Share your views on proposed plans to give East Devon’s lowest income families a 100 per cent discount on their council tax, helping to protect them against the cost-of-living crisis.

eastdevon.gov.uk 

Under the draft scheme, for working age households, those in Band 1 will receive 100 per cent reduction, Band 2 – 80 per cent, Band 3 – 55 per cent and Band 4 – 25 per cent. 

A six-week consultation was launched on Friday, 4 November, following a report presented to East Devon District Council’s (EDDC) Cabinet – previously the biggest discount offered as part of the scheme was 85 per cent.

Currently 4,566 households, split into four bands (Band 1, Band 2, Band 3 and Band 4), currently receive a council tax reduction, depending on their household make-up and income.

The move will mean 2,423 households (53 per cent) will be lifted out of paying council tax all together under the proposed scheme.

The largest group to benefit will be the 2,276 households with children – a total of 44 per cent (994 households).

The second largest group will be the 1,763 households with a disabled resident – a total of 52 per cent (908 households).

EDDC’s working age council tax reduction scheme currently costs just over £4.5million. The proposed changes would see an additional £722,859 needed to cover the cost of the new scheme.

The majority of the residents that will benefit (98 per cent) will see annual savings between £150 and £500 per year.

Following the public consultation, any changes to the scheme will be presented to EDDC’s Cabinet at its meeting on 4 January 2023. If given the go ahead, any agreed scheme will go before full council with the aim of introducing it from April 2023.

If you would like to comment on the proposed changes, follow the link here: www.eastdevon.gov.uk/consultation

For more information on the proposed changes, visit EDDC’s website. 

If you need help completing the consultation email s.church@eastdevon.gov.uk or call 01404 515616.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is facing questions about his judgement following the resignation of cabinet minister Sir Gavin Williamson after bullying claims.

[Sir Gavin Williamson lasts a couple of weeks before being forced out of government for a third time, but allowed to resign rather than be sacked. The government is still in chaos will “Leaky” Sue be next? – Owl]

By Christy Cooney www.bbc.co.uk

Mr Sunak is set to face MPs at Prime Minister’s Questions and is expected to be asked when he learned the full details of the allegations.

Sir Gavin is accused of abusive behaviour towards fellow MPs and civil servants, though denies any wrongdoing.

Labour said the episode has shown “poor judgement and leadership” by Mr Sunak.

Sir Gavin was appointed minister without portfolio after Mr Sunak, a close political ally, won the Tory leadership just two weeks ago.

Complaints against him first emerged when The Sunday Times published a series of expletive-laden texts he sent last month to then-chief whip Wendy Morton.

In the texts, he appears to complain about not having been invited to the Queen’s funeral, and seemingly accuses Ms Morton of “rigging” ticket allocations against MPs not “favoured” by then-prime minister Liz Truss.

He reportedly warned Ms Morton “not to push him about” and said that “there is a price for everything”.

A senior civil servant later told the Guardian that, during his time as defence secretary, Sir Gavin told them to “slit your throat” and, on another occasion, to “jump out of the window”.

On Tuesday, his former deputy, Anne Milton, also claimed he had behaved in a “threatening” and “intimidating” way towards MPs while serving as chief whip.

Ex-Conservative Party Chair Jake Berry has said he told Mr Sunak about Ms Morton’s complaint on 24 October, the day before Sir Gavin’s appointment.

No 10 has said the prime minister “knew there was a disagreement” but that he didn’t know the “substance” of the messages until they were published by the Sunday Times.

Sir Gavin has been reported to the MPs’ bullying watchdog, the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme, over his WhatsApp messages to Ms Morton.

The Guardian has reported that the civil servant from the ministry of defence has also lodged a complaint with the body.

Speaking on Monday, Mr Sunak said the language used in the texts was “not acceptable”, but asked if it amounted to bullying said it was “right” to let an independent complaints process conclude.

Sir Gavin’s resignation marks the third time he has been forced from government. In 2019, he was sacked as defence secretary after allegedly leaking sensitive information related to Huawei’s potential involvement in the UK’s 5G network.

Later that year, he was made education secretary by Boris Johnson, but in 2021 was removed over his handling of A-level exams during the Covid pandemic.

Speaking on BBC Two’s Newsnight, deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner called Sir Gavin’s appointment last month “astonishing” and said it showed “poor judgement and lack of leadership and weakness” on the part of the prime minister.

“It would be very surprising [if] they weren’t aware of the full strength of the allegations against Gavin Williamson when he was appointed,” she said.

She accused Mr Sunak of appointing Sir Gavin as part of a “grubby little backroom deal” to make himself prime minister instead of “governing the country in the interests of the British people”.

Ms Rayner also said Sir Gavin should stand down as an MP if the bullying claims are proven. “There is no place for bullies in parliament,” she said.

Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper said: “Rishi Sunak has serious questions to answer about why he appointed Gavin Williamson, then stood by him instead of sacking him.

“His promise to lead a government of integrity has now been left in tatters.”

In his resignation letter, Sir Gavin said he refuted the “characterisation” of the claims “about my past conduct” but felt they had become a “distraction from the good work the government is doing”.

He added that he had apologised to the recipient of the text messages and would comply with the complaints process to “clear my name of any wrongdoing”.

He later tweeted that he would not be taking any severance pay, traditionally given to ministers when they leave office.

In reply, Mr Sunak said he accepted the resignation “with great sadness” and thanked Sir Gavin for his “personal support and loyalty”.

“Your commitment to successive Conservative governments and the party over the years has been unwavering,” he said.

Mr Sunak is also facing pressure over why he reappointed Suella Braverman as home secretary just weeks after she was forced to resign for breaking ministerial rules by sending an official document to a fellow MP from her personal email.

Opposition figures have again accused him of keeping her in the cabinet as part of an agreement to ensure her support for his position as prime minister.

Pinhoe is now set to join the newly created ‘East Exeter and Exmouth’ parliamentary constituency instead of Priory ward.

[There are, as yet, no corresponding press reports on the new Honiton constituency. 

In many ways new Honiton provides continuity with the old Tiverton and Honiton, comprising 66% of the voters from the old constituency and 22% of the old Devon East constituency. It will be a rural constituency of market towns, well defined borders, including the coastline from Seaton to Sidmouth.

In contrast the new East Exeter and Exmouth constituency now adds 11% of Exeter voters to the residual 78% of Devon East creating a strange mixture of city and urban dormitory towns with the isolated seaside town of Budleigh Salterton and the AONB to its north looking somewhat isolated. – Owl]

Ollie Heptinstall www.exmouthjournal.co.uk

As part of a shake-up of England’s map for general elections, which aims to give each MP roughly the same number of voters, the Boundary Commission has revised its proposals following a four-week consultation earlier in the year.

It had planned to include Priory as part of a new ‘Exmouth’ constituency but this was met by significant opposition, including from city council leader Phil Bialyk and East Devon MP Simon Jupp.

