devon Live)

Gok and the first contestants arrived on Monday, July 12, to begin filming. Over three weeks they shot 20 episodes which have since been broadcast.

During his short stay in Exeter, Gok revealed he hoped the series would be making a return to could some more bling be brought back to life in the shop again?

The Boarding House

The former Boarding House and Animal shop (Image: Devon Live)

Established specialist BMX shop for bikes and parts, plus skateboards, snowboards and streetwear The Boarding House has moved to various locations in the city.

It recently relocated from Fore Street to the Guildhall Shopping Centre inside what was Animal. However, its stay there was short-lived and it moved to smaller premises opposite in Waterbeer Street.

The premises was the home of Surf shop Animal – a concession within Tony Pryce – until July 22, 2018.

Signs of a new lease of life are already evident with scaffolding erected around the building and signs of work going on inside.

Axe-throwing at a Boom: Battle Bar venue

In October, Devon Live reported how an application for a premises licence had been submitted to Exeter City Council, which could see a Boom: Battle Bar coming to the Guildhall.

As yet, Boom: Battle Bar’s official website is giving little away about the proposed Exeter venue other than saying that it’s ‘coming soon 2022’.

The quirky bars offer food, cocktails and an eclectic mix of fun games such as axe-throwing, skee ball, American pool and mini-golf.

Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shoppe

Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shoppe in Exeter (Image: Devon Live)

Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shoppe, the UK’s largest family of traditional sweet shops, opened its first store in 2004.

After five years in Exeter, Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shoppe relocated in January 2017 to its new home in Church Street, Sidmouth.

Sadly Sidmouth’s gain was Exeter’s loss because the shop in North Street remains unlet.

Store Twenty One

Store Twenty One in Exeter (Image: Devon Live)

The company went into administration in 2017, and the Exeter shop has remained closed ever since.

It also had branches in Honiton and Tiverton.

Nationwide, the chain employed more than 1,000 people and had around 125 high street shops.

Ladbrokes

Ladbrokes in South Street (Image: Devon Live)

Another pandemic casualty in the city centre is Ladbrokes which disappeared from its prominent position on the corner of South Street in 2021.

The betting chain had previously announced hundreds of Ladbrokes and Coral betting shops could be closed after a boom in online gambling during the pandemic.

Last March, Ladbrokes and Coral owner Entain said in its annual results this week that online earnings from customers betting through its smartphone apps and websites were up 50 per cent as users shifted online during the pandemic.

The Plant Cafe

The Plant Cafe (Image: Devon Live)

The independent vegetarian cafe in Cathedral Yard was a popular place to eat in Exeter for many years.

In October 2020, it was listed for sale for £119,000. It still currently remains on the market.

Before its closure, it was the subject of an investment. It provided 20 inside covers, and in excess of 30 alfresco covers, the latter of which proved very popular and valuable, in particular during the summer months.

The Edinburgh Woollen Mill

The Edinburgh Woollen Mill in Cathedral Yard (Image: Devon Live)

A long distant memory in Exeter is when The Edinburgh Woollen Mill, which faces Exeter Cathedral, was still trading.

A reminder of how long it has not been trading can be seen from its dilapidated sign which now has letters missing from it.

In 2020, years after its closure, it was announced more than 50 stores were to be closed and 600 jobs axed by the company behind Peacocks and Edinburgh Woollen Mill.

House of Tweed

House of Tweed (Image: Devon Live)

The specialists in creating luxurious handbags and accessories using bespoke designed tweed fabrics took over the former premises of Laura Ashley, but its time there was short-lived.

The womenswear and home furnishings retailer in the High Street was first turned into the Gift Company ahead of Christmas 2020.

Laura Ashley was one of a number of businesses that endured a prolonged closure following the Royal Clarence Hotel fire in October 2016.

Costa Coffee

The former Costa Coffee in Exeter High Street (Image: Devon Live)

A reminder of the impact of the Royal Clarence Fire is the coffee shop in the High Street which was located next door to Laura Ashley.

