Devon and Cornwall Police has been removed from enhanced monitoring by the police inspectorate, nearly three years after being placed under special measures.

Two areas of concern remained open, crime recording standards and the overall quality of investigations.

Jonathan Morris www.bbc.co.uk 

His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) confirmed the decision, citing improvements in several key areas including emergency call handling, crime recording, and the management of sexual and violent offenders.

The force was first moved into the inspectorate’s Engage phase, commonly referred to as special measures, on 14 October 2022.

At the time, HMICFRS identified significant failings in how the force responded to emergency calls, recorded crimes, and supervised registered offenders.

Inspectors found that crimes, particularly those involving vulnerable victims, were not always recorded, and that too many emergency and non-emergency calls were either delayed or abandoned.

The watchdog also raised concerns about the force’s ability to identify repeat and vulnerable callers, and its failure to provide timely advice on preserving evidence or preventing further crime.

‘Work to do’

Additionally, the management of registered sexual and violent offenders was deemed inadequate, potentially increasing the risk of further offending.

In a statement His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary, Sir Andy Cooke, said the force had made “good progress” and would now return to routine monitoring.

“I am pleased with the good progress that Devon and Cornwall Police has made so far,” Sir Andy said.

“While there is still work to do, I have recommended removing the service from our enhanced level of monitoring, known as Engage, and return it to routine monitoring.”

Among the improvements noted were better governance of the force control room, a reduced 101 call abandonment rate, improved management of sexual offenders, and increased confidence in frontline officers’ understanding of crime recording principles.

The force has also made strides in using investigative plans and conducting supervisory reviews.

However, HMICFRS said two areas of concern remained open, crime recording standards and the overall quality of investigations.

“It needs to demonstrate further improvements before we can close these causes of concern,” said Sir Andy.

Alison Hernandez faces calls to “consider her position” from chair of Devon and Cornwall police and crime panel.

Major mistake sparks worry.

Alison Stephenson, local democracy reporter www.radioexe.co.uk

The police and crime commissioner for Devon and Cornwall Alison Hernandez should be “considering her position”, after she incorrectly told a crime panel that the remains of multiple bodies had been found in a Cornish woodland, says its chair.

Cllr Sally Haydon (Lab, St Budeaux), who heads the Devon and Cornwall police and crime panel, said the blunder was a “yet another serious mistake” by the commissioner, who came under criticism last year for going against the wishes of the panel and appointing a deputy, who later resigned due to ‘personal circumstances’.

Alison Hernandez told a panel meeting on Friday that “dead bodies” had been found in woodland at Sticker in Cornwall.

She said that police were “trying to establish how many” bodies may be at the site, which is at the centre of a murder investigation. 

She later apologised after leading investigators said the woodland search only involved the human remains of a single person, not several. 

Detective Superintendent Jon Bancroft said: “We currently have three separate murder investigations being conducted in the Cornwall area.

“I have oversight of all of these investigations at this time, and can confirm they are being carried out independently of each other and are not believed to be linked.

“I can categorically state that we have recovered remains believed to be those of Daniel Coleman only from an area of woodland in Sticker. No other remains have been located at this scene to date.”

Cllr Haydon, who is also Plymouth City Council’s cabinet member for community safety, said: “It’s extremely disappointing that the commissioner shared such seriously flawed information at the panel.

“It’s a serious mistake which not only created a period of real worry for people but is deeply unhelpful when we need to do all we can to help restore confidence in our police force.

“It’s extremely worrying that Ms Hernandez made such a serious public statement without the full facts on what was clearly an operational matter, particularly when she has repeatedly told the committee that she does not get operational.”

At the meeting Ms Hernandez also failed to answer questions regarding a ‘golden handshake’ deal struck with chief constable Will Kerr – who she picked for the role – before his recently-announced retirement. She told panel members they could find the information in the statement of accounts published next year.

It follows an unsettled two-year-period within the Devon and Cornwall Police which saw its substantive chief constable suspended and later its acting chief constable.

It is the role of a police and crime commissioner to hold the chief constable to account for the police’s performance and be the public’s voice in policing.

Last year Ms Hernandez appointed a deputy commissioner Mark Kingscote, who later resigned after just five months in post, despite being recommended not to by the panel because they felt he didn’t have enough experience.

Cllr Hayden continued: “All of this, coupled with the apparent chaos at senior levels of the force and the interventions required following inspection and the continued need to improve means there are very serious concerns over whether she is capable of continuing in this role and I believe she should be considering her position.”

During the panel meeting Councillor Julian German, who represents the Roseland on Cornwall Council, quizzed Ms Hernandez about how the investigation was progressing. He said: “Since your written update, the force has requested mutual aid and it’s been granted. Before mutual aid was granted the whole of the front line of the force was reorganised to cope with the pressure it is experiencing primarily due to incidents in Cornwall.

“So would you like to update the panel on that, why the mutual aid was requested and granted and what’s the ongoing situation?”

Ms Hernandez replied: “Some of the elements of that operation I can’t speak about but some of the things are very obvious. As you know there is a large crime scene that has been identified in Cornwall that is requiring a lot of effort to even scene guard the area.