As a result, Priory is now proposed to stay part of the main Exeter constituency while Pinhoe will join the new seat, which covers parts of Mr Jupp’s existing East Devon constituency as well as some areas of Exeter.

The Boundary Commission had previously intended to call this seat ‘Exmouth’, however following feedback it’s now set to be known as ‘East Exeter and Exmouth’.

A third and final consultation on the new revised constituency proposals is now open until 5 December and the commission will then submit its final recommendations to Parliament next summer.

Explaining why the changes are being made, the commission says it needs to “reduce the high electorate of the existing Exeter constituency,” which is why Priory was initially considered to be moved out.

The current Exeter constituency has an electorate of just over 80,000, higher than between the 69,724 and 77,062 allowed under the new national proposals.

Replacing Pinhoe with Priory would barely make any difference to the numbers. Earlier this year Priory’s electorate was stated as being 6,637 compared to Pinhoe’s total of 6,661.

The commission has revealed this issue was the main reason why changes to the Exeter boundary was the “largest issue in the South West region and one of the largest in England,” with more than 500 written representations received in opposition as well as petitions containing 1,853 names.

Summarising the feedback, they added: “Respondents said that although Pinhoe is a City of Exeter ward, it comprises mostly new development and has ties to the town of Broadclyst and the newer developments in the Cranbrook ward.

“The ward’s inclusion in Exmouth would mean that the three eastern wards of Exeter would all be in the Exmouth constituency.”

Mr Jupp (Conservative) spoke out against Priory being removed from the main Exeter constituency in March, saying: “The Priory ward is categorically part of Exeter city, with residents identifying themselves as living in Exeter.”

He added: “I believe that the historic village of Pinhoe, having been subsumed into the city of Exeter, still retains much of the independence, character, style and connections of nearby wards in the East Devon district, including Broadclyst.”

Cllr Bialyk, the Labour leader of Exeter City Council, echoed Mr Jupp’s remarks at the time. The council last year asked the Boundary Commission to include Pinhoe in the new Exmouth seat instead of Priory.

Reacting to the updated proposal, Exeter MP Ben Bradshaw (Labour) tweeted: “After listening to strong representations from people in Exeter, the Boundary Commission has agreed to keep Burnthouse Lane and the rest of Priory ward in the Exeter parliamentary constituency. Good decision.”

The public are invited to view and comment on the new map at bcereviews.org.uk.

From Unlock Deocracy:

We need to call time on part-time MPs.

• Matt Hancock MP is currently in the jungle in Australia on the TV show ‘I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here’. He could be away from Parliament for up to 3 weeks.
• Boris Johnson MP was recently on holiday in the Caribbean while Parliament was sitting.

These are two of the latest examples of part-time MPs. There is no way for constituents of these MPs to sack them. They must wait until a General Election.

We believe that MPs should face immediate penalties for not showing up for work – unless there is a good reason not to.

If you agree, please sign our petition to amend the Recall of MPs Act 2015.

We want to amend the Recall of MPs Act 2015 so that constituents neglected by their absent MPs have the chance to fire them.

If MPs have long periods of absence, this should trigger a recall petition, and if 10% of constituents sign it, the MP would be forced to face a by-election. It would also allow the docking of MP’s pay.

Our suggestions were featured in The Mirror over the weekend.

If anyone else failed to turn up for their job without good reason, they would be in trouble with their employer.

This is yet another example of one rule for MPs and another for the rest of us.

The role of an MP is to scrutinise and propose legislation and hold the government to account. They have a further responsibility which is to represent the interests of their constituents.

Can they take their responsibilities seriously while lying on the beach or doing challenges in the jungle?

We don’t think so.

It’s time to call time on part-time MPs.

Will you sign our petition calling for stricter rules for absent MPs?

New powers to enforce ‘moving traffic offences’ could be taken on by Devon County Council.

The authority’s ruling cabinet is being urged to take advantage of new rules which mean local councils can apply to enforce the driving errors for the first time and hand out fines.

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

Moving traffic offences (MTO) include driving through a ‘no entry’ sign, driving the wrong way up a one-way street, entering yellow box junctions when there is no clear exit and driving in bus lanes.

Currently these offences are monitored and enforced by Devon and Cornwall Police.

The recommendation to apply for the new powers follows a review by a council scrutiny committee, which concluded that if correctly implemented they could reduce traffic congestion and reduce the number of accidents.

A council report, due to be considered by the cabinet next week, outlines how a limited number of sites are planned for “initial consideration” for the scheme. They are:

• Heavitree Fore Street, Exeter – Bus Lane
• Exe Bridges, Exeter – Bus Lane
• Exe Bridges, Exeter – Yellow Box Junction
• Penn Inn, Roundabout Newton Abbot – Yellow Box Junction
• Topsham Road / Burnthouse Lane, Exeter – Bus Lane
• The Square (near Boutport Street) Barnstaple – Bus Lane

“These locations have been selected as they are known to create and contribute towards congestion and are covered by existing CCTV infrastructure. In addition, Fore Street, Heavitree lies within an Air Quality Management Area,” the report explains.

Before making their application, Devon will need to “gather evidence that offences are occurring at their proposed enforcement locations, causing concerns for: safety, congestion, active travel priority or public transport reliability.”

Once this evidence is gathered, the report goes on to say that a minimum six-week public consultation will take place on the locations and types of moving traffic offences proposed for enforcement action.

For the first six months of operation, in accordance with national guidance, the first offence committed by a driver would produce a warning only.

Subsequent breaches would result in a £70 (higher level) or £50 (lower level) penalty charge, reduced to 50 per cent if paid within 21 days.

There would also be an appeal process available, like the one currently used for parking fines.

Councillor Alistair Dewhirst (Lib Dem, Ipplepen & The Kerswells), chair of the corporate infrastructure and regulatory services scrutiny committee which has made the recommendation, said: “We believe that there is a clear opportunity to improve traffic flow and safety on urban roads throughout Devon.

“However, this additional enforcement activity should be pursued with a common-sense approach that does not lead to disproportionate burden on motorists for minor misdemeanours.

“We are mindful that with an increase in the cost-of-living, additional charges will not be welcomed. However, there is an anticipated real benefit to keep traffic moving as well as to encourage safe driving.”

The cabinet will consider the idea, as part of its highways and traffic management policy review, on Wednesday [9 November].

If it backs the idea and the council’s application is successful, powers are likely to be confirmed by the end of 2023.

Furthermore he proposes to wangle post dating of peerages for serving MPs to avoid by-elections!

Boris Johnson’s post-dated peerages for cronies are a constitutional novelty as well.

The Independent www.independent.co.uk 

Predictably, Boris Johnson’s reported resignation honours list is a defiant compilation of cronies, donors and private jokes. In the candid words of one anonymous Conservative MP to Sky News: “What a shameful list of bootlickers, bimbos and tropical island holiday facilitators who between them can be proud to have pushed trust in politics to an extreme low during their tenures and offered very little in return to the British people.”