The building was damaged by smoke and water caused by the fire in the building behind.

It has never reopened. Costa Coffee confirmed it would no longer occupy the unit more than two years after the Royal Clarence fire.

It remains to let or with the option of possibly being bought.

L’Occatane

L’Occatane in Exeter High Street (Image: Devon Live)

Award-winning natural skincare, beauty and organic cosmetics products high street retailer L’Occatane had a prolonged closure following the outbreak of the Covid pandemic, but then announced in June 2020 it would be reopening – but at a new location.

It moved from its home in the High Street next to Waterstones to Princesshay where it remains today.

The unit in the High Street remains empty.

Las Iguanas

Las Iguanas in Queen Street, Exeter (Image: Devon Live)

In August 2020, it was confirmed that Exeter’s Las Iguanas would not reopen following a takeover of the company.

Casual Dining Group was taken over by The Big Table who have acquired the Las Iguanas, Bella Italia and Café Rouge brands.

It had already previously been announced Exeter’s Café Rouge will remain permanently closed.

However, the good news is that finally, a new lease of life is due to be injected into the premises. Last November, a notice on its window revealed the venue in Queen Street is set to be transformed into a Revolution bar.

Inventive Service Company Limited has applied to Exeter City Council for a licence to serve alcohol and play live and recorded music between 10am and 2am daily.

It is also applying to provide late night refreshment between 11pm and 2am daily with the premises looking to operate from 8am until 2.30am Monday to Sunday.

The Real Food Store

The Real Food Store by Exeter Central Station (Image: Devon Live)

The community-owned food store beside Exeter Central station announced it would be closing at the end of September after “weathering a few storms” in the 10 years since opening.

The Real Food Store competed with the big food chains to bring local produce into the city. But after having to move from its successful base in Paris Street, its finances were knocked sideways by Covid.

The store was evicted from Paris Street in 2018 to make way for the Exeter city centre bus station redevelopment.

Announcing closure, the store’s board said: “We are proud of our record in bringing local produce to the city centre providing you with an alternative to the national chains. But pride is not enough to sustain our business through the unprecedented challenges and changes we have faced over the past 18 months.”

Cafe Rouge

Cafe Rouge in Princesshay (Image: Devon Live)

After much speculation, in July 2020 it was finally confirmed that Cafe Rouge in Princesshay would never reopen after a prolonged closure.

High Street dining parent company Casual Dining Group plunged into administration with the loss of 1,909 jobs.

The restaurant was renowned for selling delicious French-inspired cuisine.

The Cove

The Cove in Princesshay (Image: Devon Live)

Tucked away at the bottom of Bedford Street, The Cove launched in 2010.

Since then it has diversified to offer a wide range of facial treatments, waxing (including permanent hair removal) alongside the classical treatments such as manicures.

It moved out of Princesshay into neighbouring Banrfiled Crescent and the shop remains vacant.

JD Sports

JD Sports in Princesshay (Image: Devon Live)

In June 2019, it was announced the national sportswear chain would be moving from Princesshay to take on units formerly occupied by Burton Menswear and Evans on the High Street.

It meant the branch of JD Sports in Princesshay, which replaced USC at the shopping centre in 2009, closed and it has remained empty ever since.

A spokesperson for JD Sports said at the time: “We are moving to larger premises which will let us present a fuller range of our products in the store.

“We have not got a confirmed date for the move and reopening, however, we anticipate it will be the first half of 2020.”

Debenhams

Debenhams in Princesshay (Image: Devon Live)

In January 2021, online fashion retailer Boohoo confirmed it had bought the Debenhams brand for £55 million and would relaunch the department store as an online-only operation.

Bosses said the deal, worth £55million, would not include saving Debenhams’ stores which would close for good as part of a structured winding down of the business.

