The Green Party has won a tight by-election race in Bristol becoming the largest party on the city council with 25 councillors. Patrick McAllister was elected the new councillor for Hotwells and Harbourside in the by-election held on Thursday, February 2.

Conservatives get only 34 votes! – Owl

Alex Seabrook www.bristolpost.co.uk 

Greens took the seat from the Liberal Democrats in a fiercely fought battle, which could prove a good indicator of how national and local elections in Bristol might turn out next year. The next local elections will be held in May 2024, which could see the Greens take control of Bristol City Council.

The result was very close, with the Greens beating the Liberal Democrats by only 26 votes. Coincidentally, at the last council elections in 2021, the Liberal Democrats beat the Greens also by 26 votes. 24-year-old Cllr McAllister, who works in legal services, said his party was now preparing to take power in Bristol.

He said: “Successive Conservative-led governments and our Labour-run council have left our residents feeling frustrated — whether it’s through botched consultations on new developments, repair works to public throughways going on for years, the cladding crisis, or even threatening to take away our library.

“There’s never been a more vital time to speak up for our communities, and that is exactly what I’m going to do from now on. The Green Party is now the biggest group in the council, with 25 councillors, and I recognise the weight of that responsibility. As a team we are putting together our programme so we are ready to run this city from next year.

“In the meantime, I think that the city council’s current leadership has a responsibility as well — they have to now recognise the mandate that the Green Party has. I’m really looking forward to getting on with the job and representing this amazing community with the commitment and enthusiasm that it deserves.”

The vote was sparked in December after the previous councillor, Liberal Democrat Alex Hartley, resigned for mental health reasons. The results will most likely not change the balance of power in the council, with Labour Mayor Marvin Rees still in charge until May 2024.

The by-election result also boosts the Greens’ morale ahead of the next general election, expected either in spring or autumn next year. Councillor Carla Denyer, co-leader of the Green Party in England and Wales, is the parliamentary candidate for Bristol West.

Cllr Denyer said: “I’m really delighted to have Patrick joining our group of experienced and dedicated Green councillors on Bristol City Council. It means that in the parliamentary constituency of Bristol West, where I’m standing to be MP in the next general election, we now have at least one Green councillor in every single ward in the constituency.

“It’s fantastic to see that the people of Hotwells and Harbourside, and more broadly the people of Bristol, want to see more Green politics in the city and are ready to trust us with power.”

The result is an embarrassing loss for the Liberal Democrats, who have held the seat since its creation. They have now gone from having six councillors in the city council to just five. Their candidate, Stephen Williams, was a former councillor for the area, MP and government minister.

In third place was Labour candidate Eileen Means, a former councillor for Brislington, social worker, and campaigner on housing safety having been personally affected by the flammable cladding scandal. Conservative candidate Eliana Barbosa was a “paper candidate” and did not attend the hustings or election count.

Local journalist Martin Booth, editor of Bristol 24/7, initially ran as an independent candidate, before deciding halfway through the race to withdraw due to the potential of a perceived conflict of interest if he won.

Greens now have 25 councillors, while Labour has 24, Conservatives have 14, Liberal Democrats have five, and the Knowle Community Party has two. Labour will still hold political power however, with the mayor unlikely to give any Greens new cabinet positions.

The turnout was higher than expected, with 32.4% of the electorate in the ward voting. Of 3,860 eligible voters, 1,251 cast a ballot. The ward is only represented by one councillor.

The full results are:

• Patrick McAllister, Green, 537 votes
• Stephen Williams, Liberal Democrat, 511 votes
• Eileen Means, Labour, 153 votes
• Eliana Barbosa, Conservative, 34 votes
• Martin Booth, independent, 14 votes

A startling graphic from the Bank of England’s monetary policy report.

Not quite what we were promised by our Local Enterprise Partnership whose pitch in 2018 was to double our local economy in 20 years. Nor what Liz Truss’ and Kwarsi Kwarteng’s “Growth, growth, growth” agenda was promising last October.

https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/monetary-policy-report/2023/february-2023

Ugly hoardings surrounding a derelict building site just a stone’s throw from some of Torbay’s best beaches must go, says the leader of Torbay Council.

Guy Henderson www.devonlive.com

The site of the old gasworks at Hollicombe – once dubbed “Chernobyl-on-Sea” – has been derelict for decades, and despite planning permission being granted for nearly 200 homes on the site as long ago as 2012, it has not been touched. It is one of the key “brownfield” sites for development in Torbay, where the need for land for housing has reached critical levels.

