From: Professor Martin Shaw (secretary, Seaton Hospital Steering Committee)

The campaign to save Seaton Hospital’s threatened wing comes to the Devon NHS’s Integrated Care Board meeting in Exeter tomorrow morning.

• I will PRESENT PETITIONS, signed by over 75% of the adult population in the Seaton area, to Dr Sarah Wollaston, Chair of Devon NHS, on the steps of County Hall at 9.30.
• Other campaigners will be supporting me with placards.

We will then go into the ICB meeting at 10.30, where THE BOARD WILL ANSWER QUESTIONS which we have submitted, given below. Our questions will be answered early in the meeting, after which we will leave. 

Questions:

1. Were Finance Committee and Board members informed, before their meetings in September and October respectively, that Seaton Hospital was established on the initiative of and part-funded by the League of Friends, on the understanding that the building would be run as an NHS hospital, and that the building of the wing in question was paid for 100 per cent by public donations? Does the Board now accept that, in the light of these considerations, it should have consulted with Seaton stakeholders before making this decision? 

2. Does the Board now accept that it was mistaken to quote the 2016-17 consultation on the withdrawal of the beds in justification of its recent decision? First, the consultation did not concern the future use of ward space. Second, its results showed that Seaton residents were overwhelmingly opposed to the withdrawal, and the last-minute switch of Seaton’s beds to Sidmouth, without proper justification, discredited the outcome in the eyes of the local community?

3. Will the Board agree to the request of the Devon Health and Adult Care Scrutiny Committee that the proposed disposal is not implemented until they have explored and discussed the long-term future provision of NHS/health and wellbeing services for Seaton and Colyton residents, and reported on this to the Scrutiny Committee, as it has requested, in January 2024?

Rishi Sunak has suffered a parliamentary defeat as MPs voted to establish a compensatory body for victims of the infected blood scandal.

Christy Cooney www.theguardian.com

MPs voted 246 to 242 in favour of an amendment to the victims and prisoners bill that will require the government to set up a body to administer compensation within three months of the bill becoming law.

The amendment, which passed with the support of around 30 Tory MPs, marks the first parliamentary defeat of Sunak’s premiership.

The scandal, now the subject of an inquiry, unfolded in the late 1970s and early 1980s, after about 4,800 people with the blood-clotting disorder haemophilia given blood donated – or sold – by people infected with HIV and hepatitis C.

The government previously said there was a “moral case for the payment of compensation”, and that preparations for the payment of compensation were being made, but that it wanted to wait for the outcome of the inquiry.

The inquiry, chaired by Sir Brian Langstaff, was originally due to publish its final report last month, but is now expected to deliver its findings in March.

Of those affected by the scandal, around half have already died, and campaigners say time is of the essence.

Sir Robert Buckland, the former justice secretary, and Caroline Nokes, chair of the women and equalities select committee, were among the senior Conservatives to give the amendment their backing.

There was a cheer in the House of Commons as the result of the vote was announced.

Labour MP Dame Diana Johnson, who tabled the amendment, said it marked an “important step forward in what has been an extraordinarily long fight for justice”, though added that it was “not the end”.

“There is still much work to be done to … bring justice to those who do not have the luxury of waiting,” she said.

Speaking ahead of the vote, Edward Argar, the justice minister, said the scandal “should never have happened” and that the government had “great sympathy” with the intention of the amendment.

“My thoughts, and I believe all those in this House, remain with those impacted by this appalling tragedy,” he said.

Heavy rain lasting more than 24 hours has resulted in multiple flood warnings and alerts being issued for areas across East Devon.

East Devon Reporter eastdevonnews.co.uk

The Environment Agency (EA) said it expects river levels in many areas to remain high overnight, and into Tuesday (December 5).

Residents living near flooded areas are urged to be aware that water could be fast-flowing and deep.

The Environment Agency said: “Over the last 24 hours we have seen heavy rainfall in the East Devon area.

