John Wescott, a beef and sheep farmer from Bampton, near Tiverton, told the Observer that “most farmers would be voting against the Conservatives not because they wanted to for the long term, but because their policies were not doing anything to help them and were harming their businesses”.

Helena Horton www.theguardian.com 

Boris Johnson’s hopes of surviving as prime minister have been dealt a serious blow after farmers and environmentalists condemned his government’s post-Brexit food strategy as a disaster for people in the countryside – with less than two weeks to go before a key rural byelection.

In an interview with the Observer, the president of the National Farmers Union, Minette Batters, said ambitious proposals to help farmers increase food production, first put forward last year by the government’s food tsar, Henry Dimbleby, had been “stripped to the bone” in a new policy document, and meant farmers would not be able to produce affordable food.

Batters said she had told the PM on Friday that farmers – including those in the West Country seat of Tiverton and Honiton, where a crucial byelection will be held on 23 June – were furious with post-Brexit policies that they believed would make them poorer and leave them unable to compete with foreign producers.

The byelection, caused by the resignation of Tory MP Neil Parish for watching pornography on his phone in the Commons, is seen as critical to Boris Johnson’s chances of remaining in Downing Street, after he suffered a bruising revolt by 148 Tory MPs in a confidence vote last week.

The Liberal Democrats are trying to overturn a Tory majority of 24,239 in the seat in what would be one of the biggest byelection shocks of recent times. If the Conservatives were to lose the election to the Lib Dems, and Labour to retake Wakefield from them on the same day, many Tory MPs believe Johnson will be unable to survive as prime minister.

Last night farmers in the West Country seat said the agricultural community would be voting en masse against the Tories. This was because they were facing a combination of loss of income from subsidies and pressure to prioritise the environment over food production, when the country needed to become more self-sufficient in food.

A rural revolt on a large scale in the byelection would compound the prime minister’s problems over Partygate and the cost of living crisis, which are already hitting Tory support.

Commenting on the new government food strategy, leaked to the Guardian on Friday, Batters said she was “pleased to see a commitment on food security” but added that the original strategy had been “stripped to the bare bones” and that there was no plan left on how to implement its overall aims.

“We want to be eating more British and more local food but again I just ask how,” she said, adding: “It’s all very well to have words but it’s got to have really meaningful delivery and we aren’t seeing that yet in this document.”

Batters said she met Johnson on Friday and told him that farmers wanted to be supported to produce food, as well as help the environment. “I said that is what farmers in Tiverton want to see. Farmers want the detail.” She said that at present there was no clear policy.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said it would not comment on the strategy document until it is released on Monday.

Farmers have become increasingly disenchanted, having been promised that their previous EU subsidies would replaced in full after Brexit. Instead they are being gradually phased out, with basic payments being cut by 20% this year. In addition they say the scheme intended to pay them for adopting green policies such as planting new trees and hedges and building new ponds (known as rewilding) remains vague and confusing.

Jake Fiennes, a sustainable farmer and author of Land Healer: How Farming Can Save Britain’s Countryside, said: “It’s a rather weak 27-page document that says nothing. I see the farming sector disappointed, I see the environmental ambition down, I see a very shortsighted view. Food security and environmental resilience are the challenges of this generation and it is so depressing.”

John Wescott, a beef and sheep farmer from Bampton, near Tiverton, told the Observer that “most farmers would be voting against the Conservatives not because they wanted to for the long term, but because their policies were not doing anything to help them and were harming their businesses”.

Tim Farron, the former Lib Dem leader and now the party’s rural affairs spokesman, described the new strategy as “timid” and representing “no real change”.

Henry Dimbleby was commissioned by the government to produce a review which would tackle the obesity crisis as well as the affordability of healthy food. He was also asked to show how this could be done in an environmentally friendly way.

But his ambitious recommendations, including expanding free school meals, a 30% reduction in meat and dairy consumption and giving strong protection to British farmers by not undermining them in trade deals with other countries, have not been adopted.

His method was hailed by organic farmers as a blueprint to make Britain self-sufficient in food without compromising on the environment, and helping farmers to transition from intensive farming.

Johnson’s food strategy obviously formed the backdrop to his visit to Devon and Cornwall yesterday which was largely confined to farming communities.

Henry Dimbleby’s recommendations get kicked down the road. “Big Dog” is running out of ideas. – Owl

The strategy was described as “bordering on preposterous” by Labour over its lack of concrete proposals on food prices and “worse than half-baked” by the environmental campaign group Greenpeace.

Helena Horton www.theguardian.com 

Boris Johnson’s new food strategy for England contains virtually no new measures to tackle the soaring cost of food, childhood hunger, obesity or the climate emergency, a leaked version of the white paper shows.

The strategy, seen by the Guardian and due to be published on Monday, was supposed to be a groundbreaking response to recommendations from the restaurateur Henry Dimbleby, who wrote two government-commissioned reports on obesity and the environment.

Dimbleby made a number of high-profile suggestions, including the expansion of free school meals, increasing environment and welfare standards in farming, and a 30% reduction in meat and dairy consumption.

But the slim 27-page document makes few recommendations, and declines to address the contribution of food prices to the cost of living crisis or address calls for consuming less meat and dairy.

Among its few policy proposals are the suggestion there could be more fish farming, which is environmentally controversial, and an increase in the use of “responsibly sourced wild venison”.

The strategy was described as “bordering on preposterous” by Labour over its lack of concrete proposals on food prices and “worse than half-baked” by the environmental campaign group Greenpeace.

Johnson recently delayed measures to tackle obesity and has come under fire for failing to do enough help families with the cost of living, with inflation running at 9%.

Although the white paper accepts food prices are a major part of the squeeze facing many families, and that many people on low incomes struggle to afford to eat, it suggests this is not the business of a government food strategy.

The white paper instead focuses on “longer-term measures” to support the food system rather than “duplicating work on the cost of living” – citing the Treasury’s £15bn support package focused on lowering energy bills. It sidesteps growing calls from teachers and others for an extension of eligibility for free school meals to an extra 1 million children in poverty, although it says the idea will be “kept under review”.

It boasts it “has made it easier” for young low-income families to apply for and use the Healthy Start fruit and vegetable voucher scheme – though it ignores Dimbleby’s critique of the scheme’s inadequacies, his call for it to be expanded, as well as overlooking recent problems with the digital part of the scheme.

“The government is committed to a sustainable, long-term approach to tackling poverty and supporting people on lower incomes, helping them to enter and progress in work and lead fulfilled lives,” it says.

The white paper also ignores Dimbleby’s proposals for a tax on sugar and salt used in processed foods as a way of escaping what he called the “junk food cycle”. Dimbleby insisted bold regulatory measures, rather than relying on educating consumers and voluntary agreements with the food industry, were needed to tackle the huge and growing market for unhealthy foods.

But while the white paper accepts that obesity is prevalent, with 64% of adults and 40% of children overweight, it makes clear there is no great desire for state intervention, and insists on the importance of individual responsibility and choice in influencing demand for healthy foods.

Experts had also urged the government to cut meat and dairy consumption in order to improve land use and tackle the climate emergency. Dimbleby called for a 30% reduction, and Greenpeace a more ambitious 70%. In his executive summary, Dimbleby stated: “Careful livestock farming can be a boon to the environment, but our current appetite for meat is unsustainable: 85% of farmland is used to feed livestock. We need some of that land back.”

However, the government makes no such commitment, instead opening a consultation about new technologies to help cattle produce less methane. There is also a focus on regenerative livestock farming, which uses more land than intensive farming to produce less protein.

It says: “Sustainable sources of protein do not have to be new or novel or displace traditional sectors. Regenerative farming will also provide a more sustainable production of traditional protein sources. Using livestock to benefit the environment in balance with food production is already being championed by many small-scale farmers.”

One new announcement made in the white paper is regarding animal welfare. Ministers plan to make it easier for countries to trade with the UK if they have strong animal welfare legislation.

The report also mentions an expansion of aquaculture – fish farming – to potentially replace some meat in the diet. This is despite fish farming being found to be often very damaging to the environment.

