Devon Doctors has lost its contract to run Devon’s troubled urgent care services six years after taking it over.

Anita Merritt www.devonlive.com

Last month it was announced that Devon’s NHS 111 and out of hours GP service had been taken out of special measures after being rated inadequate in 2020 after urgent improvements were demanded.

A new organisation has now been appointed called Practice Plus Group Urgent Care, formerly known as Care UK Health Care. In the meantime, Exeter-based Devon Doctors will continue running the service until October.

Plus Group Urgent Care currently answers 1.5million calls a year to NHS 111, and runs out of hours services, urgent treatment centres, minor injuries units, hospitals and general practices nationwide.

Its NHS 111 service in Bristol was the first to be rated outstanding by independent health and social care regulator Care Quality Commission (CQC).

It is a stark contrast to Devon’s NHS 111. In July 2020, it was inspected by the CQC after concerns were raised about the service including safety fears and insufficient staffing to meet expected demand.

They included that prior to lockdown in March 2020, up to 300 call backs were reallocated back to patients’ own in hours GPs on Monday mornings as they had not been addressed by the service over the weekend.

It resulted in considerable delays for some patients in accessing advice or treatment, with some patients having waited up to 17 hours for contact from the service.

The inspection looked specifically at Devon NHS 111 and out of hours service, and some areas of the Somerset out of hours provision.

The service was inspected again in December 2020, and was placed into special measures, as the service was rated inadequate for being effective and well-led.

The purpose of special measures is to ensure that providers found to be providing inadequate care significantly improve. It is done by proving a framework of improvement and clear timeframe for changes to be made.

A further review in May 2021 found conditions imposed by the CQC had been met with further recommendations still ongoing.

An announced comprehensive inspection was then carried out over three days at the beginning November 2021, to follow up on breaches of regulations and to determine whether the service could be taken out of special measures.

The results of the inspection were published in January and the service’s overall rating is now ‘requires improvement’.

Prior to then, a rigorous, competitive procurement process was carried out for the future running of the service. Devon Doctors was among those who put in a bid and is said to be ‘disappointed’ to have not been successful.

Devon’s Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) built in a number of conditions for bidders to enter the tender process, including experience of delivering similar services and experience of service transformation.

The contract is for five years from 1 October 2022, with room for a three-year extension.

Practice Plus Group Urgent Care will run, Devon’s NHS 111, out-of-hours GP services and ClinicalAssessment Services (CAS) in which clinicians use their expertise to respond to callers, prioritising cases and directing people to the most appropriate services.

Out-of-hours and NHS 111 services have been under pressure for the last few years, both in Devon and nationwide, particularly since the Covid-19 pandemic.

Dr Paul Johnson, clinical chair of Devon CCG, said: “We are confident that people in Devon will see real improvements in the 111 and GP out-of-hours services.

“It is critically important that patients can access these services easily and then receive timely, high-quality care according to their needs.

“The CCG would like to thank Devon Doctors for its dedication and hard work over the past years in providing the service.”

The specification for the contract was partly built on what patients using the service told the CCG they needed and what they wanted to change.

Questions to bidders were based on a range of factors including the insight provided by those using the NHS 111 and GP out-of-hours services. Patient representatives were involved in the final evaluation of the bids.

Kevin Brown, director of Integrated Urgent Care at Practice Plus Group, said: “We are delighted to have been given this responsibility to support patients and NHS services across Devon.

“We will place collaboration, partnership working and innovation at the centre of the service to ensure that urgent and out-of-hours NHS care is comprehensive, resilient and easy to access locally.

“Between now and October we will be working closely with the existing team and the current provider, with whom we already have a strong relationship, and with NHS commissioners, GPs and other local NHS services to understand how we can best meet the current and future needs of patients in all parts of the community.”

A spokesperson for Devon Doctors said: “We were disappointed to learn that our bid to continue running Devon’s integrated urgent care service has been unsuccessful.

“We will be working closely with NHS Devon CCG and the new provider to ensure a smooth transfer of services between now and October 1, 2022. In the meantime, our priority continues to be to provide the best possible service for patients in the county.”

Local people will still be able to contact 111 and use the out-of-hours doctor service by phone on 111 or online at 111.nhs.uk as normal during the transition process

Wirral Council is set to cut the number of committees it has, after being criticised for having an ‘overelaborate’ system last year.

George Morgan www.liverpoolecho.co.uk 

Two reports into the council, published last November, were highly critical and said it had avoided tough decisions, with councillors focused on “political point scoring”.

One of the reports, by Ada Burns, looked at the governance of the council and the move from a cabinet system, which gave a lot of power to just 10 councillors, to a committee system which spreads power more evenly across all 66 councillors.

One section of Ms Burns’ report read: “[The new system] has clearly improved member engagement but poses a further risk to the improvement journey because of its immaturity, its overelaborate design, and the administrative burden it’s placing on officers.

“The number of committees and requirements to ensure appropriate briefing of all the five political groups in the lead up to each meeting is posing a significant resource burden on the council.”

Any impact on the council’s resources is particularly important at the moment, as the local authority needs to agree a budget which includes £20m worth of savings on February 28.

To deal with some of the criticisms in the Ada Burns report, tonight’s meeting of Wirral Council’s Constitution and Standards Committee decided to cut the number of policy and services committees, the main decision making committees in the council, down from seven to six.

Committees for issues such as the economy, adult social care, environment and transport, tourism and leisure, and education, along with the most powerful committee, called Policy and Resources, will remain.

The main change agreed to tonight will see the responsibilities of the Housing Committee rolled into the Economy, Regeneration and Development Committee.

But Cllr Tom Anderson, who leads the Conservative group on the council, wanted to go even further and cut the number of committees to five.

He thought the administrative burden would not be shifted unless this change was made.

However, Labour’s Paul Stuart disagreed, and said there were other ways of cutting workload such as keeping committee agendas concise and not having lots of “irrelevant” reports to note.

Cllr Stuart said the number of committees could be reviewed again in the next year.

