A recently updated sewage map by Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) has revealed that 20 beaches across Devon currently have pollution or sewage warnings in place. Beauty spots such as Exmouth, Sidmouth and Salcombe are to name but a few of the areas where warnings are in place as swimmers are urged to avoid entering the water.

Chloe Parkman www.devonlive.com

It comes after the region was hit by heavy downpours of rain. Devon Live previously reported that the main contributing factor to polluted beaches is urban runoff, which sees fertilizers, pesticides, oil, and untreated human and animal waste all entering waterways, such as rivers. They then eventually end up at our beaches.

The contaminated water largely remains on the surface. This can make it dangerous to enter the water. According to Surf Today, some experts even suggest waiting 72 hours before entering the sea again after it rains.

Swallowing water that could be contaminated with fecal matter could lead to gastroenteritis, hepatitis, giardiasis, skin rashes, amoebic dysentery, nose, ear, and throat problems, pink eye, and other respiratory illnesses. Symptoms to look out for include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cramps, inflamed stomach and intestines.

Below, Devon Live has listed all of the beaches which currently have a warning in place. The following information has been taken from the SAS interactive map.

Seaton – Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours. The Seaton Sewage Treatment Works discharges disinfected sewage into the River Axe Estuary two and a half kilometres from the bathing water.

Beer – Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours. Three sewer overflows surround Beer with one discharging from Beer car park, one discharging 600m North East and one slightly further to the South.

Sidmouth – Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours. Two sewer overflows are located at Sidmouth, one discharges through a long sea outfall some 600m out to sea while the other discharges into the River Sid, just under 400m to the east.

Budleigh Salterton – Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours. There are three sewer overflows in the area, one discharges directly onto the beach, another 400m east and another that discharges 1.3km away into the sea.

Sandy Bay – Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours.

Exmouth – Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours. There is a sewer overflow discharging through an outfall to the south east which may affect bathing water quality especially after heavy rainfall.

Dawlish Town – Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours and bathing not advised today due to the likelihood of reduced water quality. There are five sewer overflows covered by the Safer Seas Service here within 650m off the beach which can operate in heavy rainfall.

Teignmouth Holcombe – Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours. A sewer overflow discharges into the Holcombe Stream 40m upstream of the beach.

Meadfoot – Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours.

Beacon Cove – Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours. The water quality at this bathing water can be affected by nearby CSOs, particularly after heavy rainfall.

Paignton Preston Sands – Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours. There is a sewer overflow that discharges at the northern end of the beach from the Preston Green Attenuation Tank.

Goodrington – Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours. There is one sewer overflow discharging directly onto the beach in the middle of Goodrington while another discharges 500m upstream in the Goodrington Stream that then meets the sea towards the southern end of the beach.

St Marys Bay – Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours.

Dartmouth Castle and Sugary Cove – Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours.

Mill Bay – Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours.

Salcombe South Sands – Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours. A sewer overflow discharges to the Combe Stream directly behind the beach while another discharges some 450m away in the Salcombe Estuary.

Hope Cove – Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours. There are two sewer overflows which discharge into the sea here which can lead to a temporary drop in bathing water quality especially after heavy rainfall.

Thurlestone South – Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours. There is a stream flowing across the beach to the sea.

Mothecombe Beach – Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours and bathing not advised today due to the likelihood of reduced water quality. There are no sewer overflows directly on the beach at Mothecombe however a number of urban areas (Ermington, Ivybridge etc.) can discharge into the River Erme whose estuary Mothecombe is located in.

Combe Martin – A sewer overflow discharges into the Umber River some 30m upstream of the beach with two more discharging further upstream. Other discharges from the surrounding urban area may also affect water quality particularly after heavy rainfall.

Richard Foord, unlike Simon Jupp, seems to know where his constituents live! – Owl

Proposals from the Rail Delivery Group that would see many ticket offices closed in one of the biggest changes to the railway network in a generation have been criticised.

Lewis Clarke www.devonlive.com

The proposals would see 153 of South Western Railway’s 190 stations changed, so that staff move out of ticket offices and onto platforms. Similar proposals have also been put forward by GWR, which services Tiverton Parkway.

The changes, including the creation of a single team of colleagues at each station and the closure of all ticket offices, are being put to a three-week public consultation.

However, local Tiverton & Honiton MP Richard Foord has warned these changes could leave people feeling cut off and further isolated – particularly for those who are elderly, who struggle to access digital ticket services or who do not feel able to use ticket machines at stations.

Commenting, Lib Dem Tiverton & Honiton MP Richard Foord said: “Local ticket offices like those in Honiton, Feniton, and Axminster are key for many people to get tickets and to get help with their journey. Ticket offices play a crucial role in helping people travel – particularly older and more vulnerable customers.

“These proposed changes are deeply concerning, particularly for rural communities like ours. Some railway stations are already poorly served; Feniton station, for example, is only staffed in the morning.

“This very short ‘consultation’ seems more like a foreclosure notice – one which will leave our communities poorer. We must avoid the same digital exclusion on our railways that we are already seeing wrought by banks and big businesses.

“This is unacceptable. I will be making the case directly with South Western Railway about why these changes could make rail travel more difficult for some of those people who already lack confidence in travelling by train.

“I am grateful to constituents who have written to me to make their feelings known. They can be reassured – I will continue demand that SWR maintains the availability of ticket sales at local stations.”

The man hoping to become the next MP for Tiverton, Conservative, Ian Liddell-Grainger has accused train operator GWR of engaging in a ‘sham consultation’ with the decision to shut them already taken.

The current MP for Bridgwater & West Somerset says stations at Taunton and Bridgwater are among those affected.

“GWR wrote to me about this under the heading ‘changing how we sell tickets at stations’” he said.