“The level of expertise, some of the mutual aid we’ve brought in, is expertise in specific types of investigations that we didn’t have. The National Crime Agency is supporting the organisation at the moment.

She said: “I know there’s been some information in the media. We’ve got a huge forensic tent down there. Lots of forensics officers, obviously we’ve found dead bodies in that wood. We’re just trying to establish how many there may be at this point in time and whether we are aware of who they are or what might have happened to them.”

She later apologised saying: “The police have operational primacy over these matters. Any investigation will unfold rapidly and I was not in possession of all the facts at that time.”

The largest town in Devon still doesn’t have a public enquiry office despite Alison Hernandez pledging two years ago that public access was “non negotiable”.

Here is what Alison Hernandez said in August 2023 about the project to sell off part of the old station and redevelop the remainder with costs estimated at £5 million, now increased to £6 million.

“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.

“As with other police station building projects, I am insisting that a significant proportion of the public monies that we are investing in this project go to local people so that money benefits the local economy. The release of brownfield development land means additional housing can be provided in the town without greenfield sites being developed.”

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.”

Fast forward to the present.

Exmouth police station rebuild “too expensive”

Alison Stephenson, Local Democracy Reporter www.devonairradio.com 

A new police station in Exmouth is off the cards as estimated costs have risen to £6 million.

Police and crime commissioner Alison Hernandez told a police and crime panel on Friday that she would prefer to find “another place” to put the police.

She said: “I’m not happy as it only cost £2 million to build the new Liskeard station and what we would be building in Exmouth is smaller. The costs have gone up dramatically.”

Exmouth and Exeter City police stations were both set to get public enquiry offices (PEOs) this year after Ms Hernandez made it her mission to reopen many across Devon and Cornwall which were closed to cut costs more than ten years ago.

But the panel heard that neither would be happening “at this point”.

Exmouth is dependent on new premises and concern over the public bringing weapons into the city centre building the police share with Exeter City Council has put the brakes on that one.

The commissioner said the city council had refused permission and she understood the challenges of not wanting council staff to be “at risk”. But she added to open an enquiry office somewhere else would mean moving all the policing staff so it wasn’t happening.

More than 90,000 residents accessed PEOs during 2024-25, “a clear sign of the value placed on face-to-face policing”, said the commissioner in her update to panel members.

She has reopened or opened 17 PEOs, bringing the total to 26 with Ivybridge, Liskeard and Tavistock the latest stations to open their doors to the public again.

The ageing police station complex in North Street, Exmouth, includes a disused magistrates court and a mothballed civil defence shelter. Plans were in the pipeline to sell off part of the site for redevelopment and a two-storey police station building built on the rest.

Exmouth is the largest town in Devon and the police station building is occupied by around 60 officers, but the public cannot enter without an appointment.

Answering a question about whether the recently opened police enquiry offices had resulted in a drop off in 101 calls as people could now walk into a police station and report crime, the commissioner said “no” and that 101 was “unrelenting”.

“The more channels you open the more people come,” she said. “Access is increasing for more people to report crime. That is positive because it allows us to understand what is happening in our communities. It is really making a difference to people coming forward and needing a face to face contact rather than one over the phone.”

A performance report to the panel showed that 12.3 per cent of calls to 101 were abandoned in the 12 months to May 2025 due to long waits compared with 37.4 last year. Latest data shows that 88 per cent of 101 calls are answered within ten minutes – the commissioner wants to get to 90 per cent.

The report shows that the public’s opinion of the 101 service has improved, with correspondence down from 42 to 4 in the last financial year and the only person to give feedback during 2025/26 so far was focused on praising the assistance they received.
 

Police commissioner won’t say

Alison Stephenson, local democracy reporter www.radioexe.co.uk

Devon and Cornwall’s police and crime commissioner has failed to disclose the details of a deal struck with chief constable Will Kerr before his retirement.

At a police and crime panel meeting on Friday, Alison Hernandez was asked on two occasions if Mr Kerr, who was suspended for two years on full pay, was given “a golden handshake”.

She said: “Mr Kerr and I have mutually agreed an arrangement for him to leave and I have done it in a pragmatic and rational way.

“The information will be published in a statement of accounts next year if people wish to go and look at that, but it is not something to be discussed today.”

An investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) in England is continuing into gross misconduct, although this is not related to criminal allegations made against the officer investigated in Northern Ireland that have since been dismissed. 

Ms Hernandez said in her experience “this could go on for years”.

She said was “disgusted by the inefficiency and ineffectiveness” of the Independent Office of Police Conduct and was asking the Home Secretary to scrutinise the body.

She would not be drawn on the “arrangement” which was raised by panel members Cllr Mandy Ewings, leader of West Devon Borough Council and Cllr Julian German of Cornwall Council.

Cllr Ewings said the public deserved to know if there was “a golden handshake” and how much it had all cost the taxpayers so far in council tax rises.