The committee voted by eight to three to reject the move to just five committees, with Labour, and the sole Liberal Democrat, Green and Independent councillors against and the Conservatives in favour.

The original proposal to move from seven to six committees was then passed.

Boris Johnson is being allowed to read evidence gathered about him by the inquiry into the No 10 parties before answering police questions, a leaked letter reveals.

www.independent.co.uk 

Sue Gray has granted permission to everyone under investigation – all Downing Street staff and the prime minister – limited access to notes taken about them by her inquiry.

The letter, seen by ITV News, says she is allowing the access “as an exceptional measure”, pointing to the “particular circumstances surrounding this set of events”.

Dated 17 February, it reads: “I appreciate that this is a worrying time for those affected by this process, which I do not wish to compound,” ITV said.

The move – revealed ahead of Friday night’s deadline for Mr Johnson to submit his legal questionnaire – means he and all those under investigation will know what information the police hold on them, before responding.

It raises questions about whether, if an individual learns there is nothing incriminating in the notes on them, he or she will volunteer any additional information to the Met.

Mr Johnson is believed to be working in Downing Street today, ahead of flying to the Munich security conference on Saturday to deliver a speech on Russia’s threat to Ukraine.

Ms Gray has set strict conditions on the access allowed, including that it must be “with a member of the investigation team present” and be “time limited”.

“You will, in line with the process for investigations of this kind and in keeping with the interview process, not be allowed to bring any legal representative with you.” ITV said she has written.

“You will not be permitted to bring phones, tablets, computers or any other recording equipment into the room with you.

“You will not be permitted to challenge, suggest changes or amendments to the notes or otherwise challenge their contents.”

Mr Johnson is still fighting for his political life and will come under huge pressure to quit if it is confirmed he attended, or knew about, any parties that broke the law.

He has hired a personal lawyer to help him draft his response to questionnaire, in which he will argue it was part of his working day when he attended as many as six different gatherings.

The prime minister is in greatest danger over the “bring your own bottle” party in the No 10 garden, in May 2020, which he has admitted attending – while claiming he did not realise it was a party.

He has also not denied attending the “Abba party” in his flat in November 2020 – to celebrate the departure of Dominic Cummings – and appears to be preparing to argue he was working while it went on.

Last month, Ms Gray passed her evidence – including around 300 photographs – to the Met, which launched a separate investigation that has delayed the publication of her report.

Questionnaires have been sent to around 80 people under investigation, who may be issued with fixed penalty notices if they have broken Covid rules.

Staff will not be allowed to view any information Ms Gray gathered on anyone except themselves.

A3052 closed at Four Elms Hill nr Newton Poppleford for dangerous tree. Please seek alternative route and expect delays JS @DevonCC @BBCTravelSW @StagecoachSW

“Reds under the Bed” was the phrase commonly used by the right wing to question, during the cold war, the allegiance of those on the left or even the centre.

“Is he one of us?” became a stock Thatcher question, asked of impartial civil servants and even would-be bishops.

It is quite a turn-around then, to find that those who used the phrase so freely on others have recently been all too eager to jump into the same bed as these bogeys, with serious consequences to national security! 

Here, by way of illustration, is the latest news on the “Laundromat” from Wednesday’s London Playbook:

Laundromat latest: Labour leader Keir Starmer has called for the Conservative Party to hand back millions of pounds of donations from Russian sources. Speaking on Tuesday night, he said: “Labour stands united with the government and our allies in the attempts to deal with the threat of Russian aggression. But alongside action abroad, there must finally be proper action to tackle corruption at home. For a decade, the Tories have not just failed to challenge Russian influence — they have enabled it. As a result, the U.K. is seen as a laundromat for kleptocrats’ dirty money, our institutions have been damaged and an entire cottage industry has grown up dedicated to lobbying for and protecting those close to the Kremlin. If Boris Johnson is now serious about tackling Russian dirty money and influence, he should immediately get his own house in order. That means returning the millions of pounds of Russian-linked cash that has been donated to the Tories and their MPs since he became prime minister, and reversing his plans to allow unlimited donations from abroad.”

Good luck with that … Former Conservative Minister Edward Faulks tells the Guardian’s Patrick Wintour that during Theresa May’s premiership, No. 10 “leant on him” to drop amendments in the Lords aimed at cracking down on money-laundering and “dirty money” in London.

“Is he one of us?“, might be a question to ask of Boris Johnson. – Owl

“Humble Address”

A new attempt will be launched next week to force publication of the full report into whether No 10 parties broke Covid laws, with Conservative MPs urged to support the move to ensure there are “no more cover-ups and no more lies”.

Aubrey Allegretti www.theguardian.com 

While more questionnaires were sent out by Scotland Yard to those who attended a dozen gatherings under investigation, a “humble address” motion was tabled in the House of Commons by the Liberal Democrats.

If passed, ministers would be forced to release a specific set of documents within two days of the Met concluding its investigation. A date has yet to be set for the vote, but could come on the next opposition day allocated to the Lib Dems.

It also emerged on Wednesday that the former major Tory donor John Armitage is now funding some staffing costs for the Labour frontbencher Wes Streeting, in an escalation of his opposition to Boris Johnson.

Armitage, who revealed last week he had lost confidence in Johnson after giving £3m to the Conservatives, has donated £15,000 to the running of Streeting’s office. He previously donated £12,500 to Labour in March last year and £60,000 to the former MP Frank Field in 2016 and 2017. He also donated £65,000 to the remain campaign.

The papers being demanded include an unredacted version of Sue Gray’s report, all accompanying evidence collected by the Cabinet Office, and a list of Downing Street staff issued with a fixed penalty notice.

The move will reignite pressure on the government over the Partygate scandal, which has resulted in calls from some Tory MPs for Boris Johnson to resign.

Despite the prime minister having attended some of the events under scrutiny, including a “bring your own booze” garden party organised by one of his most senior former civil service advisers, he has continued to deny any wrongdoing and has avoided a no-confidence vote.

