The last section of the footbridge was hoisted into place soon after 8 am on Saturday, catching out many on social media who expected it to occur around 9 am.

Again Owl has been sent images.

Owl understands that the bridge will not be open for a few months whilst a 70m section of the 200 year old embankment is lowered and removed to allow the saline tidal water gradually to fill the reconnected estuary.

The Mayor of St Ives resigned from the Conservative Party at a meeting of the town council on Thursday, September 7. Johnnie Wells, who has been a Tory councillor since 2020, says being a Conservative “was becoming an issue”.

Lee Trewhela www.cornwalllive.com

Mr Wells – who is a town councillor in the same ward as Cornwall Council’s Tory leader Linda Taylor – said: “I just feel that for me, in St Ives and for Cornwall, an independent role is better. Being a Conservative was becoming an issue. It was putting up more barriers than it was taking down. People would kind of shut off to you pretty quickly, so it was becoming more of a hindrance than a help.”

Mr Wells, who is a web designer by trade and represents the Lelant ward as a councillor, said that he had always voted Conservative and has been a member of the party since becoming a councillor three years ago. He said Cllr Taylor had tried to talk him out of resigning “a little bit”. The mayor was unsure if he’d vote for the party again.

Of his resignation, he added: “I’ve been thinking about it for ages really. You look at both main parties and you don’t really have any good direction. The Conservatives seem to feel like ‘we’re out of here anyway whatever we do’ and Labour are like ‘we’re going to get in whatever we do’ so I’ve become really disillusioned by party politics.

“Then you look around Cornwall and I feel like Cornwall Council aren’t pulling their weight like perhaps they should do. The general spiral is getting worse and worse in many areas and I don’t see how we’re going to break it doing the same as we’ve always done.

“I’m looking for change really. There’s that saying ‘if a change doesn’t feel like a catastrophe it’s probably not a big enough change’. That’s where we’re at and certainly in St Ives we’re really making changes.”

Mr Wells, who has been mayor of the town since May, said: “I don’t know what I’ll vote at the next election – you’re in the position of voting for the least worst person. It’s a horrible place to be and that’s what I want to change. I want people to vote for people they feel are going to achieve things.

“I think we have a problem, especially in local politics, that people are very afraid of upsetting other people to the extent that they don’t do anything because no change is easier than upsetting some people. We’ve got to have change, we’ve got to be moving forward.”

He cites the short-term lets of Airbnbs being a particular problem in St Ives, which he feels the government should have addressed ten years ago and hasn’t. He believes the housing problem in Cornwall isn’t down to second homes but people buying a house and letting it as a business “35 weeks of the year”.

Mr Wells added: “The Digey in St Ives [one of the town’s most iconic historic streets] is a case in point – 80 per cent of the houses along the Digey don’t pay anything into either the council tax or the business rates pot; it’s a nightmare.

“Another thing that concerned me with the Conservatives was the fact they come up with all these great green policies and then they just wind them back to get them through the system. The problem with the environment is you can’t wind it back – it’s a pressing issue which we all need to take some kind of ownership of.”

He said Cornwall Council’s Conservative leader Linda Taylor tried to talk him out of resigning from the party “a little bit”. “She understood the reasons,” he said. “She was one of the first people I went to to tell as she was helpful in getting me on board in the beginning, so I felt the right thing was to speak to her about it first.”

When Mr Wells became a councillor in 2020, the Tory group was the main political group on the town council – now it’s down to one councillor. He will remain in the civic role of town mayor and continue representing Lelant as an independent councillor.

MPs return to Westminster after the weekend in a state of shock at news of an alleged spy in their midst. A ministerial statement or urgent question is all but certain following the Sunday Times’ revelation that a parliamentary researcher with links to senior Conservatives had been arrested on suspicion of spying for China. The news overshadowed Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s return from India, where he attended the G20 — the PM will make a statement on the outcome of the summit this afternoon.

The alleged spy has links to hawkish Conservative MPs who are privy to classified information including Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Alicia Kearns and Security Minister Tom Tugendhat.

Only the start: Could there be more to come? The Telegraph reckons intelligence services will “unmask” more Chinese spies in coming months, raising the prospect that a “network” of spooks is operating out of Westminster.