Then again, Johnson was never much bothered about any of that.

An immediate problem is the unsuitability of some of the names being proposed by the new prime minister on behalf of his predecessor to the King, by convention. They’re very much Johnson’s responsibility, his personal gifts of recognition on the occasion of his departure, as opposed to the usual run of honours in the New Year and on the sovereign’s birthday. But No 10 will always be wary of recommending questionable characters for vetting by the House of Lords Appointments Committee and, more informally, Buckingham Palace. So the twenty or so originals have been whittled down.

One apparent omission is the long-rumoured elevation of the editor-in-chief of the Daily Mail titles, Paul Dacre, to a peerage. No doubt his day will come. More certain seem to be the four Conservative MPs nominated for their lordships’ house: Nadine Dorries, former culture secretary and fanatical Johnson loyalist; Alister Jack, current secretary of state for Scotland, Alok Sharma, ex-cabinet minister and retiring Cop26 president, and Nigel Adams, long-time Johnson confidant, junior minister and close ally.

Apart from anything else, the problem with nominating sitting MPs for the Lords is that they have to quit their Commons seats, prompting a by-election. Two of the four seats would almost certainly fall to opposition parties (one each to Labour and the SNP), while the other two (including Selby) would probably be touch and go between Labour and the Tories. In order to avoid further erosion of their parliamentary majority, the Conservatives are trying to engineer “post-dated” peerages, to take effect only after the next general election is called. It is a constitutional novelty rather than an outrage, but there is no law against it, and it will really be up to Sunak.

Many of the other figures in line for peerages seem to represent Johnson putting two fingers up to his critics. As if to signal his contempt for the dignity of the upper chamber, Johnson wishes to ennoble two of his most loyal advisers: Ross Kempsell, the Conservative party’s former political director, and Charlotte Owen, Johnson’s former assistant, who would become the youngest ever life peers. Besides their relatively short party political service to Johnson, they have relatively little expertise to bring to the Lords.

Similarly cheeky is the nomination of Shaun Bailey, failed Tory candidate for mayor of London. It was Bailey who faced the shame of attending a lockdown rules-busting Christmas party. Perhaps Johnson is signalling what he really thinks about the Partygate saga. Also controversial is Tory mayor for Tees Valley, Ben Houchen, and the donor who arranged for the Johnsons’ winter holiday in Mustique, Carphone Warehouse founder David Ross.

Johnson isn’t the first prime minister to have attracted criticism for his selections for ennoblement and knighthoods. The most famously eccentric resignations list was the one Harold Wilson presented on his retirement in 1976, which contained a number of figures with little or no connection, let alone sympathy, for the Labour; and one, the businessman Joseph Kagan, later convicted of fraud. It was called the “lavender list” because it was drafted on coloured notepaper by Wilson’s political secretary Marcia Williams (who had been herself ennobled in 1974, Johnson-style). It became notorious.

David Lloyd-George, who allegedly sold honours during and after the First World War, as well as Tony Blair, who became embroiled in the cash-for-honours scandal in 2005-06, and the King, as Prince of Wales, have all also found themselves the subject of unfavourable comment about their nominations for preferment. The difference with Johnson is that his reputation doesn’t have far to fall.

Beer, Sidmouth, Budleigh Salterton and Exmouth are on the list

Twelve Devon beaches – 11 of them on the south coast of the county – have been put on pollution alert today after more heavy rain fell overnight. The beaches include some of the county’s most famous tourist hotspots.

Guy Henderson www.devonlive.com

Torre Abbey Sands at Torquay was the first to be placed on an official Environment Agency Pollution Alert, meaning that storm sewage had been discharged from a sewer overflow in the location within the past 48 hours. There is a sewer overflow in the urban catchment directly behind the beach that discharges into the Torre Abbey stream. Torre Abbey Sands was made the subject of an alert on Monday, which was still in place today.

The 10 other beaches were added overnight. They include Beer, where three overflows surround the beach, with one discharging from Beer car park, one discharging 600m North East and one slightly further to the South.

Other beaches on alert today are Sidmouth, where one overflow discharges through a long sea outfall some 600m out to sea while the other discharges into the River Sid, just under 400m to the east. Budleigh Salterton is on today’s list. There are three sewer overflows in the area, one discharges directly onto the beach, another 400m east and another that discharges 1.3km away into the sea.

At Exmouth, which is also on the list, there is a sewer overflow discharging through an outfall to the south east which may affect bathing water quality especially after heavy rainfall. Dawlish Town Beach is on the list. It has five sewer overflows covered by the Safer Seas Service within 650m off the beach which can operate in heavy rainfall.

At Coryton Cove, another beach included on today’s list, a sewer overflow discharges over the rocks at the southern end of the beach. Teignmouth’s Holcombe Beach is on the list too. It has a sewer overflow which discharges into the Holcombe Stream 40m upstream of the beach.

Torbay beaches on today’s list in addition to Torre Abbey Sands are Beacon Cove, which can be affected after heavy rainfall and Goodrington, where there is one sewer overflow discharging directly onto the beach while another discharges 500m upstream in the Goodrington Stream that then meets the sea towards the southern end of the beach.

In the South Hams Mothecombe beach is on the list. There are no sewer overflows directly on the beach at Mothecombe but urban areas including Ermington and Ivybridge can discharge into the River Erme whose estuary Mothecombe is located in.

The only North Devon beach on today’s list is Westward Ho!, where a sewer overflow discharges to the sea at Nose Rock at the southern end of the beach while the Tawe/Torridge estuary also receives overflows from the surrounding urban area which may affect water quality especially after heavy rainfall.

All pollution warnings are highlighted on an interactive map by Surfers Against Sewage. At Paignton Beach and Brixham’s Shoalstone Beach sewer systems are under maintenance and South West Water has temporarily disabled real-time alerts.

There are two sewer overflows on Paignton Sands – one at the southern end of the beach and another offshore of the harbour. A sewer overflow discharges to the sea across the rocks at the eastern end of Shoalstone.

Liberal Democrat MP for Tiverton and Honiton, Richard Foord, insists he can hold onto the seat in the next general election by being a community champion.

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

Foord, who won the Devon seat in June in Britain’s biggest ever by-election swing, made the comments in an interview as he met with Lib Dem leader, Ed Davey, in Honiton on Friday 4 November. 

In an interview with the Local Democracy Reporter Service, he explained why he felt he had already made an impact in his first few months as an MP. 

RF: “It’s been a furiously busy short time, actually. We’ve had on my first day in Parliament, I put together an early day motion pressuring the government to offer fuel duty relief for for my constituents, for people here in my part of Devon, because what we see is people in rural areas like this one needing to travel far more miles in their cars than is the case for people who live in urban areas.

