From Tim Jones, mouthpiece of so many Tory business groups past and present. But these are effects, not side effects, of Johnson’s “oven ready” deal.

(In Owl’s view Tim Jones is one of a group of old men who have been too influential for too long in the strategic planning of the South West. They represent the historic failure of our local economy to do anything other than bump along the bottom. He now incongruously pops up as Chairman of the Biosphere Foundation)

Tim Jones www.northdevongazette.co.uk

It is now possible to start making a sensible judgement about the impact of our leaving Europe. It does not matter which side of this debate you are on. We made our decision and we are committed to it.

It is however now possible to start seeing whether there have been overall benefits or losses arising. Undoubtedly, many of the benefits will be slow burn and it may not be for 5 or 10 years until we know what progress we have made.

There was much hope that once freed from Europe we would be able to become a global trading partner with many other countries. Inevitably this has been tougher to progress than had been billed. Deals with Australia and New Zealand are being picked over currently and are regarded as having been rushed and therefore not to our benefit.

The deal with Japan has good and bad elements. We are trying to make progress with America but this could take a number of years. There are high hopes that we will join the Pacific Trading Alliance (the comprehensive and progressive agreement for trans-pacific partnership – this is a free trading block of 11 countries in the indo-pacific region). Here again, however, these are delicate negotiations which can take years to complete.

In the interim, we can now more accurately assess the impact of losing our trading agreement with Europe. Overall it seems that we are down by around 7-8%. We have also lost the significant muscle power that Europe has on the world stage. We have also lost access to a number of really important funding streams, such as, the Horizon Programme which has been valuable for many years to a number of our academic institutions.

We have of course lost (or we think we have lost) the burden of European red tape. The government are trying to capitalise upon this by freeing up many of our financial institutions to allow them to expand into other new world markets. This is important as our financial services sector contribute around 10% of the current countries wealth generation (including tax income).

A slightly unexpected consequence has been the effect on the international labour market, which has been a very important part of supporting many of our businesses, such as, health care, agriculture, hospitality/ tourism. The impact of much tighter visa control has become painfully apparent as we are suffering skills shortages across many sectors and are having to reach out across the world and try to recruit for key skills.

What is alarming however is the slow progress we are making in recruiting homegrown talent. Even more alarming is that, in accordance with a recent institute for management development World Talent Ranking Survey, the UK has become less attractive as a destination for oversea workers.

The survey shows we have slipped 7 places, falling to 28th out of 63 countries. This response has been gathered after contacting around 5,000 executives from these various countries. It shows that the UK is no longer being seen as a particularly favourable destination for international professionals and now ranks behind countries such as Latvia, Cyprus, Estonia and Slovenia. The reasons for this are that there are growing concerns about the UK’s economic situation and education system. Many apparently therefore feel that our quality of life is no longer as attractive as it was. All of this has been fuelled by the Brexit debate. Additional concerns have been expressed about the UK’s rising cost of living (which is not as severe in many other countries) and, importantly, the lack of affordable houses to buy and rent.

This obviously also raises questions about not only how many international workers we can recruit but also our ability to retain the international workforce we have already got. In parallel with this, many companies who are trying to expand are making investment decisions to move with the labour market. This further diminishes the economic prowess of the UK.

The government needs to take a strong grip on this. It will help when we have less political and economic turmoil. Northern Devon has a role in this, in sending out strong messages of welcome to the international labour market and to show that we have an abundance of high growth businesses hungry to expand and huge back-up support, both in innovation and education. This is a great opportunity for Northern Devon to show regional leadership.

Written by Tim Jones, Chairman of the Biosphere

Halting tax cuts given to the banks for just one week could fund food vouchers for 1.9 million children in poverty over Christmas, analysis has revealed.

“…I will place economic stability and confidence at the heart of this government’s agenda. This will mean difficult decisions to come…but I promise you this –  I will bring that same compassion to the challenges we face today…” Rishi Sunak

Adam Forrest www.independent.co.uk

If Rishi Sunak’s government were to ditch the tax cuts for seven days, it would raise enough to feed all the children eligible for free school meals in England during the school break.

Analysis by the Liberal Democrats, shared with The Independent, shows an expected loss to the Treasury of £3.2bn next year from the planned reduction to the bank surcharge on profits and cuts to the bank levy – over £61m per week.

The opposition party said £61m could be used to provide £3 lunch vouchers to children in poverty every weekday over the festive period.

Munira Wilson, the Lib Dems’ education spokesperson, said: “It is completely out of touch for this Conservative government to press ahead with cutting taxes for the big banks.”

“If Jeremy Hunt reversed the cut for just a single week, it would feed millions of children this Christmas. The fact that he is so unwilling to do so proves how completely wrong his priorities are,” she added.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s autumn statement confirmed Mr Sunak’s planned cut to the bank surcharge on profits from 8 per cent to 3 per cent would go ahead from April 2023.

The change and recent cuts to the levy mean banks operating in the UK will pay £18bn less in these taxes over the next five years, according to Lib Dem analysis of data from the Office for Budgetary Responsibility (OBR).

The findings come as MPs and campaigners call for Mr Sunak to expand both free school meal eligibility and funding for holiday programmes.

The Independent has partnered with the Food Foundation for the Feed the Future campaign, calling for an extension of free school meals to all children in households on universal credit.

Around 1.9 million children are currently eligible, but a further 800,000 children in poverty are unable to get free meals because their family’s income – excluding benefits – is more than £7,400 a year after tax.

Last week Labour MP Zarah Sultana introduced a bill that would widen eligibility to all primary school pupils in England. She said the move would guarantee that “every child in England, no matter their background, gets a decent meal each day”.

The call comes amid fears that hundreds of thousands of children in poverty miss out on the patchwork support available through local authorities over the Christmas holiday.

Campaigners’ analysis of the government’s Holiday Activity Fund Programme (HAFP) – which provides funding to councils for vouchers during school breaks – shows it only reached 29 per cent of the 1.9 million children eligible for free school meals.

If the scheme has the same restricted reach again this year, it would leave 1.35 million eligible children without support with meals during the holiday, warned Labour MP Kim Johnson.

Urging Mr Sunak to expand the programme, the MP said: “Give councils the funds necessary to tackle holiday hunger this winter and ensure no child goes hungry.”

The Food Foundation said there was now a “postcode lottery” on which local authorities provided vouchers or other additional support during the holiday.

The Local Government Association said some councils could no longer afford to continue giving vouchers through the government’s Holiday Activity and Food (HAF) scheme.

The Lib Dems’ education spokesperson said the government had been dragged “kicking and screaming” into helping children struggling with food poverty during the Covid pandemic.

“Yet their continued efforts to deny free school meals to 800,000 children proves they either don’t care, or that they still haven’t got the message,” said Ms Wilson.

She added: “Conservative ministers must step up and extend free school meals and roll out food vouchers nationwide – it would cost a fraction of what they spend on vanity projects and helping out their rich friends.”