Source London Politico Playbook

Campaigners have sounded the alarm about a potential increase in pensioner poverty in Britain over the coming decades after it emerged that the share of wealth held by people under 40 has fallen sharply amid a growing intergenerational divide.

Hilary Osborne www.theguardian.com 

Data from the International Longevity Centre (ILC) thinktank shows that in 2010-11, under-40s made up just over half of the population and between them held £7.53 of every £100 in wealth.

While that figure was low, a decade later it had plummeted to £3.98. Over the same period, the proportion of under-40s fell from 50.6% to 49.5%.

Those under-40s have already been identified as facing the biggest hit from rising mortgage rates, and last week a study by the financial advice firm Hargreaves Lansdown found that almost a third of 18- to 34-year-olds had stopped or cut back on their pension contributions in order to save money.

The ILC data is based on analysis of figures from the Office for National Statistics, and the wealth being measured includes the value of property, private pensions, savings and investments, and any other valuables.

During the period the figures cover, all age groups had to contend with a squeeze on wages and financial strains caused by the Covid pandemic, but older generations have seen their wealth grow.

Property ownership is the key driver for the gap, with under-40s more likely to be renting for longer than previously or owning homes that have not gone up in value as much as larger properties.

The mean net property wealth in this group fell from £13,967 in 2010 to £11,450 in 2019 (although the median was £0 in both years), while in the 40-64 and 65-plus groups there were large rises.

The older groups also recorded sizeable increases in pension wealth. The figures suggest a growing threat of pensioner poverty if current trends continue.

David Sinclair, the chief executive of the International Longevity Centre UK, said: “Younger people are already not saving enough to enjoy a decent lifestyle as they age, and our latest analysis shows that younger generations will have even fewer assets available.

“Pensioner poverty is already a significant issue, and it will grow if we don’t act now. We know that future retirees won’t be able to rely on housing wealth and many will need to spend money on rent into retirement.

“It is crucial that we address these challenges head-on and develop comprehensive strategies to ensure that every generation has the support they need to be financially secure right across their lives.”

The research also looked at the strains on finances that people older than 40 could face in the future. The ILC said the number of private renters aged 65 and over was projected to double by 2046, to reach 12% of households in that demographic.

Renting a property will mean a strain on incomes that those who own a home outright will not face.

The ILC’s research into longevity is being backed by the insurer Aviva. Doug Brown, the chief executive of Aviva UK & Ireland Life, said: “Financial pressures are growing and affecting all generations; however, the youngest workers are in a particularly vulnerable position when it comes to saving for their retirement. With lower overall wealth today than the equivalent generation had a decade ago, this is concerning.”

The government has quietly signed a contract targeting 20% cuts to the number of new education plans for children with special educational needs and disabilities (Send) to bring down costs, the Observer can reveal.

Chaminda Jayanetti www.theguardian.com

Then junior education minister Claire Coutinho – recently promoted to the cabinet as energy secretary – subsequently told MPs that no targets were in place.

The cuts target has emerged as councils across England grapple with huge financial deficits on Send budgets caused by a combination of rising demand and longstanding underfunding. Part of the government’s response has been the launch of the Delivering Better Value in Send programme (DBV), which supports 55 councils to bring down their large Send budget deficits through measures such as early intervention and teaching children with special needs in mainstream schools.

In June 2022, the Department for Education (DfE) signed a £19.5m contract with consultancy firm Newton Europe to design and develop the DBV programme. The deliverables section of the contract states that “it is the intention” of the signatories that the 55 councils’ budget management plans, implemented under the DBV programme, will help achieve “impacts” including “reduced cost pressure … as a result of reduced growth in number of EHCPs [education, health and care plans], targeting at least a 20% reduction in new EHCPs issued”.

The contract states that the “impacts” would be measured by monitoring “EHCP growth rates” and the state of councils’ education budgets.

EHCPs set out the education provision that children with significant needs must receive by law, although cash-strapped councils often fail to meet these requirements.

Recent years have seen rising numbers of new EHCPs being issued for reasons including failings in the children’s mental health system, non-inclusive approaches adopted by results-driven mainstream schools and improved identification of special needs such as autism.