“And in part of North Devon, there is a different fuel duty, a lower fuel duty levy, for people who live in very remote areas. And I would like to see that extended to all of Devon and other rural areas besides.”

LDRS: “It could be maybe 18 months, maybe even less until the next general election. With the kind of majority that you overthrew when you managed to win this seat, how can you convince the electorate to stay with you?”

RF: “I think when people vote for a Liberal Democrat MP, what they’re doing is they are recognising that they’re going to get a community champion. And so I’m trying my very best to be that champion of local people here in Devon in the short time that I’ve got before the next general election, to prove that I can represent them as best as possible in Parliament.”

LDRS: “That’s quite a tough task because the previous incumbent [Neil Parish] would say that he was too. He had this good relationship with farmers, with rural communities. So, in the very short time you have, that’s a lot of work to do. How confident are you that you can do that?”

RF: “I’ve paid tribute before to my predecessor, Neil Parish. who was indeed a very good constituency MP. I’ve learned from the way that he managed to cut about all of the towns and villages in our patch. He was very much present in village halls and at community centres, talking to local people and dealing with individuals’ casework and I’m really trying to emulate that as best I can and be that community champion.”

LDRS: “What have been your biggest challenges, do you think, so far and what do you think are likely to be your biggest challenges in the near future?”

RF: “I think one of the biggest challenges that I’ve seen when working with constituents over the last couple of months is this dreadful cost of living crisis that they are experiencing that we’re all seeing. I mean, it wouldn’t be the case that people’s mortgage rates were skyrocketing – or interest rates on loans were going up, so much. Or people’s pensions were put at risk, were it not for the decisions made by the Truss government over the last couple of months.

“And so I think trying to help shield our constituents and directing them and signposting them to some of the things that are on offer is something that I’ve been trying to do. But it’s difficult and it’s tough because of some catastrophic decisions that the government has made in recent months.”

LDRS: “It’s not realistic to assume that the Lib Dems are going to have an overall majority at the next election. So which political parties would you feel comfortable working with?”

RF: “Well, we’re simply fighting hard for every single Liberal Democrat MP that we can obtain at the next general election. We started this Parliament with 11, we’re now on 14 and we’ve proved with our momentum that we are a fighting force in British politics. We’re definitely on the way back up and in a stronghold that was once the west country.

“We we’ve got deep roots and we can regenerate some of the activism, the enthusiasm that we’ve seen before for the Liberal Democrats in our part of the world.”

A senior civil servant claims Gavin Williamson told them to “slit your throat” in what they felt was a sustained campaign of bullying while he was defence secretary.

Pippa Crerar www.theguardian.com

The Ministry of Defence official told the Guardian Williamson made the extraordinary remarks in front of other civil servants in a meeting, and on a separate occasion told them to “jump out of the window”.

The Whitehall aide, who worked closely with the cabinet minister, claimed Williamson “deliberately demeaned and intimidated” them on a regular basis.

They reported the behaviour unofficially to the MoD’s head of human resources and took contemporaneous notes of the alleged incidents, but decided against making a formal complaint against the cabinet minister at that time.

Williamson, who was defence secretary from November 2017 until May 2019 when he was sacked after a leak from the national security council, was said to have “shouted and raged”.

The senior civil servant, who later left government, said the abuse was so bad that a senior military aide working in the department had later apologised for not calling it out.

Williamson denied that he bullied the civil servant and said he had good working relationships with his officials. However, the Guardian understands that he is not denying that he used those specific words.

In a statement, he said: “I strongly reject this allegation and have enjoyed good working relationships with the many brilliant officials I have worked with across government. No specific allegations have ever been brought to my attention.”

The claims come after Downing Street said No 10 had “full confidence” in the Cabinet Office minister despite the emergence of bullying claims and abusive text messages he sent to the former Conservative chief whip Wendy Morton.

Speaking at the Cop27 summit in Egypt, Rishi Sunak said: “There’s an independent complaints investigation that is happening and it’s right that we let that process run its course before passing judgment. I want to see the results of that, obviously, but I’ve been very clear that language is not right, it’s not acceptable. And that’s why I welcome the fact that Gavin Williamson has expressed regret about that and now we wait to see what the investigation says.”

The latest allegation poses yet more questions for the prime minister about his political judgment after he decided to reappoint Williamson – a close political ally who is seen to have played a key role in his leadership campaign – to government despite being aware of Morton’s complaint.

Text messages revealed over the weekend included angry remonstrations about not being invited to the Queen’s funeral and one that said “there is a price for everything”.

The prime minister’s spokesperson said on Monday that Sunak had a zero-tolerance approach to bullying, but had refused to sack Williamson, claiming he had an “important contribution to make to government”.

Meanwhile, the Times reported on Monday that an MP claimed Williamson, when he was chief whip in 2016, threatened her with potentially revealing details about her private life. The MP was now a minister, the paper said.

She told the paper he called her to his office when she was campaigning on a politically sensitive issue and raised something about her private life “which she interpreted as a tacit threat”. Unnamed allies of Williamson said this had not been a threat and he had raised the issue in a “pastoral capacity”.

‘He was not right to send them,’ says Grant Shapps on Gavin Williamson’s abusive texts – video

Grant Shapps, the business secretary, said the messages should not have been sent, telling Sky News: “I don’t think it was the right thing to do, to send messages like that. I see they must have been sent in a moment of frustration. I think, generally, it is the case that it’s much better to write things which you would not live to regret later.”

Williamson was sacked first as defence secretary by Theresa May after it was alleged he leaked details of a national security council meeting – an allegation he has always denied; and later as education secretary by Boris Johnson over the Covid 19 A-levels debacle.

Labour and the Lib Dems have called on Sunak to sack Williamson. Anneliese Dodds, the Labour party chair, said on Monday night: “These allegations are extremely serious and speak to the toxic culture at the top of the Conservative party. The prime minister knew there was a complaint against Gavin Williamson but appointed him anyway.

“He was given a seat around the cabinet table because Rishi Sunak was too weak to face a vote of his own party. Here again we see the grubby deal made by Rishi Sunak to put party management over the national interest.”

Home Secretary Suella Braverman has been reported to the Bar Standards Board for ‘a dishonest statement made out of self interest to promote her career’

Greg Barradale www.bigissue.com 

Suella Braverman’s dubious claim she “contributed” to a legal textbook when working as a lawyer is being assessed by the barristers’ regulator.

The home secretary claimed in an online CV to have been “a contributor” to a regulatory book published titled Gambling for Local Authorities, Licensing, Planning and Regeneration by Philip Kolvin KC.

But Kolvin told The Big Issue in October she made “no written or editorial contribution”, adding: “However on one occasion I asked her to do some photocopying for the book, which she did.”

It has now emerged the story sparked a complaint of “potential serious misconduct” from a fellow barrister to the Bar Standards Board, which regulates barristers and investigates wrongdoing.