Deer stalkers will also enjoy a boon from the report, as one of the few new announcements it makes is that the government will “look to increase the use of responsibly sourced wild venison, which would have otherwise been disposed of, in the food chain”.

Environment experts who fed into the strategy said it was “worse than they expected” – and they did not have high expectations.

There are also fears that the report signals a watering down of the environment land management scheme (ELMS) as there are no targets for land use change mentioned.

Jim McMahon, the shadow environment secretary, was heavily critical of the leaked strategy. “The UK is in a cost of living crisis with food prices spiralling, real wages falling, growth plummeting and taxes up. It is clear now that the government has absolutely no ambition to fix the mess they have created,” he said.

“A food strategy is of vital importance, but the government has dithered, delayed and now failed to deliver. This is nothing more than a statement of vague intentions, not the concrete proposals to tackle the major issues facing our country. To call it a food strategy is bordering on the preposterous.”

Tim Farron, the Liberal Democrat spokesperson on environment, food and rural affairs, added: “The Conservatives’ food strategy has no solution to solve the cost of living crisis and nothing for the millions of people struggling to put food on the table.

“By failing to do anything to help farmers across the country the government are all but guaranteeing a generation of higher food prices.”

Louisa Casson, the head of food and forests at Greenpeace UK, said: “The government’s food strategy isn’t just half-baked, it’s flatter than a pancake and missing most of the crucial ingredients needed to truly ensure our long-term food security. Instead of listening to the warnings from climate scientists on the urgent need to reduce meat production, ministers seem to be goading UK farmers into producing even more of it.”

Ben Reynolds, the deputy chief executive of the food and farming charity Sustain, added: “Our understanding is that the government’s food strategy white paper will acknowledge the many issues facing our food system but fall short on strong policies, underpinned by legislation, needed to make wholesale change.

“The Dimbleby review generated considerable understanding and appetite for change. Health campaigners, businesses, food enterprises and investors have all called for government intervention to help avert the health, climate and nature crises caused by our food system. We would welcome any mandatory responsibilities on industry and the public sector that help make healthy and sustainable diets the norm, but if the government publishes a white paper with little more than reheated commitments, consultations and reviews, this will just kick the can further down the road.”

“But our engines – the great, supercharged, ultragreen marine propulsion units of the UK economy – are stronger, we will get through it.” [Boris Johnson from his Housing speech/ramble – ( your pick) – Owl]

Ashley Cowburn www.independent.co.uk 

Boris Johnson’s plan to allow low-paid workers to use housing benefits to pay for mortgages is unworkable and “totally detached from reality”, experts have claimed.

The scathing assessment came as the prime minister attempted to refocus MPs’ attention on domestic issues after narrowly surviving a no confidence vote with his political authority severely weakened.

In a speech on Thursday, Mr Johnson also announced an extension of Margaret Thatcher’s flagship Right to Buy policy for housing association tenants — but the plan was immediately derided as “baffling”.

Attempting to enable more people to “get on the property ladder”, Michael Gove, the Levelling Up secretary, confirmed that people in receipt of housing benefits will be able use payments to securing mortgages.

The prime minister later told an audience in Blackpool the money would be better spent helping people buy their own home than on paying their rent – in a policy he described as “benefits to bricks”.

He said: “It’s neither right nor fair to put ever vaster sums of taxpayers’ money straight into the pocket of landlords.”

“We are going to look to change the rules on welfare so that the 1.5 million working people who are in receipt of housing benefits – I stress working people – and who want to buy their first home will be given a new choice: to spend their benefit on rent, as now, or put it towards a first-ever mortgage.”

But Miatta Fahnbulleh, the CEO of the New Economics Foundation think-tank, said the policy was “totally detached from reality”, warning those on benefits were already struggling in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis.

“Social security has been cut so much that those receiving benefits can barely feed their kids, let alone save for a deposit or afford a mortgage when house prices are sky high,” she said.

Ms Fahnbulleh added that Right to Buy is a “relic of a policy has fuelled our housing crisis for decades”, warning an extension would be “completely nonsensical”.

Polly Neate, the chief executive of homelessness charity Shelter, said the government had failed to release “any clear proposals on how people receiving housing benefit will be able to take out a mortgage”.

“Instead we’re left scratching our heads thinking how on earth can this work in practice.”

She added: “Under the current system to qualify for universal credit you cannot have more than £16,000 in savings, so how are people meant to afford a deposit – it’s a classic Catch-22.

“And even if someone managed to by-pass the savings issue, these plans essentially encourage people who are already struggling to make ends meet to take on large amounts of debt.

“Much like the rest of the prime minister’s latest housing plans this is unworkable as it stands. Rather than far-fetched and fanciful schemes the government just needs to build more secure social homes with fair rents tied to low incomes. These are the type of homes people need.”

Another campaign group, Crisis, also described the Right to Buy extension as “ill-concieved”, warning that for decades social hoising stock has been “stripped bare”.

Director of policy and external affairs Kiran Ramchandani added: “The reality is that with housing benefit currently frozen, it’s barely enabling anyone to rent as it is.

“To suggest this money can now be used to secure mortgages without a costly investment to the benefits system is an utter fallacy.

Boris Johnson’s official spokesman earlier admitted that anyone seeking to buy a home in this way would still have to find a way to pay their rent.

He said: “Yes,” adding: “If they were able to save money per month, over a number of years, they would then be able to save money towards a deposit.

“And then they would have a monthly mortgage payment, a proportion of which would be provided through housing support.”

The spokesperson said the change would allow somebody receiving universal credit to put money into an ISA – so they would not be hit by the current £16,000 cap of savings, above which they cannot claim UC.

But he admitted sky-high property prices in places such as London might mean a house purchase would still be unaffordable, saying: “I think it will vary per area.”

Did he venture further afield than “Ditchetts Farm” ? Was Alison Hernandez “stood up” by BoJo? Where are the adoring throngs of voters? – Owl

[He also got a “mixed reception” reception at the Royal Cornwall Show, a member of the staff said:  “I think on balance there was still more cheering than booing…..”]

Ashley Cowburn www.independent.co.uk 

Boris Johnson has been accused of “hiding away from people” during a brief visit to Tiverton and Honiton, as the Conservatives fight to hold on to the seat at the upcoming by-election.

The Liberal Democrats criticised the prime minister’s low-key visit to the Devon constituency after he was spotted meeting party candidate Helen Hurford and a small group of farmers for tea.

Tory officials shared a photo of Mr Johnson at Ditchetts Farm in Tiverton, and the National Farming Union (NFU) said the PM had discussed food security with local officials.

Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey said: “The fact is he’s not talking to ordinary people. No one seems to know where he is. He’s hiding away from people and I think that says it all. He’s taking this constituency for granted.”

Earlier on Friday, Mr Johnson received a mixture of cheers and boos during a surprise visit to the Royal Cornwall Show near Wadebridge in Cornwall.

One member of the show staff said Mr Johnson had received a “mixed reception”, but added: “I think on balance there was still more cheering than booing… I don’t think he minded; he’s got a hide like a rhinoceros.”

Mr Johnson was pictured at the show alongside the environment secretary George Eustice, just hours before the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall were due to arrive.

Tory MPs and No 10 officials have shared concerns that the seat could fall to the Lib Dems when voters head to the polls on 23 June, despite posting a huge majority at the 2019 general election.

The by-election was triggered after the resignation of the former Conservative MP Neil Parish, who became the focus of a political storm after admitting watching pornography on his phone in the Commons chamber.

Despite the largely rural seat voting overwhelmingly for the Tories at the 2019 election – the party’s majority was over 24,000 – officials are concerned the seat could fall to Davey’s party in a fortnight.

The Lib Dems are seeking to capitalise on the ongoing concern over the prime minister’s precarious position and deep anger over the Partygate scandal, which resulted in Mr Johnson being fined by the Metropolitan Police.

With Mr Johnson’s position in No 10 under the spotlight after Monday’s confidence vote, a defeat in Tiverton and Honiton in 13 days’ time could reignite calls for his resignation.

Earlier this week the Tory candidate for Tiverton and Honiton refused to say how she would have voted in the no-confidence ballot on Mr Johnson’s leadership had she been an MP.