The MP for Tiverton and Honiton, Richard Foord, has hit out at South West Water over its handling of supply problems during last weekend, December 17 and 18. 

Philippa Davies www.midweekherald.co.uk

Residents in Axminster, Honiton, Seaton and Tiverton were left without water after the change to milder weather caused pipes to burst.   

But information from South West Water was communicated via social media and people reported problems reporting localised faults. 

Mr Foord said many people said they had spent more than an hour on the phone trying to get through to South West Water’s customer service team. He added that the system for reporting problems via the company’s website stopped working after just a few hours. 

The Liberal Democrat MP is now calling for South West Water to ‘shake up its processes’. 

He said: “It’s shocking that at the first sign of trouble South West Water’s whole process seemed to fall apart. We can appreciate the risk posed by a sudden shift in temperatures, but why wasn’t it properly planned for?  

“I had people reaching out to me in anger, confusion or distress over the course of several days. They woke up to find themselves without access to water and found it all but impossible to get a clear answer out of South West Water about what was happening.  

“With South West Water’s phone lines backed-up, and their online reporting channel breaking within hours, the only way anyone could get reliable updates was via social media. It cannot be right that such a vital service only communicates via Twitter. 

“Worse still, it took a long time for support to be mobilised. Emergency water provision was slow to be rolled out, with many vulnerable people reporting they still didn’t have water days after the first outage.” 

On Monday morning (December 19), when some towns and villages were still without water, South West Water confirmed that compensation payments of £30 per 12 hours of outage will be issued to affected customers. However, these payments can take up to 20 working days to arrive.   

Mr Foord is urging South West Water to change the way it responds to these incidents by setting up a dedicated emergency phoneline to report faults, paying compensation more quickly, and investing properly in local water infrastructure to stop these problems at their source.

Well, happy Christmas mateys, you can’t get on a train, 

The Border Force is striking, so you can’t get on a plane, 

The nurses on the picket line feel underpaid and wronged, 

And if you need an ambulance, the wait could be prolonged.

No turkey on the table, the blighter’s got the flu, 

Here’s a Yuletide sausage, one’ll have to do,

Let’s raise a glass of water, with blankets on our knees, 

And drink to festive merriment, as we gently freeze.

Pam Ayres 2022

And from Owl, keeping watch over East Devon

Rishi Sunak has been criticised over an awkward exchange with a homeless person while volunteering at a soup kitchen in front of television cameras.

The prime minister visited a shelter on Friday, where after a brief exchange he asked the man whether he worked in business. The man replied that he was homeless. Sunak then discussed his background in the finance industry and asked if it would be something the man would “like to get in to”.

The man replied: “I wouldn’t mind, but I don’t know, I’d like to get through Christmas first.”

He explained that he hoped a charity would find him some temporary accommodation so he was not on the street for Christmas.

Labour’s deputy leader, Angela Rayner, described the exchange as excruciating, and the Labour MP Stella Creasy said: “Watching this I am concerned that the prime minister thinks homeless means ‘doesn’t have a country pile at the moment’.”

Sunak used the trip to outline that the government had pledged £2bn to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping over three years.

Michael Savage www.theguardian.com

Illegal tree felling in England will be punishable by unlimited fines and prison sentences from 1 January, the government has announced.

Tough on tree felling but relaxed over river pollution. Where is the coherence in all this? – Owl

www.theguardian.com

The current fine for cutting down a tree without a licence, established by the Forestry Act 1967, is £2,500 or twice the value of the timber, whichever is the higher.

But the development value of the land, as opposed to the price of timber, has been the main driver of illegal felling in recent years.

To deter property barons from illegally flattening trees and accepting the paltry penalties as a cost of doing business, the Forestry Act 1967 will be amended by the Environment Act to allow uncapped fines. The Environment Act passed into law in November 2021, although its provisions against illegal tree felling are not yet in force.

Under existing laws, illegally felling 12 oak trees, all about 150 years old, attracted a fine of just £15,000 in January 2020. The case, prosecuted at Hastings magistrates court, was remarkable for resulting in one of the biggest fines in recent years.

“These new powers will hit people where it hurts – in their wallets,” said the Forestry Commission’s chief executive, Richard Stanford. “By guaranteeing that illegal felling is no longer a financially viable option for offenders, these measures are a significant step forward in the fight against this offence and will help in our endeavours to fight the climate emergency and nature crisis.”

The changes also mean a failure to replant illegally felled trees after a court’s restocking order could result in a prison sentence.

Selling land developed through illegal felling will also be made less lucrative, with restocking notices and enforcement notices listed on the local land charges register – potentially reducing the land’s value in the eyes of buyers.

But critics question whether the harsh penalties will be meted out often enough to be an effective deterrent. Last month the Guardian revealed only 15 of 4,002 alleged illegal felling cases reported to the Forestry Commission resulted in a successful conviction between 2012-13 to 2021-22.

The Forestry Commission, a non-ministerial government department, said its count of alleged wrongdoing is inflated by members of the public misreporting. Exemptions apply in the majority of cases flagged up, relating to factors such as the timber volume, the diameter of the tree and its location.

Local planning authorities already have the power to issue tree protection orders (TPOs), with those who breach them facing unlimited fines if the case is serious enough to be tried at the crown court. Earlier this year, a case prosecuted by Eastleigh borough council resulted in a £50,000 fine for a landowner who illegally felled a number of trees within Scorey’s Copse, including oak, ash, birch, hawthorn and poplar.

From 1 January 2023, even trees without TPOs could land illegal fellers with an unlimited fine, if chopped down without a licence outside of qualifying exemptions.

The forestry minister, Trudy Harrison, said: “Felling trees without a licence is illegal and can cause irreparable harm – scarring landscapes, damaging habitats for wildlife, and causing distress for local communities.

“These robust measures, implemented as part of our world-leading Environment Act, empower the Forestry Commission to tackle the issue head-on with unlimited fines and custodial sentences for the worst offenders.”

Abi Bunker, the director of conservation at the Woodland Trust, said: “This is a welcome announcement which should strengthen protection for trees in England. These changes should send a clear message that felling trees illegally, for example prior to submitting development proposals, will not be tolerated, and that the penalties reflect the value and many benefits trees bring to our towns and cities.

“It is important that this is backed by increased resources for the organisations that deal with the enforcement of illegal felling.”

Targets to clean up the majority of England’s rivers, lakes and coastal waters suffering from a cocktail of agricultural and sewage pollution have been pushed back from 2027 to 2063.

Disgusting! – Owl

Sandra Laville www.theguardian.com 

Not one English waterway, including rivers, lakes, estuaries and coastal waters is in good ecological and chemical health at present, with pollution from water treatment plants and agriculture the key sources of the damage. The Environment Agency said on Thursday £5.3bn was being invested for the next five years to stop the further deterioration of waterways.