The complaint, first reported by Private Eye and seen by The Big Issue, was made in early October and accused Braverman of a “dishonest statement made out of self interest to promote her career”.

It reads: “The ‘Big Issue’ has recently reported that in her profile on the Website of Number 5 Chambers, removed apparently at short notice on 30 September 2022, Ms Braverman claimed to have contributed to a textbook Gambling for Local Authorities: Licensing, Planning and Regeneration (Institute of Licensing, 2010) edited and primarily written by Philip Kovin KC.

“He says she did no more than do some photocopying for him and ‘did not make a written or editorial contribution to the book.’ If true, that would seem to be a dishonest statement made out of self interest to promote her career.”

Profiles on the No5 website outline barristers’ accomplishments and are submitted by the individuals concerned. Many are self employed, with the chambers the rooms they use while working. 

No5 declined to comment on the record, but the entire contents of Braverman’s profile was removed from the website after The Big Issue approached her office for comment. Staff at the chambers said she asked them to remove the profile after the Big Issue made contact about the claim. A copy of the web page is still available online through the Internet Archive.

Braverman’s regulatory and licensing profile on the No5 chambers website. Image: Screenshot

In a response to the complaint seen by The Big Issue, the BSB says reports of “a concern” will be assessed “as quickly as possible”, whereas reports of “serious misconduct” may take longer.

If the BSB decides to investigate, this could lead to a tribunal which, at most, could see the home secretary being banned from being a barrister.

Other punishments include a fine. However, the board could also decide to take no action or send an informal letter.

The decision whether to investigate takes up to eight weeks, while an investigation itself would take about six months.

Barristers reporting other barristers are under a duty to only do so if they have a “genuinely and reasonably held belief” that serious misconduct has taken place.

The Bar Standards Board said: “The BSB is unable to comment on any ongoing investigations as these are confidential. 

“Full details on how we assess reported concerns about barristers are available on our website. Should such an investigation result in a decision by a Disciplinary Tribunal, this would be published on the BTAS website in due course.”

Braverman’s office did not respond to a request for comment.

And those who dismiss wind power are “mediaeval”.

Boris Johnson has criticised net zero “naysayers” who want to “frack the hell out of the British countryside” in his first appearance at the COP27 climate summit in Egypt.

He continued with “we have to tackle this nonsense head on”, criticising  his former newspaper The Daily Telegraph for dismissing wind power as “mediaeval”. 

“Burning oil is positively paelolithic,” Johnson hit back. (inews)

Plans for 182 new homes on the edge of Exeter have been put forward. The scheme, on behalf of Tilia Homes Western, would see the homes built on land at Aldens Farm in Alphington.

Owl was always under the impression that the Greater Exeter Strategic Plan (GESP) was based on the premise that the city had run out of space.

Daniel Clark www.devonlive.com 

Outline planning permission for the scheme was granted back in 2021. Now, developers have put forward plans for the details of appearance, scale, layout and landscaping for the major new scheme – with 30 per cent of the homes being affordable.

The site is allocated for development in the large urban extension of ‘South West Exeter’ which is being built. A total of 500 homes could be built in the wider area.

The site adjoins existing residential development to the north and is bound by Shillingford Road to the west, Markham Lane to the south and Chudleigh Road to the east of the site. Beyond Chudleigh Road, Redrow Homes are currently building out their scheme within the allocation.

A statement with the planning application, submitted this week to Exeter City Council, says: “A mix of 1, 2, 3 and 4 bedroom homes are proposed. The houses are two and two and a half storeys, and the apartment blocks are three storeys.

“The proposed layout has sought to establish a clear and simple hierarchy of streets. The layout incorporates the permitted vehicular access off Shillingford Road towards the west of the site, with a primary street running west‐east through the site and secondary streets then lead off the primary street.

“The proposed development will involve the retention of existing hedgerows and incorporates the principle area of public open space towards the north, which will include an attenuation basin and play area. Each house has its own garden which is of a size capable of supporting the needs of a family, being large enough for play, relaxation and the growing of food if required.”

The statement concludes: “The principle of the development of the site and means of access to the site are not therefore matters for determination having already been approved. It is only the detailed design of the proposals that fall to be considered at this stage, specifically the layout, scale, appearance and landscaping.

“The proposed development complies with the relevant policies of the Development Plan, and there are no other material considerations which point to a decision other than in accordance with the Development Plan.”

Exeter City Council planners will determine the fate of the application at a later date.

SWW is offering to fix them for free because it is failing to meet leakage reduction targets. See Owl’s August analysis: SSW Leakage: how bad is it?

(Is this 30% of the number or leaks or 30% of the volume of water lost? )

The sponsored content article (below) contains a second attempt at blame-shifting:

“The region is reaching a tipping point where demand for water exceeds supply”. 

Could this, by any chance, be another example of lack of investment, sewage treatment being another?

Consider:

No new reservoirs have been built in England since privatisation.

“They [the water companies] have consistently prioritised their own financial interests above those of the public, who have no choice but to use their services. Of course companies must be able to pay dividends if they are to attract capital to fund investments. But the extreme financial engineering led by rapacious private equity funds has sucked more than £72 billion out of the sector in dividends since privatisation and piled £56 billion of debt on to its balance sheet, crippling its ability to fund infrastructure projects, even as customer bills have risen by 40 per cent.” See The Times and many similar articles written in the past couple of months

South West Water’s approach to finding leaks is out of this world

NB Advertorial content, Jessie Parker www.devonlive.com 

As reservoir levels across the South West remain extremely low, customers, visitors and businesses are being urged to reduce their water usage as the sustained and significant rainfall required to recharge the reservoirs is not currently forecasted.

The region is reaching a tipping point where demand for water exceeds supply and South West Water is asking all of its customers, along with visitors to the counties, to do everything they can to save water, and the company has a range of free devices and help and advice on its website.

South West Water is also doing more now than ever before to help secure supply. This includes finding and fixing more leaks than ever before with a monthly high of 2,500 leaks.

To help with this, the water company has nearly doubled its number of staff detecting leaks and is using cutting-edge technologies to further support the rapid detection and repair of leaks.

Most pipe leakage is invisible to the human eye because water doesn’t break the surface. South West Water is employing the use of special satellites to help find these leaks up to two metres underground, and has drone pilots searching out hard-to-reach places across Dartmoor and Exmoor.

With around 30% of leaks now typically found on customers’ own properties, South West Water has also extended its offer to find and fix these leaks for free – saving enough water so far to serve the equivalent of 8,000 homes.

We spoke to Martin Pipe, customer regional delivery manager, who has worked for South West Water for 16 years.

Explaining what’s led to the current position, Martin said: “We’ve experienced one of the driest and hottest periods in our region in over a century, with below average levels of rainfall paired with high levels of demand during the summer.