Because EHCPs often require specialist education provision for children, some of which is only available from expensive private special schools, rising EHCP caseloads have meant higher costs for councils, with government funding not keeping pace. As a result, ministers and council bosses have looked for ways to reduce the growth in EHCPs, sparking fears among parents that Send children might be denied the support they need.

Gillian Doherty of campaign group Send Action said: “Aside from potential legal implications, this action will simply push the funding problem down on to mainstream schools, which are already in a state of acute financial and recruitment crisis.

“This is irresponsible behaviour that will seriously undermine inclusion. It will also result in a two-tier system that severely disadvantages disabled children in local authorities with financial difficulties.”

In May, nearly a year after the contract with Newton Europe was signed, Coutinho appeared before MPs on the education select committee to answer questions about the government’s Send and alternative provision (AP) improvement plan, which includes the DBV programme.

She told the committee she felt the planned reforms would reduce demand for EHCPs but denied there were any targets. “This is not about targeting a particular reduction; it is just about improving the system so you can get better outcomes for Send people,” she said.

DfE civil servant Alison Ismail told the session that while improved mainstream and specialist education provision should lead to decreasing need for EHCPs, “we were not projecting to a particular target as such”.

Tania Tirraoro, co-director of information site Special Needs Jungle, said: “A senior DfE Send official repeated the assertion to me just this week that it wasn’t about cutting EHCPs. Either the DfE’s left hand doesn’t know what its right hand is doing, or families are being lied to. It’s right there in black and white. The DfE’s Send and AP improvement plan really is about significantly reducing EHCPs. But the law is intact, and I urge families to fight any effort to reduce statutory provision at the Send tribunal.”

Helen Hayes, Labour’s shadow children and early years minister, said: “Ministers need to be honest – they cannot be saying one thing to parents and another behind their backs.

“Labour will identify children’s needs earlier so that intervention supports child development from a young age, which is better for individuals, their families and wider society.”

The Newton Europe contract also aims to reduce permanent exclusions and teach more Send children via mainstream schools, “targeting at least a 20% reduction in placements into independent schools and 2% reduction in placements in special schools”. This would be measured by monitoring attendance rates and the “rate of pupils with EHCP in mainstream settings”.

The DfE said the targets were indicative rather than legally binding on Newton Europe and had not been communicated to councils. However, the targets were nevertheless included in the contract Newton Europe signed that underpins its work to design and develop the DBV programme.

A DfE spokesperson said: “The DBV programme aims to help local authorities provide more effective Send services by meeting the needs of children and young people at an early stage and with the right level of support. Naturally, we’d expect to see a reduction in the number of EHCPs issued as children’s needs are met earlier.”

Newton Europe did not respond to a request for comment.

Six more local councils are at risk of going bust before the next general election, leading local government sources have told i.

Bradford, Devon, Guildford, Hastings, Kent and Southampton have been named as being in danger.

[Article also includes Claire Wright comments on Simon Jupp’s “laughingstock” social media comment.]

David Parsley inews.co.uk

Birmingham City Council – the largest local authority in Europe – declared itself effectively bankrupt last week after being hit by a £760m bill to settle historic equal pay claims.

So squeezed are local authority finances that several more face the prospect of following it, and i has been told that there are at least six that could do so within a year.

“We haven’t seen the end of councils going under,” said a leading local government figure. “There’s at least half a dozen that could be issuing section 114 notices in the next year, with some doing so within months unless they can turn things around.”

Section 114 notices are issued by councils, as Birmingham did last week, when they are effectively bankrupt. It means no new expenditure is permitted, with the exception of statutory services including safeguarding vulnerable people.

The six councils most likely to be next in issuing a section 114 notice, according to the local government source, are Bradford, Devon, Guildford, Hastings, Kent and Southampton.

A recent report from Devon County Council’s legal and finance directors described the Tory-run council’s position as “very challenging” and identified “a number of fundamental issues” prompting an “urgent need” for a high-priority review.

The report warned that the council faced a “material threat of a section 114 notice” because of its growing cumulative overspend on special educational needs and disability services, which has risen to nearly £130m and is projected to increase to £153m by March next year – more than the county council has in its financial reserves.