There are concerns that some details may never be known, after a leaked Whitehall memo to those investigated by Gray said the Met “will not make public the details of their investigation and therefore your line manager will not be notified”.

The Lib Dem’s humble address motion was tabled and backed by all 13 of the party’s MPs. Ed Davey, the party leader, said Johnson “can’t be trusted to admit whether he or any other Conservative ministers end up being fined by the police”, and “we’ve seen time and again that his instinct is to lie, blame others or cover up the truth”.

He added: “MPs from across all parties need to come together and force Boris Johnson to come clean. The public deserves to know whether our prime minister has broken the law, and for the full Sue Gray report, including any photos, to be published.

“If Johnson is found to have broken the law, he must fess up and resign. No more cover-ups, no more lies.”

Labour’s next opposition day is on 23 February, meaning that if the Met investigation has concluded by that point, Keir Starmer could table his own humble address motion to force the publication of documents related to the Gray inquiry.

Angela Rayner, Labour’s deputy leader, has meanwhile written to the Cabinet Office minister Steve Barclay and the cabinet secretary, Simon Case, demanding a reassurance that Johnson and his staff have not been receiving any taxpayer-funded legal advice.

Downing Street also admitted this week that no minutes were taken at the garden party attended by Johnson on 20 May 2020 that he said he thought had been a “work event”.

A freedom of information request that asked for a record of discussions yielded no response, with No 10 pointing to government rules that say minutes do not need to be kept for some events, including those that are “purely informal or of a social nature”.

Johnson has refused to say whether he would step down if fined by the police for breaking Covid laws but his spokesperson has suggested Downing Street will reveal if the prime minister does get a fixed penalty notice.

This article was amended on 17 February 2022. Due to an editing error, an early version referred to Frank Field as the “the late” former MP. We apologise for this.

“Johnson worst PM ‘by a country mile’ 

“A narcissist, ritually dishonest, having a nodding acquaintance with the truth at best on a leap year, responsible for a catalogue of failures, the most………

‘Never has a prime minister wielded so much power’ and made ‘so little effective use of it’, claims John Bercow, former Speaker of the House of Commons.

Use this link to watch Sky News video.

East Devon residents have been warned to stay away from seafronts with winds of up to 100mph expected when Storm Eunice blows in on Friday, February 18. [Plus advice on recycling]

eastdevonnews.co.uk 

A number of schools across the district and in Exeter have also announced they will shut for the day due to the conditions.

They currently include Exmouth Community College and St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in the town, along with primary schools in Sidmouth, Ottery St Mary, Honiton, and Axminster. A full list can be found here.

The South West is set to be battered by gale-force gusts – the worst of them happening between 3am and 9pm.

Met Office chiefs have escalated a wind warning for the area to Amber.

A Red warning has been issued for northern Devon and its coastline.

Flood gates have been closed as a precautionary measure in Exmouth at Morton Crescent, Mamhead Slipway and by the Clock Tower.

East Devon District Council has today issued the following advice:

What to expect

There is a good chance that flying debris could result in a danger to life. It is likely there will be falling branches and some uprooted trees.

People are being advised to stay away from coastal paths and coastal areas where there will be large waves and beach debris is likely to be thrown onto sea fronts, coastal roads and properties.

There is a good chance that power cuts, which could occur and possibly affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage.

Roads, bridges and railway lines are likely to close, with delays and cancellations to public transport.

The Met Office says that Eunice may cause ‘significant disruption’ on the county’s roads, and that there is a good chance that flying debris could result in ‘a danger to life.’

Recycling

Devon’s recycling centres will likely be closed tomorrow (Friday, February 17).

Recycling crews have asked residents to ensure their recycling bins have their lids on, are weighed down so they cannot blow away and are tucked against walls and fences where possible. Residents have also been asked to wait until 7am to put them at the kerbside.

Travel

Devon County Council (DCC) is advising people to only travel if absolutely necessary. Wind speeds are being constantly monitored, so please check before you travel. If you must travel please plan your journey and leave extra time.

Teams of tree surgeons will also be on stand-by to clear any fallen trees on the county’s roads.

Councillor Stuart Hughes, DCC cabinet member for highway management, said: “The Met Office has increased its alert level and Storm Eunice will make travelling conditions quite perilous for much of Friday morning and we are advising if you can avoid travelling, please do so.

“The forecast of such strong winds may well lead to fallen trees or branches, and other debris.

“If you must travel, please take extra care, particularly when its dark when it’s more difficult to see debris on the road.

“To prepare for this, extra people are being drafted to staff our Network Operations Control Centre and highways teams and tree surgeons will be on standby.

“If possible, postpone your journey until conditions improve and if you do have to travel, slow down, allow extra time for your journey and drive according to the conditions. Keep an eye on travel updates and weather forecasts and please plan your journey.”

DCC is reminding people of the following advice:

• Avoid overnight travel unless absolutely essential as roads will always be more hazardous at night with poorer visibility;
• Be alert to fallen trees and branches, particularly on minor roads where they may not have been reported;
• Consider if your journey is essential and be alert to weather warnings;
• Never drive through floodwater or swollen flowing water, you don’t know how deep it is. Find an alternative route;
• Allow additional time for your journey;
• Reduce your speed and leave more space between you and the vehicle in front and leave plenty of room if you’re overtaking;
• Drive with care and according to the conditions.

Torbay Council has brought in emergency measures as the resort prepares for gale force winds gusting up to 80mph in the resort.

Colleen Smith www.devonlive.com

The Met Office has issued an amber weather warning and Storm Eunice is forecast to hit the coastal resort from 3am tomorrow (February 18), with a rare Red weather warning issued for North Devon.

The council is closing some harbouside piers and docks and warning people to stay away from seafront areas where debris is likely to cause “significant injury”.

For the first time this winter, the council is activating its Severe Weather Emergency Protocol, guaranteeing overnight accommodation for the homeless for two nights from tonight (Thursday, February 17).

Members of the public who have concerns for people sleeping rough can report their location via Streetlink.

