“A screeching U-turn” after “an embarrassing mis-step on the world stage”.

“Let this be a lesson to him – climate leadership matters,” – Caroline Lucas 

“Caving in to criticism is not leadership. Real leadership is seizing your seat at the table. For UK jobs. For clean energy. For our environment,” – Sir Keir Starmer

“This whole debacle has shown the environment is simply not a priority for Rishi Sunak. He’s only going after being embarrassed by Boris Johnson’s attendance.” Wera Hobhouse – Lib Dem climate change spokesperson

www.bbc.co.uk

The prime minister has reversed an earlier decision not to go to the COP27 climate summit in Egypt.

No 10 had said Rishi Sunak was too busy preparing for the 17 November budget to attend the event which opens on Sunday.

But this had been widely criticised by climate campaigners, opposition parties and climate adviser Alok Sharma.

Mr Sunak said there was “no long-term prosperity without action on climate change” or energy security without investment in renewables.

“That’s why I will attend COP27 next week – to deliver on Glasgow’s legacy of building a secure, clean and sustainable future,” he told MPs during Prime Minister’s Questions.

On Tuesday, former prime minister Boris Johnson said he would attend COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh.

The UK hosted last year’s COP (Conference Of The Parties) in Glasgow and it was chaired by Mr Sharma.

Green MP Caroline Lucas welcomed what she called a “screeching U-turn” after “an embarrassing mis-step on the world stage”.

“Let this be a lesson to him – climate leadership matters,” she said.

“We’ve lost a huge amount of credibility by the prime minister dragging his feet on this,” she added.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer accused the prime minister of acting “in the name of political management” rather than the national interest.

“Caving in to criticism is not leadership. Real leadership is seizing your seat at the table. For UK jobs. For clean energy. For our environment,” he tweeted.

Liberal Democrat climate change spokesperson Wera Hobhouse said: “This whole debacle has shown the environment is simply not a priority for Rishi Sunak. He’s only going after being embarrassed by Boris Johnson’s attendance.”

Downing Street rejected that, saying the prime minister had “always recognised the importance of this summit and indeed tackling climate change more generally”.

He “wanted to make sure we were making good progress on the government’s domestic agenda and the autumn statement in particular,” it said.

After discussions with Chancellor Jeremy Hunt this week, Mr Sunak felt there was “sufficient space to make this trip”, it added.

His official spokesman said the prime minister was hoping to make progress on the commitment to halt deforestation by 2030, and to agree new partnerships on clean and renewable energy.

Mr Sharma, who had said he was “disappointed” Mr Sunak would not be attending, tweeted that he was “delighted” the prime minister would now be going.

Many world leaders including US President Joe Biden and France’s Emmanuel Macron are due to attend the UN event.

Mr Sunak’s predecessor Liz Truss had been set to go and Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will also be there.

A number of countries had also criticised Mr Sunak’s earlier decision not to go and questioned the UK’s commitment to tackle the climate crisis.

The Egyptian government, which is hosting COP27, voiced its “disappointment”. Carlos Fuller, Belize’s ambassador to the UN, told The Guardian it looked as if the UK was “washing their hands of leadership”.

Mohammed Nasheed, speaker of the Maldives parliament and a former president, said nothing was more serious than climate change.

King Charles – a long-time champion of environmental causes – will still not be going, despite speaking at COP26 in Glasgow.

No 10 said there was a “unanimous agreement” with Buckingham Palace that the King would not attend.

The annual climate summits are designed to help governments agree measures to limit rises in global temperatures.

This year’s conference takes place from 6 to 18 November, finishing the day after Chancellor Jeremy Hunt is due to set out the government’s tax and spending plans.

From a correspondent:

Dear Owl – My Tory County Council, after enduring four decades of privatisation and austerity cuts without resistance, has finally decided that there is no longer enough money to run a local authority legally. Bit late wouldn’t you say?

Our financial situation has never been so bleak as it is now

Devon County Council bulletin Tuesday 1 November 2022 content.govdelivery.com

You may have heard or read in the news about the difficulty that Councils are facing financially; the increasing demand on services, especially within adults and children’s social care, and a dramatic rise in costs to deliver those services, and inflation. 

We have prided ourselves with our prudent management of public finances, and until last year, went decades ending each financial year in the black. 

But the financial conditions have changed, and we are now joining many councils and organisations that represent local authorities, to call on the government to intervene, to help support local public services.