Mr Kerr was suspended shortly after he joined the Devon and Cornwall Police as chief constable in 2023 over “serious allegations of sexual offences” which he has always strenuously denied .

It was not until April this year that the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) in Northern Ireland confirmed it was not going to prosecute Mr Kerr with regards to the allegations.

Meanwhile Jim Colwell, the deputy chief constable brought in to cover for Mr Kerr, was also suspended in November for alleged “professional standards breaches”.

He has returned to duties as deputy this week having been given a written warning after a hearing determined he breached the force’s “notifiable associations” policy. It is understood he failed to declare that he had exchanged messages with a journalist on social media.

Jim Vaughan, a former chief constable for Dorset, came out of retirement to take up the post of interim chief constable in December.

Earlier this year when there were effectively three chief constables in post, two of whom were suspended,  the monthly cost to the taxpayer was £63,913.

Ms Hernandez said interim chief constable Vaughan was now driving performance in the force with “such pace” and personal attention, having met 4,000 of the 6,000 officers, and she was not in a rush to replace him but intended to recruit in the autumn.

“I am not pleased that we have been in this position in terms of having multiple leaders of the organisation and temporary leaders of the organisation because they cannot really act as a full chief constable and set the strategy and direction quite as they should.”

She said she had agreed with Mr Kerr that retirement was the best option for him. 

“He does have the interests of the people of Devon and Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly at heart because he does recognise how difficult it has been for me to support the organisation with all these individuals we have had to have in to help.

“He is allowing me, by retiring, to get to the point of a stable and substantive chief constable and that is for the benefit of all us so I am thankful to him.”

Mr Kerr said in a statement: “Having been cleared in relation to what I believe were malicious criminal allegations in Northern Ireland, I have decided that it’s now in the best interests of my family and the force that I retire as chief constable. 

 “After nearly 36 years of public service, this is not the way I would have chosen to retire but the force, and communities across Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, deserve stable leadership in policing.”

EMERGENCY services were on hand after a huge cliff fall happened at an East Devon beach this weekend.

Harry Mockridge www.sidmouthherald.co.uk

There was a large cliff fall in Budleigh Salterton Saturday (July 26). (Image: Mark Newton)

A huge dust plume fell across Budleigh Salterton Beach after a cliff fall [Saturday] (July 26) around 3:50pm.

People were trapped after being stranded on the wrong side of yesterday’s cliff fall. Sidmouth Lifeboat, along with other lifeboat crew members, helped safely return people to Budleigh Beach after the fall.

Shortly after the incident, police were on the scene and taped off the area, with the South West Coastal Path closed at points, resulting in no access.

A police helicopter was also spotted in the skies after the cliff fall.

East Devon cliff fall leaves huge dust plume by the beach yesterday (Saturday July 26). (Image: Beer Coastguard)

A spokesperson from Sidmouth Lifeboat said: “Sidmouth Independent Lifeboat was tasked by Solent Coastguard after a significant cliff collapse at Budleigh Beach.

“The crew’s primary objective was to search for anyone caught in the fall zone and to support Beer and Exmouth Coastguard teams already on scene.

“Upon arrival, lifeboat crew members discovered several people stranded on the wrong side of the cliff fall. Two individuals were safely transferred back to Budleigh Beach.

“Thank you to all volunteers and agencies involved for their swift response and teamwork.

“Please remember: cliffs along this stretch of coastline are unstable. Keep a safe distance from the base and the edge, and follow all local safety warnings.”

Yesterday’s cliff fall comes just five months after the East Devon County Council inspected the cliffs at Budleigh Salterton Beach.

The council is actively working on coastal protection schemes to mitigate cliff falls, particularly in areas like Seaton Hole. 

These schemes involve strengthening defences at the base of cliffs, such as adding rock armour and repairing seawalls and gabions – like the £1.4 million project at Seaton Hole, which is due to start in August 2025.

“In trying to be helpful I responded to an operational question at the police and crime panel, however, I was not fully up to date with the facts of the investigation.

“I apologise for any alarm this may have caused. The police have operational primacy over these matters.”

Our “selfie girl” is shooting from the hip. She needs to stay focused as she faces choosing the next Chief Constable – Owl

Nadeem Badshah www.theguardian.com 

A police and crime commissioner has apologised for claiming that multiple human remains had been discovered in woodland in Cornwall at the centre of a murder investigation.

Alison Hernandez told a meeting of the Devon and Cornwall police and crime panel that “dead bodies” had been found at Sticker, near St Austell, and investigations were continuing to establish exactly how many.

Devon and Cornwall police said in response that the body of one man had been recovered from woods and no other remains had been found.

Police and forensic experts have been carrying out extensive inquiries in the woodland since the discovery of the body of 43-year-old Daniel Coleman.

James Desborough, 39, is accused of murdering Coleman, from St Austell, between 2 June and 7 July. He is due back before Truro crown court next month.

Hernandez said on Friday evening: “In trying to be helpful I responded to an operational question at the police and crime panel, however, I was not fully up to date with the facts of the investigation.

“I apologise for any alarm this may have caused. The police have operational primacy over these matters.”

