A year ago Owl alerted residents to a “survey” from Simon Jupp addressed to named individuals asking, amongst other things, how they voted in 2019.

Apparently “Big Brother” is at it again, with a focus on Exmouth residents.

This time, however, a  sinister shadowy figure can be seen peering over his shoulder.

(Jupp’s left shoulder to be precise)

Scary! – Owl 

PS The Tories are obviously now too old to conquer the finer skills of PhotoShop

THEN

NOW

HERE IS WHAT SIMON & PHIL WANT TO KNOW (and record)

Police and Crime Commissioner role could be scrapped under devolution plans

The office of our PCC employs 30 Full time equivalent staff and cost us £6m annually.

Are the selfies worth it? – Owl

Oliver Pridmore www.nottinghampost.com

Ben Bradley says the role of Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) could be scrapped in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire as part of devolution arrangements for both counties. The leader of Nottinghamshire County Council was speaking as the results of a public consultation on the proposed East Midlands devolution deal are published.

The deal would see a new authority established in the East Midlands that would be given £1.14 billion over 30 years, alongside extra powers in areas such as housing and transport. Those taking part in the consultation broadly agreed with most parts of the deal, but there was less support for the creation of an East Midlands Mayor to head up the new devolved authority.

The first East Midlands Mayor is set to be elected in May 2024, the same month when the new East Midlands authority is set to be formally established. The public consultation saw 45% disagreeing with the plans for the governance of the new authority, compared to 42% who agreed, with comments mainly focusing on the creation of the new mayor role.

But speaking about some of the concerns raised, Ben Bradley said: “Certainly people ask those questions around whether this is more politicians and more elections. It doesn’t have to be and we’ve got all sorts of options as we go forward.

“There are options in other places where you have less politicians, where PCCs disappear and become part of the combined authority. All those things are questions for us to consider and look at in the future.

“It doesn’t have to be more politicians. I feel very strongly that this is about getting all of our existing people and structures into a coherent strategy so we’re working together instead of pulling in different directions.”

PCCs are elected to hold the Chief Constable of the relevant force to account and to oversee the force as a whole. The roles were created in 2012 after the abolition of police authorities, with former Sherwood MP Paddy Tipping serving as Nottinghamshire’s first PCC.

Mr Tipping, who stood for Labour, was elected again in 2016 but was then defeated by Conservative candidate Caroline Henry in 2021. Speaking about the future of the role, Caroline Henry said: “No decision has yet been made on whether the role of the PCC will be subsumed into a new governance structure because there are two statutory police force areas, with separate commissioners.

“As such, the PCC element is unlikely to be a component. As it stands, we are told by government that they fully expect there to be PCC election cycles in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire in May 2024.”

The devolution agreement was first signed last August by Ben Bradley, together with the leaders of Nottingham City Council, Derby City Council and Derbyshire County Council. Nottingham City Council leader David Mellen has previously said he was not “100% in favour” of having a new East Midlands mayor.

But Ben Bradley says having a mayor is a condition of being given the amount of money and power set to be handed to the East Midlands. He said: “We took the view as the four upper tier leaders across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire that we would play the game.

“We want these outcomes, so we’ll do what we need to do to get these outcomes. In other places over the border, they decided to have an argument with Government about it and as a result they’re not going to get the outcomes.

“I think we’ve made the right choice.” Addressing the question of whether there would be a low turnout for the first East Midlands Mayor election, Councillor Bradley said: “It’s incumbent on us as leaders to make sure we engage with people and they see the reasons to come and have their say on this, so I hope this won’t be an issue.”

Ben Bradley, who also serves as Mansfield’s Conservative MP, has not yet confirmed whether he would run to be East Midlands Mayor himself. The process of establishing a ‘shadow’ East Midlands authority, preceding the formal set-up next year, is set to begin in April.

Caroline Henry added: “I always want the best for people in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire and I am fully supportive of any devolution deal that helps deliver the best outcome in terms of investment and local control for vital services and infrastructure. I have been working closely with senior figures across Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, Derby and Derbyshire throughout this process to help deliver the best deal for local people.”

The consultation saw 4,869 responses altogether, with majority agreement on proposals around the transport and environment powers the new authority would have. Legislation to form the new authority could go through Parliament later this year.

“Last year, a 1.3km (0.8 mile) rock berm at the base of the cliff was approved in principle, but the council funding for the £15m scheme was challenging to obtain, with just £2.5m available from the government.”