Cllr Steve Darling, leader of Torbay Council, said: “The welfare and safety of all residents is a priority of ours, particularly during periods of extreme weather.

“By activating our Severe Weather Emergency Protocol today, we are guaranteeing overnight accommodation for anyone who is street homeless.”

Cllr Darren Cowell, deputy leader of Torbay Council, added: “I’d like to strongly urge residents to stay away from coastal areas, particularly at times of high tide.

“Large waves are incredibly dangerous and bring with them a lot of debris.

“Our emergency services are likely to be dealing with a variety of emergencies so we need to do all we can to keep ourselves safe.”

A spokesman for the council said: “We’re advising people to take note of the warning, think before they travel and to stay away from coastal areas.

“Our Emergency Planning Team are liaising with council teams and emergency agencies to ensure arrangements are in place to be able to respond to damage and/or disruption caused by the strong winds.

“Gale force winds caused by Storm Eunice are expected to be their strongest in coastal areas between 3am and 9pm on Friday, with gusts of up to 80mph possible. Strong winds are also expected to continue over the weekend.

“Large waves are likely along the seafronts with residents urged not to head out and take photographs as beach debris is likely to be thrown which can cause significant injury.

“Tor Bay Harbour Authority have also made a number of preparations to ensure the safety of the public, this includes closing some piers and docks.

The Covid-19 vaccine clinic at St Boniface Church in Paignton on Friday 18 February has been cancelled but testing sites are due to operate as normal.

Exmouth’s new tidal defence scheme is being brought into partial operation as Storm Eunice threatens to send huge waves crashing over the seafront. 

Philippa Davies www.exmouthjournal.co.uk 

East Devon District Council is closing all the Morton Crescent flood gates, along with Mamhead Slipway and the gate by the clock tower. 

The improved road drainage should mean the other road gates will not need to be closed, but the council is urging everyone to keep away from the seafront during the storm. 

The £13 million tidal defence scheme is designed to reduce the risk of tidal flooding to more than 1,400 residential and 400 commercial properties. 

It includes 27 new flood gates, which are usually kept open, but can be closed in minutes when flooding is imminent, creating a barrier to protect the town. 

Storm Eunice: ‘extremely strong winds’ to peak on Friday and continue over weekend

www.devon.gov.uk

Devon County Council is advising people to only travel if absolutely necessary with ‘extremely strong winds’ expected over the next few days and reaching a peak on Friday morning.

The Met Office has escalated its Yellow Wind Warning for the region , issued on Tuesday, to Amber. And now a Red warning has been issued for northern Devon and it’s coastline. The warning will revert back to ‘yellow’ for the duration of Saturday afternoon.

The south west is expected to be battered by gale force winds caused by Storm Eunice – they will be at their strongest in coastal areas between 7am to 12pm on Friday morning, with gusts of 90-100mph possible.

There is an increasing likelihood of widespread inland wind gusts of 60-70 mph and up to 80 mph in a few places. Strong winds are also expected to continue over the weekend.

The Met Office says that Eunice may cause ‘significant disruption’ on the county’s roads, and that there is a good chance that flying debris could result in ‘a danger to life.’

The high winds will also affect some other services and all of Devon’s recycling centres will be closed tomorrow (Friday, February 18).

Schools will also be affected – Devon County Council is supporting any school that decides it needs to close. A list of school closures can be found on Schools Information webpage.

Meanwhile, the County Council’s school transport service will be operating if it is safe to do so.  Parents and carers are asked to visit the school transport route closure website, to check if their child’s routes have been closed due to safety concerns.

If students use public transport to get to school we also recommend that they check with the operator to determine if services will be disrupted.

Additionally mobile libraries and the Public Health mobile coronavirus testing and vaccination vans will not be running on Friday.

Damage to buildings and homes is likely, with roofs blown off and power lines brought down. Roads, bridges and railway lines are likely to close, with delays and cancellations to bus, train, ferry services and flights.

The high winds are likely to result in the temporary closure of Taw Bridge, Barnstaple. Other bridges may also be affected. Wind speeds are being constantly monitored, so please check before you travel. If you must travel during a bridge closure please plan your journey, find a safer alternative route, and leave extra time.

And on the coast, flooding and large waves are likely. During these times people are advised to stay away from coastal paths and coastal areas as beach debris is likely to be thrown onto sea fronts, coastal roads and properties.

In preparation extra staff are being drafted into Devon County Council’s Network Operations Control Centre and extra highways teams will be ready to respond. Teams of tree-surgeons will also be on stand-by to clear any fallen trees on the county’s roads.

Councillor Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Highway Management, said:

“The Met Office has increased its alert level and Storm Eunice will make travelling conditions quite perilous for much of Friday morning and we are advising if you can avoid travelling, please do so.

“The forecast of such strong winds may well lead to fallen trees or branches, and other debris. If you must travel, please take extra care, particularly when its dark when its more difficult to see debris on the road.

“To prepare for this, extra people are being drafted to staff our Network Operations Control Centre and highways teams and tree surgeons will be on standby.

“If possible, postpone your journey until conditions improve and if you do have to travel, slow down, allow extra time for your journey and drive according to the conditions. Keep an eye on travel updates and weather forecasts and please plan your journey.”

Devon County Council is reminding people of the following advice:

• Avoid overnight travel unless absolutely essential as roads will always be more hazardous at night with poorer visibility;

• Be alert to fallen trees and branches, particularly on minor roads where they may not have been reported;

• Consider if your journey is essential and be alert to weather warnings;

• Never drive through floodwater or swollen flowing water, you don’t know how deep it is. Find an alternative route;

• Allow additional time for your journey;

• Reduce your speed and leave more space between you and the vehicle in front and leave plenty of room if you’re overtaking;

• Drive with care and according to the conditions.

For more information and winter travel advice visit the County Council’s winter travel webpages or for updates on Twitter follow @DevonAlert

A Mid Devon council meeting has been compared to Joseph Stalin’s dictatorship of the Soviet Union.