But the summary documents within the plan reveal the target for all 3,651 water bodies to achieve good chemical and ecological status – a state in which they are as close to their natural state as possible – was now decades away in 2063.

Until Brexit the UK government was signed up to the water framework directive, which required countries to make sure all their waters achieved “good” chemical and ecological status by 2027 at the latest. The UK government later reduced the target to 75% of waterways reaching the single test of good ecological status by 2027 at the latest. The target for the majority of waterways to achieve good status in both chemical and ecological tests has now been pushed back to 2063, according to the documents.

By 2027, only 4% of waters are currently on track to be in good overall condition.

The Wildlife Trusts said the new river basin management plans were the third instalment of proposals to restore nearly 5,000 rivers, lakes, estuaries and coastal waters across England. Both previous plans from 2009 and 2015 were supposed to oversee the recovery of a large proportion of these waters by 2015 and 2021 – but the targets were missed and pushed back.

Ali Morse, water policy manager for the Wildlife Trusts, said this new target of 2063 meant rivers, lakes and coastal waters would not be healthy within the lifetimes of many people. “For too long we have allowed our rivers and lakes to become poisoned, decimating aquatic wildlife and habitats.

“We need ambitious targets to repair the immense damage inflicted on our natural world. Instead, the government is comfortable with kicking action on rivers into the long grass. At this rate, a great deal of us will not see England’s rivers and lakes given a clean bill of health in our lifetimes – and that is nothing short of a tragedy.”

The latest state of rivers and lakes released by the Environment Agency in 2020 shows that only 16% meet the criteria for good ecological status and no surface water bodies are deemed to meet the criteria for achieving good chemical status. Both criteria are required for a waterway to be deemed as in a good state – thus no river, lake or coastal water is judged to be in a good state at present.

The Environment Agency said on Thursday the £5.3bn being invested in the river basement management plans into waterways over the next five years would help protect and enhance England’s waters, tackling the impacts of pollution and climate change. The plans are legally-binding and aimed at tackling the key threats to rivers and coastal waters which are water company pollution, agricultural pollution, climate change and population growth.

But if no progress is made the EA said only 6% of rivers, lakes and coastal waters would be in a good ecological state by 2043.

John Leyland, EA executive director said: “Whilst progress has been made to protect and enhance England’s waters, it is clear that considerable time and investment will still be needed if we are to see the further improvement in our water environment that we all want.”

The £5.3bn action plan to 2027 was already funded, the EA said. It included £4.3bn of action by water companies and more than £500m to mitigate the impacts of agriculture on the water environment.

The Wildlife Trusts said pressures from water demand and pollution were incessant; from record-breaking temperatures and low rainfall, to the overuse of storm overflows to release raw sewage into rivers, even at times of dry conditions. The latter, the trusts said, were a clear sign that investment in sewage infrastructure had not kept pace with what was needed.

Morse said the reason for what was an extremely long road to recovery of river health outlined in the new plans was in the majority of cases, chemical pollution. Waterways are polluted by chemicals from landfill sites, urban runoff or agriculture, and when these chemicals have already reached the environment, there was very little that could be done to remove them, she said.

Rishi Sunak has appointed a new “Old Etonian” ethics adviser whose long business career involved links with disgraced retail tycoon Sir Philip Green and the late Robert Maxwell. (Various additional sources)

“This government will have integrity, professionalism and accountability at every level.” – Rishi Sunak

Adam Forrest www.independent.co.uk 

Rishi Sunak has appointed a new ethics adviser after a six-month vacancy but has been condemned for clinging onto the personal power to veto any investigation into ministers.

Historic England chairman Sir Laurie Magnus was announced as the successor to Lord Geidt – who quit after a turbulent tenure under Boris Johnson – as the adviser on ministers’ interests.

But the prime minister ignored calls from the Committee on Standards in Public Life and others to give his top adviser the power to start their own investigation without his permission.

Labour accused Mr Sunak of having chosen to “preserve the rotten ethics regime” that led to the resignations of both Lord Geidt and his predecessor Sir Alex Allan.

The Liberal Democrats said the new adviser was “toothless”, and the respected Institute for Government think tank said it was “unwise” for Sir Laurie to accept the role without a strengthened remit.

Welcoming the new role as “an honour” and a “significant responsibility”, Sir Laurie said an early priority will be scrutinising the declaration of ministers’ interests.

“I will endeavour to discharge the important responsibilities of the role with fairness and integrity, in a manner which inspires the confidence of ministers, parliament and the public,” the adviser wrote to Mr Sunak.

In a letter to Sir Laurie, Mr Sunak stressed he believes it is a “critically important role”, having faced pressure to appoint someone to a role vacant since June.

“I have sought to identify potential candidates who can demonstrate the critical qualities of integrity and independence, relevant expertise and experience, and an ability to command the trust and confidence of ministers,” the letter read.

Sir Laurie, who has a background in financial services and is a former deputy chairman of the National Trust, takes up the adviser role for a non-renewable five-year term.

Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner said: “After months of dither and delay, Rishi Sunak has chosen to preserve the rotten ethics regime he inherited from his predecessors that saw the previous two ethics watchdogs walk out.

“By ignoring the Committee on Standards in Public Life and refusing to grant his ethics adviser genuine independence, this weak Prime Minister is failing to deliver the integrity he promised and instead has installed yet another toothless watchdog.”

She said Labour would install a “genuinely independent” integrity and ethics commission with powers to launch investigation without ministerial approval.

Institute for Government director Dr Hannah White said it was “disappointing” that Mr Sunak has “forgone the opportunity to strengthen the role”, and said Sir Laurie had been “unwise” to accept it without new powers.

Dave Penman, the general secretary of the FDA union representing senior civil servants, argued Mr Sunak is “essentially continuity Boris Johnson when it comes to the ministerial code and ministerial conduct”.

“The prime minister retains a veto over investigations into his minister’s conduct and is the sole arbiter of the Ministerial Code, including any sanctions. How will this give civil servants the confidence to come forward?” he asked.

Chris Bryant, the Labour MP who chairs the Commons standards committee, told the BBC the system is “bust”, with the PM “judge and jury in his own court”.

Lord Geidt resigned after an “especially busy year” during which he investigated the controversial funding of Mr Johnson’s Downing Street refurbishments and as the then-prime minister was embroiled in Partygate.

He quit in June in protest at Mr Johnson’s willingness to consider measures which would breach the ministerial code, saying he was put in an “impossible and odious” position.

His predecessor Sir Alex resigned in 2020 after Mr Johnson refused to accept his finding that then-home secretary Priti Patel had bullied civil servants.

Mr Johnson initially reviewed whether the role needed to be filled after Lord Geidt quit, and Mr Sunak has seemingly struggled to find a willing replacement since taking over in October.

The lack of an ethics chief meant that the PM had to appoint another “independent” investigator to examine the complaints made against justice secretary Dominic Raab.