The large Exeter department store in Princesshay reopened for a closing down sale – but then closed its doors for good.

Topshop/ Topman/ Selfridges

Topsham/ Topman/ Selfridges in Princesshay (Image: Devon Live)

Topshop was among those who did not reopen following the coronavirus lockdown, despite droves of hopeful customers peering through its windows for a flicker of life.

In February 2021, Asos confirmed it had sealed the takeover of Topshop and three other brands from the collapse of the Arcadia retail empire for £265 million.

The online fashion retailer bought the Topshop, Topman, Miss Selfridge and HIIT brands from administrators.

It meant Exeter’s store was among the shops that closed permanently as the brands become online only.

BrightHouse

BrightHouse in Sidwell Street (Image: Devon Live)

The rent-to-own high-street store went into administration in March 2020. The chain had stores across Devon and Cornwall, with outlets in Exeter, Torquay, Plymouth and St Austell.

It is believed to have closed after facing an influx of compensation claims for selling to people who could not afford to repay.

The firm had 200,000 customers and was the largest operator in the rent-to-own sector.

Rent-to-own customers make monthly payments for household items, in effect renting goods until they have paid in full.

The Sidwell Street site still has fencing outside the store to prevent rough sleepers from taking shelter outside the premises.

Timpson

Timpson in Sidwell Street (Image: Devon Live)

The shop which offered services from key cutting to shoe repairs closed in Sidwell Street, but customers can still go to its other location in the Guildhall Shopping Centre.

Sharps Bedrooms

Sharps Bedrooms (Image: Devon Live)

For many years a familiar sight along Sidwell Street was Sharps Bedrooms.

The nearest showroom is now believed to be Taunton. The business offers bespoke fitted wardrobes and home offices, with storage solutions tailored to customers exact needs.

Details of EDDC’s arts and culture strategy can be found here, including invitation to tender for strategy process with 18 January closing date – Owl

John Astley, local author and facilitator of Exmouth community in this week’s Exmouth Journal writes:

Readers of this column will be familiar with my pieces on art and culture. For example, ‘Problems with Art’ (June), ‘Champions of art and culture help connect communities’ (October) and ‘Art and Nature’ (November).

All of these pieces were linked to my role of Education Champion for Arts and Culture East Devon (ACED) which has made a good start in bringing together artists in the widest sense. to discuss their own practice, and crucially their role and how it is played in the everyday life of East Devon. You may know that EDDC has now taken this Arts & Culture initiative a step further by inviting responses to a call for tenders for the new East Devon Culture Strategy (go to the EDDC or Thelma Hulbert Gallery (Honiton) websites for details. The tender documents reiterate the aims. aspirations and priorities of the East Devon Culture Strategy:

I. Better homes and communities for all

2. Greener East Devon

3. A resilient economy

The documents, with quotes from Councillor Nick Hookway EDDC portfolio holder for tourism, sport. leisure and culture. emphasise the social and economic value of the arts and heritage industries to East Devon. This whole initiative raises many key questions about the nature of arts and culture, or perhaps that should be culture and the arts, in East Devon. There are some institutional arts and culture agents already established in that locality. but there are also a very large and diverse number of artists of many practices across our communities. Many of these individuals, and small scale organisations, are actively engaged in creating and promoting the arts within our communities. The diversity of artists who are currently members of the ACED network is impressive, and they bring a great deal to this new cultural strategy They are also looking forward to the successful implementation of the Arts & Culture strategy to help them to continue. and develop as practising artists.

At our most recent Network Forum meeting a good deal was said about the Creative Industries, which is a term that covers a range of economic activities which are concerned with the generation and exploitation of knowledge. information. and artistic endeavour across a wide spectrum. This approach reflects the idea that human creativity is the ultimate economic resource, on a personal and social scale. This seems to be at the heart of the EDDC strategy.