Chairperson “followed Politburo’s playbook”

Ollie Heptinstall, local democracy reporter www.radioexe.co.uk 

Autocrat Bob Deed (left) is accused of following Joseph Stalin’s playbook

The surprising claim was made after a group of councillors complained about the running of the district council’s cabinet meeting on Tuesday 1 February, which contained a packed agenda of over 20 items, including the new budget.

The group submitted a motion to the authority’s scrutiny committee held this week, claiming the agenda was too long and that several items “could and should have been placed on the agenda of another meeting.”

“This gave very little time for discussion and questioning of important items of business, especially by non-cabinet members,” wrote Councillors Graeme Barnell, Simon Clist, Elizabeth Lloyd and Ashley Wilce.

The motion claimed some questions were not answered and that the meeting was chaired by council leader Bob Deed (New Independent, Cadbury) in a way “that was perceived to be extremely disrespectful towards non-cabinet members, bordering on hostile and autocratic.”

“With one notable exception, non-cabinet members felt as though they were routinely and aggressively interrupted by the chair and prevented from making valid points or from entering into any discussion about key items,” it added.

During the debate on the motion, Cllr Barnell (Lib Dem, Newbrooke) said the management of the meeting “seemed to follow the Joseph Stalin playbook of Politburo management,” a reference to the former Soviet dictator and his all-powerful executive committee.

This was evidenced in how the agenda was “unmanageably long,” Cllr Barnell said, as well as by allowing “cabinet members to expand at length about the wisdom of their proposals, thereby limiting the time available for anybody else to suggest alternatives.”

He also suggested it was chaired in a way that tried to prevent questions being asked and non-cabinet members who had managed to “ask a question or, god forbid, express a point of view” were interrupted.

“This is a clear mismanagement of decision-making and is fundamentally wrong. It is completely out of step with the Nolan principles and with the council’s own principles of good decision-making,” Cllr Barnell claimed.

He added that it “brings the council into disrepute and corrodes trust and confidence in the executive.”

He asked the cabinet to review the management of the meeting and requested better collaboration with non-cabinet members.

Another of the motion’s signatories, Cllr Wilce (Ungrouped, Cullompton North) said: “I have to say from listening to that meeting, I was appalled by the way that it was conducted and I can only think that any member of the public that listened to it would feel the same way.”

He and Cllr Clist (Lib Dem, Upper Culm) both claimed their pre-submitted questions were not answered during the meeting. Cllr Wilce called it “totally wrong” not to discuss his, and “an abuse” of the chairman’s discretion.

In response, Cllr Deed defended his handling of events.

“As has been acknowledged, there was a very long agenda,” he said.  “I did take the view that in order that the meeting only took as long as it needed to take, I didn’t think it would be appropriate to allow any members to speak in a way that perhaps took us slightly away from the agenda.”

As a result, Cllr Deed said he decided to “only allow members to ask questions,” adding he was “perfectly entitled to do that” due to being in charge of the meeting and that, by definition, a chair is autocratic.

“Yes, there were three members where I did try to stop them talking and it took a while. There were two members who wanted to argue with me.

“Well, that was sad because there seems to be a lack of understanding that a chair is a chair, and one therefore needs to abide by the time-honoured rules.”

He added: “I wasn’t trying to be offensive to anybody. I wasn’t trying to cut down any subsequent discussion, but I though it appropriate to ask that only questions be asked. If it has offended people because they didn’t understand the process or the role of the chair, I’m sorry.”

Cllr Deed concluded: “Everybody knows that I did not take that stance in any previous meeting while I’ve been on this council. It was because of the very heavy workload on that particular meeting that I took the attitude that I did.”

The deputy leader, Councillor Bob Evans (Conservative, Lower Culm), said it was “a little bit unbecoming” and “an insult” to be associated with Joseph Stalin – “a dictator who was responsible for the deaths of millions of citizens.”

“We can all have an opinion, and we call all think what’s right and what’s wrong, and what could have been done a little bit better … however to come out with a pre-conceived, pre-written, pre-notified comment such as that I think is slightly wrong.”

He suggested the remark be withdrawn and reminded councillors that they operate under an agreed constitution and cabinet system, but Cllr Barnell said he made the Stalin reference in relation to his style of meetings, not “to compare character or dictatorial tendencies.”

Councillor Barry Warren (Lower Culm), chairman of the scrutiny committee said Cllr Deed was “faced with a very, very heavy agenda” and suggested future such meetings could be split into two.

The committee agreed to note the motion and for other groups of the council to review the issues raised.

If the “gatherings” that Boris Johnson “dropped in on” were just “part of his normal working life” and business, for him, continued as usual afterwards; are we meant to assume that this was also common, and acceptable, behaviour amongst senior staff  during lockdown restriction in, for example, our NHS hospitals? Are knees ups, boozy leaving dos and quizzes in between a spot of intensive care, a necessary part of the working day?

It was the government, led by none other than Boris Johnson, who devised and imposed the restrictions on the rest of us. Are they now taking us for fools? – Owl

Elsewhere it has been reported that the number of people contacted by the police is now nearer 90 than 50.

www.independent.co.uk 

Boris Johnson insists he can’t “say anything” about his defence in the Partygate scandal while the police investigate him – but, behind the scenes, his aides are singing like canaries.

As the clock ticks down to what looks like an inevitable fixed penalty notice – and enormous pressure for the prime minister to resign – we are being given a fascinating insight into the fightback to come.

Friendly newspapers are being briefed about what are either, depending on your point of view, the clever arguments his lawyers will employ – or their increasingly desperate excuses.

The motive is clear: this is a softening up exercise to try to shift public opinion about what was acceptable behaviour for Mr Johnson, during the lockdowns he imposed, with a none-too-subtle threat to the police tossed in.

So, it has been briefed that Mr Johnson will acknowledge he attended up to 6 rule-busting gatherings the Met is investigating, but will argue they were “part of his working life”.