Det Supt Jon Bancroft, with Devon and Cornwall police, said: “We currently have three separate murder investigations being conducted in the Cornwall area.

“I have oversight of all of these investigations at this time, and can confirm they are being carried out independently of each other and are not believed to be linked.

“I can categorically state that we have recovered remains believed to be those of Daniel Coleman only from an area of woodland in Sticker.”

Police are also investigating the discovery of the body of Lee Hockey, 50, who was found in separate woodland between Truro and Probus on 1 July.

A third murder inquiry is under way after a fatal fire at a residential property in Newquay on 22 July.

The body of a man in his 30s was found in the property, with a 33-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murder.

Nothing to see here, as Ms Hernandez is about to begin the recruitment process for her fourth chief constable in the space of two years! – Owl

Jim Colwell (left), Will Kerr (centre) and James Vaughan (right) have all served as Devon and Cornwall Chief Constable in the past two years.

Sam Blackledge www.itv.com

Chaos? An unfortunate series of events? Or business as usual?

Reporting on the leadership of Devon and Cornwall Police over the past few years has been like watching a high-budget Netflix drama.

A long list of colourful characters; a barely believable plot; and at the end of every episode, you’re left with absolutely no idea what’s going to happen next.

Back in 2022, a group of journalists were invited to police headquarters in Exeter to meet with Will Kerr, the South West’s new chief constable.

He came with an impressive CV, having served in Northern Ireland for 27 years, eventually moving up the ranks and leading on serious crime and counter terrorism.

We joked that if he could find a way to navigate the bitter ‘jam or cream’ debate, which has divided our two countries for centuries, it would put all his previous accomplishments in the shade.

None of us could have imagined that just six months later, Mr Kerr would be gone, and we would never see him again.

Will Kerr joined Devon and Cornwall Police in 2022.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) began an investigation into serious allegations of sexual offences. The Independent Office for Police Conduct launched its own inquiry.

Mr Kerr was suspended and his deputy, Jim Colwell, moved up the ladder to fill in as temporary Chief Constable.

As the months dragged on, and it became clear the PSNI inquiry was moving at a glacial pace, that word “temporary” began to feel slightly more “permanent.”

But then came the next twist. Jim Colwell himself was facing gross misconduct allegations, for misuse of his work mobile phone.

Another suspension, and another vacancy at the top of the tree which needed to be filled as soon as possible.

Enter James Vaughan, former Chief Constable of Dorset Police. Like a grizzled old copper lured out of retirement for one last job, Mr Vaughan agreed to step in as caretaker until everything was resolved.

‘We haven’t had chaos’

This week, just as the audience was beginning to wonder if this slow-moving drama would ever reignite, things began to race to a sudden conclusion.

On Tuesday, Jim Colwell was found guilty of misconduct – apparently for failing to declare that he had messaged a journalist on social media – but was allowed to return to his role as Deputy Chief Constable with a written warning.

Wednesday brought news of Will Kerr announcing his retirement, having seen the PSNI criminal investigation dropped, but with a police watchdog inquiry still ongoing.

Alison Hernandez denied she has presided over a ‘chaotic’ period.

On Thursday, I sat down with Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez, who is responsible for hiring and firing Chief Constables and holding the force to account.

I asked her whether she takes responsibility for the “chaos” of the past few years.

“We haven’t had chaos,” she replied.

“We’ve just had some individuals who have had misconduct allegations against them, and I’ve dealt with them appropriately.

“This force right now has got really strong leadership in James Vaughan and I am very happy.”

Ms Hernandez said she believes the IOPC is not fit for purpose and that she wants commissioners to have “more power” to take control of disciplinary matters and speed things up.

This is unlikely to happen, as a key principle of policing is that forces do not mark their own homework.

Ms Hernandez is about to begin the recruitment process for her fourth chief constable in the space of two years.

She, and everybody concerned with Devon and Cornwall Police, will be hoping the scriptwriters opt for a period of calm after an action-packed series.

Between May and July 2025 10,000 tests for water pollution at the Environment Agency’s Starcross laboratory in Devon were cancelled.

“When is a regulator not a regulator? When it’s the Environment Agency,”

“With impeccable timing the Environment Agency reminds us all of exactly why they to should be added to Sir Jon Cunliffe’s bonfire of the quangos [the Water Commission]. Institutionally incompetent, complacent and discredited.” Feargal Sharkey told the BBC.

Jonah Fisher, BBC environment correspondent.  www.bbc.co.uk

Thousands of water tests to identify potential harmful pollution in rivers, lakes and estuaries in England have been cancelled in the last three months due to staff shortages, the BBC has learned.

The Environment Agency confirmed the cancellations after campaigners showed us internal emails and documents with plans for extensive cuts to monitoring programmes.

The cancelled tests are for so-called inorganic pollutants – substances such as nitrates and phosphates that can indicate sewage or agricultural pollution.

The EA says its testing programme “remains robust” but this week a landmark report said it had “struggled to effectively oversee and manage the water system”.