“We’ve been urging customers and visitors to the region to do everything they can to reduce the amount of water they use, while our own teams are out fixing more leaks than ever before, including repairing customer leaks for free.

“Our team of leakage experts work around the clock pinpointing and fixing leaks as quickly as possible. It’s a big job, we’ve got 9,320 miles of network mains covering a rural and hilly region.  We’re heavily investing in technology to help us use real-time data to make sure we do everything we can to find and fix leaks quicker.

“This includes using satellites to help find water leaks underground with the same technology used to search for water on other planets, such as Mars. It works by using microwave sensors onboard a satellite in space to take photos of the earth showing potential water leaks.

“As microwaves can penetrate up to two metres underground, the data will highlight potential leaks which may not be showing above ground so our leakage technicians can locate more leaks and make necessary repairs.”

How to tell if you may have a leak

Martin went on to explain how you can tell whether you’re losing water through leakage: “You can easily have a leak and not see it. In fact, the majority of leaks will be running without anyone knowing anything is wrong and a lot of leaks will run underground. So just because you can’t see a leak, it doesn’t mean there isn’t one.”

Because of this it can be hard to tell whether you’ve got a leak but a clear sign is an increased bill at a time when your water usage hasn’t gone up. Once reported, South West Water will help you locate the leak and find out who’s responsible: “If you suspect a leak but are unsure, give us a call or visit our website as soon as possible and our teams can help you determine if you have a leak and, if so, how to resolve it.

You can report a suspected leak to South West Water by filling out this quick online form or by calling 0800 230 0561. For more information about the current water usage bans and what’s being done to tackle it, head to the South West Water website.