The large area, three acres in the valley between Tarraway Road and Mead Road, is now overgrown and strewn with battered fence panels and other debris. The wooden hoardings along the main Paignton to Torquay road, opposite the entrance to Hollicombe Park and the path to the beach, are cracked and peeling, with graffiti daubed across them. The graffiti includes an obscene message in spray paint – aimed at former Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Cllr Steve Darling, leader of Torbay Council, said the state of the hoardings was “terrible”, and he has written to the owners of the site to urge them to act. He also wants them to move forward with development of the site, which was cleared and cleaned of toxic chemicals including arsenic and cyanide in 2015. The build – when it begins – is likely to take three years.

In a letter to site owners Vistry Partnerships, parent company of developers Linden Homes, Cllr Darling said: “This is a significant arterial route between Torquay and Paignton and residents and visitors alike can only be horrified at the poor state of this boarding. I would reiterate our desire to get them re-painted and smartened up as soon as possible.

“We remain very keen to see the approved development for this site commenced, or if revised, then an acceptable scheme brought forward as soon as possible.”

Hollicombe gasworks building site (Image: Guy Henderson)

The first plans for the site were shown to the public in June 2007, at which point the gasworks itself had been dormant for almost 40 years. Local residents fought an unsuccessful campaign for the area to be turned into a park.

Now-defunct Midas Homes submitted plans for 185 new homes, including a mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments, 44 of which would be affordable. There were more than 500 objections, mainly on the grounds of increased traffic. A Hollicombe Action Group was set up to fight the plans.

Councillors heard that a “full decontamination” would be needed, and one member of the planning committee branded it Chernobyl-on-Sea. By December 2010 council officers were recommending the go-ahead for 185 homes and a public park, and in February 2011 it was given the green light, as long as a giant “tent” was put over the site during digging to prevent toxic dust going into the air. But the whole project was “called in” by the Government in April 2011 so an environmental impact assessment could be completed.

Hollicombe gasworks building site (Image: Guy Henderson)

A year later it was said to be “back on track” and residents were told they had nothing to fear from the toxic chemicals left behind from the gasworks, which were successfully removed under the giant marquee in 2015.

Since then, however, the site has remained empty and no homes have been built. Maps show a road called Cudd Hill Road running through the site, but the road has never been built. Vistry Partnerships has been approached for a comment but had not responded at the time of publication.

Further coast defence work has been agreed for Sidmouth after securing council cash, it was announced this week.

Local Democracy Reporter eastdevonnews.co.uk

Sidmouth’s coastal defences have been given a boost after almost £2 million was made available to protect the town from eroding cliffs and high tides, writes local democracy reporter Rob Kershaw.

In 2020, glass ‘splash walls’ were installed on the seafront to see how they would fare against the waves, however they were soon vandalised.

Now East Devon District Council (EDDC) has chosen a new scheme that involves installing a 120-metre rock groyne on the beach.

The cost of improving Sidmouth’s resilience against the elements has increased since plans were first brought forward – due to staff shortages and higher staff wages. And inflation has driven up prices for materials.

Work on sea defences is set to start in just over two years.

The council needs to spend £1.7 million to continue maintenance work on sea defences, but it is trying to find ways, in collaboration with the Environment Agency, to bring that figure down further with funds from central government.

At a cabinet meeting on Wednesday [1 February], Councillors agreed to its part of the cost.

Cllr Geoff Jung (Independent East Devon Alliance, Woodbury and Lympstone) said: “Thank goodness everyone in Sidmouth at the moment seems to be supporting this scheme.

“And I hope that, in the next four years, we’ll be able to see the design come through, we’ll be having large consultations on it, and then we’ll see the building of it.

“And then we’ll be protecting Sidmouth for many years to come.”

Cllr John Loudoun (Independent East Devon Alliance, Sidmouth Rural) believes that the cash injection will show residents that the council is committed to protecting the town.

“We have been through a large number of ups and downs,” he said. “I hope the fact that we are committing to putting just under £2 million into this will give reassurance to residents that we are serious about supporting this, taking this forward and making sure that it comes to fruition.”

Cllr Paul Hayward (Independent East Devon Alliance, Yarty) reasoned that spending money on sea defences now is better than paying a much larger price further down the line.

“You’ve only got to look at the picture that’s currently being provided here to see the erosion over a period of time,” explained Cllr Haward. “So that’s nigh-on 70 years. That’s an astonishing amount of erosion.

“In real terms, we owe as much to the residents of Sidmouth as we do to Axminster and Honiton and elsewhere to protect them from the elements. And this ultimately seems a pragmatic, appropriate spend to safeguard this issue. Because it’s not just residents who live near the cliff, it’s the fact that a flood event in Sidmouth would decimate business, as it would decimate any seaside town.