Ms Hurford, a former headteacher, described the question as “irrelevant”, saying she was not “in Westminster” and adding that it was time to “move forward” after the prime minister narrowly survived the vote on Monday.

On the same day, another by-election will be held in Wakefield – triggered after the resignation of a Tory MP found guilty of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old.

The former Labour stronghold voted for the Conservatives at the 2019 general election, but is widely expected to be regained by Sir Keir Starmer’s party on 23 June.

“Honestly, it feels like representatives in parliament from Devon are not a very vocal bunch. It doesn’t feel like Devon is getting that voice in parliament that really we ought to have. And my sole intention would be to speak up for this part of the world, to speak up for people who live here.”

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

The Liberal Democrat candidate for the Tiverton and Honiton by-election has dismissed claims from his Conservative rival that he would go to Westminster to “cause disruption.”

Ex-army major Richard Foord is bidding to overturn a 24,000 Tory majority in the seat previously occupied by disgraced former MP Neil Parish.

Mr Parish resigned in April after admitting to watching pornography in parliament.

Earlier this week Tory candidate Helen Hurford said: “Do you want a candidate that is focussed solely on delivering for Tiverton and Honiton, [who has] a six-point plan to deliver for your needs … that will work with the government.

“Or do you want the candidate whose only intention is to go to Westminster and cause disruption?”

In response, Mr Foord said he would “bang the drum for Devon” if he is victorious in the poll on Thursday 23 June.

“My intention would be to go to Westminster to speak up for my neighbours, to speak up for the people amongst whom we live here in our part of Devon.”

He added: “Honestly, it feels like representatives in parliament from Devon are not a very vocal bunch. It doesn’t feel like Devon is getting that voice in parliament that really we ought to have. And my sole intention would be to speak up for this part of the world, to speak up for people who live here.

“I don’t think there’s anything to be gained by putting one more Conservative MP on the benches where there are already hundreds who have, before now, not changed very much around here at all.”

Mr Foord is aiming to become the first Lib Dem MP in Devon since Sarah Wollaston, who defected from the Tories in 2019 to the short-lived Change UK and subsequently the Lib Dems.

She lost her Totnes seat to Conservative Anthony Mangnall at the general election in December that year.

North Devon and Torbay were represented by Lib Dems as recently as 2015, when they fell to the Tories.

Referring to Ms Hurford publicly backing Boris Johnson following Monday’s confidence vote, Mr Foord said the 148 Conservative MPs who wanted to remove their boss “might differ and disagree with her.”

“There’s often no better critic than the critic who’s on the inside, seeing it up close and personal, and I couldn’t express it any better than those 148 Conservative MPs who’ve expressed no confidence in this prime minister.”

Eight candidates – including from each of the main parties – are vying for the Tiverton and Honiton seat:

• Jordan Donoghue-Morgan – Heritage Party
• Andy Foan – Reform UK
• Richard Foord – Liberal Democrats
• Helen Hurford – Conservative
• Liz Pole – Labour
• Frankie Rufolo – The For Britain Movement
• Ben Walker – UK Independence Party
• Gill Westcott – Green Party

Normally keen to have the cameras follow his every move, and to offer a soundbite, he tried to keep an uncharacteristically low profile. At the Royal Cornwall Show earlier, the closest he came to meeting the public, he was yet again booed and heckled about Partygate. In the end, he did some staged photos in Tiverton with Hurford and, you guessed it, a cake.

link.news.inews.co.uk

“There’s been a democratic vote, he has had a third mandate now, let’s move forward.” In the wake of Boris Johnson’s narrow no-confidence vote, those were the words not of a Tory MP, but a would-be Tory MP.

But for all her apparent support, Helen Hurford, the party’s candidate for the Tiverton and Honiton by-election in Devon, notably refused to say whether she would have herself voted to keep Johnson in post. “It’s irrelevant, it’s happened, he’s here,” she told Radio Exe.

Hurford’s not exactly ringing endorsement of the Prime Minister is perhaps unsurprising given his deep unpopularity over both his dissembling about Partygate and his sluggish response to the cost of living crisis.

What was striking too was that Johnson’s own visit to the Devon seat today was very different from his usual made-for-TV trips outside London. Normally keen to have the cameras follow his every move, and to offer a soundbite, he tried to keep an uncharacteristically low profile. At the Royal Cornwall Show earlier, the closest he came to meeting the public, he was yet again booed and heckled about Partygate. In the end, he did some staged photos in Tiverton with Hurford and, you guessed it, a cake.

(No selfie with Alison Hernandez and a police station. These photos could be anywhere away from the public eye – Owl)

With the Conservatives facing another possible by-election defeat at the hands of the Liberal Democrats later this month, it’s no wonder that Hurford and Johnson are nervous. Despite the Tories’ huge 24,000 vote majority from 2019, the bookies have already installed Lib Dem contender Richard Foord as the favourite.

Lib Dem leader Ed Davey was on his fourth visit to the constituency today, with a not-so subtle photo-op of his own, focusing on calls to stop the Tories allowing sewage to be pumped into local rivers and beaches. In a by-election triggered by an MP caught watching porn in the Commons, and with a backdrop of Sue Gray’s findings of a red wine-stained and vomit-flecked No 10 during lockdown law-breaking, the message to voters to clean up British politics was unmistakable.

Still no reported sighting of “Big Dog” – Owl

While it remains perfectly possible the Conservatives could retain the ultra-safe seat of Tiverton and Honiton this month, it would have given Boris Johnson cause for concern if he had been able to listen to Colin Richey’s discussion with a Lib Dem canvasser on Thursday lunchtime.

Peter Walker www.theguardian.com 

A self-described lifelong Conservative – “I’m a Tory, my father was a Tory, and I believe in rightwing stuff” – the retired journalist began the chat on the doorstep of his neat semi-detached house on the outskirts of Tiverton adamant nothing could change his mind.

Just 10 minutes later, the 87-year-old had conceded to Eleanor Rylance, a councillor from east Devon, that he did not think Johnson would lead the Tories into the next election – and he actually preferred Jeremy Hunt. Furthermore, the Lib Dems’ candidate for the 23 June byelection was more impressive than their Tory counterpart, and even his cleaner was trying to persuade him to switch votes.

“Maybe I can be convinced,” Richey said eventually. “I suppose I’m still thinking about it.”

Johnson was visiting the constituency on Friday afternoon but no details of his visit were made public in advance. The first confirmation that he was actually in Devon was a tweet from a National Farmers Union official that said Johnson had been there discussing food security.

Losing the constituency in one of the two byelections taking place a week on Thursday would be a significant blow to Johnson’s authority, given it has been Conservative since its creation 25 years ago, with the party enjoying a 24,000-plus majority in 2019.

Sign up to First Edition, our free daily newsletter – every weekday morning at 7am BST

That majority was delivered by Neil Parish, the MP since 2010, who remains popular among many locally despite the unusual and murky grounds for his resignation – admitting he had watched pornography on his phone in the Commons chamber.

“I mean, he was a bloody fool,” Richey said. “If he’d been looking at naughty pictures anywhere else it wouldn’t have damn well mattered. But in the chamber? It’s like looking at them in church. That said, I know a lot of farmers, and they thought he was marvellous. He did a lot of good work for them.”

Richey exemplifies an apparent shift in opinion, even in such rural, Brexit-backing seats, that goes beyond one-off scandals and the aftermath of Downing Street parties: a sense of Conservative voters being taken for granted.

Similar sentiments cropped up repeatedly in two other shock byelection losses for the Tories over the last 12 months: first in the commuter belt seat of Chesham and Amersham; then in the even less likely terrain of North Shropshire.

The Lib Dems won both seats and, as with North Shropshire, they have positioned themselves as the main challengers in Tiverton and Honiton, despite finishing a distant third in 2019, largely by announcing this is the case.

With Labour focusing on the other byelection on 23 June, in Wakefield, the two opposition parties have in effect chosen to fully fight one battle each.

The leader of the Liberal Democrats, Sir Ed Davey, accused Boris Johnson on Friday of hiding from the people of Tiverton and Honiton.