In the three months from May to July the water regulator says that 10,000 scheduled tests at its main laboratory at Starcross in Devon did not take place due to staff shortages.

Others were combined with other tests or postponed in what the EA says was an “optimisation” process.

The Environment Agency said seven national inorganic testing programmes had been completely “paused”. They include programmes that track chemical pollution in rivers, lakes and estuaries as well as one that monitors the regulator’s plans for dealing with drought.

Jo Bradley, who worked at the Environment Agency’s water quality team for more than 20 years, told the BBC: “Some inorganic substances, such as copper and zinc, are directly toxic to aquatic organisms, including fish and insects,”

“Others, such as phosphorus and nitrogen, are nutrients and they can affect river health when they are present in high quantities.

“These substances must be tested routinely, at many hundreds of locations, so that we can see trends in river chemistry and quickly identify problems.”

The EA said it “paused” 17.5% of its inorganic testing at the Starcross Laboratory from May to July.

Over the entire year it said it was expecting to operate at 15% below capacity.

A spokesperson blamed the reduction in tests on “fluctuations in staffing capacity” and could not say when the laboratory would be working at full capacity again.

Staffing problems are nothing new at the EA. In 2023 its chairman Alan Lovell told parliament that it had “struggled with recruitment and retention of staff”.

Internal emails obtained by campaign groups Greenpeace and Desmog through freedom of information requests were shared with the BBC. They show EA officials discussing the impact of staff departures on testing and saying that others planned to leave.

One senior official, writing an email to her colleagues, said it was “not good news I’m afraid” adding “this isn’t where we want to be (again)”.

Helen Nightingale, who worked at the Environment Agency as a catchment planner, analysing data from its water quality programme until 2022, says that while she was there she saw a shift of focus away from serious investigation to trying to find “successes”.

She also said that morale was low: “The pay is not great – we didn’t have pay rises for years due to austerity,

“But a lot people are in it [the EA] because they want to make a difference – and when you’re not even getting that – well, what’s the point?”

Documents seen by the BBC show that the work affected by the cuts to testing this year included investigations into the water industry in various parts of the country, and monitoring of protected areas including the River Wye, which is currently facing a pollution crisis linked to intensive chicken farming.

Stuart Singleton White from the Angling Trust which has been running its own citizen scientist testing programme., said: “This spring, while the EA cut 10,000 water samples, our Water Quality Monitoring Network collected its 10,000th.

“Our latest annual report showed that 34% of sites breached “good ecological status” for phosphate, and 45% showed signs of nitrate pollution. Pollution is out of control, and extensive testing is key to addressing the problem.”

Singer-turned-campaigner Feargal Sharkey said the cancelled tests are further confirmation of the EA’s limitations.

“When is a regulator not a regulator? When it’s the Environment Agency,” Mr Sharkey told the BBC.

“With impeccable timing the Environment Agency reminds us all of exactly why they to should be added to Sir Jon Cunliffe’s bonfire of the quangos [the Water Commission]. Institutionally incompetent, complacent and discredited.”

This week, Sir Jon recommended that a single water regulator be created, with the EA handing over responsibility for monitoring water pollution.

A spokesperson for the EA said: “We are committed to protecting the environment and water quality testing remains a top priority having received an extra £8m in funding.”

“Our water quality testing programme remains robust and prioritised on the basis of need – only a small proportion of tests were impacted by this issue, with no impact on pollution incidents and bathing water testing.”

Vital work to protect the cliffs and beach at Seaton Hole will begin next month, following planning approval for a £1.4 million improvement scheme. 

Josh Tate www.radioexe.co.uk

The work is designed to reduce erosion and lower the risk of cliff falls, helping protect the coastline and nearby homes. 

The project is being managed by a partnership of East Devon District Council and South West Flood and Coastal. 

Work will include adding more large rocks (known as rock armour) at the base of the cliffs, refurbishing and removal of wire baskets filled with stones (gabions) that support the cliff base next to Check House seawall and carrying out repairs to Check House seawall.

These planned improvements are set to strengthen defences between Seaton Hole and West Walk Promenade, making the area safer to the effects of the sea. The scheme is also expected to deliver nearly £5 million in long-term benefits. 

Cllr Geoff Jung, East Devon District Council Portfolio Holder for Environment – Operational, said, “While there may be some minor disruption over the summer, this work is essential. It will make Seaton Hole safer and more accessible for everyone, and help protect properties on the clifftop. 

“Please keep a safe distance from the work area and don’t climb on the rocks or near the cliffs, as they are unstable and pose a serious risk.” 

Cllr Paul Arnott, Leader of the Council, added, “This part of the coast has seen repeated landslides and ongoing erosion. It’s vital that we act now to protect local homes and ensure this beautiful area remains safe for future generations.” 

The work is due to be completed by November. 

“South West Water explains pollution discharge off beautiful Devon beaches”

That’s the headline but it looks more like a “description” (burst sewer pipe) than an “explanation” of how and why.

No mention of Susan Davy, who is still in charge, pulling on the Marigolds and leading the clean up from the front. – Owl.