“And that could be billions. It could be hundreds of millions in lost businesses, lost revenue, lost jobs. So actually, to deal with it now, and to progress is very sensible.”

Community planting of thousands of trees begins this weekend at a new wood for East Devon in a bid to create a haven for wildlife.

Becca Gliddon eastdevonnews.co.uk

The Woodland Trust is inviting all along to its new Yonder Oak Wood near the Exe Estuary, at Lymsptone, with the ‘epic task’ of planting 13,000 trees.

Public planting days are being held from 10am until 3.30pm on Saturday February 4, and Sunday, February 5, and again on Saturday, February 18 and Sunday, February 19. Those planning to attend must book.

The Woodland Trust hopes volunteers will donate a few hours of their time – or a whole day.

There is no parking on site, but the charity has arranged free minibuses from Exmouth.

The site of the new wood. Photo: The Woodland Trust.

Paul Allen, Woodland Trust site manager, said: “Creating a new wooded landscape that will host wildlife way beyond our lifetimes and be resilient to the changing climate is no mean feat.

“The mass tree planting is the first step in what will be a decades-long journey to bring wildlife back to this site.

“Trees are a great natural solution to the climate crisis, soaking up CO2 and delivering oxygen, and it’s great to see so many people wanting to step up and join this effort.”

Joining in the community tree-planting will be 400 youngsters from primary schools in Exmouth, Lympstone, Woodbury and Exeter.

The SongFishers, a group of musicians who live nearby, will serenade tree planters with adapted traditional folk songs to include the new wood, performing on Sunday 5 and Sunday 19 February, at 10.30am.

Rachel Harries, Woodland Trust engagement and communications officer, has been cleaning her stock of spades ready for the community days.

She said: “Planting 13,000 trees is an epic task but we’re finding that so many people are wanting to get involved in this project right from the very beginning – there’s a real sense of community coming together about it.

“With nature in crisis and climate change affecting both people and wildlife, planting trees is a way we can make a difference right on our doorstep.”

She added: “In a very short time, we expect to see more birds and butterflies, like willow warblers and spotted flycatchers – as well as butterflies such as the dingy skipper and ringlets.

“Imagine how exciting it will be – in five, or ten years’ time – to come back and say, ‘I planted this wood’.”

The new wood, which was named last year in a public vote, sits in a hidden valley two miles north of Exmouth.

Work has begun clearing the site of invasive laurel, and the hope is to create ‘open glades and wood pasture’ to attract wildlife.

The Woodland Trust bought the 54 hectares of land in East Devon in March 2022, thanks to a public appeal which raised £650,000.

Further funding was made available from Lloyds Bank, through the Government’s Landfill Communities Fund, and a Biffa Award of £750,000.

Devon and Cornwall Police have just received a scathing report:

Devon and Cornwall Police found to be ‘inadequate in several areas’ | ITV Newsitv.com

Including this:

His Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary, Wendy Williams, said: “I have concerns about Devon and Cornwall Police’s performance in keeping people safe and reducing crime.

“Particularly about the accuracy of its crime recording, its response to the public, and its management of sexual and violent offenders.

“The force doesn’t always record crimes against vulnerable victims, particularly violent or behavioural crimes, and anti-social behaviour.

“Failure to record a crime often results in victims not being properly safeguarded and no investigation taking place.

“Our inspection also found that the force is not adequately assessing or managing the risks posed by registered sexual and violent offenders.”

Little wonder Humphreys got away with it for so long.

All credit, in the circumstances, to police Sergeant Angela Galasso and her colleagues in the police and the cps who did eventually pick up and successfully bring this case to court.

So, where was our so-called Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez while all this was going on?.  You know – the person supposed to  hold our local police to account on our behalf. 

It is hard to know her exact salary but it seems it was around £88,600 plus expenses in 2016 and employs a large office staff including a Chief Executive who earns at least £113,000 and a Treasurer who earns at least £101,000 (2022 figures where her salary was specifically excluded from accounts).  Her office had at least 16.2 full-time-equivalent staff again some years ago. These historic figures are because her office’s website is very difficult to penetrate for more up-to-date figures. 

Police and Crime Commissioner Draft 2021-22 Statement of Accounts 2PDF Document · 2 MB

What was she doing while the Devon and Cornwall Police got such a poor report?  Well, we know she loves her photo opportunities and “meeting the public” especially when the public includes local or national Tory luminaries, though, of course, she has pledged to be neutral in her office.

Questions, questions – no clear answers …