The vast majority (95%) of local authorities across the UK are dominated by men, while only just over a third of local councillors are women, according to figures that highlight the gender disparities of local government.

Tobi Thomas www.theguardian.com 

The analysis, conducted by the Fawcett Society and Democracy Club in the run-up to local elections in May, reveal only 18 of 382 councils have the minimum gender representation parity.

The data also shows that at a regional level, no council has gender parity – with London the highest, at 45% female, and Northern Ireland the lowest, at 26%. It also found that the proportion of women in councils in 2022 was only 2 percentage points higher than in a snapshot taken in 2018.

The highest proportion of local councillors who are women, broken down by party, is Labour (47%) followed by Green (43%) and Scottish National party (41%), while the lowest proportion is found in the Conservative party (29%), the SDLP (29%), DUP (21%) and Ulster Unionist party (20%).

The low levels of women in local government can be attributed partially to sexism and harassment having been shown to be widespread throughout local councils, according to previous Fawcett research. A lack of support for those with caring responsibilities has also been revealed by earlier research, with only a quarter of local councils offering formal parental leave policies.

A lack of women in local politics is a recurring issue: In 2021, concern was raised after data revealed that only one-third of candidates in the English council elections were women.

Jemima Olchawski, the chief executive of the Fawcett Society, said: “Women are significantly impacted by decisions made at the local level and are more likely to rely on the services our councils run from social care to social housing. Yet progress on women’s representation in local government is moving at a snail’s pace.

“That such a vast majority of local councils are male-dominated diminishes public life. Government, local authorities and political parties need to take action and record diversity data, set targets for women’s representation alongside other protected characteristics, and make being a local councillor more accessible to those with caring responsibilities.”

Frances Scott, the director of 50:50 Parliament, said the report demonstrated that democratic systems in the UK were “inaccessible or unattractive to most people”.

She added: “This matters because representation shapes policy and we want our elected bodies to draw upon the widest possible pool of talent and experience, including that of the 32 million women who live and work in the UK.

“50:50 Parliament is a charity taking action to build a better democracy. We work together with the Fawcett Society and all the political parties to help women progress in politics, to ensure women have rightful representation.”

Cllr Izzi Seccombe, the vice-chair of the Local Government Association, said it was important that local governments reflected the communities they serve and their experiences.

Seccombe added: “We work with councils towards being representative of the communities they serve, including campaigning for the continuation of virtual council meetings, challenging abuse of councillors through our Debate Not Hate campaign, encouraging the provision of parental and carers leave and running our Be a Councillor campaign.

“We know many prospective councillors are put off standing because of their already busy lives. We want to see more women, parents and carers stand for election and encourage them to step up to leadership roles in local government, while still being able to live their lives outside of the council chamber.”

Farmers and Tory MPs are joining ranks to clash with conservation authorities about the best way to look after Dartmoor national park.

[Sources at Natural England said that while the Conservative MPs talk of the “grazing traditions” of Dartmoor, sheep have only been grazed there in the winter in the last 60 years when hardy Scottish breeds which could tolerate the freezing, windswept moors were introduced. See also this short historical review of human exploitation and the shaping of Dartmoor.] 

So Conservatives have short memories. Whose interests are they really conserving? – Owl

Helena Horton www.theguardian.com 

Parts of the national park are worryingly overgrazed, particularly by sheep, say nature experts, which is destroying habitats and putting rare birds at risk of local extinction. Breeding populations of moorland birds such as golden plover, red grouse and ring ouzels have now gone or are on the verge of being lost.

Natural England, the government nature watchdog, has advised farmers who are in agri-environment schemes and receive government money for nature friendly farming that they will have to reduce their stocks. It said that in summer, at least 50% of their livestock units should be cattle or ponies rather than sheep, and that “except for pony herds, winter grazing will need to be justified through clear and specific environmental outcomes that require winter stocking”.