• Application for approval of reserved matters (appearance, landscaping, layout and scale) for the construction of a single storey dwelling following outline application (20/0933/OUT) (pursuant to the grant of outline planning permission appeal ref APP/U1105/W/21/3282445) Land South Of Underhill Close LympstoneRef. No: 22/2410/RES | Validated: Fri 28 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Single storey rear extension, conversion of roofspace to habitable use to include a rear dormer and Juliet balcony with alterations to fenestration. 6 Birch Road Lympstone EX8 5LBRef. No: 22/2415/FUL | Validated: Fri 28 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Proposed solar farm development with permission being required for 40 years, comprising solar arrays, equipment housing, sub-station, fencing, CCTV, ancillary equipment, landscape and biodiversity enhancements. Higher Hawkerland Farm
• Sidmouth Road Aylesbeare Devon EX5 2JWRef. No: 22/2409/MFUL | Validated: Fri 28 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Roofing over two areas of open livestock yards Court Place Farm Wilmington Honiton EX14 9LARef. No: 22/2402/FUL | Validated: Thu 27 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of a swimming pool, changing and recreation room and associated landscaping The Old Vicarage Rawridge Road Upottery Devon EX14 9PWRef. No: 22/2405/FUL | Validated: Thu 27 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Variation of condition No.10 (Landscaping) on application 20/0387/FUL for the omittance of the proposed gates Aldi Exeter Road Honiton Devon EX14 1AZRef. No: 22/2406/VAR | Validated: Thu 27 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• T4, Oak : kick out/ remove major deadwood; install triangular 7 tonne bracing with steel cable and webbing slings approx. 2-3 metres above current bracing between south, south eastern and central stem; reduce via thinning south and south/ eastern stems by removing dominant leaders approx. 2.5 metres in length. 6 Drakes Gardens Drakes Avenue Exmouth EX8 4ADRef. No: 22/2398/TRE | Validated: Wed 26 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Installation of covered stands, erection of new barricade and alterations for Grade D upgrade. King George V Ground Exmouth Town Football Club Southern Road Exmouth Devon EX8 3EERef. No: 22/2392/FUL | Validated: Wed 26 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Design amendments to approved application 21/3323/FUL – Ground floor rear extension, loft conversion for new first floor bedroom, new front porch cover and repositioned entrance, installation of PV panels to roof. 60 Foxholes Hill Exmouth Devon EX8 2DHRef. No: 22/2385/FUL | Validated: Tue 25 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Single storey rear extension and demolition of existing conservatory. 75 Mount Pleasant Avenue Exmouth EX8 4QTRef. No: 22/2382/FUL | Validated: Tue 25 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Installation of external heat pump to rear and installation of handrails. Brook Gallery 30 Fore Street Budleigh Salterton EX9 6NHRef. No: 22/2380/FUL | Validated: Fri 28 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Installation of non-illuminated fascia and sub fascia sign Complete Meats 100 High Street Honiton EX14 1JWRef. No: 22/2386/ADV | Validated: Thu 27 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Conversion of existing private barn from domestic storage to workshop / home office studio to include new replacement roof. Cleverhayes Farm Cotleigh EX14 9HQRef. No: 22/2383/FUL | Validated: Fri 28 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Lime Tree : Reduce height of tree by 5 metres and cut back sides to maintain current shape; removal of lowest oblique right limb April Cottage 1 The Green Woodbury EX5 1LTRef. No: 22/2388/TCA | Validated: Tue 25 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Certificate of lawfulness for enlargement of rear extension, garage conversion to bedroom/gym, new porch to front, relocation of front door, rendering of brickwork and alterations to fenestration.Pound Place Lower Budleigh East Budleigh Devon EX9 7DLRef. No: 22/2377/CPL | Validated: Mon 24 Oct 2022 | Status: Withdrawn
• The construction of a detached timber frame home office and garden store Dennis Barn Kerswell Cullompton EX15 2ESRef. No: 22/2376/FUL | Validated: Fri 28 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Single storey front extension and single storey rear extension. 4 Hill View Winters Lane Ottery St Mary Devon EX11 1ATRef. No: 22/2373/FUL | Validated: Mon 24 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Proposed single storey rear extension to existing vehicle workshop building. Hi Q King Street Honiton EX14 1AGRef. No: 22/2363/FUL | Validated: Thu 27 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Single storey rear extension, porch to front, garage link in-fill and single storey side and rear extensions to garage. Silverwood 6 Brackendown West Hill EX11 1NTRef. No: 22/2369/FUL | Validated: Mon 24 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• T36, Sycamore : Tree is in poor health and local residents have concerns about potential failure of major limbs/tree. I am proposing a pollard to retain the tree for as long as possible. Given that there is fairly significant basal decay and a fair few major limbs need to be removed, including some at the top, it seems like a reasonable course of action. Fern House The Drive Farringdon Devon EX5 2JDRef. No: 22/2371/TRE | Validated: Mon 24 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• R1 & R2, Lime trees : Prune eastern canopy away from the property ‘Hafod’ to achieve a 2m clearance from building, maximum diameter of cut 25mm; thin both tree canopies by up to 15%, maximum diameter of cut 30mm; remove the epicormic growth. Hafod Cricket Field Lane Budleigh Salterton Devon EX9 6PBRef. No: 22/2375/TRE | Validated: Fri 28 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Single storey side extension and creation of roof above existing rear deck. 1 Lydgates Road Seaton EX12 2BXRef. No: 22/2364/FUL | Validated: Mon 24 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Replacement of existing decking, using hardwood boards and balustrades. Creation of storage space below. Removal of oak tree, previously approved under application 21/1315/FUL. Westwards Bickwell Valley Sidmouth Devon EX10 8RFRef. No: 22/2372/FUL | Validated: Thu 27 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of side extension, rear extension, porch to front elevation, alterations to fenestration and rendering of brickwork Pound Place Lower Budleigh East Budleigh Devon EX9 7DLRef. No: 22/2378/FUL | Validated: Mon 24 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Single-storey rear extension, single-storey side extension, loft conversion for habitable use with one rear dormer. 4 Sid Vale Close Sidford Devon EX10 9PHRef. No: 22/2379/FUL | Validated: Mon 24 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Erection of replacement agricultural building, formation of hardstanding and removal of existing building Land At Dulford DulfordRef. No: 22/2356/FUL | Validated: Wed 26 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Alterations to existing annexe to create a granny annexe. Orchard Lea Church Road Whimple EX5 2TFRef. No: 22/2361/FUL | Validated: Tue 25 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of first floor extension over garage. 1 The Holt Honiton EX14 1JSRef. No: 22/2358/FUL | Validated: Tue 25 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Conversion of three storey apartment building to 1no. single dwelling. 12 Cambridge Terrace First Floor Flat Salcombe Road Sidmouth EX10 8PLRef. No: 22/2351/FUL | Validated: Fri 28 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Application seeking approval of the reserved matters (access, appearance, landscaping, layout and scale) for the demolition of existing buildings, conversion of dairy building to 2 residential dwellings, construction of 10 new residential dwellings, and associated car parking, roads, access, landscaping, infrastructure and engineering works (including ground modelling and utilities). This is a subsequent application in respect of outline permission 03/P1900 which was accompanied by an Environmental Statement and seeks the discharge of the relevant conditions of the outline permission 6, 11, 14, 17, 20, 22, 23, 24, 28, 29 and 37 Site Of Tillhouse Farm CranbrookRef. No: 22/2343/MRES | Validated: Thu 27 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Replacement shopfront with associated works. 100 High Street Honiton Devon EX14 1JWRef. No: 22/2337/FUL | Validated: Mon 24 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Replacement shopfront with associated works. 100 High Street Honiton Devon EX14 1JWRef. No: 22/2338/LBC | Validated: Mon 24 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Proposed steel framed building Oakwood Payhembury Devon EX14 3HZRef. No: 22/2340/AGR | Validated: Thu 27 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Proposed installation of 277 x solar panels on north facing roof slope The Fireworks Weycroft Avenue Millwey Rise Industrial Estate Axminster EX13 5HURef. No: 22/2346/PVJ | Validated: Mon 24 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Installation of a front dormer and viewing room 7 Nurseries Close Exton Exeter EX3 0PGRef. No: 22/2329/FUL | Validated: Mon 24 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Extension of consent for a temporary carpark from 01/01/2023 to 31/12/2024. Car Park Lyme Street AxminsterRef. No: 22/2335/FUL | Validated: Fri 28 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Diversion of Footpath 16 south of South Farm Road South Farm Road Budleigh SaltertonRef. No: 22/2326/FDO | Validated: Tue 25 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Proposed 2 storey dwelling house and garage adjacent to Mentone Land Off Lennox Avenue (rear Of Mentone) SidmouthRef. No: 22/2321/FUL | Validated: Wed 26 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Application seeking approval of the reserved matters (access, appearance, landscaping, layout and scale) for the enlargement of the existing surface water basin 2c and resulting amendments to the neighbouring footpaths and the construction of a new surface water feature with associated infrastructure and engineering works (Including ground modelling) and landscaping. This is a subsequent application in respect of permission 03/P1900 which was accompanied by an Environmental Statement and seeks the discharge of the relevant conditions of the outline permission (6, 14, 17, 18, 19 and 20.). Land At Cranbrook Town Centre BroadclystRef. No: 22/2307/MRES | Validated: Thu 27 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Replacement of community centre with 4no. residential flats (almshouses) with associated development to include access, landscaping and drainage. Ottery Feoffee Day Centre Brook Street Ottery St Mary EX11 1EZRef. No: 22/2305/FUL | Validated: Thu 27 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Application seeking approval of the reserved matters (access, appearance, landscaping, layout and scale) for the construction of 31 dwellings including affordable housing, parking, roads, footpaths, landscaping, open space, associated site infrastructure, and all other associated works (including ground modelling and utilities). This is a subsequent application in respect of outline permission 03/P1900 which was accompanied by an Environmental Statement and seeks the discharge of the relevant conditions of the outline permission (6, 11, 14, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 28, 36 and 37). Land To The North Of Tillhouse Road Cranbrook Town Centre DevonRef. No: 22/2306/MRES | Validated: Thu 27 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Proposed single storey rear extension 6 Otter Court Budleigh Salterton EX9 6JHRef. No: 22/2304/FUL | Validated: Thu 27 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Proposed conversion and alteration of outbuilding to form 1 no. dwellinghouse and provision of associated parking area Cutlers Hill House Higher Greenway Lane Sidmouth EX10 0LYRef. No: 22/2296/FUL | Validated: Thu 27 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Proposed 6 ft fence to the front 17 Oaklea Honiton Devon EX14 1XHRef. No: 22/2299/FUL | Validated: Thu 27 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Conversion of attached garage to habitable use. Beachcroft Burrow Road Seaton EX12 2NFRef. No: 22/2229/FUL | Validated: Wed 26 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Installation of 18 ground mounted solar PV panels Stotehayes Yarcombe Honiton EX14 9BBRef. No: 22/2218/FUL | Validated: Thu 27 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Refurbishment and remedial works, including: construction investigations, sub-structure works, wall repairs and replacement render, isolated first floor repairs, window repairs with some secondary glazing, new roof structure and roof coverings (Tudor wing), re-slate roof coverings (Georgian wing), overhaul chimneys. The Old Rectory Clyst St Lawrence Cullompton EX15 2NWRef. No: 22/2169/LBC | Validated: Tue 25 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Prior approval for the solar photovoltaic (PV) installation on the roof Armada House Odhams Wharf Ebford Devon EX3 0PBRef. No: 22/2152/PVJ | Validated: Fri 28 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Change of use from redundant annexe to C3 dwelling house Huxham View Church Hill Pinhoe Exeter EX4 9JJRef. No: 22/2126/FUL | Validated: Fri 28 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Install 6no. solar PV on rear north west elevation and 4no. solar PV on single storey rear south west elevation Ferndale The Strand Lympstone EX8 5JSRef. No: 22/1980/LBC | Validated: Wed 26 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Conversion 1 – Proposed conversion/extension of a 2 storey garage/living accommodation to a 2 storey, 3 bedroom house. Conversion 2 – Proposed conversion of a garage to a 2 storey garage with gym/office space over. Fairfield Exmouth Road Exton Devon EX3 0PZRef. No: 22/1787/FUL | Validated: Fri 28 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Replace 2no. ground floor windows on front south west elevation Cobblers Hawkchurch Axminster EX13 5XDRef. No: 22/1383/LBC | Validated: Mon 24 Oct 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision

No, it’s not Simon Jupp but George Osborne – remember him?