“For each event, the prime minister will use details in his diary and call logs to highlight that he was present only briefly and that he continued with other work-related events afterwards,” The Times was told.

This defence will apparently cover not just staff leaving parties, but even the ‘ABBA party’ his fiancée Carrie and her mates reportedly held in his own flat, to celebrate Dominic Cummings’ demise.

The sound of ‘The Winner Takes It All’ is said to have boomed through the building, but Mr Johnson – who has, publicly, refused to say if he was in his flat – will tell the police he was there but “working”, we learn.

Most extraordinary is a briefing that his lawyer will argue that – even if he attended illegal parties – he broke no rules if he went back to work immediately afterwards and did not drink excessively.

If Mr Johnson can “prove that he didn’t get drunk and incapacitated” and “has proof” that he then resumed his tasks, there “is a chance” he can mount an effective defence, ITV’s Robert Peston was told.

Meanwhile, slavishly loyal Tory MPs are sent out to argue a fine for breaking Covid rules is no more serious than a speeding ticket, or parking on a red line.

To understand what a seismic shift this is, we need to remember both what Mr Johnson originally told parliament and what broke the rules he brought in.

As a former Tory attorney-general has reminded us, MPs were told there were no parties and that no rules were reached – so, not only the goalposts, but the entire pitch is being uprooted by No 10.

And, as lawyers have repeatedly pointed out, no such thing as a “work event” existed in the lockdown laws. What matters is whether gatherings were “reasonably necessary for work”.

It is clearly hard to argue an event was necessary for work when those attending have been told to “bring your own booze” or ABBA songs are blasting out – so that effort needs to start now.

It is called “rolling the pitch” – preparing people for a message that will otherwise fall on stony ground – and there are still several weeks ahead for more of it.

Tories ‘gobsmacked’ as Lib Dems and Labour join forces in city budget meeting

www.portsmouth.co.uk 

The deal, which was only finalised hours before the start of Tuesday’s meeting, will see a new family support worker employed, grants for voluntary groups – including Portsmouth Pride – and funding for two benefits advisors kept.

Council leader Gerald Vernon-Jackson said the agreement showed ‘a willingness to work together’ with other political groups in a council in no overall control.

‘We offered every group on this council a chance to work with us to put together a budget that works for the people of this city,’ he said. ‘Unfortunately the Conservatives didn’t take up that offer but what we have reached is a good budget.’

Labour had hoped to secure £1.6m to roll-out the living wage to all council-contracted carers in the city.

Group deputy leader Cal Corkery said they had played a ‘fundamental’ role in the pandemic and deserved the pay increase, accusing the Lib Dems of not prioritising the issue.

‘The Living Wage would represent an increase of over £1,200-a-year for the lowest paid social care workers in Portsmouth, at a time when we are enduring a cost of living crisis.’

But Cllr Vernon-Jackson said this would have put the future of plans for a new fire station and health centre in Cosham at risk. He said he ‘hoped’ to secure funding for it next year.

A budget amendment was also put forward by the Conservatives in a bid to keep funding for two school crossing patrol positions, to fund two new community safety wardens, grants for voluntary organisations.

It also would have scrapped controversial plans to charge a 10 per cent commission on the sale of mobile homes at Henderson Road and Cliffdale Gardens.

The tax was first introduced by the council in 2007 before being scrapped two years later in the face of widespread public pressure and 116 affected people repaid.

Former Conservative group leader Matt Atkins described the charge as ‘absolutely egregious’.

‘They want to charge the owners of homes there – the people who have fought the hardest for their little slice of England – 10 per cent of the value of their home,’ he said. ‘That is absolutely disgraceful.

‘You are taking money from the least well-off in the city to use it for your vanity schemes.’

The joint Labour-Lib Dem budget amendment was proposed half way through the meeting, a move which prompted consternation from the Conservatives.

‘I’m gobsmacked that they have done this,’ Conservative leader Simon Bosher said. ‘They have created absolute anarchy by playing fast and loose with the standing orders.’

However, the council’s solicitor said amendments did not need to be proposed at the start of the debate.

The joint amendment was passed with the support of all Lib Dem, Labour, Progressive Portsmouth People and independent councillors.

Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Vernon-Jackson said the agreed budget was ‘ambitious’, ‘strategic’ and followed a ‘financially-prudent model’.

‘Most of the budget was agreed cross-party,’ he said. ‘The debate was about the details of the last two per cent, which are still important but showed we are willing to work together for the benefit of the residents of this city.’

Devon misses out in 2022

The Tour of Britain will not return to Devon this year, but the county council hopes it will host stages again in the future.

Ollie Heptinstall, local democracy reporter www.radioexe.co.uk

Last week the locations for this year’s tour were announced, with Devon missing out on hosting in 2022, despite the success of last September’s event.

Set to a backdrop of glorious sunshine beamed to TV viewers across the world, over a hundred riders raced from Sherford near Plymouth to a packed Queen Street in Exeter, via a circuitous route including Dartmouth and Dartmoor.

The 115-mile course looped around the South Hams and Dartmoor, passing communities including Totnes, Dartmouth, Kingsbridge, Ivybridge, Yelverton, Tavistock, Princetown and Moretonhampstead on the way.

Organisers said it attracted the biggest crowd of the 2021 race and brought in an estimated £4.2 million for the local economy. More than £41 million is estimated to have been earned in Devon by the Tour of Britain’s 13 visits since 2007.

However, Dorset has instead been selected as a south west host for the first time.

A Devon County Council spokesperson said: “Historically the race has rarely been routed through the same part of the country on consecutive years and we wait to see which parts of the country the tour has in mind for future races.

“Devon has hosted or co-hosted the tour 13 times and it has always proved an extremely popular event. We would welcome the opportunity to be able to host either the men or women’s tour again in the future.”

Responding on Twitter to the news, Councillor Stuart Hughes (Conservative, Sidmouth), the county council’s highways and cycling chief, said it won’t be in Devon this year because the Tour is “getting so popular everyone wants a stage,” adding he hoped it would return in 2023.