Davey said: “The fact is he’s not talking to ordinary people. No one seems to know where he is. He might be coming down here but people aren’t seeing him. He’s hiding away from people and I think that says it all. He’s taking this constituency for granted. We’re picking up people who are fed up of being taken for granted.”

The Lib Dem leader spent the morning in Axminster testing the quality of the water in the river before meeting electors on Honiton High Street.”The momentum is with us. There’s everything to play for. We can win here,” he said.

Helen Morgan, who won North Shropshire for the Lib Dems in December, overturning a near-23,000 majority, noted the parallels with her race but played down predictions that the Devon seat would also fall, calling it “a mountain to climb”.

“The Conservatives have been quicker off the ground this time,” she said, after joining the canvassing session along with another MP, Munira Wilson. “We’ve even seen them delivering leaflets here today. It’s going to be a harder fight.”

Clearly spooked by byelection losses and conscious that a double defeat on 23 June could reignite a challenge to Johnson’s authority, the prime minister made a campaign trip to the constituency on Friday, as did Rishi Sunak, the chancellor, part of a planned “blitz” of cabinet visits.

In the Lib Dems’ favour, their chosen candidate, Richard Foord, is a former army officer and prominent local community volunteer who, party aides joke, was not actually created in a laboratory to appeal to soft Tory voters but simply looks as if he was. After a long tour of the Tiverton campus of Petroc higher education college alongside Wilson, the party’s education spokesperson, Foord echoed the scale of the task.

“There are still plenty of lifelong Conservatives here who will not change their habits,” he said. “But I’m also seeing some traditional Conservatives who can’t abide Boris Johnson and his government, and want to send them a message.”

A narrow Tory win would ease the pressure on Johnson, but could just as easily mask the extent of the malaise the party faces in such longtime strongholds.

Stevie Jenkins, running chores in the centre of Tiverton, is one step further along even than Richey. Also a previous Tory voter she is definitely voting Lib Dem this time, in part because she likes Foord, who she says “looks like an honest man”.

“Lots of people who voted Conservative for the first time in 2019 won’t vote Conservative again,” Jenkins predicted. “It’s not so much the parties, it’s the division, the bickering. I was a nursery group manager, and it reminds me of the children. It takes me right back.”

Story also carried in the Telegraph.

Will he be accompanied by Alison Hernandez?

Owl awaits the inevitable selfie.

Colleen Smith www.devonlive.com 

On-the-ropes PM Boris Johnson is believed to be heading to Honiton today to back the Tory candidate standing in this month’s Tiverton and Honiton by-election. It follows the resignation of disgraced former MP Neil Parish in April after he admitted to watching pornography in the House of Commons.

The PM is rumoured to be planning a walkabout in Honiton today but no media invites have been issued. Local Conservative press officers last night hinted that there would be a visit today by a Tory bigwig. Today on twitter political commentators added to the rumours.

UK Politics Briefly said: “Boris Johnson is expected to be campaigning in Tiverton and Honiton in Devon today.”

The Conservatives are defending a majority of more than 24,000 votes bequeathed them by Mr Parish in the 2019 general election. Voters in Tiverton & Honiton will go to the polls on Thursday, June 23.

Helen Hurford is the Conservative candidate with businesswoman Liz Pole, who also ran in 2019, for Labour and former army major Richard Foord is the Lib Dems’ candidate.

Reform UK, formerly known as the Brexit Party, has named Andy Foan as its candidate, with Gill Westcott for the Green Party, Frankie Rufulo of the For Britain Movement, Ben Walker of UKIP and Jordan Donoghue-Morgan of the Heritage Party also on the ballot paper.

Extract from the Prime Minister’s Housing speech 9 June:

We have the tools we need to get on top of rising prices.

The global headwinds are strong.

But our engines – the great, supercharged, ultragreen marine propulsion units of the UK economy – are stronger, we will get through it.

Can anyone translate this for Owl?

The council reduced its carbon emissions by 53 per cent between 2013 and 2021 – a considerable way towards the 2030 target of 70 per cent. It plans to offset the remainder through projects like tree planting.

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

This week’s cabinet meeting heard the reduction was partly down to projects such as installing heat pumps and replacing older boilers, as well as the ongoing replacement of streetlighting with more efficient LEDs.

But the pandemic has also had an impact. Council staff are now “comfortable using video conferencing rather than travelling for meetings,” the report says – eliminating emissions that would otherwise have been produced.

Cabinet member for climate change, environment and transport Councillor Andrea Davis (Conservative, Combe Martin Rural) said school transport now accounted for half of the county council’s emissions and described the progress towards the target as “really, really amazing.”

In a statement, she added: “Over the next months and years, we will continue to reduce emissions where we can through projects including increasing the proportion of electric vehicles in our fleet.”

However leader of the opposition, Councillor Julian Brazil (Lib Dem, Kingsbridge), is unimpressed.

“I’m sorry to say that I find this a particularly uninspiring and insipid report, relative to the problem that it’s trying to address and the consequences of if we do nothing,” he said.

“We seem to be patting ourselves on the back that we’ve cut our carbon dioxide emissions by 53 per cent. Most of those weren’t because we were trying to cut our carbon dioxide oxide emissions, they just happened to be as a consequence of other things.

“It’s not proactive enough. It’s not taking it seriously enough.”

He added: “The county has got to do better if we’re meant to be providing leadership to the rest of the county in respect of the climate change and biodiversity emergency.”

Cllr Brazil referred to his recent attempt to ban the use of neonicotinoids [an insecticide] on farms in the county. Councillors instead called on the government to “carefully review its consideration of emergency use applications,” which include neonicotinoids.

“Worthy words. Pathetic actions,” Cllr Brazil concluded.

In response, Cllr Davis said in a statement: “We have made significant progress and cut our emissions by 53 per cent since 2015, from things like buildings, transport, streetlighting, and I’m confident that Devon County Council will be net zero before 2030.

“Streetlights account for almost 40 per cent of our emissions and we have converted 77 per cent to low-energy LEDs.

“Our buildings and all 68 farmhouses on our farms estate are being retrofitted and we are leading nationwide work on reducing the carbon intensity of highways maintenance in areas including road materials and signs, distance those materials have travelled, fuels used on site and how long those materials will last.

“We are replacing our fleet with electric vehicles, with 12 more arriving next month. And through changing the way we work and new technology, accelerated during covid, we have reduced business travel emissions by more than half.

“And as a founding partner of Devon Climate Emergency, the carbon plan – the county’s roadmap to net zero – will be published in August. It will show every business, organisation and resident what we all have to do to ensure that Devon becomes a net zero county by 2050 at the latest,” she said.

Inappropriate comments led to the resignation of the Council CEO. – Owl

Josh Halliday www.theguardian.com 

A long-serving council chief executive has resigned after he posted a tweet expressing surprise that a Conservative voter could show “compassion and empathy”.

Steven Pleasant, the head of Tameside council in Greater Manchester, made the remark about an audience member on the BBC’s Question Time before last month’s local elections.

In the now-deleted post sent from his work account, @tmbc_chiefexec, he wrote: “She was good. Tory voter with compassion and empathy for others. Who knew!”

Pleasant, who had run the council since 2009, was also the authority’s returning officer and oversaw the local elections on 5 May – despite anger from the area’s Conservatives.

His tweet was due to be discussed at an extraordinary full council meeting on 14 June but Pleasant announced in advance that he would step down.

Pleasant apologised a few days later, saying the post was “not considered” and he “should have worded any sentiments very differently”.

However, a report by the council concluded that he had breached the statutory code for local authority publicity, in which officials must remain strictly impartial.

The report by Tameside’s monitoring officer, Sandra Stewart, stated: “A politically restricted officer, such as pre-eminently a statutory officer, must not express themselves publicly in a way that appears to have the intention of affecting public support for a political party.”

The report said the breach was aggravated by its “proximity” to the local elections six weeks later, which Pleasant went on to run as returning officer, but concluded that “no further action” was required.

Nonetheless, Pleasant resigned in a letter to councillors, MPs and council staff on Wednesday.