A Government ban on new onshore wind farms is costing the country billions of pounds in higher energy charges, says Labour.

Wonder what “Fracker” Jupp thinks of this? – Owl

Minreet-kaur inews.co.uk 

The party says the plans it set out at its annual conference in Liverpool in September would deliver a zero-carbon power system by 2030 and save £93 billion on energy bills by the end of the decade.

Of that, £15.8 billion would come from onshore wind – savings that would be lost as a result of the Conservatives’ 2015 effective ban on new onshore wind production.

Onshore wind is considered to be one of the cheapest and quickest sources of renewable energy, but it is often hugely unpopular in the communities where wind farms are located – leading David Cameron to halt government subsidies.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said: “Tackling the climate crisis and the energy price crisis is the great challenge of our time, but Rishi Sunak just does not get it.

“Twelve years of the Conservatives has left our energy system exposed, bills rocketing, while failing to tackle the climate emergency.

“My Labour government will tackle the climate crisis by grasping the opportunities it presents. We need this scale of ambition to meet the scale of the task.”

Labour said that maintaining the ban now meant keeping energy bills high, diminishing energy security with higher gas imports and higher greenhouse gas emissions.

(Or the economic cost – Owl)

Water companies told the EA they dumped raw sewage into rivers and seas 372,544 times last year, for 2.6m hours. The real figure is believed to be much higher though, due to underreporting. …

Data shows that currently no river passes tests for both ecological and chemical health as a result of a cocktail of pollution from sewage, agricultural runoff and industry.

Helena Horton www.theguardian.com 

The government has no idea how many beaches in England have been shut due to sewage pollution this year, ministers have admitted.

This summer, scores of beaches across the country were forced to close in high season after raw sewage was dumped into the sea near the coast. Surfers Against Sewage found that in August alone, at least 90 beaches across the country had been sullied by sewage.

Just last week, the Cornish beauty spot St Agnes saw its blue waters polluted to a murky brown colour after waste was spilled into the sea.

The Conservative government has claimed water quality is a “top priority” and that current sewage pollution levels are unacceptable, but despite this, Defra minister Trudy Harrison admitted that beach closures are not even being monitored. In a parliamentary answer this week, she said: “Neither [Defra] nor the Environment Agency holds information on the number of beach closures due to sewage pollution in England.”

A second question tabled by Labour’s shadow environment secretary Jim McMahon also disclosed that the government has not conducted any impact assessments into how allowing sewage pollution affects tourism and coastal businesses financially.

McMahon told the Observer: “Whilst the Tories continue their game of prime minister pass-the-parcel, Labour has a clear plan to protect our coastal communities from filthy raw sewage, by forcing water firms to clean up their act.

“Families across the country should be able to enjoy where they live, work or holiday, and businesses should not have to worry about the Tory sewage scandal hitting their trade.

“A Labour government will use the levers of power to hold reckless water bosses to account and toughen regulations to prevent them from gaming the system.”

Amy Slack, head of campaigns and policy at Surfers Against Sewage, added: “This news comes as no surprise as it’s entirely in keeping with the government’s laissez-faire approach to sewage pollution. Until those in power show they are serious about cracking down on the profiteering polluters of the water industry, sewage will continue to be dumped into the UK’s rivers and seas, at huge cost to public and environmental health. Now that the lid has been lifted on the sewage scandal, people across the country are rising up and demanding an end to sewage pollution.”

In the summer, Labour revealed that on average water companies in England and Wales are pumping raw sewage into our natural environment every two-and-a-half minutes, with areas such as beaches, playing fields and bathing waters affected over a six-year period.

Earlier this year McMahon said a future Labour government would implement measures to force water companies to progressively end sewage dumping.

Sewage is spilled regularly into England’s rivers and other waterways. Water companies told the EA they dumped raw sewage into rivers and seas 372,544 times last year, for 2.6m hours. The real figure is believed to be much higher though, due to underreporting. This is partly due to inadequate infrastructure, which means that when it rains sewage systems are mixed with storm overflows, which are then spilled without being treated into rivers, the ocean and even lakes.

Data shows that currently no river passes tests for both ecological and chemical health as a result of a cocktail of pollution from sewage, agricultural runoff and industry.

Defra’s annual report last week revealed no progress had been made in the past year on improving river water quality, with just 16% of rivers deemed to be in a good ecological state, the same as in 2016. The lack of progress means the government is unlikely to meet the legal threshold of 75% of rivers achieving good status by 2027 under the water framework directive (WFD).

“So-called second homes and Airbnbs aren’t home to anyone”

“Local communities need new powers to keep homes in residential use and limit numbers of second homes.”

From today’s Western Morning News

A VILLAGE in Devon is being seen as a worrying example of the impact a huge growth in holiday rentals has on the homeless crisis affecting many parts of Britain.

Braunton, reputedly England’s biggest village, has seen a growth in holiday lets in recent years, driven in part by the expansion of Airbnb.

As fears grow that more property owners could move into the holiday business next season, one Braunton local is warning that her community is being squeezed to death by the changes.

Emma Hookway has lived in Braunton since she was 16. But she and her six-year-old son lost their rented home when her landlady’s daughter moved back in. She has now launched a local housing crisis campaign.

She said a two-bedroom bungalow in Braunton now cost around £1,200 a month. Many properties have been taken out of the reach of locals and are now offered to holidaymakers. In nearby Croyde and Woolacombe one in four properties are on Airbnb. In St Ives the figures is one in five In Newquay it is one in six.

Will McMahon, Director of Action on Empty Homes told the Daily Telegraph more homes were needed to meet local needs. “So-called second homes and Airbnbs aren’t home to anyone,” he added. “Local communities need new powers to keep homes in residential use and limit numbers of second homes.”

Tourism leaders say second homes bring vital earnings to coastal communities.

The “invasion” of immigrants does not mask our real woes: climate change and a tanking economy

“Integrity, professionalism and accountability at every level”

There is no suggestion the Prime Minister did anything wrong in accepting the donations, which were in line with the ministerial code. But it will raise fresh questions over his political judgement

(He accepted at least £60,000 from seven companies and individuals with links to the Cayman Islands, Luxembourg, Jersey, Bermuda and the British Virgin Islands, records show.)

Extract from www.mirror.co.uk