Following the collapse of Labour-run Birmingham, East Devon Tory MP Simon Jupp said: “If Labour can’t run a council, they can’t be trusted with our country.”

Claire Wright, his independent rival for the constituency at the December 2019, responded: “Imagine our MP’s shock when he realises Conservative-run Devon County Council is on the verge of bankruptcy.”

Devon County Council did not respond to i’s request for comment.

In Kent, where 61 of the 81 county councillors are Conservatives, the authority’s external auditor has warned that it faces a potential 114 notice unless it makes savings of £86m by the end of its current financial year next March.

The report from Grant Thornton said Kent County Council was in a “perilous financial position” due to inflation and a growing demand for its services.

Kent council did not respond to i’s request for comment.

In Guildford, the borough council’s chief finance officer has warned that it could face a section 114 notice because of rising interest rates which are having an impact on the authority’s payments on its £300m debt. The council was controlled by the Conservatives until 2019. The Liberal Democrats won a majority in May.

In a joint statement, finance director Peter Vickers and Guildford’s chief executive Tom Horwood said that due to the council’s debt financing concerns, “a section 114 notice will be reconsidered in time for the October council meeting”.

A spokeswoman for Guildford Borough Council said: “We are working at pace and have already identified significant savings. Our Financial Recovery Plan has been supported by councillors and will be going for formal approval soon. We’re working hard to avoid the need for a Section 114 notice.”

Of the remaining three councils, Bradford and Southampton are controlled by Labour, while no party in Hastings has overall control but Labour has just under half of the borough’s councillors.

Bradford Council has warned its reserves are “close to exhaustion” after £30m was required to balance the budget in current financial year.

The council is also forecast to overspend its £453m net revenue budget for 2023-24 by £13.8m, according to early estimates.

In a report to councillors, Bradford’s director of finance Christopher Kinsella said: “Many councils are experiencing similar pressures across the country as a result of systemic funding issues, and there are numerous councils that are nearing s114 notices. This is something that is without historic precedent and is reflective of a sector in dire need of support.”

Bradford Council did not respond to i’s request for comment.

In Hastings, the rise in a requirement for temporary accommodation has pushed the council into an “incredibly precarious” financial position.

The authority is experiencing “spiralling costs” in homelessness and reported an overspend of £2.4m in this area for financial year 2022/23.

Simon Jones, deputy chief finance officer, warned that if the position “is not immediately addressed” and the costs continue to grow at the current rate for temporary accommodation, the council “will have no option other than to issue a section 114 notice”.

Paul Barnett, leader of Hastings Borough Council, told i: “The ever-increasing costs of temporary accommodation means that to provide housing for everyone we have a duty to house has increased from £730,000 in 2019 to £4.5m for 2022/23 – a rise of more than 400 per cent – and it is predicted to rise to £5.6m for 2023/24.

“Without the cost of temporary accommodation and housing, the council’s budget for 2022/23 shows an underspend of £1m.

“Because of the huge increases in housing costs, there are going to be difficult decisions that have to be made across the whole council as we continue to try to balance our budget.”

In Southampton, the city council has commenced “informal discussions” with the government over its challenging financial situation.

The council was forced to draw down £11.38m from reserves to balance the authority’s year-end deficit the year to the end of last March.

A report presented to councillors warned that a failure to take actions during the current financial year “would lead to a large forecast overspend, which would mean the council being financially unsustainable and the issuing of a S114 notice”.

Southampton council did not respond to i’s request for comment.

The Local Government Association (LGA) has estimated that local authorities have been hit by a £15bn, or 60 per cent, real-terms reduction to core government funding between 2010 and 2020.

Shaun Davies, chairman of the LGA, said: “Councils in England face a funding gap of almost £3bn over the next two years just to keep services standing still.

“Councils’ ability to mitigate these stark pressures are being continuously hampered by one-year funding settlements, one-off funding pots and uncertainty due to repeated delays to funding reforms.

“The Government needs to come up with a long-term plan to sufficiently fund local services. This must include greater funding certainty for councils through multi-year settlements and more clarity on financial reform so they can plan effectively.”

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing, and Communities did not respond to a request for comment.

Remember: Most schools are unaffected by RAAC