However. we also need to consider the idea of the Culture Industries: a more focussed generalisation of the way artists work within a range of everyday conditions that affect their practice. Are with talking about the solo painter or illustrator, the musician, the filmmaker, the dancer or singer, local galleries, the cinema, the local theatre groups and so on? They are all economically active, it is their labour and livelihood; but it is also their vocation, the way in which their aesthetic values drive them to do what they do.

So, the motives of those engaged with art and culture are inevitably diverse, with some practitioners and organisations being much more profit-driven than others. Many artists in East Devon have created a CIC or Social Enterprise. through which to do their work in a not-for-profit manner. Many artists are very wary of the manner in which the profit motive often trumps aesthetic values. The idea of Culture is also central to this arts and culture strategy because I would argue that ‘culture is ordinary’: it is the lived culture of a particular time and place, our everyday lives which includes our creative and artistic labour ‘Our’ culture also has a history to it, and usually with most artists. ideas about what a future social life should be like, could be like, given more leadership and encouragement. More opportunities. support and access to resources, and less bureaucracy!

So, all of these issues, ideas and arguments about aims, motives and the like, will need to be discussed, and decisions made in the most democratic way possible. Don’t be left out of this discussion!

Dominic Cummings’ claim of another rule-breaking No10 party to be investigated

ITV News www.itv.com 

Fresh allegations made by Dominic Cummings of another rule-breaking Downing Street party will be investigated as part of the ongoing Whitehall investigation into claims of other such events.In a blog on Friday, Mr Cummings alleged a party took place in May 2020, around a week after the outdoor drinks gathering the Guardian pictured last year.

Boris Johnson‘s former top aide said an email was sent out inviting people to a “socially distanced drinks” event which he warned could break Covid regulations.

But the event “definitely happened” despite his protests, the former political adviser said, after he went home for the day.

ITV News Political Editor Robert Peston said it had been confirmed to him Sue Gray, the top civil servant appointed to investigate several parties allegedly held on Downing Street during the pandemic, will expand her investigation to cover Mr Cummings’ latest claims.

Mr Cummings said in a lengthy blog there would be an email chain linked to a senior government official Ms Gray could track down.

The government has previously denied that rules were broken on Downing Street during the pandemic.

It is also understood that the garden gathering reported by the Guardian which is said to have taken place five days before the event mentioned by Mr Cummings in his blog, will also be covered by Ms Gray’s inquiry.

Mr Cummings also claimed there was a party in the Number 11 flat shared by the PM and his wife Carrie on the evening he left Downing Street for good on November 13, 2020.

“Staff in the press office said they could hear the music playing loudly in the press office below (the press office is directly below the flat),” he said.

He added: “Officials I spoke to in 2021 said to me and others that there were various parties after I left and the PM was aware of them. I have also been told there are other photos of other parties against the rules in 2021, some picturing the PM.”

Claims by Mr Cummings add to at least 10 allegations of Covid-rule-breaking carried out by members of the Tory party during the coronavirus pandemic.

Despite the government’s denial that rules were broken on Downing Street during the pandemic, a leaked video released by ITV News showed Number 10 staff laughing about attending a Christmas party in 2020.

The video sparked swathes of new allegations and a number of resignations.

But Mr Cummings has insisted a gathering in the Downing Street garden where staff were pictured with cheese and wine during the first lockdown did not break rules and was not a party.

Mr Cummings himself can be seen in the image.

The former No 10 adviser said: “It is alleged by many that this shows ‘a party’, ‘rule breaking’ and so on. This is wrong.”

Following meetings that day, he said: “Someone brought a bottle of wine out to the table. It may have been Martin (Reynolds, who is Boris Johnson’s principal private secretary) but I think it was the PM himself who went inside as I was packing stuff up and brought out wine.

“We carried on chatting about Covid, about domestic priorities, and about how to sort out the Cabinet Office which had totally collapsed. Shortly after Carrie joined us.”

Mr Cummings said that No 10 staff were “encouraged” to meet in the garden between April and August because it was “safer” during the pandemic.