“The wording should have read ‘raking in more money while giving even less of a toss about travellers’.

“Many people, particularly the elderly, do not have home computers and therefore cannot buy online. And when they arrive at a railway station they often need more than a ticket: they need information – information which only a manned ticket office can provide.

“GWR has already made a complete mess of its refurbishment of Taunton station which thousands of my constituents use. The old main entrance has now been virtually de-manned and I have had reports of many instances when the automatic barriers have failed to work and travellers have had to use an appalling audio link with the ticket office on the other side both to gain access and to obtain the information they need about their journey.

“Every time GWR makes changes of this nature it’s dressed up as ‘improving customer service’ yet for as long as I have been monitoring its activities customer service at Taunton has steadily declined. I no longer trust anything GWR tells me.

“I would urge every local rail user to object to these changes even though the ‘consultation’ GWR has launched is a total sham. I shall also be writing to GWR to inquire how many jobs will be lost once the ‘consultation’ is over and it proceeds with the ticket office closures it has clearly decided to impose.”

Actions of EDDC following the allegations and criminal charges against John Humphreys

At last, this evening, councillors will get the opportunity to discuss the report prepared by Verita on their inquiry.

This has tried to establish the actions of EDDC following the allegations and criminal charges against John Humphreys.

It does not seek to apportion blame or censure anyone, but to learn lessons.

The following are the main elements of the terms of reference for the investigation:

1. establish what information was known by EDDC councillors and officers about John Humphreys and any investigations into the allegations against him.
2. understand the EDDC decision-making processes in considering John Humphreys’ continued position as a councillor after his arrest. 
3. determine the extent to which the EDDC considered whether John Humphreys presented any safeguarding risks to children in the context of his party political and councillor roles.
4. examine what, if any, safeguarding measures were put into place following the 2016 arrest and assess the effectiveness of their implementation and monitoring. describe the process by which the EDDC bestowed the honour of Honorary Alderman on John Humphreys. 
5. determine whether the EDDC complied with its own policies and procedures in making this decision. 
6. review the decision-making processes deployed by EDDC following Mr Humphrey’s conviction to remove his honorary title and to review its actions in the handling of this matter.
7. determine whether any improvements could be made to EDCC’s safeguarding and governance arrangements in light of the findings of the investigation.
8. report on any other significant issues that arise in the course of the investigation that bear on its terms of reference.

The purpose of the meeting is to consider and discuss Verita’s report, findings and recommendations; and the supplementary report issued after information from the Police was received that appeared to cast doubt on the accuracy of the evidence gathered originally.

It has been reported that the Labour Group might seek an opportunity to table a vote of “no confidence” in the Chief Executive. 

Owl can understand their frustration but thinks this would be a distraction from the purpose in hand. It would stray far from the formal agenda.

It has taken a long time to get here

It is worth recalling the sequence of events leading up to the formal commissioning and publication of these reports. The following chronicle has drawn heavily on previous posts such as the report of the council debate in September 2022.

Back in April 2022 the council voted unanimously, with one abstention, to conduct an investigation into how Humphreys continued in his council roles, with access to children, and then became an honorary Alderman after his arrest. The Chief Executive, Mark Williams, was asked to advise how this could be done.

In June 2022 Mark Williams was reported as saying he was awaiting legal opinion. He followed “So my advice to cabinet is that I will bring a report in July. Pushing the timetable earlier is inappropriate and you may well end up making an erroneous decision.”…..“Rushing something as important as this is, in my opinion, inappropriate.”

Yet three months after this, and five months after the unanimous vote to proceed, the Council met again in September last year to vote on whether or not to conduct an investigation. By then, Mark Williams had decided to advise the council against taking any such action because, in his opinion, all that was to be known was known and such an exercise would be a waste of taxpayers money.  

We now have the reports and seem to have learned a surprising amount that is new.

This “foot dragging” led Cllr Jess Bailey to take the unusual step of raising a ”requisition order” to appoint, after research, a specific independent investigation organisation, Verita, to conduct one (referred to below as Option A).

(For a requisition order to be put to the vote it has to be supported by nine councillors.)

Her move prompted Mark Williams to come up with an alternative (Option B) which would involve commissioning a legal practice to undertake the investigation. However, his first recommendation to the council was to drop the notion of conducting an investigation, but if the council rejected this advice then it should consider his Option B as an alternative to Option A.

After debate, the council voted to conduct an independent investigation by 27 votes to 9 with 5 abstensions. There were quite a few apologies.

The council then turned its attention to the two options put before it.

During this, in what seemed a surprising move to Owl, the Chief Executive suggested more options such as conducting an external audit or even getting asking the Secretary of State to conduct a review through a process whereby the council reported itself for misconduct!

During discussion even more options emerged such as using Ofsted, the option recently adopted by Devon County Council. 

When put to the vote, Council members voted:

22 votes to choose Option A, zero votes for Option B with 18 abstentions.

So the option produced by the Chief Executive was completely rejected. 

At this point one is left with the overwhelming impression that the council had been badly let down by Mark Williams, Chief Executive.

In April 2022 Mark Williams had been asked to advise how an independent investigation could be conducted. This was the moment when he could have come up with the idea, that Devon County Council came up with, of using Ofsted, or indeed any of the other options he suddenly threw into the pot at the September meeting. But he didn’t, he left a void and failed to give any constructive advice other than an investigation is unnecessary and a waste of money until he produced his surprise options during the meeting in September.

We know the September 2022 debate was watched by one of the victims. He very courageously gave an introductory speech as a member of the public. Special arrangements had been made so that he could do this anonymously. He spoke about how his life had been wrecked, how important it was for his rehabilitation to be heard and how an investigation would help him.