He said it had been “a privilege” to serve as chief executive and cited “many achievements”, such as the authority being voted council of the year and the NHS Tameside and Glossop clinical commissioning group being rated “outstanding”.

Pleasant was paid £220,000 a year, including pension contributions, to run public services for the area of about 225,000 people near Manchester. His salary is in line with the chief executives of many other large local authorities but higher than the prime minister’s £164,000 a year.

Gerald Cooney, the Labour leader of the council, said Pleasant had been a “great servant of Tameside and the local NHS”.

Pleasant and Tameside council have been contacted for comment.

Another Council, another investigation – Owl

Northumberland county council operated in a “climate of fear and intimidation” so extreme that senior officers and councillors were constantly making freedom of information (FoI) requests to dig dirt on each other, a report has found.

Helen Pidd www.theguardian.com 

An independent governance review into the council found it had become “paralysed” due to the “extraordinary” resources devoted to processing almost 5,000 FoI requests made within three years, many from senior officers and councillors.

A second report into the local authority found that its chief executive, Daljit Lally, had been given illegal expense payments of £40,000 each year, on top of her £190,000 a year salary, to run the council’s international consultancy with clients in China and the United Arab Emirates.

The two reports were discussed at an extraordinary meeting of Northumberland county council (NCC) on Wednesday.

The first, by independent consultant Max Caller, who investigated financial mismanagement at Liverpool city council last year, concluded: “NCC needs to undergo a fundamental reset of its philosophy, processes, and relationships … There is little substantive trust in the most senior officer levels of the council and there exists a climate of fear and intimidation.”

He found an organisation so paranoid that all council papers are now watermarked with names because so many had been leaked. Employees “described in harrowing terms how they had been treated extremely poorly by senior officers at NCC”, he said, adding: “Being able to speak truth to power is an essential component of local government and power is held by both members and top officers, but this did not appear to be either encouraged or even tolerated.”

The council is “paralysed due to large volumes of procedural issues which demand an extraordinary resource”, he wrote, saying: “There have been 4792 FOIs in three years and 307 subject access requests (SARs), many from senior officers and members. One SAR for a member of staff took one colleague two and a half months to complete. The review team were informed that staff had been instructed by senior officers to prioritise some staff and member SARs, the result being that SAR requests, for example, [on behalf of] children looked after, had been delayed.” People can make a SAR to access their personal data.

He also found an unusually large number of staff signed non-disclosure agreements after leaving Northumberland. This meant they could not speak to anybody about the circumstances of their employment with and exit from NCC.

In addition, he uncovered unusually high settlements paid to staff leaving the council, with the organisation spending £2.2m on payoffs between February 2013 and February 2019.

Some settlements were suspicious in their timing, he suggested: “One interviewee described how a colleague informed them that they were retiring in a few months, and they would hand over their responsibilities to another colleague. The interviewee was surprised to then find that the colleague had left within a few days of this conversation. This happened to be immediately prior to the government rules on a cap in exit payments [in the public sector] of £95K coming into force.”

A second report, by NCC’s interim chief finance officer, Jan Willis, found that an international healthcare consultancy – Northumbria International Alliance (NIA) – set up by the council in 2017 to provide commercial income had operated illegally by not being incorporated as a business.

“In entering into international contracts directly, NCC acted unlawfully, and it therefore follows that the expenditure incurred in delivering those contracts was also unlawful,” concluded Willis.

She was particularly critical of the decision to give Lally £40,000 on top of her chief executive salary to consult for NIA. “The international allowance was not paid as a result of any decision taken by a properly authorised decision maker,” concluded Willis, instructing the council’s payroll team to cease the payment with immediate effect.

Willis’ report, known as a section 114 report, does not “seek to attribute any individual blame or responsibility for actions or omissions that have led to the unlawful expenditure identified in this report and should not be read as such”.

CEO says it’s “inappropriate” to rush

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

East Devon District Council (EDDC) has been urged to speed up a report into how jailed former councillor John Humphreys was able to receive an honorary title while under investigation for sex crimes against children.

Two months on from a full council meeting asking for an independent report, work is still going on about options for how it will be done.

Councillors want a report from chief executive Mark Williams “at the earliest opportunity” but some speakers at this week’s cabinet meeting expressed frustration at how long it is taking, with publication set for July.

Mr Humphreys, who also previously served as mayor of Exmouth, is 10 months into a 21-year prison sentence for sexually assaulting two teenage boys in the early 1990s and early 2000s.

He was first questioned in 2005 but police did not find sufficient evidence for a prosecution.

Following a complaint by a second victim, he was arrested in 2016 before being released under investigation on suspicion of sexually assaulting the two boys.

Nothing was made public and Mr Humphreys continued to be a councillor until May 2019, eventually being awarded the honorary title of alderman by by EDDC in December that year.

The award of alderman is made by many councils to former members in recognition of their civic contributions. In East Devon, aldermen are entitled to free parking in the council’s car parks and may continue to represent the council at some functions.

Following Mr Humphreys’ conviction in August 2021, the council voted to remove his title and to review the process of selecting aldermen.

That review, by EDDC councillors, has so far only looked at peripheral matters such as whether aldermen should keep their free car parking permits. 

The new report will be independently conducted and delve deeper into how he came to receive the award.

Speaking at Wednesday’s [8 June] cabinet meeting, Alderman Roger Giles said the decision to bestow the award on Mr Humphreys after he had been arrested had “tarnished the whole system of recognising the work of former councillors.

“Of course, the tarnishing of the award of honorary alderman status is of infinitely less consequence than the effect on the victims of the abhorrent crimes of John Humphreys,” he added.

Mr Giles, who represented Ottery Town as an independent, said he was attending the meeting “to ask what EDDC is doing about what is undoubtedly the greatest scandal that has enveloped EDDC for very many years.”

He was critical of the seven weeks that had elapsed since councillors voted for a report, with no visible progress.

“What kind of message does this send to the wider world about the seriousness and urgency with which EDDC is treating this matter?” Mr Giles asked.

Councillor Jess Bailey (Independent, West Hill and Aylesbeare) was also “very disappointed by how long it’s taking,” adding after the meeting: “The council needs to stop dragging its heels and urgently commission the report given the importance of the issue.”

In response, chief executive Mr Williams said he has spoken to a barrister for legal advice and was awaiting his opinion.

“When I have that opinion, I will prepare a report. But if this is to be done properly, it needs to be done in a measured way and it also needs to be done in full knowledge of the legal powers and legal constraints that apply to the council.

“So my advice to cabinet is that I will bring a report in July. Pushing the timetable earlier is inappropriate and you may well end up making an erroneous decision.”

Mr Williams added: “You need to go into this with your eyes open in terms of the length of time it’s likely to take, the potential cost and also the implications legally of what we can or can’t do.

“Rushing something as important as this is, in my opinion, inappropriate.”

The England and Wales water regulator, Ofwat, has unlawfully failed to stop water companies discharging raw sewage into rivers, campaigners say in a legal case.

Sandra Laville www.theguardian.com 

The environmental campaign group Wild Justice is seeking a judicial review of Ofwat’s failure to monitor and take enforcement action against water firms that discharge raw sewage into waterways.

In documents filed to the high court, Dr Ruth Tingay, director of Wild Justice, said: “We are particularly concerned that a continued lack of action on Ofwat’s part will lead to a collapse in biodiversity, both within rivers and coastal waters, and, as a knock-on effect, in the areas surrounding those waters. This will be disastrous for nature conservation generally and wildlife in particular.”

The legal action is supported by investigations by Wild Justice and Windrush Against Sewage Pollution (Wasp), which used environmental information requests and freedom of information laws to reveal, according to the legal action, that Ofwat takes no active steps to monitor and enforce its legal obligations to reduce and stop sewage discharges. When serious concerns are brought directly to its attention, the legal case says, Ofwat has not taken action.

Wild Justice says the failure to act is having a serious impact on watercourses affected by sewage plants that do not conform with the urban waste water treatment (UWWT) regulations and regularly empty raw sewage into freshwater. They say the regulator has a legal duty under the Water Industry Act 1991 and the UWWT regulations to monitor and enforce water and sewage companies’ actions.