People must not swim off Woolacombe and Combesgate beaches

Alex Driscoll www.devonlive.com

Discharge coming from a burst at a South West Water pumping station has led to a pollution spilling into the sea, making bathing hazardous at some of the most beautiful and popular beaches in North Devon.

The discharge of harmful waste into the sea comes in the week that schools are breaking up for the summer holidays.

The incident has affected the water quality at beaches in Woolacombe and Combesgate, with the Environment Agency (EA) telling people not to bathe in the water.

North Devon Council said that signage was placed on the beaches warning locals and tourists of the incident and the danger to people’s health.

An EA spokesperson said: “Our specialist officers have attended this incident in North Devon to investigate and take samples.

“We have also issued advice against bathing at Combesgate Beach and Woolacombe Village bathing waters.

“We advise that swimmers and beach users stay updated via Swimfo for the latest information.

“Members of the public can report environmental incidents to us via the Environment Agency’s 24-hour incident hotline: 0800 807060.”

South West Water later confirmed that the incident was caused by a burst at the Castlerock Pumping Station, north of Combesgate Beach.

At 9.30pm, Monday, July 21, a burst at the pumping station was identified.

South West Water said: “We are utilising tankers to move flows away from the pumping station to reduce any environmental impact.

“We are very sorry for the disruption while our teams are on-site tonight working around the clock to manage the situation.”

The discharge was stopped at 1am this morning, Tuesday, July 22, but work to repair the burst is ongoing.

South West Water told Devon Live: “The discharge was stopped at 01.00 hours today and our teams are still working hard to fix the main.

“The Environment Agency have issued an alert and we are taking samples to assess water quality.”

It is currently unclear how long it will take for the pollution incident to be resolved.

To keep up with our live blog on the incident, click here.

[He is the one still suspended].

Can Alison Hernandez now claim “closure” over the “one for the price of three” debacle? – Owl

ITV News www.itv.com

The Chief Constable of Devon and Cornwall Police, Will Kerr, who has been suspended from his job for the last two years, has announced he is to stand down.

In a statement issued by the Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez they have said that he will retire by mutual consent.

Mr Kerr has been under investigation in Northern Ireland but has not been charged with any offence.

An investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct in England continues although this is not related to criminal allegations investigated in Northern Ireland that have since been dismissed.

Alison Hernandez said: “Suspension from duty is a neutral act and there is always a presumption of innocence until proved otherwise.

“I have now agreed Mr Kerr’s departure from the force to allow processes for new and stable leadership to take Devon & Cornwall Police forward as this is now in the best interests of all parties.

“I remain frustrated at the amount of time this investigation has taken and the way that cross jurisdictional issues have lengthened the process during separate investigations by the Police Service of Northern Ireland, Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland and now the IOPC.

“His departure does not signal guilt, but instead a deep appreciation of the need for Devon & Cornwall Police to move forward with stable leadership from a substantive Chief Constable.”

James Vaughan, who came out of retirement to run the force will continue as Interim Chief Constable until a new recruitment process is complete.

In accordance with police misconduct regulations, the investigations will continue despite Mr Kerr’s departure.

Mr Kerr said: “Having been cleared in relation to what I believe were malicious criminal allegations in Northern Ireland, I have decided that it’s now in the best interests of my family and the Force that I retire as Chief Constable.

“After nearly 36 years of public service, this is not the way I would have chosen to retire but the Force, and communities across Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, deserve stable leadership in policing.

“I remain a strong advocate for effective accountability in policing, but that accountability process must be fair, timely and proportionate. Sadly, like too many other officers, that has not been my experience over the past two years.

“I continue to wish all of the highly committed officers and staff in Devon and Cornwall Police well and, despite the personal challenges of the past few years, I remain proud of the value of community-focussed policing, and a firm supporter of the people within its ranks.”

How much has all this cost us? 

Do we expect a comment from the “selfie girl”?

And there is still an outstanding misconduct case with the suspended Chief!  – Owl

www.itv.com

The Deputy Chief Constable of Devon and Cornwall Police has been found guilty of misconduct by a police disciplinary tribunal.

Jim Colwell has been given a written warning after the hearing determined he breached the force’s “notifiable associations” policy.

An IOPC spokesperson said: “He has been sanctioned with a written warning, to last for 18 months, after the misconduct tribunal found that his actions breached professional standards relating to orders and instructions and discreditable conduct.”

ITV West Country understands Mr Colwell failed to declare that he had exchanged messages with a journalist on social media.

A Devon and Cornwall Police spokesman said: “DCC Colwell has now returned fully to his duties in his substantive rank of Deputy Chief Constable and will be supporting Chief Constable James Vaughan and working with the executive in focusing on delivering policing services to our communities by driving continued improvements in performance, returning additional officers to the front line by reducing senior ranks and rolling out a clear focus on the Government’s neighbourhood policing guarantee to communities across Devon & Cornwall.”

Last year, Mr Colwell was suspended after allegations he used his work mobile phone to exchange personal messages.

The IOPC cleared him of gross misconduct and said he had no case to answer.