The Leader of Devon County Council, Councillor John Hart, said today that deep cuts to vital local services in Devon are inevitable unless the government provides more support.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt, was expected to announce his tax and spending plan this week, but last week postponed his announcement for a fortnight.

Our Leader, Cllr John Hart, is urging the Chancellor and Prime Minister, to use the extra time they now have to produce an economic recovery plan that’s balanced, fair and equitable. And crucially, an economic plan that doesn’t single out local government for cuts.

He said:

“I have been a county councillor for more than 30 years and leader of Devon County Council for nearly 14 years during which time we have been through the austerity years and the pandemic, but our financial situation has never been so bleak as it is now.”

How extensive is the problem in Devon?

Before the summer, we revealed a black hole in our finances for this year, due to surging demand for help and support for vulnerable children and adults, the continuing costs of the pandemic, and the dramatic rise in costs and inflation.

We have to, by law, balance our books each year, which means when costs rise, we must find equivalent savings in our budget elsewhere.

We have to save about £73 million this financial year. We’re already making £36 million savings, but we still have to find a further £37 million savings before the end of March 2023.

And then our projections show that we will have to make another £75 million savings next financial year. Unless the Government intervenes.

What’s the impact on local services?

We’re not alone. We and many councils are lobbying the Government hard to protect local services. With the support of our Devon MPs, we want the Government to help by not cutting funding for public services.

There are other things that we’re asking the Government to do that will help our financial situation, such as to delay the introduction of new adult social care reforms, planned for next year.

But unless there is Government support or intervention, cuts to services are inevitable.

Some services we provide are statutory, we have to provide them, and some are discretionary. Clearly, services that support our most vulnerable children and adults are a priority, and those must be protected.

We know though that all of our services are important to those who receive them or benefit from them.

“We are here to do the very best for local people and to protect and support the most vulnerable and those in real need,” said Cllr Hart today. “We will do everything in our power to continue to do this and find new ways to do things better and more sustainably.”

What are we doing about it?

We are doing several things simultaneously. We’re lobbying the Government directly, and we’re adding our voice to national campaigns from the Local Government Association and the County Councils Network, calling for financial support.

Our Leader, Cllr Hart, has also written to the new Prime Minister setting out our position and requesting his support and the support of his Government.

But we can’t wait, so we’ve already put a freeze on staff recruitment in non-frontline areas, delayed planned investment in IT and infrastructure projects, and cut our heating and lighting bills.

We’re also squeezing all of our external contracts, we’ve stopped some routine road maintenance, and are reviewing our school transport contracts and public transport subsidies.

When will we know more?

We’ve already made a lot of savings this year, but we must find more before the end of March 2023.

We are continuing to review all of our services in light of our budget.

We may have to wait to hear what’s in the Chancellor’s statement in a fortnight but we aren’t waiting to take action.

Plans to scrap a scheme to build 12 ‘genuinely affordable’ homes for local people in Brentor are on hold following concerns residents haven’t been  consulted properly. 

“This report, to put it mildly, is cobblers.” Indy Cllr Terry Pearce

Philip Churm, local democracy reporter www.radioexe.co.uk

West Devon Borough Council (WDBC) said the proposal for three open-market, four shared ownership and five affordable homes reflected a major development in the Dartmoor National Park which could not be justified by affordable housing demand.

The plan dates back five years when, in March 2017, the council was awarded £247,620 from the government’s community housing fund. WDBC used a portion of this for the feasibility and scheme design at Brentor.

Demand for the development was assessed by surveys including one in April this year which revealed only six households were deemed to be in need. 

This equated to five one-bed properties and one two-bed home. A report to the council’s hub committee on Tuesday 1 November said no one under 55 had completed the survey and therefore there was no evidence of future housing need for family-sized accommodation.

But independent councillor for Mary Tavy, Terry Pearce, disagreed.  He read extracts from an email he had received which said: “This report, to put it mildly, is cobblers. 

“I filled one in, my son filled one in. None of us is over 55. What, with this and the questions that they asked, I can only conclude that the whole exercise was designed from the beginning to stitch us up and justify West Devon Borough Council walking away.”

Cllr Pearce suggested people were increasingly disappointed by the local authority on this issue. 

“There’s a lot of lack of trust now and confidence in the authority after what’s happened over a period of 15, 16 years.