Sources at the quango said that of the three largest moorland sites of special scientific interest (SSSI) – north Dartmoor, south Dartmoor and east Dartmoor – none of the key open moorland habitats, such as bog and heath associated, are considered to be in favourable condition.

Critics argue that farmers should not be paid millions of pounds of taxpayer money for environmental stewardship without changing their practices when the habitats are being degraded.

But the suggestion has been met with concern by local MPs. Sir Geoffrey Cox, a former attorney general and local MP, published a statement with other local Conservative MPs last week saying: “It seems that valuable and constructive work has now been abandoned by Natural England which has issued apparently peremptory limits on grazing, which would have a significant adverse impact on farm businesses (especially tenants), rendering some, if not many, no longer viable. It would also destroy the ancient traditional hefted flocks, which instinctively know the boundaries of their own common and are themselves a prized part of the unique life and culture of Dartmoor.”

Cox, Sir Gary Streeter, the MP for South West Devon, and Anthony Mangnall, the MP for Totnes, have asked for the current grazing regime to be kept in place for an extra 12 months, the appointment of an independent facilitator, and then an agreed “road map” for the way forward.

Cox, the Conservative MP for Torridge and West Devon, has secured a parliamentary debate later in April, where MPs will discuss whether Natural England’s management of the moor is adequate. The farming minister, Mark Spencer, is expected to respond.

But sources at Natural England said that while the Conservative MPs talk of the “grazing traditions” of Dartmoor, sheep have only been grazed there in the winter in the last 60 years when hardy Scottish breeds which could tolerate the freezing, windswept moors were introduced.

Dave Slater, the south-west regional director for Natural England, said that the grazing changes need to be made to save rare birds on the moors.

“Dartmoor contains three of the largest moorland SSSIs in the south-west, but none of these are in a ‘favourable condition’, with rare moorland birds all but disappearing from the area and precious peatland habitats damaged. The right type of grazing is fundamental to restoring the health of these moors.”

Alice Groom, the RSPB’s head of sustainable land use policy said: “Natural England have a statutory duty to protect Dartmoor’s SSSIs which like many in our national parks are largely in unfavourable condition.

“In order to deliver on the UK government’s commitments, places like Dartmoor need to provide more nature. This means ensuring that agri-environment schemes are fit for purpose, and support the people best placed to deliver it.

“In some situations, this will however involve making difficult choices about sustainable management. But we are in a nature and climate emergency and must not fight shy of making these choices.”

Ministers have faced renewed accusations that the plan to impose mandatory photo ID for voting is a waste of time and resources, after statistics showed there was not a single proven case of in-person voter impersonation last year.

Peter Walker www.theguardian.com 

Meanwhile, other official data showed minimal take-up of free official voter documents before the first mass use of ID during local elections in England on 4 May, with applications for the documents closing in three weeks.

Data from the Electoral Commission said that in elections in 2022, which covered local elections in England, Scotland and Wales, elections to the Northern Ireland assembly, a series of mayoral elections in England and six Commons byelections, there were seven allegations of “personation” at polling stations, as the offence is officially known.

There was no action by police in any of these cases because there was either insufficient evidence to proceed or no evidence of wrongdoing, the report found.

There were three allegations of personation involving postal voting, which is not affected by the new ID rules, with one still being investigated.

There were 185 electoral-related offences reported during 2022 in all, the majority of them connected to campaigning rather than voting, with no action taken in 119 instances.

The statistics highlight a point made repeatedly by opponents of voter ID, that it tackles a problem which is almost unknown in Britain, while creating a barrier to voting for the estimated 2 million adults who lack the necessary documentation.

Those without ID can apply for a free so-called voter authority certificate, issued by their council but available via a central government portal.

A running tally for central applications, which close on 25 April, show that as of Sunday exactly 37,000 people had applied, fewer than 2% of the possible number of voters lacking ID.

Older and younger voters are even less likely to have applied for the document, despite both groups being seen as vulnerable to being put off from voting by the new laws. So far, just 1,361 people aged 75 or older have applied, 3.6% of the total. Just 6% of applications, 2,247 in all, have been from under-25s.