Work to demolish three homes close to the cliff edge in Norfolk has started after high tides cut into sandy cliffs.

Residents have left their wooden properties in The Marrams in Hemsby, some of which are within 1m (3.2ft) of the cliff edge and at risk of collapse.

By Kate Scotter, Jon Ironmonger, Martin Barber & Andrew Turner www.bbc.co.uk (online article contains many graphic images)

Several outbuildings were lost to the sea as high tide hit at about 21:00 GMT on Friday.

Sue, whose property was the first to be taken down, said it was “soul-destroying”.

The demolition of her house is now complete, and the two other properties will be flattened on Sunday, contractors on the site say.

Along with her neighbours, Sue spent the morning hurriedly packing up her belongings before the demolition teams moved in.

Sue, who did not want to give her surname, said she wished more could have been done to save her home of three years.

“It’s really annoying, it’s all your hopes and dreams collapsed into nothingness,” she said.

This time last week there was up to 20ft between her property and the cliff edge, and then there was just 3ft.

She was told she would have to get planning permission for her home to be moved back from the cliff edge but there was not enough time.

Watching her house being destroyed with her head in her hands, she said: “We’ve got some very happy memories there because it’s got lovely energy to it, lovely atmosphere.”

Mary Withey, whose home is also set to be demolished, said she and her partner “had got what we can”.

“I’m not OK with it, it’s been my home, I don’t want to move… it’s very sad,” said Ms Withey, who has lived in her house for four years,

“When I first heard I was in shock and today I’ve just been tearful, it’s horrible.”

Jane Beck, head of property and asset management at Great Yarmouth Borough Council, had initially planned to demolish all three properties within the day, before the next high tide at 21:38.

“It’s extremely sad for those people and we’re trying to do everything we possibly can to help them through that process,” Ms Beck said.

The beach and surrounding area at Hemsby should be avoided, she added, and she urged people to stay away for their own safety.

The only access road to properties on the Marrams has also been cordoned off and is expected to collapse.

Fire crews knocked on doors on Friday and urged anybody still in the affected properties to leave their homes.

During the evening, a shed and a playhouse toppled over the cliff but Hemsby Independent Lifeboat crew managed to rescue two chickens from the shed which they said “put a smile on everyone’s face”.

Daniel Hurd, coxswain with the lifeboat crew, said it had been a “long old night”.

The Highways Agency blocked off the road on Friday evening and BT responded to a telegraph pole that was tilting on the edge.

“Luckily we managed to get that on to the beach and not risk public safety by it falling on top of them,” he said.

“My concern now is that if [the erosion] gets to the car parks, we possibly may have to shut the doors on the lifeboat station and then you won’t have sea cover off Hemsby at all… and that is serious,” he added.

Great Yarmouth Borough Council’s chief executive, Sheila Oxtoby, said the authority was looking to bring some rock on to the beach to protect the road access to a number of other properties as a “temporary solution”.

It is understood 1,900 tonnes of granite are due to arrive on Tuesday.

Ms Oxtoby said: “At the same time as dealing with the immediate issue, we’re also looking at how we can use our emergency powers to provide a temporary rock berm solution to give us more time for the main scheme.”

Mr Hurd, however, said the current situation was “heart-breaking” and could have been resolved earlier.

He said: “I just think it’s absolutely ridiculous, this has been an emergency for years and it’s taken this weekend for them to see it’s an emergency to then get a rock berm put on the beach.”

Borough councillor, James Bensley, said he could understand people were frustrated but there had been “so much bureaucracy”.

“It’s a real minefield of making sure that what local government and the authorities do is the correct line of procedure and I can totally understand people’s frustrations,” he said.

“We [also] have to make sure it works, we have to make sure it’s cost affordable and doesn’t affect further south down the coast.

“I know the process and the time that has been taken is exhausting and I can fully appreciate and understand that but we have to do it correctly and with the tools that we have got and through the right channels.”

Hemsby, near G.reat Yarmouth, is home to about 3,000 people and was once home to a Pontins holiday camp

Seven bungalows along The Marrams had to be demolished when sandy cliffs washed away in March 2018 and, in December 2013, “the worst storm surge in 60 years”, destroyed seven homes.

Last year, a 1.3km (0.8 mile) rock berm at the base of the cliff was approved in principle, but the council funding for the £15m scheme was challenging to obtain, with just £2.5m available from the government.