Liberal Democrat Cabinet Office spokeswoman Christine Jardine said: “To leave the vital ethics adviser post vacant for weeks was bad enough. Now we discover the new incumbent has to seek the PM’s permission to launch investigations. It’s utterly toothless.”

Mr Sunak’s leadership rival Liz Truss said during the summer Tory contest that was unnecessary because she knew “the difference between right and wrong”.

A series of road closures spanning several months has been announced for the East Devon town of Colyton as work continues to upgrade the town’s gas pipes.

Becca Gliddon eastdevonnews.co.uk 

Wales & West Utilities said it was ‘progressing well’ with its work to upgrade gas pipes in the King Street area of Colyton, which started in September.

The work is expected to finish by the end of March 2023, and weeks of road closures have been announced to complete the remainder of the upgrade.

The road closures and dates are:

• Dolphin Street (January 3 – 27)
• Church Street (January – February 17)
• Queen Street (February 20 – March 3)

A Wales & West Utilities spokeswoman said: “The work, which started in September, is essential to keep the gas flowing safely to heat and power local homes and businesses.

“Barring any engineering difficulties, it is due to finish by the end of March next year.

“Wales & West Utilities has liaised with Devon County Council to plan the work.”

Abby Smith, managing the Wales & West Utilities gas pipe upgrade work, said most of the gas network was underground and out of sight, but was ‘central’ in the role in the daily lives of people across Colyton.

She said: “We know that working in areas like this is not ideal, but it really is essential to make sure we keep the gas flowing to homes and businesses in the area, and to make sure the gas network is fit for the future.”

She said a team of gas engineers have been on site throughout the project to make sure the work was completed safely, as quickly as possible, while keeping disruption to a minimum.

Ms Smith said: “This work is essential to keep the gas flowing to local homes and businesses today, and to make sure the gas network is ready to transport hydrogen and biomethane, so we can all play our part in a green future.”

Warm hubs set up across East Devon to help with the cost-of-living crisis have already helped more than 300 people after a fortnight of opening.

Becca Gliddon eastdevonnews.co.uk

East Devon District Council (EDDC) said the reaction to the warm spaces – in Axminster, Broadclyst, Exmouth, Honiton, Ottery St Mary, Seaton, Sidmouth and Woodbury – was ‘overwhelmingly positive’.

A number of spaces and EDDC community centres have been identified as warm hubs, and were set up at at the end of November as places to go for people struggling to heat their homes – they can have free hot drinks, snacks, daily papers and game, plus pick up free gloves, hats and blankets.

And Waffle Seaton is open on Mondays for EDDC tenants to have free tea, coffee and toast all day.

The district council said the warm hubs will run until the beginning of April 2023 with a wide range of activities starting in the New Year.

EDDC urged residents to go along, make new friends, and keep warm.

Christmas lunch has been on the menu at the warm hubs.Photo: EDDC.

Councillor Dan Ledger, portfolio holder for strategic development, sustainable homes and communities, said: “It’s really heartening to see residents utilising this project to socialise and interact with each other.

“I cannot thank the officers enough who have been involved in setting these sessions up and delivering them.”

An EDDC spokesperson said: “More than 300 people have made the most out of the ten warm hubs opened across East Devon, in response to the cost-of-living crisis.

“East Devon District Council’s housing service has seen an overwhelmingly positive response to the project during its first two weeks.”

They added: “Officers, along with the help of volunteers, help provide a warm space for residents to play games, have hot drinks and snacks, meet neighbours and friends and collect free warm items such as bed socks, blankets and woolly hats.

“In the run up to the festive season, the hubs have also provided over 100 free Christmas lunches to all visitors, which has proved extremely popular.”

An East Devon warm hub Christmas party.Photo: EDDC

The warm hubs, and opening times, are:

Yesterday, Macavity reminded us of the escapades of ‘we plan anywhere’ Cllr. Hughes (Council Chair 2015) during EDDC’s “build, build, build” era.

Owl thinks this provides an opportunity to review the “goings on” that led to Sidbury Fields being slipped into the Local Plan at the last moment, (and Cllr. Hughes hypocritical attempt to “save them”).

First Macavity’s comment on:

Controversial “Build, build, build” Exeter council boss to step down after ‘golden decade’

…not forgetting Cllr Hughes YouTube video – ‘we plan anywhere’, which was released when Karim was at East Devon District Council

Now to the grubby history of Sidford business park (extract from this post)

“Incredulous locals wonder how it was possible for a council to allocate an ‘employment site’ in its local development plan that is on a flood plain, is a rich wildlife habitat, and whose main access would be a narrow street where two lorries can’t pass without mounting the pavement!

For the dominant Tory group on East Devon District Council it was easy!

First, they let landowners and developers decide where to build. In 2007 they asked East Devon Business Forum how much employment land the district would need over the next 25 years. EDBF was a lobby group which included the Carters of Greendale, the Stuarts of Hill Barton and Tim Ford of Sidmouth. Their answer was predictable: lots and lots!

Second, they put Chair of EDBF, Cllr Graham (‘I ain’t doin’ it for peanuts!’) Brown:  Disgraced ex-EDDC Tory Councillor scandal refuses to die.

in charge of quietly asking landowners where they would like to build. Apparently, the proposal for a Sidford business park was first mooted at one of these confidential meetings in July 2010.

Third, in 2011 they elected Paul Diviani, founder member of EDBF, as leader. Under him the District Council became what many saw as a ‘Development Corporation’, the planning system became less about protecting the environment and more about encouraging building.

Fourth, they didn’t listen to the public or community groups whom they ignored or misrepresented. Sidmouth Chamber of commerce said the business park would be catastrophic for local businesses, Council minutes recorded the Chamber as supporting it!

Fifth, they whipped their large political majority to vote through the Sidford allocation. When hostile public reaction worried them just before the 2015 council elections they voted to ‘remove it’ from the Local Plan. Universal Rejoicing! But in 2016 the Inspector kept it in the Plan. Why? Because East Devon’s chief planning officer had not been instructed to give the Inspector reasons for the council’s change of mind!”

As for Cllr. Hughes:

2019 EDDC’s Hypocrite of the Year Award should go to Tory councillor Stuart Hughes, whose Tory group when it was in power sneaked in permission for Sidford Business Park to be included in the Local Plan at the last minute. Now he is “trying” to get a vehicle weight restriction in the village! (In 2018 he said it was pointless trying to stop the development on Highways grounds).  Extract from this post

2012 to 2016

Whilst it’s true that Councillor Hughes consistently criticised the business park proposal some major questions remain about his record in this whole sorry scandal. These are reviewed here.

Clinton Devon Estates’ head of property and land, Leigh Rix, has announced his retirement from the role at the end of this year.

Owl’s got a little list – of those who won’t be missed!
There’s the City growth director who should really have been banned.
And now the Lord’s estate manager of property and land.
That’s two ticked off the list, that’s two ticked off the list!