Labour’s deputy leader, Angela Rayner, said the government was “clearly failing in their duties” to make people aware of the new rules.

She said: “Labour are clear that voter ID is an expensive, unnecessary policy and the wrong priority at the height of a cost of living crisis.

“If voters don’t have the required photo ID, the easiest way to vote is by signing up for a postal vote.”

Northern Ireland has a longstanding voter ID system, introduced owing to historical electoral abuse by sectarian groups. However, 4 May will be the first full introduction of such a system in the rest of the UK, which has otherwise just been trialled in a handful of council polls.

Asked why the system was being introduced despite minimal evidence of in-person voter impersonation, Rishi Sunak’s official spokesperson said: “This is to guard against the potential for wrongdoing in this area of voter impersonation.”

Selaine Saxby MP North Devon makes a “cris de coeur” on the subject of second homes and the lack of affordable housing in an essay published in a collection by the “liberal conservative” think tank Bright Blue. 

In North Devon the rate of second homes is one in every 21 properties, while in East Devon it’s one in every 23, in Torridge it’s one in every 24, and in West Devon it’s one in every 34. 

Is her government listening or are they all on the gravy train themselves. Has anyone seen Simon Jupp recently? – Owl

“Residents and councillors alike oppose new developments because they feel they will just be purchased and converted into yet more holiday lets, or become second homes, and that many of the properties will simply not be affordable to local residents.”

“Research by the charity CPRE shows that social housing demand is increasing at six times the rate of supply and it will take 154 years to clear the backlog of social housing waiting lists in rural areas at current build rates.”

 Improving access to housing in coastal and rural areas: Selaine Saxby

The housing situation in my beautiful North Devon constituency is not sustainable. There are virtually no houses for local residents to rent or buy. Very few of those that are available are affordable. When we do build homes, the increasing difficulty with viability means a diminishing number are available as affordable homes for local families.

The understandable surge in ‘staycations’ during the pandemic has seen huge growth in the short term holiday let market. One of the biggest increases in house prices in the country is here in North Devon, making home ownership an unattainable dream for far, far too many families. The growth in second home ownership was a problem even before the pandemic, leaving the spectacular surf village of Croyde well over 50% unoccupied through the winter. This issue has now spread along the coast and even inland.

A flurry of section 21 evictions at the end of the pandemic has enabled landlords to take advantage of the far higher revenues available from holiday rentals, which has meant private rentals are hard to find. The rents have gone up and councils are struggling to find long term accommodation for residents. Ironically, councils have been forced to use some holiday parks as temporary accommodation for families.

North Devon is a beautiful and desirable place to live. Yes, we are a tourist destination, and proud of it. We have some of the best beaches in the country and warmly welcome our visitors. Historically, we have always welcomed second homeowners as well. However, our housing market is now out of balance.

The fabulous pubs, restaurants and surf schools our visitors seek to enjoy are all struggling to recruit. As a result, many operate at significantly reduced hours or service offering, making them less viable businesses in the long term. The situation is now so severe it is impacting public services, which are finding recruitment difficult, as anyone wanting to move into the area simply cannot find anywhere affordable to either buy or rent.

In the autumn and stormy winter months, occupancy of holiday lets and second homes drops right off, leaving ghost communities along the coast. The village I live in is now estimated to be about 50% second homes and holiday lets. Through the pandemic, my street had just a handful of the 30 properties occupied for the best part of two years. The impact this is having on local developments is immense. Residents and councillors alike oppose new developments because they feel they will just be purchased and converted into yet more holiday lets, or become second homes, and that many of the properties will simply not be affordable to local residents.

‘Affordable’ in North Devon is certainly not ‘affordable’ for those on the average wage. The percentage of ‘affordable’ properties is lower right down the Devon and Cornwall peninsula because of the high price of land and low availability of sites, materials and workforce. The definition of ‘affordable’ needs revisiting to better reflect local wages.