“You know, the question now being asked is why was the original housing development not to take place when all the plans were drawn up? The architect’s plans and everything detailed and we’re just sitting there. 

“I’ve asked that question, the parish council have asked that question and we’ve not been given a proper answer at all.”

But director of place and enterprise for WDBC, Chris Brook, denied any deliberate attempt to scrap the project. 

“I too would be really emotional about it and cross and frustrated,” said Mr Brook. “And I think that’s totally justifiable and understandable. 

“But there is a big difference between being unhappy with the outcome, which is entirely as it says in the report, and considering that the outcome is in some way contrived to achieve an alternative motive or outcome, which isn’t the case.

As the council believed a case for affordable housing could not be justified on the site, it was recommended it did not progress the Brentor scheme further.

However, following questions and debate it was agreed a decision on whether to scrap the scheme or continue to pursue it would be made at another meeting.

Any comments from Alison Hernandez? – Owl

Hundreds – if not thousands – of police officers who should have failed vetting checks may be serving in England and Wales, a watchdog has warned.

Becky Cotterill news.sky.com

HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services looked at 11,277 police officers and staff across eight forces, examined 725 vetting files, considered 264 complaint and misconduct investigations, and interviewed 42 people.

They found cases where criminal behaviour was dismissed as a “one off”; applicants with links to “extensive criminality” in their families were hired as police officers; warnings a prospective officer could present a risk to the public were ignored; officers transferring between forces despite a history of complaints or allegations of misconduct; and basic blunders that led to the wrong vetting decisions.

The report found that some staff had criminal records, some were alleged to have committed serious crime, some had substantial undischarged debt, and some had relatives linked to organised crime.

Some 131 cases were identified where inspectors said vetting decisions were “questionable at best” – and in 68 of those, the inspectors disagreed with the decision to grant vetting clearance.

Matt Parr, Inspector of Constabulary, said: “It is too easy for the wrong people to both join and stay in the police.

“If the police are to rebuild public trust and protect their own female officers and staff, vetting must be much more rigorous and sexual misconduct taken more seriously.

“It seems reasonable for me to say that over the last three or four years, the number of people recruited over whom we would raise significant questions is certainly in the hundreds, if not low thousands… it’s not in the tens, it’s at least in the hundreds.”

Mr Parr said that the pressure to meet the government’s target to hire 20,000 new officers by March next year “cannot be allowed to act as an excuse” for poor vetting.

“The marked decline in public trust for policing is undoubtedly linked to the prevalence of some of these dreadful incidents we’ve seen in recent years, and you should have a higher standard of who gets in and who stays in if you’re going to look to reduce those kinds of incidents,” he added.

The report was commissioned by Priti Patel when she was home secretary, following the murder of Sarah Everard.

Ms Everard was killed by serving Met Police officer Wayne Couzens, who used his police warrant card under the guise of an arrest to kidnap her in March 2021.

Female officers subject to ‘appalling behaviour by male colleagues’

The review did not look into the specifics of Couzens’ recruitment but its findings raise questions about whether improved security checks would have prevented him from getting a job with the Metropolitan Police.

The investigators also found an “alarming number” of female officers said they had been subject to “appalling behaviour by male colleagues”.

Among its 43 recommendations, HMICFRS said improvements were needed in the standards used for assessing and investigating misconduct allegations, as well as in the quality and consistency of vetting.

It also said that better guidance was needed on conduct in the workplace and definitions of misogynistic and predatory behaviour.

Home secretary ‘disappointed’

Home Secretary Suella Braverman said it was “disappointing that HMICFRS have found that, even in a small number of cases, forces are taking unnecessary risks with vetting”.

“I have been clear that culture and standards in the police need to change and the public’s trust in policing restored.

“Chief constables must learn these lessons and act on the findings of this report as a matter of urgency.”

National Police Chiefs’ Council chairman Martin Hewitt said: “Chief constables, supported by national bodies, will act on these recommendations and put the problems right because we cannot risk predatory or discriminatory individuals slipping through the net because of flawed processes and decision-making.

“The confidence of the public and our staff is dependent on us fixing these problems with urgency, fully and for the long term. Police chiefs are determined to do that.”

Does this signal more cuts? – Owl

Under-fire bus firm Stagecoach has appointed a new managing director in the south west.