Adam Manning www.exmouthjournal.co.uk

Since joining in 2010 from his previous career with the National Trust, Leigh, who will be 65 in January, has overseen the planning and development of new homes and commercial premises, the restoration of historic buildings and agricultural reorganisation across the estate.

Clinton Devon Estates Director John Varley said: “Leigh’s contribution, during his tenure with the estate, has been significant, notably his support in the delivery of new and affordable housing at Plumb Park and phase two of Liverton Business Park in Exmouth. The restored 19th Century China Tower, once a derelict folly near Bicton Arena, is now one of The Landmark Trust’s most popular holiday lets.”       

Leigh said: “I’m privileged to have worked alongside excellent people on some outstanding projects that will contribute to the long-term stewardship of the Estate and I’m now looking forward to working as a consultant and exploring  non-executive positions, whilst continuing to support the work of the CLA and the Historic Houses Association.”

Leigh is a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and a member of the Country Landowners Association (CLA). He has also been a member of the South West Council of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and was appointed by the Secretary of State to sit on the Environment Agency’s South West Flood and Coastal Committee, representing agriculture, farming and land management, serving two terms

In a true display of the spirit of Christmas, a kind gesture from a construction company has stopped a local shop being forced to close. Pynes Farm Shop, in Budleigh Salterton, was cut off from the main road by flood water along South Farm Road, but thanks to Kier at Lower Otter, customers are able to receive their Christmas goodies.

Shannon Brown www.devonlive.com 

Henry Riddell, shop manager, said they are “used to the road flooding” but the recent “more extreme” weather – and a ‘waterlogged van’ has made access to the shop impossible over recent days. The Lower Otter Restoration Project, currently being completed down the road from the shop, will aim to prevent future flooding when complete in Summer 2023.

Until then, however, heavy rain still causes flooding along the road. Recent heavy rain has caused more flooding than usual, and Henry said the shop has been cut off from the main road. But, thanks to their neighbours at KIER construction, working on the restoration project, the store is able to open in the run up to Christmas – and the spirit of the season is still alive.

After posting on Facebook on Tuesday, December 20, that flooding had forced the road closure, the farm shop said they’ll “bring the shop to you” by setting up a pop-up shop in their site buildings. The temporary new location is at Kier Site Offices, Granary Lane, EX9 6EW.

“As you turn off the main road to us as normal, instead of going left down the hilll, go slightly right then the entrance is on your left,” a Facebook post said. Henry said it was “less of a drive” to get to the shop, and the new location is right on the main road.

Pynes Farm Shop has temporarily moved into KIER at Lower Otter so customers can still get their orders in time for Christmas (Image: Henry Riddle)

The Facebook said: “Unfortunately South Farm Road is now not only still flooded, but also blocked by a waterlogged van. We don’t think the road will be passable before Christmas, which is clearly a disaster for us.

“But we do have a plan. You can’t get through to us, so we’ll bring the shop to you! Thanks to a lovely offer from our friends at KIER at Lower Otter we can open on Thursday. We are going to do a pop up shop in their site buildings so you can all come and get your veg and meats and goodies. (and collect your turkey orders etc!)

“We will be open 9am to 5pm Thursday, 9am to 5pm Friday and 9am to 1pm Saturday. All you have to do is follow the farm shop signs pointing in to the Kier work site at the start of South Farm Road. There will be plenty of car parking and it will be clear where to go.

“Thanks for your understanding at this difficult time, we appreciate your ongoing support of our small family business. We will be accepting cash and card.”

The store will be open till 5pm today, between 9am-5pm on Friday, and 9am-1pm on Christmas Eve (Image: Henry Riddell)

KIER at Lower Otter yesterday said it was “looking forward to welcoming Pynes Farm Shop” to the site, but reminded shoppers that it was an active and working building site.

“The pop up shop is going to be situated in the canteen, but what we’d like to remind everyone that it is still a working (albeit slowed for Christmas) site. Please can everyone visiting be mindful of this, travel slow into the site and park in the dedicated area as some teams are still working.

“The ground is slightly uneven, so please also be mindful if unsteady on your feet or using walking aids. It is also still wet, so sensible footwear is advised. Please note that Kier and partners, will not accept any responsibility for any issues that might occur when visiting site as a result of this pop up event.”

Six councillors believed the issues of flooding, visual impacts on the landscape and visual impact on heritage sites was insurmountable, while four did not, meaning the controversial proposal was rejected. In the summer, East Devon approved plans for a solar farm to be built in Clyst Hydon and more solar farm applications are on the horizon.

Rob Kershaw www.devonlive.com

Campaigners who opposed plans for a huge solar farm on farmland in East Devon were celebrating an early Christmas present after planners rejected the scheme. Devon CPRE, the Devon branch of the countryside charity, feared councillors in East Devon would back the proposal for the development south of the settlement at Marsh Green to the East of Rockbeare alongside the A30.

Some 60,000 panels were proposed covering more than 200 acres of land across a total of 27 farm fields. Planning officers recommended the scheme go ahead. But councillors voted to refuse permission following a two-hour debate on Tuesday. The 6-4 decision – with one abstention – came as a welcome surprise to opponents of the scheme, including residents in and around Marsh Green.

It followed a site visit by councillors earlier in the day who found the proposed construction area waterlogged after all the recent rain – a fact that backed up the argument that the land at Marsh Green was not suitable for such a development. Taking flooding and other factors into account, namely concerns over visual impact, land classification and impact on a designated heritage asset, East Devon’s planning committee voted against their own officer’s recommendation.

Devon CPRE director Penny Mills was among the opponents allowed to give a statement to the committee. Commenting on the decision to refuse the scheme, she said: “It’s a great Christmas present! We’d like to thank the councillors who voted to refuse it for having the courage of their convictions, for supporting the local community and for standing up for Devon’s countryside.

“We are all incredibly grateful, particularly coming so soon after the disappointing decision by the Secretary of State to permit the Langford solar farm, near Cullompton, on appeal. We hope East Devon District Council shows the same resolve should the applicant in this case decide to appeal.”

She added: “There are currently another two solar farm applications in planning in East Devon and who knows how many more in the pipeline? It’s encouraging that this one at least has been turned down for the right reasons.”

Resident Cyril Emmett, who farmed at nearby Rockbeare for 50 years, also spoke against the plans. He told councillors Marsh Green was not the right place to put a solar farm because it’s a flood valley. He said increased run-off would damage the village and building on the fields would also be a waste of good farmland.

He said: “It’s the right decision. A soil assessment carried out by independent consultants challenged the applicant’s claim that the proposed site was low-grade agricultural land.

“The assessment I commissioned concluded that the applicant’s report was incorrect and should not be relied upon. I’m not totally against solar but panels should be put on rooftops. If there were panels on every roof in the new town of Cranbrook, there would be no need to sacrifice productive farmland for such developments. Food security is paramount.”