Mr Colwell led the force in place of chief constable Will Kerr who was suspended in July 2023 over sexual allegations.

An investigation by the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland (PONI) later cleared Mr Kerr of any wrongdoing.

A separate IOPC investigation into allegations of misconduct against Mr Kerr is still ongoing and he remains suspended.

That’s the stark take from today’s Times.

Cunliffe’s report said there was no “single, simple change, no matter how radical, that will reset the water sector and restore the trust that has been lost”. As a result, his report contains a total of 88 recommendations

Households must be prepared to accept a decade of above-inflation bills to fix Britain’s “failing” water system and cope with extra demand, the architect of government reforms has said.

In a warning to ministers who have pledged to hold down bills Sir Jon Cunliffe said that costs were “rising” in the water system and suggested the government needed to be honest about who would pay.

Compulsory water meters will be introduced and regulator abolished – key recommendations from landmark report into ‘broken’ water industry

Major recommendations also include the ability to block company takeovers and taking a more interventionist approach to regulation. But nationalisation was excluded.

Feargal Sharkey:  “We were promised champagne, what we got was a glass of sour milk”. 

Surfers Against Sewage said the report “utterly fails to prioritise public benefit over private profit”.

Link to the 465-page report of the independent Water Commission and a  67-page summary here.

Sky News reports:

Sarah Taaffe-Maguire news.sky.com 

The system for regulating water companies in England and Wales should be overhauled and replaced with one single body in England and another in Wales, a once-in-a-generation review of the sector has advised.

The report, which includes 88 recommendations, suggests a new single integrated regulator to replace existing water watchdogs, mandatory water metering, and a social tariff for vulnerable customers.

The ability to block companies being taken over and the creation of eight new regional water authorities, with another for all of Wales to deliver local priorities, has also been suggested.

The review, the largest into the water industry since privatisation in the 1980s, was undertaken by Sir Jon Cunliffe, a career civil servant and former deputy governor of the Bank of England who oversaw the biggest clean-up of Britain’s banking system in the wake of the financial crash.

The government confirmed at a news conference on Monday that Ofwat will be abolished as part of an overhaul of a “broken” water regulation system.

Environmentalist Feargal Sharkey told Sky News, “we were promised champagne, what we got was a glass of sour milk”.

Final recommendations of the commission have been published on Monday morning to clean up the sector and improve public confidence, as bills rise 36% over the next five years. Here are its nine key recommendations:

• Single integrated water regulators – a single water regulator in England and a single water regulator in Wales. In England, this would replace Ofwat, the Drinking Water Inspectorate and water-environment related functions from the Environment Agency and Natural England. In Wales, Ofwat’s economic responsibilities would be integrated into Natural Resources Wales.

It’s hoped this will solve the “fragmented and overlapping” regulation, and more stable regulation will improve investor confidence. Communications regulator Ofcom was given as an example of how combining five existing regulators into one worked.

• Eight new regional water system planning authorities in England and one national authority in Wales to be responsible for water investment plans reflecting local priorities and streamlining the planning processes.

The new authorities would be independent, made up of representatives from local councils, public health officials, environmental advocates, agricultural voices and consumers. The aim is they could direct funding and ensure accountability from all sectors impacting water.

• Greater consumer protection – this includes upgrading the consumer body Consumer Council for Water, into an Ombudsman for Water to give stronger protection to customers and a clearer route to resolving complaints. Advocacy duties are to be transferred to Citizens Advice.

• Stronger environmental regulation, including compulsory water meters. Also proposed by Sir Jon are changes to wholesale tariffs for industrial users and greater water reuse and rainwater harvesting schemes. A new long-term, legally binding target for the water environment was suggested.

• Oversight of companies via the ability to block changes in ownership of water businesses when they are not seen to be prioritising the long-term interests of the company and its customers, and the addition of “public benefit” clauses in water company licences.

To boost company financial resilience, as the UK’s biggest provider, Thames Water struggles to remain in private ownership, the commission has recommended minimum financial requirements, like banks are subject to. This could mean utilities hold a certain amount of cash. It’s hoped this will, in turn, make companies more appealing to potential investors.

• The public health element of water has been recognised, and senior public health representation has been recommended for regional water planning authorities, as have new laws to address pollutants like forever chemicals and microplastics.

• Fundamental reset of economic regulation – including changes to ensure companies are investing in and maintaining assets to help attract long-term, low-risk investment. A “supervisory” approach has been recommended to intervene before things like pollution occur, rather than penalising the businesses after the event.

• Clear strategic direction – a long-term, 25-year national water strategy should be published by the UK and Welsh governments, with ministerial priorities given to water firms every five years.

• Infrastructure and asset health reforms – companies should also be required to map and assess their assets and resilience.

Nationalisation of the water industry was not in the Independent Water Commission’s terms of reference and so was not considered.

Sir Jon said the report has “tried to attack the problem from all sides”.

He warned that bills are going to rise by 30% over the next five years.

“There are some inescapable facts here,” he said.

“The cost of producing water and dealing with our wastewater is going up.”