“This has meant that rivers in the area have risen and will remain high.”

Flood warnings are in place for the River Axe and River Clyst, plus alerts are in place for multiple areas across East Devon.

The Environment Agency said:

• Property flooding is expected at Chard Junction, and Axe Farm, Coaxdon and Weycroft cottages at Broom.
• Highway flooding is expected at Tytherleigh and Broom, the A358 crossing at Weycroft, the A35 at Yarty Bridge, the A3052 at Colyford, and Whitford to Musbury. There will be deep and fast flowing field flooding between Winsham and Axminster.
• Flood warning area: Riverside properties and roads between Axminster and Axmouth, including Musbury, Whitford Bridge, the A3052 at Colyford and the A35 at Yarty Bridge. Low lying properties and roads around Stoney Bridge and Castle Hill in Axminster.
• Flood warning area: Riverside locations and roads between Winsham and Axminster, including Chard Junction, Coaxden Cottages and Weycroft.
• Flooding to property and highways is expected at Ashclyst, Burrow, Broadclyst, Clyst Honiton, Southbrook and the A30 between Jack in the Green and Hand and Pen.
• Flood warning area: Riverside locations and roads between Broadclyst and Clyst St. Mary, including Broadclyst, Ashclyst, Clyston Mill, Sowton Barton, Newcourt Barton, the A3052 at Clyst Honiton, and the B3181 at Broadclyst.

Flood alerts issued by the Environment Agency:

• The main areas of concern are Seaton, Colyton, Axminster and Axmouth. Possible flooding to low lying land and roads close to rivers.
• Flood alert area: Rivers Axe, Coly, Yarty, Umborne Brook and coastal streams from Branscombe to Axmouth.
• The main areas of concern are Cullompton, Willand, Culmstock, Hemyock, Bradninch, Broadclyst and Clyst St Mary. Possible flooding to low lying land and roads close to rivers.
• Flood alert area: Hemyock, Cullompton, Stoke Canon, Broadclyst and Clyst St Mary areas.
• The main areas of concern are Lympstone, Exmouth, Budleigh Salterton, Honiton, Ottery St Mary, Sidbury, Sidford and Sidmouth. Possible flooding to low lying land and roads close to rivers.
• Flood alert area: Lympstone, Exmouth, Budleigh Salterton, Honiton, Ottery St Mary and Sidmouth areas.

Not appreciating the scale of the flooding event unfolding on Monday morning, Simon Jupp, presumably on his way to Whitehall, took to twitter (X) to complain, in a petulant tone, about the “dithering” and “pitiful” service he received as his train halted beyond Taunton, then reversed back so he could continue his journey via Bristol.

At Bristol, after a delay, his service “joined” another scheduled service etc. etc.

(Had he been wearing the “Ministerial Team Transport” Hi Viz coat, he might have been treated to “bowing and scraping, and tugging of forelocks”, rather than as an incognito member of the public). 

The PPS to the Transport Secretary, Mark Harper, says he wants to see a more resilient railway network in the South West and “won’t stop pushing for more investment from the back benches” (sic).

Welcome to Tory austerity Simon where tax cuts trump investment!

(See his twitter post and selected comments below, particularly from the self-styled “Sir Andrew Barnet” who claims to have been Knighted by Johnson for services to hairdressing).

Because his train was cancelled or delayed for more than an hour, Simon will be able to claim a full refund. Assuming he was travelling at public expense, will he be discounting his travel claim accordingly? – Owl

In fact he was very lucky to complete his journey, many didn’t!

Owl wonders whether he had been following the weather warnings of flooding for his constituents, Devon and, indeed Somerset?

[Monday: All trains in and out of Devon and Cornwall cancelled due to floodingGreat Western Railway are advising customers NOT TO TRAVEL between Bristol Temple Meads, Taunton and Westbury as journeys through the area cannot be guaranteed.]