When asked about the image last month, the prime minister also said the image showed people working.

“Those were people at work talking about work,” Mr Johnson said.

“Those were meetings of people at work talking about work. This is where I live, it is where I work. Those were meetings of people at work, talking about work,” he added.

A Downing Street spokesperson also claimed the gathering was a work meeting and that Mr Johnson went back to his flat at 7pm.

Back in December, the prime minister’s spokesperson said: “In the summer months, Downing Street staff regularly use the garden for some meetings.

“On 15 May 2020, the prime minister held a series of meetings throughout the afternoon, including briefly with the then health and care secretary and his team in the garden following a press conference.

“The prime minister went to his residence shortly after 7pm. A small number of staff required to be in work remained in the Downing Street garden for part of the afternoon and evening.”

To put this grim milestone in perspective; these deaths number more than the entire population of East Devon (148,000 in 2020) – Owl

Miranda Bryant www.theguardian.com 

More than 150,000 people have died in the UK from coronavirus since the start of the pandemic, according to government figures.

Britain on Saturday became the seventh country to pass the milestone after the US, Brazil, India, Russia, Mexico and Peru.

It comes after an additional 313 deaths were recorded, bringing the pandemic total to 150,057 people who have died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid.

However, separate figures published by the Office for National Statistics show there have been 174,000 deaths registered in the UK where coronavirus was mentioned on the death certificate.

In the past seven days, 1,271 people have died, a 38% rise on the week before.

It comes as an additional 146,390 Covid cases were reported on Saturday, bringing the overall total since the start of the pandemic to 14,333,794.

In the past seven days alone, 1,227,288 people have tested positive, according to official figures, marking more than a 10% rise on the week before.

Last January, the UK became the first European country to pass 100,000 deaths.

While the latest wave of the virus, driven by the Omicron variant, has not led to deaths rising as quickly as during previous waves, hospitals are under increasing pressure as admissions and Covid-related staff absences rise.

Earlier this week, Boris Johnson insisted England can “ride out” its biggest ever Covid wave “without shutting down our country once again”. But the prime minister admitted that parts of the NHS would feel “temporarily overwhelmed”.

While England is currently under plan b restrictions, which include mandatory face masks in most public indoor spaces and advice to work from home where possible, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have introduced tougher measures, including for socialising and events.

Across the UK, 18,454 people were in hospital with coronavirus on Thursday, according to government figures, a 40% week-on-week rise and the highest number since 18 February.

Well over 100 of the Conservatives’ 361 MPs are aligned with one or more of a string of internal pressure groups. Here are the main ones:

Peter Walker www.theguardian.com

Covid Recovery Group

Led by the former chief whip Mark Harper and the former Brexit minister Steve Baker, the CRG’s size and opposition to new Covid rules is essentially the reason why England has notably fewer restrictions than other UK nations. While informal in structure, the CRG has organised and disciplined messaging, employing an external PR consultant. Support estimated at 80 to 100 MPs.

Net Zero Scrutiny Group

Set up in the lead-up to the Cop26 climate summit, its members insist they are not climate emergency sceptics but believe policies such as emissions targets and the phasing out of conventional cars have not been fully thought out and will adversely affect poorer Britons. The NZSG has 18 MPs as public supporters and claims “many” more.

Common Sense Group

Partly based around culture war issues, and what its chair, the Tory backbencher John Hayes, terms a struggle against “subversives” such as Black Lives Matter and Extinction Rebellion, its 136-page policy booklet sets out ideas on everything from immigration to the legal system and family life. Sixteen MPs contributed to the booklet.

Blue Collar Conservatism

Originally launched by Esther McVey in parallel with her brief leadership bid to succeed Theresa May, with policies including redirecting foreign aid to domestic priorities, it boasts 159 MPs as official supporters including several cabinet ministers. However, it is less active in terms of openly agitating for policy change.