Midweek Herald Staff www.midweekherald.co.uk 

Peter Knight, who currently heads up the firm’s operation in north-east Scotland, will be in the driving seat from December – replacing Mike Watson after he resigned from the role.

He will be responsible for around 1,000 employees and over 300 bus services during a challenging time for the company, which has faced significant criticism for delayed and cancelled buses throughout Devon.

Earlier this year Exeter councillors called the city’s bus service ‘not fit for purpose,’ while Stagecoach was summoned to a public inquiry last week which will decide whether action should be taken against the company following a number of complaints from users.

The result of the traffic commissioner’s hearing will be known in the next few weeks. Sanctions could involve compensation for passengers in the form of free bus travel at weekends for a certain period of time, though the inquiry also heard that fares are likely to increase soon.

Stagecoach has blamed staff shortages for the problems, including a struggle to fill driver vacancies, and a drop in passenger numbers compared to before the pandemic leading to swathes of timetable alterations.

However, Mr Watson said in his final appearance at Exeter’s highways and traffic orders committee earlier in the month that the amount of ‘lost mileage’ on the Exeter bus network has “much improved” – falling to three per cent after previously being nine per cent a year ago.

Mr Watson added that further service changes which came into force yesterday [Sunday, 30 October] will mean “we eliminate our lost mileage.”

But the changes have been criticised by many, with some routes and services being cut, although the frequency of selected routes will go up. Stagecoach has said the changes are necessary to focus resources on the highest demand.

An ‘enhanced partnership’ is also being set up in the coming weeks so that Devon County Council and local bus operators can improve services.

On his appointment, Mr Knight said: “I’m looking forward to getting out and about and meeting our drivers and customers, as well as key stakeholders such as Devon County Council, and continuing our important work to re-build from some of the challenges we have faced coming out of the pandemic.

“I believe there are some great opportunities ahead as we look to move more people out of their cars and onto public transport, and I am determined to deliver a good and reliable bus service for our communities in the south west.”

Will he be available to give evidence to the Covid Inquiry?

Anyone heard about Neil Parish’s comeback plans recently? – Owl

‘Absolute prat’ Matt Hancock will end his political career by entering jungle, furious Tory MPs predict

Kate Devlin www.independent.co.uk

Matt Hancock will end his political career by appearing on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!, furious Conservative MPs predicted, as the former health secretary faced accusations he was trying to cash in on Covid misery.

The MP was suspended by the Conservative Party after it emerged he will spend what could be weeks in the Australian jungle instead of in parliament.

Families of those who died during the pandemic have launched a petition demanding ITV remove him from the reality TV show.

The deputy chair of his local association also angrily attacked the MP’s decision, saying, in reference to the programme’s notorious “bushtucker trials”: “I’m looking forward to him eating a kangaroo’s penis. Quote me. You can quote me that.”

Mr Hancock has spent months trying to rehabilitate his reputation after he was forced to resign when it emerged he had broken his own social distancing rules to carry on an extramarital affair with his aide.

But he is now facing an extraordinary backlash over his decision to jet halfway around the world.

One former minister told The Independent that, in the wake of the controversy, he assumed Mr Hancock would not seek re-election.

Another accused him of “burning bridges behind him… I very much doubt he intends to stand [again].”

Tory MP and former children’s minister Tim Loughton went further and suggested his local party should deselect the “absolute prat”.

He said he was “disgusted” that Mr Hancock had “put himself and a so-called celebrity career” ahead of serving his constituents.

“The least he deserves is having the whip withdrawn from him, and if his local constituency have got any sense they might deselect him as well,” he added.

It was particularly wrong for Mr Hancock to be abroad at a time when MPs were working hard to help constituents through the cost of living crisis, he told Times Radio.

In a statement Mr Hancock’s local Tory association agreed, accusing him of a “serious error of judgement”.

Lobby Akinnola, from the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice Campaign, said: “Matt Hancock isn’t a ’celebrity’, he’s the former health secretary who oversaw the UK having one of the highest death tolls in the world from Covid-19 whilst breaking his own lockdown rules.

“The fact that he is trying to cash in on his terrible legacy, rather than showing some humility or seeking to reflect on the appalling consequences of his time in government, says it all about the sort of person he is.”

A spokesperson for Rishi Sunak, who declined to give Mr Hancock a ministerial role last week, said the prime minister “believes that at a challenging time for the country, MPs should be working hard for their constituents in the House or in their constituencies.”