Aylesbeare Parish Council had supported the plans due to the need for more sources of renewable energy but they wanted to see some refinements to the proposal. Drainage in the flood-prone area, dirt on the roads from HGVs passing through during the construction process and possible damage to a gas pipeline were among the concerns raised by the council. They also suggested a “more sensible” speed limit on Marwood Road, a narrow route which will be used during construction, fencing which accommodates easy passage for sheep and consultations with the RSPB.

But Rockbeare Parish Council objected to the proposal in the “strongest terms” partly due to the “unsuitability” of the development area. They claimed a solar farm would harm the pre-existing agricultural land and would not be conducive to the grazing of sheep. They raised concerns surrounding the lack of parking spaces around the site and said parking on private roads, driveways and verges would not be “permissible.”

Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Richard Lawrence (Conservative, Whimple & Rockbeare) said the proposal went against a part of East Devon’s local plan, which encourages the approval of renewable energy projects as long as “any cumulative landscape and visual impacts” are “satisfactorily addressed.”

He said this had not been adhered to, nor was he convinced by the proposed measures to mitigate flooding. His view was shared by Cllr Philip Skinner (Conservative, Tale Vale) and Cllr Geoff Pratt (Independent, Ottery St Mary).

Cllr Lawrence rubbished suggestions the farm would power over 18,000 homes and predicted the figure would be closer to 5,000. He also raised concerns about the restoration of land which would be temporarily altered during construction and highlighted a lack of clarity as to who would pay for the maintenance of the solar farm. Cllr Pratt added that a solar farm would “destroy the natural environment” and lead to the loss of “extremely productive farmland.”

However, Cllr Olly Davey (Green, Exmouth Town) claimed “no unacceptable harm” would be caused as a result of the proposal being approved and pointed to a report by a conservation officer which stated the effects the development would have on heritage assets would be “less than substantial.”

He agreed the landscape would be altered by the construction of solar panels, but said the “applicants have gone to a lot of trouble to minimise the effect on the landscape.”

“I’m not denying it will change the character of the landscape,” said Cllr Davey. “I think that’s a given, but it is for us to decide whether that is acceptable or not.”

He argued there is “no evidence that there is a carbon deficit in solar panels,” and that they “put a considerable amount of energy into the national grid.” Therefore, he felt that there were no “strong enough reasons” to reject the plan, given the need for renewable energy.

But six councillors believed the issues of flooding, visual impacts on the landscape and visual impact on heritage sites was insurmountable, while four did not, meaning the controversial proposal was rejected. In the summer, East Devon approved plans for a solar farm to be built in Clyst Hydon and more solar farm applications are on the horizon.

Owl will not mourn the loss of Karime Hassan, the architect and facilitator of excessive development on the green fields of East Devon.

Karime Hassan joined EDDC from Exeter City Council in 2002.

In 2005 he was appointed Corporate Director and set up the Exeter and East Devon Growth Point. He also established regeneration programmes for Exmouth and Seaton. This was the same year that the influential (and infamous) East Devon Business Forum was created. He was also the main driving force behind “setting Devon’s first free-standing settlement to be built in Devon since the Middle Ages on its way” (Cranbrook).

In February 2011 he joined Exeter City Council as the Director of Economy and Development after about six months of sharing his time between Exeter and East Devon.

In 2013, controversially, he was appointed both Chief Executive and Growth Director of Exeter City Council.

He was the chief architect of the “Greater Exeter Strategic Plan” (GESP) described by Paul Arnott as: “a devil’s pact between a Labour controlled Exeter City council, which had lost control of its five year land supply, and three neighbouring Conservative controlled districts eager for growth. It goes far beyond their legal duty to cooperate.”

In 2016 Karime Hassan was named Property Personality of the Year at the Insider’s annual South West Property Awards in Bristol (sponsored by the ill fated Midas Group). (Same year he was snapped sitting next to Alison Hernandez at her swearing in).

Interesting to re-read this comment made on East Devon Watch in 2014:

“The case for Exeter taking control of the growth point area is strong, and we know that Exeter is ambitious for expansion both economically and politically. They wanted to become a unitary council, and also had aspirations to absorb Exmouth. EDDC, in political turmoil, having made a colossal mess of the Local Plan, and now proposing a very unpopular relocation, look like sitting ducks.”

Exeter council boss to step down after ‘golden decade’

Anita Merritt www.devonlive.com

After what is being hailed as a ‘golden decade’, Exeter City Council’s chief executive and growth director Karime Hassan has announced he will be retiring next year. He will step down from the role at the end of March marking the end of a challenging and fast-changing decade in the city.

The interim chief executive from April 1, 2023, will be the council’s current deputy chief executive Bindu Arjoon. Karime certainly has big shoes to fill due to the contribution he has made to Exeter during his time in the role.

Last year Karime was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to government in the Queen’s New Year Honours 2021. The 60-year-old has overseen huge growth in the economy and expansion which has seen Exeter become an internationally recognised city of culture.

He said the time was right to step down after almost 10 years as chief executive and overseeing a series of high-profile successes which have transformed the city.

Karime said: “My decision to retire from the council has been very difficult but I think the time is right for me personally and for the organisation.

“I have undertaken a number of roles connected with the city of Exeter for 23 years, during this time I have worked with some outstanding colleagues, leaders and institutions, and I have witnessed the amazing progress of the city.

“It has been a privilege to be part of the collective endeavour and to play a small part in building a stronger city.

“I am delighted that Bindu will now continue this work and despite the considerable challenges that government austerity has caused for local government finance, I know that Exeter can look forward to a bright future if we continue to work together to deliver our common goals.”

Karime’s work with partners across the city is said to have developed a strong culture of collaboration in support of Exeter’s vision for a healthy, inclusive and sustainable city. Likewise, his work with partners across the region has seen Exeter’s economy grow faster than anywhere else in the South West and among the fastest growing in the UK.

Exeter’s reputation as a major retail destination is said to have seen the likes of Ikea and John Lewis attracted to the city after careful negotiation. Karime has also been credited with advancing the city’s sustainability goals with the low carbon task force and Exeter City Futures Community Interest Company.

He has overseen the council’s pioneering Passivhaus building programme and celebrated the city’s numerous national successes including being a host city for the Rugby World Cup.

Council leader Phil Bialyk said: “I want to thank Karime for everything that he has done for Exeter. He has helped to transform the city in recent years and had the vision, when working with previous leader Pete Edwards and most recently with myself, to take the big decisions which have made such a difference to Exeter.

“The successes we’ve enjoyed are too numerous to mention here, but I have to highlight the building of the UK’s first Passivhaus leisure centre and the UK’s first Passivhaus extra care facility. These are really significant achievements which have put Exeter on the map internationally. Neither project would have been possible without the vision, drive and energy that Karime has brought to the role.

“His work through the Place Board has brought together all the key organisations in Exeter and it is his leadership of place which has been truly unique. He leaves a significant legacy to build on and he will be sorely missed by everyone in the city.”