Northern Research Group

Led by the former Northern Powerhouse minister Jake Berry, this is a geographical faction aimed at boosting spending and investment in the north of England, north Wales and Scottish borders. More than 50 members.

All-party group on fair fuel

Very low key, and not officially a party faction, as it has two Labour members and one from the DUP. But it is Tory-dominated, and is arguably the most financially significant pressure group anywhere in the UK. It has been central to parliamentary and media efforts to keep fuel duty frozen for 11 years and counting, a policy that has cost the Treasury somewhere north of £100bn.

European Research Group

The model for the other factions. Set up in 1993, gradually moving from being the voice of Euroscepticism to that of hardline Brexiters. Hugely influential in the Commons revolts that saw off May’s limited Brexit compromises, and then ejected her from Downing Street. Largely quiet now, in part as many members have moved on to other pressure groups.

Chair of the East Devon Alliance, Martin Shaw, writes in this week’s Exmouth Journal

I hope you’ve managed to have a good Christmas despite Covid. I’m sure we’re all hoping that 2022 will be better than 2021. and I want to pick out some signs of hope for the new year.        

But first we have to get through a very serious health crisis-without a responsible government to protect us. In the short term. the Omicron variant has up-ended much of the progress we were making towards normal lives. Its effects on people who’ve been vaccinated and/or had Covid seem to be less than previous variants on average, but because it’s far more infectious. far more people are getting ill.

The numbers being hospitalised are shooting up in London and the South West is likely to follow in the New Year. Local hospital, GP, ambulance and social care services are already under huge pressure. Omicron is adding a new wave of hospital Covid outbreaks which will take doctors and nurses out of action.

While I can’t emphasise enough that health professionals will always try to help you. and you should always call for help when you need it. we’re in a situation where you just don’t know whether the NHS will be able to respond adequately. Take extra care to avoid Covid, and indeed accidents or illness of any kind. Since the South West is behind London in this wave, we could have been saved much of Omicron’s effects if the Government had taken decisive action. Instead they’ve left it up to individuals – and largely abdicated responsibility for the workers and businesses who are financially affected. £6000 grants are better than nothing but they won’t stop many Devon businesses going under.

I suppose the good news with the fact that in 2021 most voters finally saw through Boris Johnson. In 2022. hopefully they’ll realise that Rishi Sunak, Liz Truss or any other Tory wouldn’t be much better. We’ve had eleven years of this party taking the country – and especially the South West – for granted. and enough is enough. Much fuss was rightly made of North Shropshire. where voters overthrew a bigger Tory majority than either of our MPs has. But do remember the sensible progressive politics that we have pioneered in East Devon.

Here, my East Devon Alliance colleague Paul Arnott heads an open and honest local administration. based on effective cooperation between EDA, the Liberal Democrats, Greens and Labour.

Hope can spring from small local beginnings, but it also needs to look out to the wider world.

2021 saw fine words agreed once more on climate justice we must make 2022 the year when these are turned into more radical policies.

2021 saw mass vaccination across the world – we must make 2022 the year that it is really brought to every town and village in every country We don’t know exactly where Omicron originated, but it was probably somewhere where vaccination rates are still very low.

Could next year be the year where we finally realise that none of us are safe until we all are?

2021 was the year where when we realised that Devon’s health, agriculture and university sectors – and the UK economy as a whole – are being progressively damaged by Brexit and the way it has driven away Europeans. Could 2022 be the year when we actually push the government to restore free movement and full UK access to the Single Market?

2021 was also the year when the public revolted against the cruel attitude which would condemn helpless refugees to drown in the Channel. Remember the huge surge in donations to the RNLI when they insisted they would always rescue people at risk in our waters?

In 2022. let’s press for genuine safe routes to allow people fleeing war and persecution to claim asylum in the UK without risking such dangers – and locally, support the admirable Ottery Refugee Response group. A very happy new year to you all!