Mr Sunak is unlikely to watch the programme, they added.

Allies of Mr Hancock said he would use his appearance to promote his work on dyslexia.

One said there were many ways to do the job of an MP and appearing on the most-watched programme on TV would “show the human side of those who make [political] decisions”.

He added that the show’s producers had agreed that Mr Hancock can communicate with his staff if there is an urgent matter in his constituency.

SNP MP Pete Wishart said: “It speaks volumes that Matt Hancock would rather be stranded in a remote jungle eating kangaroo testicles than spend a moment longer on the Tory benches at Westminster, as Rishi Sunak’s government lurches from one crisis to another.”

Shadow health minister Andrew Gwynne said: “To be fair to Matt Hancock, I’d sooner eat wallaby anus than be a Tory MP too.”

I’m A Celebrity... is not the only television show Mr Hancock is due to appear on in the next few months. He has also been signed up for Celebrity SAS Who Dares Wins, which is due to air on Channel 4 next year.

Tory MP David Simmonds: “I wish him luck, I hope it’s OK. But I don’t think it’s the best use of his time when his constituents in the UK have need of an MP to represent them.”

Mr Hancock has been approached for comment.

Verita Consulting Ltd have been appointed by East Devon District Council (EDDC) to carry out an independent investigation into the actions of the council following the allegations, criminal charges and subsequent conviction of John Humphreys.

eastdevon.gov.uk

This investigation has been commissioned following a decision by Council on 28 September 2022 to appoint an independent body to look at this. The aim of the investigation is to understand the actions of staff and Councillors in the handling of matters relating to former councillor John Humphreys, and to recommend any improvements required for the Council going forward.

The council have agreed a terms of reference for its investigation which can be viewed on this page.

Mr Humphreys was a former mayor of Exmouth and was an East Devon District Councillor from 2007 to 2019. He was imprisoned for 21 years after being convicted in August 2021 of sexually assaulting two teenage boys in the early 1990s and early 2000s. Mr Humphreys was made an Honorary Alderman by EDDC in December 2019. The Council voted to remove his honorary title following his conviction.

If anyone wishes to submit evidence, written statements or to request a meeting with the investigation team in the context of the terms of the reference of this investigation, please write to Verita through their confidential email channel at: SpeakToUs@verita.net (Owl emphasis)

If the contribution is outside of the scope of the investigation agreed by councillors at EDDC, please get in contact with Devon and Cornwall Police.

It is anticipated that a report on the investigation will be delivered to the council in early 2023.

Scope and terms of reference (extract from terms of reference)

10. This investigation will primarily focus on the actions of EDDC management and its officers and Councillors. 

11. Relevant external stakeholders may contribute to the investigation on a voluntary basis strictly in relation to the issues set out below. 

12. The aims of the investigation are to:

1. establish what information was known by EDDC Councillors and officers about Mr Humphreys and any investigations into the allegations against him 
2. understand the EDDC decision-making processes in considering Mr Humphreys’ continued position as a Councillor after his arrest 
3. determine the extent to which the EDDC considered whether Mr Humphreys presented any safeguarding risks to children in the context of his party political and Councillor roles 
4. examine what, if any, safeguarding measures were put into place following the 2016 arrest and assess the effectiveness of their implementation and monitoring 
5. describe the process by which the EDDC bestowed the honour of Honorary Alderman on Mr Humphreys 
6. determine whether the EDDC complied with its own policies and procedures in making this decision 
7. review the decision-making processes deployed by EDDC following Mr Humphrey’s conviction to remove his honorary title and to review its actions in the handling of this matter 
8. determine whether any improvements could be made to EDCC’s safeguarding and governance arrangements in light of the findings of the investigation
9. report on any other significant issues that arise in the course of the investigation that bear on its terms of reference

Former PM Boris Johnson has confirmed he will attend the COP27 climate conference in Egypt next week after being invited by the organisers.

His successor at No 10 Rishi Sunak has been under pressure to attend, after initially saying he was too busy preparing for the budget.

But it now looks increasingly likely that Mr Sunak will go after all.

His official spokesman said “significant progress” was being made on the financial statement.

No 10 said it would provide an update if Mr Sunak’s travel plans change.

The 27th meeting of the Conference Of the Parties (COP) due start in Sharm El-Sheikh on Sunday.

BBC