The bus recovery grant, introduced last year to help operators cope with the drop-off in passenger numbers through the pandemic, is due to end in April. The govermnent is yet to announce whether more money will be forthcoming.

Ollie Heptinstall, local democracy reporter www.radioexe.co.uk 

Last month the boss of Stagecoach South West said passenger numbers were still down by around 30 per cent on pre-pandemic levels. Some services have  been reduced therefore, and there are concerns more cuts will be needed without additional cash.

In a written question to a meeting of Devon County Council’s cabinet last week, councillor Rob Hannaford (Labour, Exwick & St Thomas), warned bus operators were facing a “funding cliff edge amid more cuts to vital routes.”

He asked transport cabinet member Andrea Davis (Conservative, Combe Martin Rural) what work is being done to assess the impact of bus service changes.

Her written response stated: “Officers from our transport coordination service are working with our local bus companies on the possible impacts of the emergency covid funding coming to an end and what this may mean for commercial and Devon County Council supported local bus services.

“With the recovery in passenger numbers having stalled due to the Omicron variant, without this funding, in the short-term services will be further reduced. This is likely to have a greater impact on areas with less frequent services.

“Taking this into account, I have written to the minister responsible for buses asking for urgent clarity on the funding.”

Cllr Davis also confirmed the council had yet to hear about a £34 million bid to the government for its ‘bus improvement plan,’ submitted at the end of October.

The county’s proposals, being developed in partnership with Devon’s bus companies, aim to make buses cheaper to use, greener, more frequent and more reliable.

Also included are plans for regional zone tickets to simplify fares, by working with neighbouring councils, and bringing in ‘young person’ tickets for 16 to 18 -year-olds – one of the age groups that rely on buses heavily.

Cllr Davis added: “To meet the ambitions of this plan we need a stable, attractive and affordable public transport network across the county to build on.”

It comes as transport bodies and the Local Government Association (LGA) called on central government to “urgently extend” the bus recovery grant from April, warning of a potential 30 per cent reduction in current bus services when support ends.

David Renard, transport spokesperson for the LGA, said: “Councils across the country are working with local operators to continue to deliver lifeline bus services despite the pressures of the pandemic. Greater usage of public transport helps to alleviate congestion and reduce harmful emissions in our communities.

“Government funding has helped keep buses on the road, allowing operators to close the gap between the costs of providing local public transport and the reduced revenues from much lower numbers of passengers than normal.

“Passenger numbers have not returned to those seen before the pandemic and without continued support, it is clear that some routes will no longer be viable and will have to be reduced.

“This will have a devastating impact on people who rely on these services to get to work, visit family and access vital services, including doctors and affordable food shopping.”

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “The government has provided an unprecedented £1.7 billion in support to over 160 operators to keep services running during the pandemic, and we’re working closely with the sector to understand the potential challenges and mitigations once it ends in April.”

Brixham woman, 97, in agonising pain forced to wait eight hours for ambulance

Colleen Smith www.devonlive.com

A 97-year-old Brixham woman was left on the floor “in agony” waiting for an ambulance for more than eight hours because of shortages in the NHS.

Neither an ambulance nor her GP were able to reach her for eight hours and 15 minutes. Her family said they were told that because the ambulance service was busy and under pressure there was nothing that could be done “unless patient nears death”.

Her son-in-law said that his wife went to her mother’s in Brixham house and remained with her but the family’s patience ran out and he emailed DevonLive at 2.45pm: “Ambulance has now been called three times. GP contacted twice – nothing anyone can do. GP home call unavailable. Ambulance busy therefore unless patient nears death nothing can be done for the time being.

“Meanwhile my mother-in-law remains on the floor in agony.”

He sent photographs (blurred to protect the patient’s anonymity) showing the frail elderly woman on the floor wrapped in blankets while her daughter waited with her.

A spokesman for South Western Ambulance Service confirmed that an ambulance arrived at 3pm: “We’re sorry that, due to the health and social care system being under severe pressure, some patients are having to wait longer for an ambulance. One of the reasons for this is due to the length of time it’s taking us to hand over patients into busy hospitals.

“We are working closely with NHS partners to address these delays, so our crews can get back out on the road for other patients. However, even with the additional resources we are making available, the number of ambulances currently waiting for prolonged periods of time at Emergency Departments inevitably impacts on our ability to respond to patients.”

The ambulance finally arrived at 3pm

The elderly woman fell at her home in Brixham at 6.45am on Tuesday February 15. She had a pendant alarm around her neck which she set off to call for help and an ambulance was summoned at 6.50am.

She says her values no longer align with the party

Paige Oldfield www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk 

A Bury councillor has announced she is quitting the Conservative Party after 22 years.

Cllr Yvonne Wright revealed she will stand as an independent candidate in the local elections in May.

She says she made the “difficult decision” because her values no longer align with the party.

The ward councillor for Tottington, Walshaw and Affetside has been a Conservative councillor since 2000.

In a social media post, she said: “Today I took the difficult decision to leave Bury Conservatives and aim to stand as an INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE in the local elections in May.

“Why?

“My values are no longer aligned to Bury Conservatives… please let me leave it there!

“Note I will not be briefing against anyone and I certainly will not be joining any other party.

“I hope I can rely on your support as you can rely on me to continue to work hard for you as I have for the past 22 years.

“I love my role as a Tottington Councillor and am as keen now to be a good representative as I was back in 2000.

“There is still life yet …in this old gal!”

David Cameron tried to lobby government ministers to prop up his failing legacy project despite its failure to hit key targets, The Independent can reveal.

www.independent.co.uk

His intervention on behalf of the National Citizen Service (NCS), which he set up in 2011 to run summer residential programmes for 16- and 17-year-olds, came in August 2020 as the government prepared to engage in a root-and-branch review to completely reassess its youth services budget.

The former prime minister’s youth scheme had raked in £1.3bn of taxpayers’ money since 2011 – 90 per cent of the youth budget – while the rest of the youth sector suffered cuts of 70 per cent.