The consequences are extreme, creating and maintaining excessive nutrient levels that are highly detrimental to the health and biodiversity of those watercourses, with wider implications for the environment and human health of freshwater and marine ecosystems, they say.

They say anyone whose hobby or profession brings them into contact with potentially infected water – surfers, rowers, anglers and wild swimmers for example – is at risk.

Raw sewage was discharged into rivers 375,000 times over more than 2.7m hours in 2021, according to Environment Agency data.

Carol Day, of Leigh Day solicitors, representing Wild Justice, said: “Our client is bringing this case because it wants action to be taken to protect our waterways. Wild Justice is of the view that had Ofwat fulfilled its statutory duty to ensure sewage treatments works are fit for purpose in the 21st century, the widespread and damaging discharge of untreated sewage into our rivers and seas could have been averted.”

Wild Justice is funding its actions through a crowdfunding appeal.

An investigation by MPs on the environmental audit committee earlier this year called for a step change in regulatory action by Ofwat and investment by water companies to restore rivers to good ecological health, protect biodiversity and adapt to a changing climate.

MPs said: “The water regulator, Ofwat, has hitherto focused on security of water supply and on keeping bills down with insufficient emphasis on facilitating the investment necessary to ensure that the sewerage system in England is fit for the 21st century.”

Only 14% of rivers are in good biological health. There has been no improvement in the state of English rivers since 2016, despite government promises that by 2027 75% of English rivers would be rated good.

A public outcry at the scale of raw sewage discharges, which are supposed to take place only after exceptional rainfall, has forced the government to act, saying the level of releases is totally unacceptable. It is consulting on a plan to reduce discharges, promising that by 2040, 40% will have been eliminated. But campaigners say the plan lacks urgency.

Ofwat said: “Ofwat’s focus has always been, and continues to be, ensuring companies act in the interests of customers and the environment. We take our responsibilities on the environment extremely seriously and have consistently pushed companies to do the same.

“While we share Wild Justice’s concern with the potential impact of water companies’ wastewater activities on the environment, their characterisation and understanding of Ofwat’s work is incorrect.

“We drive improved environmental performance from water companies and hold them to account to deliver on their obligations. This includes significant monitoring and information gathering on water companies, and holding them to account through our enforcement powers, our price review process, our annual reporting and more.

“Where companies fall short, we act – over the last five years, for example, we have imposed penalties and payments of over £250 million. In addition, we have a live investigation into wastewater treatment works which is looking at potential non-compliance in all water and wastewater companies.”

Three members of the public: Alderman Roger Giles, Mark Hawkins (a contributor to the “Watch”) and Councillor Jess Bailey all raised questions, given the evidence, about how long it is taking to set up the inquiry into Humphreys. They did this during public speaking at the beginning of yesterday’s (8 June) Cabinet meeting. A report on possible ways forward is scheduled for the July Cabinet “the earliest opportunity”, which will include advice from counsel. 

It is worth listening to the first 25 minutes of the meeting to hear the public speakers and the subsequent discussion. Especially the explanation over why it is taking a long time from an uncomfortable looking CEO Mark Williams (who also raises questions of costs and timescales),  and Leader Paul Arnott reading out the latest correspondence from the police.

It is clear from listening to the discussion that councillors are committed to ensure that this is not kicked into the long grass. But Owl does not underestimate the task. 

It is the lack of institutional transparency to date, for example over Simon Jupp use of a property belonging to Humphrey that has turned this case into a potential can of worms. There will be many who would find obfuscation and administrative delay advantageous.

Let’s hope Mark Williams hasn’t consulted “Jarndyce and Jarndyce”

So many questions, too few answers.

Campaigners and the Liberal Democrats have condemned the government after a minister overruled a Tory-run council to approve gas drilling on the edge of the Surrey Hills, despite accepting the scheme would cause harm to the natural landscape.

Under this government nowhere will be safe from drilling. – Owl

Peter Walker www.theguardian.com 

The decision, formally announced in a written statement by the housing minister Stuart Andrew, gives the green light to three years of exploratory drilling at a site near the edge of the Surrey Hills area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB).

The site is in the South West Surrey constituency of Jeremy Hunt, the former health secretary, who strongly opposes the project.

Campaigners said the decision showed an “obsession” with finding new fossil fuel developments, and that it would be likely to provoke protests.

The plan was rejected by Surrey county council, but a subsequent public inquiry recommended it should go ahead, a decision which was then assessed by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, which approved it.

It means the energy company UK Oil and Gas will be allowed to operate a non-fracking gas well near Dunsfold, south of Guildford, close to the boundary of the AONB, with permission for a new road junction, access route and fence around the boundary.

The decision – made by Andrew after Michael Gove, the levelling up secretary, recused himself because his constituency is in a nearby part of Surrey – accepted the drilling would involve “a significant level of landscape and visual impacts from the proposal”, including the loss of hedgerows, something mitigated by the finite period of operation.

Noting that allowing the project contravened Surrey’s own guidance, the decision also conceded “it has not been demonstrated that the site has been selected to minimise adverse environmental impacts”.

The proposal, it added, “would result in harm to the landscape character and appearance of the area and degrade the qualities of the setting of the AONB”, saying that while the impact on the AONB would be limited, the area “is of a high sensitivity”.

The ministerial decision said “limited” weight should be given to any local economic benefits, but that the overall assessment was “exploration and appraisal are a necessary part of mineral development and without it, the currently acknowledged benefits of production cannot be realised”.

Sign up to First Edition, our free daily newsletter – every weekday morning at 7am BST

While the decision is unconnected to fracking, permission for an exploratory gas drilling site in such a location will resurrect memories of prior protests against fracking schemes.

Following significant local opposition, along with concerns about the possibility of earth tremors, fracking has been paused in the UK since 2019. In April, ministers announced a study into its safety, raising expectations that the practice, which is popular with some Conservative MPs, could be resumed.

Greenpeace said ministers had an “unhealthy obsession with finding new fossil fuels”. Doug Parr, its UK policy director, said: “With this decision the government is completely undermining local democracy, the planning laws that are supposed to protect our designated landscapes and the climate crisis in one fell swoop.”

Tom Fyans, the head of policy at the countryside charity CPRE said the move was “an absurd decision that’s guaranteed to provoke fury and despair”, and would be likely to prompt mass protests. He said: “It’s extraordinary, given the urgent need to wean ourselves off fossil fuels, that the government sees fit to green-light a gas field and damage the setting of an area of outstanding natural beauty.”

The decision will be seized on by the Liberal Democrats, who are campaigning heavily in the so-called blue wall – Tory-held commuter belt seats mainly around London where discontent with the Conservatives, and especially with Boris Johnson, makes them politically vulnerable.

While Hunt’s seat is relatively safe, the site closely adjoins the Guildford constituency, where the sitting Tory MP, Angela Richardson, has a majority of just above 3,000 over the Lib Dems.

Ed Davey, the Lib Dem leader, said it was “shameful that the Conservatives have ignored the concerns of local communities” and approved the scheme. “Michael Gove must reconsider this reckless decision which risks doing irreparable damage to our treasured countryside while undermining efforts to tackle the climate emergency,” he said.

UK Oil and Gas was contacted for comment.

Fears of a precedent that will encourage more homes along the coastline have been voiced after plans for a dwelling were approved. At its May planning committee, Torridge District Council approved an application from Mrs Susan McEldon for the erection of a detached dwelling and garage at her property, Koversada, off Diddywell Road in Appledore.

Lewis Clarke www.devonlive.com

The applicant’s son, James McEldon, spoke at the meeting: “My wife and I are a local couple with a vision to build our forever home. Both myself and my wife were born and bred in the local area. My wife is from the lovely village of Hartland, and I was raised in the picturesque village of Appledore. We’re both very much in full support of the local community.

“I have worked as a branch manager for a builder’s merchant for the past five years, and my wife is a police community support officer serving local communities for the past 14 years.

“This build would be our forever home to raise a family and be in the catchment area of local education and facilities that we like to support, such as shops, pubs, and restaurants, all within walking distance of the property.

