Cllr Jess Bailey: “Judging both from the fictitious title and the lack of Conservative branding, it is designed to give residents the false impression that this is a genuine and independent local newspaper when it most definitely is not. I’m not at all impressed by this type of antics, especially when confidence in politicians is already at rock-bottom.”

Has the label “Conservative” become so toxic that Simon Jupp fears campaigning under the banner? – Owl

Simon Jupp defends ‘fake newspaper’ campaign leaflet

The MP for East Devon, Simon Jupp, has been criticised over a Conservative campaign leaflet designed to look like a local newspaper.

Philippa Davies www.exmouthjournal.co.uk

The ‘East Devon Echo’ is being posted to addresses in the new Sidmouth and Honiton constituency, where Mr Jupp will stand for the Tories in the next General Election.

It contains a selection of articles highlighting Mr Jupp’s activities and campaigns in East Devon, along with items on the Conservative party’s policies.

In what appears to be a national Tory campaign strategy, similar publications imitating the appearance and names of local newspapers are being circulated around the country.

Concerns were raised about the ‘East Devon Echo’ by a Herald reader, who received a copy in the post.

He said: “It’s fake news and needs to be called out as such. The advertisement on the back serves to make the rest feel like genuine news.

“It doesn’t at any point say it’s published by the Conservative party!

“These publications seem to be a deliberately misleading attempt to fool voters by presenting partisan political propaganda as independent news. It’s knowingly cynical.”

Jess Bailey, the Independent county councillor for the Otter Valley, agrees that the East Devon Echo is misleading.

She said: “Judging both from the fictitious title and the lack of Conservative branding, it is designed to give residents the false impression that this is a genuine and independent local newspaper when it most definitely is not. I’m not at all impressed by this type of antics, especially when confidence in politicians is already at rock-bottom.”

Simon Jupp, a former journalist himself, has in the past spoken out about the importance of local news and ‘proper journalism’, while criticising ‘pseudo websites masquerading as legitimate sources of news’.

The Herald asked him whether he is comfortable with his party distributing this kind of campaign material.

He said: “Such publications are used by most major political parties, including the Liberal Democrats and Labour. In response, I have had many positive conversations on the doorstep and emails offering support for my campaign in the new Honiton & Sidmouth constituency.”

In the run-up to the 2019 General Election all three main parties were criticised by the Electoral Commission for distributing campaign material imitating local newspapers.

But the Commission said it does not have the power to regulate this material, which is legal if it carries an ‘imprint’ identifying who is responsible for producing and promoting it.

The East Devon Echo does have this in very small print at the bottom of the front page, indicating that it is being promoted by the East Devon Conservative Association.

Government is ignoring the watchdog created to replace the EU in enforcing environmental law.

Surely this is a resigning issue for anyone with a shred of self respect – Owl

Plans to rip up pollution rules for housebuilders are a “regression” that will degrade England’s rivers, the government’s environment watchdog has said.

Helena Horton www.theguardian.com 

An amendment tabled by the government to the levelling up bill orders local authorities to ignore nutrient pollution from new developments in ecologically sensitive areas in England, including the Norfolk Broads and the Lake District. These nutrients, when untreated, cause algal blooms that choke the life from rivers.

Under the current system, which is derived from EU law, developers are not allowed to add more pollution to already-polluted protected areas, unless they buy “credits” that are used to improve nearby wetlands.

In a letter to the secretaries of state Thérèse Coffey and Michael Gove, the chair of the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP), Dame Glenys Stacey, said their proposed amendment, which they claim will unlock 100,000 new homes, would degrade the environment.

She wrote: “The proposed changes would demonstrably reduce the level of environmental protection provided for in existing environmental law. They are a regression. Yet the government has not adequately explained how, alongside such weakening of environmental law, new policy measures will ensure it still meets its objectives for water quality and protected site condition.”

Campaigners have previously called the OEP, which replaces the EU in enforcing environmental law, “toothless”. It has written to the environment secretary and her predecessors on numerous occasions to express concern that her department’s plans will contravene environmental law.

However, Coffey has been able to ignore it and proceed with her plans regardless.

Stacey has demanded the ministers face parliament to explain themselves and tell colleagues how they plan to prevent rivers being choked by pollution.

The solicitor and civil servant said the ministers were contravening their promises to parliament, referring to “Gove’s statement to parliament, under section 20 of the Environment Act 2021, that ‘the bill will not have the effect of reducing the level of environmental protection provided for by any existing environmental law’”. She said the “amendments now run counter to these commitments”.

She said: “It is essential to clarify the section 20 statement made to parliament in light of the government’s intention to weaken the habitats regulations. If necessary, ministers should make a statement equivalent to that required by section 20(4) and confirm that they are no longer able to say that the bill would not reduce the level of environmental protection provided for by any existing environmental law, but that the government nevertheless wishes parliament to proceed.”

She said England’s important wildlife areas were already at risk, writing: “Many of England’s most important protected wildlife sites are in a parlous state, with their condition well below where it needs to be. This is often due to nutrient pollution, and development can be a significant contributor to this.”

Officials at a briefing for journalists on Tuesday confirmed that if the amendment passed, there would be no legal obligation for developers in sensitive habitats to avoid nutrient pollution, and that the EU-derived legislation would be replaced by some extra funding for Natural England, the nature watchdog. They still said there would be no regression in environmental standards, despite the ditching of the legislation, because Natural England would be able to offset any pollution with the new funding.

The government has faced a backlash from nature groups since the announcement, with the RSPB calling Gove and Coffey “liars”. The charity accused them of breaking their promises that Brexit would improve the UK’s environment and that they would not weaken EU-derived environmental laws.