But earlier this month the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), which conducted the review, announced that NCS would have its funding cut to £171m over three years, or £57m a year, a fall from 90 to 30 per cent of the DCMS youth budget. The new culture secretary, Nadine Dorries, is said to be “no fan” of Mr Cameron, having mocked him earlier this year as looking like a “ticket tout”. He withdrew the whip from her in 2012 after she appeared on I’m A Celebrity and failed to disclose her absence to film the show.

In summer 2020, Mr Cameron tried to persuade then-culture secretary Oliver Dowden to back NCS, emails uncovered by a Freedom of Information request show.

In an email dated 17 August 2020, Mr Cameron wrote to Mr Dowden: “Dear Oliver, it was good to catch up the other day and encouraging to hear your continued support for NCS. I also appreciate your honesty around the tough decisions that the Treasury will need to make as part of the upcoming CSR [comprehensive spending review]. I promised to share some facts and figures illustrating how NCS is a force for good in society, as well as outline some of the plans for the future direction of travel under the stewardship of Mark Gifford as CEO.”

Cameron wrote a long and selective spin detailing how NCS is a force for good, admitting that it “needs to reform” but appealing to Mr Dowden “not to forget its strengths” and claiming it would “deliver against the government’s levelling-up agenda”. He ended with a plea: “I firmly believe that NCS has never been more needed” and “will only become more so as the country begins to rebuild post-pandemic.” He signed off, “Yours, DC.”

The ex-prime minister received no reply. A week later, on 24 August, his office sent a follow-up email asking if Mr Cameron’s email had been “safely received”. DCMS responded two hours later: “To confirm that Oliver received and read this email with interest and was very grateful for it. I think he was planning to get back in touch with Mr Cameron directly.”

Shadow culture secretary Lucy Powell MP said she took a dim view of Mr Cameron’s attempts to secure favourable treatment for his pet scheme. “Rather than continued lobbying for his side projects, David Cameron should lay low given his disastrous interventions, including on Greensill, which has cost the public dear,” she said.

Last year The Independent revealed how Mr Cameron turned a blind eye to the “shocking waste” and failure to meet government targets of his flagship scheme while he was prime minister, ignoring Whitehall and ministerial concerns to instead, as one Whitehall mandarin put it, “stuff NCS’s mouth full of gold”.

But in response to questions from The Independent as to whether Mr Cameron’s lobbying had continued after he left office, NCS chief executive Mark Gifford had sought to distance the NCS “under his tenure” from Mr Cameron, who is still chair of patrons.

In response to questions about whether the NCS board had – during Mr Gifford’s tenure – ever turned to Mr Cameron to lobby No 10, the Treasury or DCMS, Mr Gifford wrote: “NCS Trust can confirm that the board have not turned to David Cameron to intervene with the government on the trust’s behalf.” He also said that while Mr Cameron was “a great source of advice”, the ex-prime minister “would never interfere” in their conversations with the government around funding.

The new email trail raises questions about whether Mr Gifford had been kept in the dark about Mr Cameron’s lobbying efforts on his behalf. Asked to explain why he had said the former prime minister did not lobby DCMS when it was clear he had, Mr Gifford said: “Without seeing the correspondence you say you have, I can only repeat what I have said before. I led the work on securing funding. Mr Cameron did not attend any meetings with me with ministers or civil servants. I always found him respectful of the process.” Mr Cameron’s office did not respond to requests to comment.

Good Law Project goodlawproject.org 

In a landmark verdict, the High Court has today [Tuesday] found that the process leading to the appointments of both Dido Harding and Mike Coupe were unlawful. It held that Matt Hancock broke the law in appointing Dido Harding as Chair of the National Institute for Health Protection (NIHP) and in appointing Mike Coupe as Director of Testing at Test and Trace (NHSTT). The High Court was also clear that the Prime Minister broke the law in appointing Dido Harding as Chair of Test and Trace. 

The Court declared: “The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care did not comply with the Public Sector Equality Duty in section 149 of the Equality Act 2010 in relation to the decisions on how to appoint (i) Baroness Harding as Interim Chair of the National Institute of Health Protection in August 2020 and (ii) Mike Coupe as Director of Testing for NHS Test and Trace in September 2020.”

While the formal declaration reflects only the appointments made by Matt Hancock, the High Court is clear that the process adopted by the Prime Minister was also unlawful (paragraph 116). All three appointments breached the public sector equality duty.

In reaching this conclusion, the Court accepted the argument made by race equality think tank the Runnymede Trust and Good Law Project that the recruitment process adopted by the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State ignored the need to eliminate discrimination against the country’s disabled and ethnic minority communities, and to ensure they have equality of opportunity.

In appointing the wife of Boris Johnson’s Anti-Corruption Tsar John Penrose MP to Chair the National Institute for Health Protection, the Government failed to consider the effects on those who, the data shows, are too often shut out of public life. The Government also ignored its own internal guidance, which requires Ministers to consider how discrimination law will be complied with. 

The Runnymede Trust and Good Law Project brought the case to highlight what it means to disadvantaged groups for the Government to push its associates and donors into key jobs. The Court’s declaration will have a real impact on how public appointments are made in the future. 

The Government must now take seriously its legal and moral obligations to narrow the disadvantages faced by people with disabilities and those of colour. Public appointments must not be made without taking steps to eliminate discrimination and to advance equality of opportunity, even when normal processes don’t apply, for instance during a public health emergency. The Government will now have to be much more careful to make sure its recruitment processes are fair, equitable and open to all. 

Read the High Court’s judgment here.

The Runnymede Trust is the UK’s leading independent race equality think tank. We generate intelligence for multi-ethnic Britain through research, network building, leading debate, and policy engagement. Since 1968, the Runnymede Trust has strived to build a Britain in which all citizens and communities feel valued, enjoy equal opportunities, lead fulfilling lives, and share a common sense of belonging.

Good Law Project only exists thanks to donations from people across the UK. If you’re in a position to support our work, you can do so here.