“This would be a sustainable build that is aesthetically pleasing to the local area with thought put in through my building knowledge put towards the build energy efficiency where possible, such as solar panels and electric car charging points.

“The plot is easily an adequate size to accommodate both the existing property of Koversada and this new build.”

He said the new home would allow them to assist in caring for their elderly parents as they grow older and avoid having to send them to a care home.

“We are struggling to find a property nearby,” he said. “We looked at the new builds recently at Pitt Lane in Appledore and were informed by the site agent that all of the first phase has already been snapped up within just one week. So many houses in this area are sadly bought for holiday accommodation.”

Agent Shorne Tilbey added: “This application, if approved, could be controlled by suitable conditions, so, therefore, the new dwelling would not be considered an open market dwelling, therefore removing problems such.”

However, some councillors were against the scheme. Councillor Peter Hames (Appledore, Green Party) said: “It’s very important to stress that you have an application here for a dwelling in an area of undeveloped coast which is protected from development under strategic policies.

“The position is that development which detracts from the unspoiled character, appearance and tranquillity in the area should not be permitted. I should emphasise that reference to the area includes the proposed development site and the countryside surrounding it.”

Cllr Hames said the proposal would introduce a new dwelling in the area with no justifiable function or requirement.

“A perusal of the site and the plan for the application confirms the findings of your officer and policies would not be satisfied by the proposed development,” he said.

“The proposed house would be built next to a Victorian building, in a different and contemporary style and with different materials. Therefore, it would strongly detract visually from the present scene. It would occupy much of the garden space and would encroach on the amenity of Koversada, and the occupants would generate more vehicular traffic on a narrow lane which enters a blind junction just yards from the site.

“The new dwelling, built in a different style to the present one, would also adversely impact on the wider, undeveloped coast as well as the AONB and SSI, an impact exacerbated by the dwelling in close proximity to the present house.”

He continued: “I gather that the house is necessary so son and wife can look after her and her husband in their old age. I certainly sympathise; however, the planning officer has shown their provisions do not apply to this application.

“Approval of this would set a precedent encouraging more applicants of similar or other special family circumstances to apply for houses in the undeveloped coastal and open countryside. In addition, of course, the suggested purpose and justification for the dwelling can only be a temporary situation as, unfortunately, it is inevitable that occupants of Koversada will not always be there.”

Councillor Peter Christie (Bideford North, Green Party) agreed: “This is an open market house, and no local need being specified. If they want to put a house in for local needs, I have no problem, but as it stands at the moment, this doesn’t agree with any of our policies. Once the current owners pass on, you have two houses, and for locals, you’ll end up with two houses you have to buy at once. It would be unaffordable to anyone locally.”

However, the majority of councillors backed the scheme.

Councillor Len Ford (Appledore, Non-Aligned), who called in the application for debate, following a recommendation from the office to refuse, stated: “I believe there is a balance to be struck reference social gain and to provide a family support network. Surely me/or the committee could impose conditions or ties (new house and existing must go together should future use or sale happen).

Councillor Dermot McGeough (Bideford North, Conservative) agreed: “I propose we accept this application. The benefit for the family is paramount to local people. We have locals not being able to come to the village and being moved out of the area, but I believe it is a sustainable development which doesn’t impact the amenity of neighbours. I don’t know the family, but I believe that we should not refuse this.”

Councillor Chris Leather (Northam, Independent) added: “This is one of the difficult ones, where you want to help house local families, but do we think that the tilted balance is in favour of this development because there’s no huge detrimental impact on the area because this is already within the curtilage of a dwelling.

“I don’t think another modern dwelling close by will have any detraction.

“To me, if this was a field where a small plot of land off the lane, I would have a different view about it but because it is within the curtilage of an existing dwelling and unless there are any benefits in not doing this.”

• Replacement lean-to side extension Leacroft Touring Park Colyton Hill Colyton EX24 6HYRef. No: 22/1184/FUL | Validated: Fri 27 May 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Change of use from garage to home office and alterations to fenestration Maple House Bickwell Valley Sidmouth EX10 8SGRef. No: 22/1191/FUL | Validated: Fri 27 May 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Erection of replacement outbuilding to include home office, garden room and water tank storage. The Linhay Branscombe Seaton EX12 3BXRef. No: 22/1188/FUL | Validated: Fri 27 May 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of access stairs and small terrace. 18 Victoria Road Exmouth Devon EX8 1DLRef. No: 22/1169/FUL | Validated: Thu 26 May 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Two storey side extension, porch to front, alterations to fenestration and demolition of existing conservatory and entrance porch Tir Na Nog Lanehead Beer EX12 3BYRef. No: 22/1170/FUL | Validated: Thu 26 May 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Replacement of existing garage with two storey extension 19 Buttery Road Honiton Devon EX14 2FARef. No: 22/1171/FUL | Validated: Thu 26 May 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Single storey rear extension. 7 Knowle Village Knowle Budleigh Salterton EX9 6ALRef. No: 22/1172/FUL | Validated: Thu 26 May 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of replacement side extension 60 Malden Road Sidmouth Devon EX10 9NARef. No: 22/1175/FUL | Validated: Thu 26 May 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Change of use of barn for housing of horse, hay and straw and construction of horse menage. Lochinvar Woodbury Exeter EX5 1LARef. No: 22/1155/FUL | Validated: Fri 27 May 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Single storey rear extension Little Acre Toby Lane Woodbury Salterton Devon EX5 1PURef. No: 22/1158/FUL | Validated: Wed 25 May 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision

• Application for approval of reserved matters (appearance, scale, layout and landscape) following approval of outline application No. 18/2608/OUT. Land South Of King Alfred Way Newton PopplefordRef. No: 22/1167/RES | Validated: Fri 27 May 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Single storey side extension. 7 Belvedere Road Exmouth Devon EX8 1QNRef. No: 22/1153/FUL | Validated: Wed 25 May 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Prior approval for the change of use of existing agricultural barn to 1no. single storey 3-bed dwelling Windrush Poltimore Exeter EX4 0ABRef. No: 22/1166/PDQ | Validated: Wed 25 May 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Rear roof slope flat roof dormer extension Esgair Higher Meadows Beer EX12 3EZRef. No: 22/1154/FUL | Validated: Fri 27 May 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Enlargement of drive to provide space for off street parking. 16 Alexandria Road Sidmouth EX10 9HBRef. No: 22/1162/FUL | Validated: Wed 25 May 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Two storey side extension, removal of single storey side extension, removal of two storey side conservatory extension, reinstatement of balcony and alterations to fenestration. 16 Fore Street Budleigh Salterton Devon EX9 6NGRef. No: 22/1136/FUL | Validated: Thu 26 May 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Proposed extension to existing cattle building Springs Sandy Lane Broadclyst EX5 3ANRef. No: 22/1150/FUL | Validated: Thu 26 May 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• T1, Turkey Oak : crown raise up to 5 metres ; reduce height by 3 metres from 13 metres to leave a finished height of 10 metres; thin crown by 20 % restricting cut diameter to 60 mm to leave a balanced shape. T2, English Oak : reduce height by 2 metres from 10 metres to 8 metres to allow more light into the surrounding gardens whilst adhering to best arboricultural practices. 7 Oakwood Rise Exmouth EX8 4PURef. No: 22/1142/TRE | Validated: Tue 24 May 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Retrospective Householder Planning Application, Proposed Single Storey Side Extension with Roof Terrace Garden & internal alterations Sherwood Foxholes Hill Exmouth Devon EX8 2DFRef. No: 22/1143/FUL | Validated: Tue 24 May 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Earth lined slurry lagoon. Cooksmoor Farm Stockland Honiton EX14 9NHRef. No: 22/1140/FUL | Validated: Tue 24 May 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision

• Outline application with all matters reserved for the erection of 2no. dwellings. Land North East Of Clyst William Cross PlymtreeRef. No: 22/1138/OUT | Validated: Tue 24 May 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• T1, Ash : Fell. The tree has a very poor canopy, due to ash dieback and is of very low amenity value. The tree has now lost much of its canopy and is deteriorating rapidly. Additionally the root plate is losing structural integrity thereby compromising its stability. 7 Old Home Farm Rousdon Lyme Regis DT7 3YLRef. No: 22/1152/TCA | Validated: Tue 24 May 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Erection of an office building with a first floor viewing room Air Westward Dunkeswell Airfield Dunkeswell Industrial Estate Honiton EX14 4LGRef. No: 22/1137/FUL | Validated: Thu 26 May 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• T1 : Reduce via thinning lowest lateral branches to west and north-east by removing dominant leaders approx. 1.5-2m in length; climbing inspection in order to assess damaged area where previous limb failure occurred. T2 : Reduce low hanging branches away from building and aerial in order to attain a clearance of approx. 1.5 metres; own lift small branches to 4 metres Rose Lodge 2 Isca Road Exmouth EX8 2EZRef. No: 22/1147/TRE | Validated: Tue 24 May 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• T1, Yew : Prune to give 1 metre lateral clearance to adjacent property. T2, Pine : Pre-existing brace has failed/snapped. Prune to reduce end weight making 1 x 200mm target pruning cut retaining 1 side branch to East and 1 side branch to Southeast. Powys House All Saints Road Sidmouth EX10 8DERef. No: 22/1145/TCA | Validated: Tue 24 May 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Earth lined slurry lagoon. Land Near Moorpits YarcombeRef. No: 22/1139/FUL | Validated: Tue 24 May 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Alterations and extension to garage 33B Monkton Road Honiton Devon EX14 1PZRef. No: 22/1133/FUL | Validated: Mon 23 May 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Single storey rear extension, porch to front and demolition of existing rear store. 17 East Budleigh Road Budleigh Salterton EX9 6HNRef. No: 22/1130/FUL | Validated: Mon 23 May 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Single storey side extension, single storey rear extension and porch to front. Danes Hill House Dalwood Axminster EX13 7HHRef. No: 22/1135/FUL | Validated: Mon 23 May 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Single storey side/rear extension. 36 Seymour Road Exmouth Devon EX8 3JGRef. No: 22/1132/FUL | Validated: Mon 23 May 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision

• Single storey garage extension 12 Shortwood Close Budleigh Salterton Devon EX9 6QWRef. No: 22/1125/FUL | Validated: Tue 24 May 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Single storey rear extension and conversion of garage to a storeroom and W/C. 23 Hereford Close Exmouth Devon EX8 5QTRef. No: 22/1131/FUL | Validated: Thu 26 May 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Internal alterations to existing rear extension with alteration to fenestration Queen Anne House The Strand Lympstone EX8 5JWRef. No: 22/1120/LBC | Validated: Tue 24 May 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Internal alterations to existing rear extension with alteration to fenestration Queen Anne House The Strand Lympstone EX8 5JWRef. No: 22/1119/FUL | Validated: Tue 24 May 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Change of use of land from agricultural to agricultural/residential and the provision of enlarged gardens and mixed agriculture/residential for the existing properties Winslade Barton 4 The Old Stables Clyst St Mary EX5 1ATRef. No: 22/1102/FUL | Validated: Tue 24 May 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Extension of existing residential dwelling incorporating existing commercial outbuilding to form home working space. Fairview House Axmouth EX12 4ABRef. No: 22/1105/FUL | Validated: Tue 24 May 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Outline application with all matters reserved for the erection of a single storey 2-bed detached dwelling. Hasta La Vista Windmill Lane West Hill Devon EX11 1JPRef. No: 22/1094/OUT | Validated: Wed 25 May 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Certificate of Lawful Development for a Proposed construction of an Orangery room.Cornerway Poltimore Exeter EX4 0ARRef. No: 22/1090/CPL | Validated: Wed 25 May 2022 | Status: Refused
• Retrospective application for a wooden platform to be used as a tiki bar in rear garden 6 Everest Drive Seaton EX12 2EDRef. No: 22/1088/FUL | Validated: Mon 23 May 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Proposed 2 storey rear extension to replace existing conservatory and balcony 21 Highbury Park Exmouth EX8 3EJRef. No: 22/1061/FUL | Validated: Tue 24 May 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision

• Single storey side extension, two storey side extension, single storey rear extension and porch to front. Amberwood Nursing Home 231 Exeter Road Exmouth EX8 3EDRef. No: 22/1063/FUL | Validated: Mon 23 May 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Single storey rear extension and demolition of existing single storey rear extension. 24 Armytage Road Budleigh Salterton Devon EX9 6SDRef. No: 22/1013/FUL | Validated: Tue 24 May 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Demolition of existing dwelling and construction of seven dwellings, with associated landscaping and access Stoke Cottage Stoke Canon Exeter EX5 4ATRef. No: 22/0992/FUL | Validated: Tue 24 May 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Conversion of Fore Street No 34 and No 34A to a single 5 x bed dwelling house with a single storey rear extension and reduction of stone wall, installation of passenger lift and alterations to fenestration. 34 The Creamery Fore Street Budleigh Salterton Devon EX9 6NHRef. No: 22/0864/FUL | Validated: Mon 23 May 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Erection of a shed in the back garden 3 Socks Hill Smallridge EX13 7JNRef. No: 22/0826/FUL | Validated: Fri 27 May 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Addition of an entrance porch 113 St Johns Road Exmouth EX8 4EHRef. No: 22/0589/FUL | Validated: Mon 23 May 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision

Paul Arnott: article in Midweek Herald

Avid readers of this column may (or may not) have noticed an absence of articles by me in the local papers in recent weeks.

This coincided with the period leading up to and after the Annual Council meeting at East Devon, where all sorts can kick off when the Leader for the coming year is discussed and then elected by 60 councillors. Far be it from me to draw any comparisons with our own national leader, but if I must … the vote for me was unanimous, cross-party, with one abstention. Whereas in the House of Commons Mr Johnson would be lucky to muster much more than a quarter of MPs to vote for him. He has no mandate now.

However, by chance, here in East and Mid Devon the electorate can now properly and fully show that we reject the values of The Man With No Shame on the 23^rd June and in the postal vote before that. And we can now see the content of the leaflets distributed by the two realistic contenders to win: Helen Hurford and Richard Foorde.

In the possible event of a Conservative win, I may find myself working with Helen as Leader at EDDC, so I have no intention of being negative about her; she seems like a nice person. The leaflet written for her by Conservative Head Office, however, made me laugh out loud.

Out comes the usual spin about the NHS safe in her hands. Helen, in my area alone your party has closed in-patient beds at Axminster, Honiton and Seaton. During the pandemic, there was no intermediate place for recovering Covid-19 patients to be discharged, and instead they went from the RD&E to care homes, leading as proved in the High Court to the needless deaths of residents.

There is talk about support for farmers. The one thing my conversations with Neil Parish, head of the agriculture committee in the Commons, most revealed, was his personal despair that in the six years since the 2016 referendum, farmers had been utterly let down by his government. To his credit, he spoke bravely about this in Parliament.

So no, like the NHS, farming does not need another obedient Tory MP. The Liberal candidate, Richard Foord, a local lad like Helen, is so clearly across all this in his leaflets. As he is on the cost of living, energy bill crisis and so on.

 In Helen’s leaflets there is a vague promise about more investment in Devon under the Levelling Up Scheme. I’ve been in meetings with government about this, and all they want to do is pile money into the “Red Wall” seats. So actually we would be better off with a Non-Tory MP, where a fearful government might pay some attention to East and Mid Devon for a change.

I hit 60 last November, and all my life I have been cautious about joining a national party. Where we live, I am really proud that we lead the council as an effective and kind coalition of East Devon Alliance Independents (EDA), LibDems, Greens and an Independent. I love the EDA, what it is continuing to achieve. We cannot stand nationally under our constitution, and that’s what we want.

But at a national level, it’s time for me to get off the fence. If not now, when? After 42 years as a voter, I’m finally nailing my colours to a national mast for Parliamentary elections, and have just become a member of the Liberal Democrats nationally. The time has come for me, and the time has come, if ever there was one, for this constituency to become Liberal Democrat too. If you are young, use the NHS, are a farmer or a rural enterprise, are retired, or are in desperate need of a home, the best future for the south west will be Orange not Blue. May the best team win.