Cllr Bialyk added: “I am delighted that we can announce that Bindu will become our interim chief executive. She has been part of our leadership team here at the council for many years and brings a wealth of experience, skills and expertise to the job at what is a challenging time for local government.

“I know Bindu will be a great success and I very much look forward to starting a new chapter in the successful story of our great city.”

Bindu’s academic background is in economics and has been in local government leadership for 19 years. In her current role as the council’s deputy chief executive, she has been responsible for its transformation programme and has held leadership responsibility for the council’s housing stock, strategic housing, planning, housing needs and homelessness, customer services, welfare reform, revenues, benefits and business rates.

Bindu [Bindu Arjoon] is passionate about supporting young people to achieve their potential, volunteering her time to be chair of the Governing Body of St Leonards Primary School and St Peter’s Secondary School. Bindu is currently chair of the corporation of Exeter College.

She has recently led the transformational One Exeter work programme, designed to enable the council to provide better and more efficient services and deliver the financial savings that need to be made by April 2025. One Exeter aims to transform the way we work, support and develop staff, and ensure a fit for purpose council.

Bindu is leading on the current budget setting process which will be particularly challenging this year in light of the significant financial pressures currently faced by all local authorities.

Bindu said: “I want to thank Karime for everything he has done to make Exeter such a successful, thriving city with a brilliant quality of life and a city where people can reach their full potential.

“I am delighted and very proud to have been appointed interim chief executive and I look forward to continuing the work that has made Exeter so successful in recent years.

“We also know that we face a number of significant challenges, which I will be working hard to overcome together with everyone at the council. Not least of which is the very challenging budget that we will need to set next year to balance the books and ensure the Council remains on a sound financial footing.

“Against a backdrop of significantly reduced Government funding in recent years and the spiralling costs of energy, together with the very significant inflationary pressures, the budget will be tough.

“But we will maintain and improve our frontline and statutory services and by making difficult decisions now we will ensure that we are well-placed to continue to thrive as a city in the future. I am committed to continuing to work with our partners locally to ensure that we are all playing our role in continuing to deliver successes for the city.

“I want to thank all the staff at the council for their continued support and hard work day in, day out, in providing services for our residents.”

The Secret Consultant – The writer is an NHS respiratory consultant who works across a number of hospitals. www.theguardian.com 

This week, the chair of the General Medical Council offered an extraordinary message of support to doctors. What was striking about this was not its tone, but its content. Nowhere was anything said about how to do our jobs, or how to be better doctors; the message was simple. It asked us to be compassionate and to be kind, to ourselves and to one another.

We will need that compassion. This Christmas period promises to be awful, just as tough in some ways as the worst of Covid, and this is what has moved me to write this.

Winter pressures are a feature of life in the NHS. Circulating winter viruses – flu, RSV etc – cause disease spikes each year and result in large numbers of admissions and often deaths. Hospitals fill up.

It has been obvious for months that this would be the case – the “twindemic” of flu and Covid was always going to hit hard – but I’ve been shocked by how unwell patients are, including the young and otherwise healthy, and how our wider immunity has dropped during the pandemic.

There are so many factors combining this year that cumulatively the system is pushed harder than I’ve ever seen it before. There are massively more emergency attendances than usual, with a recurring theme of how unsupported patients feel by their own GPs, even when this is often not the case.

Social care and community mental health provision is wholly inadequate and we are unable to discharge well patients for many days or weeks, leaving patients who do need to come on to a ward waiting in A&E for hours or days at a time.

Ambulances are then unable to unload or respond to new calls, and the patients they do bring in are often sicker after their long wait outside.

In the last few weeks we have been on the highest alert level 4 at least every few days. This usually signifies more than 40 sick patients stuck in A&E, usually for more than 24 hours, all needing urgent treatment but with no ward beds to put them into.

To my knowledge we have not been below alert level 3 since early summer. What used to be a relative rarity even in winter is now depressingly normal. And to add to this situation, we are now facing unprecedented strike action.

Nurses are already striking. In A&E they soak up stress, abuse, staff shortages 24 hours a day; on the wards they are told to take an extra patient here or open up another bay there with no extra staff and no way of closing those beds once they open.

And all of that without anywhere near adequate respect or recompense for what they do.

And our junior doctors will also soon go to a ballot. Their pay on qualification is woeful, given the degree of training and responsibility they carry. Covid disruption and the current pressures mean they are often denied the mentorship, teaching and camaraderie that cemented my love of medicine, and as a result their job satisfaction has plummeted.

I have seen a marked deterioration in their mental health and I hear about their financial worries much more than I ever used to. More and more of them are taking career breaks. I would be amazed if they did not vote for further industrial action.

And how does NHS England suggest we respond to these strikes?

They suggest that hospitals move patients out of emergency departments in preparation, or open extra beds. Oh, and try not to cancel any planned care while you’re at it.

To say I find this insulting is an understatement. It shows a total lack of understanding of what things are like in the average hospital and how hard we work, every day, to move patients onwards and protect planned care.

Do you not think we’ve already thought of that? It deflects responsibility for the problems back to individual teams and implies we’ve not already been doing everything we can. If only we would stop being so sluggish then it would all be fine. I found that statement as notable for its lack of compassion towards the workforce as the GMC’s one was for its warmth.

We are told that the NHS is at “breaking point” and has been for years, underfunded and poorly planned by successive Conservative governments.

But this is different. What is breaking now is not the system, but its people, and in a rapid, tangible way.

I regularly see colleagues in tears. Every few weeks I hear of someone else I know who is leaving, retiring early, going part-time, moving to a less stressful area.

All the time I hear how things have changed, that the pressure is too much now, that we wouldn’t recommend our children to do the jobs we do.

The pandemic has accelerated this and we need compassion more than ever. While I regularly see this from our patients and the public, it is notably absent from our leaders.

Most of all, though, we feel taken for granted. The expectation seems to be that we should just continue doing what we do – without proper appreciation or support – because we are the NHS heroes and that our work is some noble vocation that should sustain us regardless of how hard it may be.

And so these strikes are not just about pay. They are also a cry for help, a critical symptom of a stressed and failing workforce. Perhaps, if we were shown a little more kindness by those in charge, there would be a way forward.

Spire snapped up a private GP services provider for £12million as it expands its business amid growing demand in the UK.

The FTSE 250 healthcare group bought The Doctors Clinic Group, which operates 22 clinics and has more than 700 corporate clients.

www.dailymail.co.uk

The business, which employs 279 people – two-thirds of which are clinicians – is expected to deliver £11million in revenues this year and start turning a profit in 2024.

Spire said the purchase would broaden its healthcare offering amid ‘increased demand’ for its UK services as the NHS struggles to cope with staff shortages and growing waiting lists.

It added the acquisition would complement the work done by its 39 private hospitals and eight clinics across England, Wales and Scotland and allow it to capitalise on the growing need for face-to-face GP visits among Britons.