A government spokesperson said: “We’ve always been clear we will never compromise our high standards and we are fully committed to our ambitious and legally binding commitments on the environment. The reforms we’ve set out will see us tackle pollution at source in a way that these legacy laws never addressed through a significant package to restore waterways and leave our environment in a better state than we found it.”

An annual swimming race in Devon has been cancelled after sewage was discharged into a harbour for five hours. The Lynmouth Richie Berry Cup was due to be held on Sunday, September 3.

Fingers crossed that it doesn’t rain between now and the rescheduled event on September 15 or it may have to be cancelled again! – Owl

Jamie Hawkins www.devonlive.com

However, organisers say the race has been cancelled after sewage was discharged from South West Water on Saturday, August 26.

It’s now hoped the race will take place on Friday, September 15. Race organiser John Arbon said the swim was cancelled over health risks.

He told the BBC: “We were extremely disappointed. We stood there and thought: ‘What if someone gets sick?’ We couldn’t take that risk.”

“They (South West Water) need a massive investment now instead of saying they will do it at some time in the future.”

In a post on their Facebook page, the Lynseals swimming club said: “Our safety team met at the harbour today (Saturday) and due to the sewage discharge by South West Water into Lynmouth Harbour we are not prepared to risk the health of swimmers.

“We also have not received confirmation from SWW if there will be further discharges or up to the minute data on the quality of the water. The winds are also WNW blowing the sea directly onto the harbour which will not aid clearing the discharge.

“We apologise for the cancellation but hope you will understand our concerns.”

Data from South West Water’s website showed a pumping station overflow that started in Lynmouth at 5.14am and stopped at 10.48am.

In a statement, South West Water said: “We can confirm there was storm overflow activity in Lynmouth over the weekend following heavy, localised rainfall.

“Storm overflows are pressure relief valves built into our network that are an essential way to stop homes and businesses from flooding during periods of heavy rainfall.

“However, reducing the use of storm overflows is a priority for us and we are investing record levels to do so.

“In Lynmouth specifically, we are investing over £4.25m to March 2025 to reduce the risk of environmental impact from our sewerage network and maintain excellent bathing water quality.”

Ministers (including the Prime Minister) on top of their game would have realised that such an inquiry was the only option from the start.

But they failed to read the mood of the country or understand the gravity of the case and opted, initially, for the politically comfortable fudge of a “toothless” non-statutory inquiry .

We really are at the fag end of a dying administration. – Owl

Ministers agree to give inquiry full statutory powers after families criticised current investigation

www.theguardian.com 

The inquiry into how Lucy Letby was able to murder seven babies will now be able to force witnesses to give evidence.

Ministers agreed to give the inquiry full statutory powers after families said the current investigation would not go far enough in uncovering the truth.

Letby was found guilty earlier this month and an independent inquiry was immediately launched, but it was not given full powers.

How many times have Alison Hernandez and Simon Jupp announced their personal involvement in securing a “new” police station for Exmouth?

Perhaps they could enlighten us on why the much hyped plans for one have been withdrawn (see below)?

Could it be that the plans have turned out to be unaffordable?

It’s now pretty clear that Exmouth will not have a new police station before the election.

As a perceptive correspondent to the Exmouth Journal wrote a couple of weeks ago:

“The last two years seem to prove her [Alison Hernandez] vision has been a fantasy at considerable cost to Council Tax payers.”

[In February, Simon Jupp quoted himself as saying: “After the success of securing a new police station for Exmouth which will be open to the public, I want to make sure the east of the district also has access to a police station front desk. I would warmly welcome a front desk opening in either Sidmouth, Ottery St. Mary or Honiton. These rural communities have very different characteristics than Exmouth or Exeter. Extra front desks, focusing on the needs of rural communities and market towns, would give people increased awareness and confidence in their local police force, especially during the tourist season. I know our Police & Crime Commissioner listens to communities and I hope she will consider re-opening another front desk in East Devon.”]

Promises, promises. – Owl

Plans to demolish Exmouth Police Station have been withdrawn

Previously submitted plans to demolish Exmouth Police Station have been withdrawn by developers this week, (August 24).

Adam Manning www.exmouthjournal.co.uk

No reason has been stated on the withdrawal form. The £5 million pound project included knocking down the ‘ageing station complex’ in Exmouth’s North Street includes a disused magistrates court and a mothballed civil defence shelter.

The site is currently occupied by officers but currently members of the public cannot enter without an appointment and Crime Commisioner Alison Hernandez says that “maintenance costs over the next 25 years have been estimated at more than £3m.”

The plans would see the 0.4 hectares of the site sold for redevelopment and a two-storey building built on 0.2 hectares of the site. 

The station will be the operational base for about 60 officers and staff including response officers, neighbourhood officers, Police Community Support Officers, and Special Constables and will include a new public enquiry front desk.

The Commissioner’s estates team is preparing to seek expressions of interest from contractors who may be interested in submitting a full tender for the project.

Commissioner Hernandez, at the time the new station was announced said: “This project makes sense from every angle. Exmouth is Devon’s largest town and sees a huge increase in its population in the summer months. The teams based there, and the community they serve, deserve a station which is fit for the 21st Century, less harmful to the environment and cheaper to run.

She said improving public access to the force was a ‘non negotiable’ part of the project, adding: “When I carried out a public survey to determine which of the 58 possible locations the public would most like to see, a police enquiry office opened once again in Exmouth came eighth. People love the idea that they can walk into a station and talk to a real human being to report crime, receive advice on crime prevention and seek help for victims, so there is no way I am going to miss the opportunity to give this town back its front desk.”

Assistant Chief Constable Glen Mayhew, Force Lead for Local Policing said: “Our officers and staff are part of the local community, and this investment supports them to achieve this. They need a modern base to ensure that we deliver a local service that is effective and accessible to our communities. We are all looking forward to this development taking shape.”