We need to urgently find solutions to help tackle the imbalance in our housing market to enable more people to afford to live close to where they work. With the high price of fuel and lack of public transport, travel to work is also not an affordable option for many, so proximity is even more crucial.

Devon and Cornwall MPs have met repeatedly with the multiple housing ministers we have had in my short time at Westminster. We have taken our case to Number Ten on multiple occasions and are grateful for the steps that have been taken to begin to tackle what is a very complex issue. Nonetheless, we also want far more to be done.

The Council Tax surcharge on second homes will undoubtedly help by allowing councils to charge double the rate of Council Tax for second homes. The closing of the business rate tax loophole, preventing councils from collecting empty property rates of Council Tax, was also warmly welcomed. However, so much more is needed to begin to deliver real change into the beautiful rural and coastal areas that are so popular with tourists.

We need to go further. For a start, addressing the imbalances in the taxation system and environmental standards between short and long term holiday lets. The tax changes that removed being able to claim mortgage rate relief on long term rentals came into effect at the start of the 2020-21 tax year. But these amendments only affect long term rentals: short term holiday lets have a specific exemption. This playing field needs levelling.

Much needed energy efficiency improvements to properties are again only required in long term rentals. There is significantly greater return and less investment required, to rent a property out to the short term market in areas such as Devon and Cornwall.

Following the Government’s consultation on the short term holiday let sector, it announced, as part of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, that it would deliver a registration scheme for short term lets. This scheme is a real opportunity for tourist destinations to bring balance back to their housing markets. The scheme will give councils more of an oversight of property use in their areas, and is the start of giving communities more control over the planning use for properties that owners are considering turning into short term lets.

Local councils will be able to compile a full register of holiday let properties in their communities and from that determine whether any more are actually needed. Once the register is established properties wishing to become a short term holiday let would have to apply for a change of use, which could be rejected if the housing market was already saturated or out of balance, as our own currently is. When we have such a shortage of affordable housing, we need to find ways to ensure that all new properties coming to the market are available to the people who work locally to live in.

Small rural communities have a host of other challenges to overcome when it comes to housing. These include: no affordable homes in tiny developments; inadequate funding available for community land trust projects; and concern that the reintroduction of right to buy will deter landowners from releasing land to community projects if there is no guarantee that it remains affordable for future generations in that village.

 We need to find ways to enable farms to redevelop outbuildings into homes for their own workers and for villages to build homes for their own families. Housing associations have a vital role to play in addressing this, but development seems to struggle to keep up with the demand. Research by the charity CPRE shows that social housing demand is increasing at six times the rate of supply and it will take 154 years to clear the backlog of social housing waiting lists in rural areas at current build rates.

Whilst the Levelling Up White Paper rightly highlights the need to ensure our communities are beautiful places to live, when you already live, work and have grown up in a beautiful place, ensuring there are enough affordable homes to rent and buy is vital. The White Paper, in truth, does not adequately address the demise of long term rentals, or how we will actually increase affordable properties in rural locations.

In addition, there are concerns about how affordable housing will be paid for in future with the demise of Section 106 agreements. Across the UK, almost 50% of new affordable housing is funded by Section 106. In rural areas that is even more: in Devon, for example, 76% of new affordable housing built in 2020-21 was via Section 106, and for social rented housing this was 86%.

The lack of affordable housing in most of rural and coastal Britain is creating a quiet housing crisis with priced out youngsters moving out. At the same time, more retirement and holiday communities are developing without any of the services or facilities with valuable staff needed by an ageing population in a remote location. The reason our visitors come – our pubs, restaurants, attractions – will be unable to be sustainable businesses with no one left to run them.

We have to find a way to redress the housing market in our most desirable rural and coastal locations to enable every generation to live and work there. After all, villages without amenities rapidly cease to be communities.

[Selaine Saxby MP is the Conservative MP for North Devon and a member of the Work and Pensions Select Committee. Please note that the essay was completed before the 2023 Spring Budget.]