Spire also noted that demand for occupational health, another service provided by The Doctors Clinic, had been growing in the UK by 7 per cent annually over the last five years as companies sought out better ways to support their employees.

‘The Doctors Clinic Group will provide Spire with a strong platform to enter and expand in the fast-growing occupational health sector, and to increase our capacity to meet the burgeoning need for private GP services,’ said Spire boss Justin Ash.

Spire highlighted that The Doctors Clinic had a ‘particularly strong’ footprint in central London, which would allow it to gain a foothold in the capital’s primary care market.

The firm’s shares rose 0.5 per cent, or 1p, to 221p.

Spire’s move to expand its presence into occupational health comes as businesses across the UK struggle with a tight labour pool as many workers left the job market due to long-term sickness during the pandemic.

The government says it is “extremely concerned” about Devon County Council’s failing children’s services.

“Now considered to be the “third or fourth worst in the country.”

Ollie Heptinstall www.radioexe.co.uk 

The comment by the Department for Education comes after Devon’s MPs were last week told the county’s children’s services are now considered to be the “third or fourth worst in the country.”

Unless there are signs of improvement, they are likely to be taken into special measures next year. This would involve Devon being stripped of its responsibilities and having children’s services placed into an independently run trust.

The council’s children’s services department was rated ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted in January 2020, while Devon was also recently hit with a government improvement notice for its services for children with special education needs and disabilities (SEND) which it runs in partnership with NHS Devon.

The Conservative-run council and NHS Devon both apologised after a revisit by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission in May found that progress had not been made in fixing four areas of “significant concern” identified in December 2018.

To help try to turn the service around, the council has adopted an improvement plan while changes have been made to the department’s leadership. Melissa Caslake recently left as director of children’s services, with Somerset’s former children’s lead Julian Wooster put in interim charge.

On Mr Wooster’s watch, the Ofsted rating for Somerset’s children’s services rose from ‘inadequate’ in 2015 to ‘good’ in its most recent inspection this July.

Council leader John Hart (Conservative, Bickleigh & Wembury) told last week’s cabinet meeting the council is “taking this very seriously,” while a spokesperson added it is their “main priority.”

But time could be running out at County Hall, with a Department for Education spokesperson warning in a statement: “We are extremely concerned about the current performance of Devon County Council’s children’s social care and local SEND services.

“The children’s commissioner is working closely with the council to ensure that appropriate actions are carried out to improve children’s services in Devon and is closely supporting the recruitment of a new director of children’s services.”

They added the children’s commissioner will be providing a progress update to the department in the new year, which will consider whether a full commissioner review will be required.

Last week, Exeter’s Labour MP Ben Bradshaw said he is “really concerned the political leadership of Devon County Council does not understand the gravity of the situation they are in.”

He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service seven or eight other councils’ children’s services have been placed into a trust and warned: “This would incur significant extra costs which would fall on Devon’s council tax payers.”

A spokesperson for Devon County Council said: “We are working closely with government on our improvement plans for children’s social care and SEND services and recognise that there is more to do.

“Improving our support for children in Devon is our main priority.  We have a new structure and processes in place and believe that in collaboration with the DfE and other partners, and families of children and young people in Devon with SEND, we are on the right path.”

Services are being reduced and medics focusing on patients “with the most needs”, says the chief medical officer at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital.

www.bbc.co.uk

Steep rises in Covid-19, flu, Strep A and other winter illnesses are causing long waits at the hospital said chief medical officer Adrian Harris.

He urged people to “think very carefully” before going to hospital.

“Sadly how we will cope is by having to reduce the suite of services that we offer,” he said.

“We will have to focus as we do in any period of crisis on our patients with the most needs,” he said.

He added that longer waits were “regrettable”, but “the number of patients turning up and the complexity or severity of the illnesses or injuries” made it unavoidable.

“I’d ask the public to think very carefully when they attend whether it’s the right thing to do,” he said.

Mark Hamilton, chief medical officer at the University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, advised people to use pharmacies, GPs or the NHS advice line, unless it was for a life-threatening condition.

“Every person that uses those services helps us to treat somebody else in the Emergency Department,” he said.

“It’s particularly difficult at the moment.

“Everything that we can do to try and treat the right patients by using other services means that it’s much easier for people to do their jobs.”

Second home owners in some of Devon’s most desirable hotspots are to be clobbered with a double Council Tax bill. The move has been passed unanimously by councillors in the South Hams, a district which includes Dartmouth, Salcombe, Hope Cove and other sought-after seaside destinations.

Guy Henderson www.devonlive.com 

They say it means owners will now have to pay their “fair share”. The council will now adopt the 100% Council Tax Second Homes Premium as soon as legislation allows. Nearly one in 12 homes across the district is a second home, and that figure is much higher in the coastal towns.

South Hams Council declared a housing crisis in September 2021 and backed its declaration with a 12-point action plan which included lobbying Government to allow local councils to charge double Council Tax on second or holiday homes to ensure they contribute fairly towards the services they receive.

Their lobbying proved successful when in May this year the Government published the Levelling-Up and Regeneration Bill which included proposals aimed at addressing the negative impact of second homes on the supply of homes for local people. The Bill is likely to become law from April 2024 at the earliest.

Leader of South Hams District Council, Cllr Judy Pearce said: “The long-term viability of communities within the South Hams has been detrimentally affected by the level of second home ownership. The sheer quantity of second homes means that house prices are pushed upwards.

“This can deny a home to a local resident as prices are pushed outside of what they can reasonably afford. This is especially acute for the younger generation.

“I went to Westminster in November to speak to a House of Lords Select Committee to discuss the challenges around short-term lets and the impact that has in the South Hams. It’s truly concerning that with just under 4,000 second homes in the district, this means that nearly one in every 12 homes is a second home.

“We’re not declaring war on second homes. We’re simply levelling the field to make it easier for our local residents to find somewhere to live, let alone somewhere to buy.

“We know that the majority of people can’t afford the prices of houses around the area at the moment. We do stand in solidarity with our local residents because they all have a right to have somewhere decent to live.”

Cllr Julian Brazil, leader of the opposition Liberal Democrat group, added: “This is absolutely the right way forward. It will make a massive difference to us. To people who say it is an attack on second homeowners, it is not. What it is, is asking them to pay a fair share to our communities. They’re in the lucky position to own not one, but two houses, when many of our local families here struggle to own just one.

“The fact that they pay a little bit more should be compared to the increase in value of their second homes. Before the latest hiccup in the economy, house prices in the South Hams increased by around 25% in the last year. Increases of hundreds of thousands of pounds. We are asking them to pay a little bit extra to support the services that we struggle to deliver.

“I’d like to pay tribute to the Leader of the Council. She has worked incredibly hard lobbying MPs for them to understand the issues. I tabled a similar motion about 15 years ago without support but, we have got there in the end.”