How has the report been received?

In a speech responding to Sir Jon’s report, Mr Reed said he was abolishing Ofwat.

The water industry lobby group Water UK said “fundamental change has been long overdue”.

“These recommendations should establish the foundations to secure our water supplies, support economic growth and end sewage entering our rivers and seas,” a spokesperson said.

“The Independent Water Commission has written a comprehensive, detailed review of the whole sector, with many wide-ranging and ambitious recommendations.

“Crucially, it is now up to government to decide which recommendations it will adopt, and in what way, but the commission’s work marks a significant step forward.”

Campaign group Surfers Against Sewage said the report “utterly fails to prioritise public benefit over private profit”.

“This is not transformational reform, this is putting lipstick on a pig - and you can bet the champagne is flowing in water company boardrooms across the land,” said its chief executive, Giles Bristow.

“Only one path forward remains: a full, systemic transformation that ends the ruthless pursuit of profit and puts the public good at the heart of our water services,” he said.

“We welcome Sir Jon’s calls for a national strategy, enshrining public health objectives in law and regional water planning. But we won’t be taken for fools - abolishing Ofwat and replacing it with a shinier regulator won’t stop sewage dumping or profiteering if the finance and ownership structures stay the same.”

Environmentalist Feargal Sharkey told Sky News, “we were promised champagne, what we got was a glass of sour milk”.

The regulator Ofwat said, it will now work with the government and the other regulators to form the new regulatory body in England, and “to contribute to discussions on the options for Wales set out in the report”.

“In advance of the creation of the new body, we will continue to work hard within our powers to protect customers and the environment and to discharge our responsibilities under the current regulatory framework. We will also work collaboratively with all our stakeholders to ensure a smooth transition.”

However, all is not what it seems.   

Steve Reed, Environment Secretary,  is reported to be  “furious” about an average 36% rise in water bills in England and Wales.

He said he would resign as environment secretary if the government failed to halve sewage pollution in rivers by 2030. “Politicians come and say we’re going to do things. Of course our job should be on the line if we don’t.”

This 2030 deadline is after the dissolution of this parliament. Steve Reed needs to judge himself on a meaningful target a little bit sooner than this to carry any credibilty.

More fundamentally this target is flawed as Feargal Sharkey told the Guardian:

“It’s an act worthy of a Greek tragedy telling your regulator that you’ve come up with a plan that turns out to be worse than the one they come up with a year and a half ago. The government has decided to axe Ofwat while announcing targets which are worse than theirs. Their plan is not worth the paper it’s written on.”

Reed announcend that he would cut sewage spills by 50% by 2030 against 2024 levels. However, Ofwat’s goal would reduce sewage spills to 204,893 by 2030, compared to Reed’s which would reduce them to 225,199 by that year.

Defra sources said Reed’s target could be stronger than Ofwat’s because for 2021 storm overflows baseline only 87.8% of overflows were monitored. The 2024 baseline includes 100% monitoring. However, the two figures are largely similar.

Another one worthy of “Sir Humphrey”! – Owl

This story is now being widely reported. Hurrah! – Owl          

Feargal Sharke says : “The bonfire of the quangos in the industry needs to go further, we need remedial and radical action and we demand it now.

“A regulator that has never been prepared to acknowledge its role at the epicentre of greed, corruption and incompetence is just as guilty as any water company of polluting rivers and exploiting customers.”

Watchdog has faced intense criticism over sewage spills, shareholder payouts and ballooning debts last year.

 Helena Horton, Anna Isaac and Rowena Mason The Guardian  Fri 18 Jul 2025

England and Wales’ embattled water regulator will be abolished under recommendations from a government-commissioned review due out on Monday, the Guardian understands.

Ministers will announce next week a consultation into creating a new regulator, to coincide with the results of a review into the water industry directed by former Bank of England deputy governor Sir Jon Cunliffe.

This consultation is likely to conclude with the abolition of Ofwat, the watchdog that polices how much water companies can charge for services in England and Wales, sources said.

Ofwat has faced intense criticism over its failure to prevent sewage spills, hefty payments of dividends, and ballooning debts across England and Wales’s water companies. The review will recommend a new regulatory system.

Cunliffe’s review was set up by the government amid growing public anger about record sewage spills and rising bills, as well as the fraying finances of some of the biggest utilities.

It will be the largest review of the sector since its privatisation under Margaret Thatcher. At the launch of the review last year, the environment secretary, Steve Reed, said it would “shape new legislation to reform the water sector so it properly serves the interests of customers and the environment.”

Critics have said Ofwat presided over a culture of underinvestment in water infrastructure and financial mismanagement by water companies since its creation in 1989. The most troubling case for the government is the UK’s largest water company, Thames Water, which is loaded with £20bn in debt and struggling to stave off financial collapse.

Thames Water is in talks with Ofwat over a takeover by creditors who hold much of its debt, and is trying to secure leniency from fines and penalties. Should those negotiations fail, it is likely to fall into temporary state ownership via the special administration regime.

Cunliffe warned in his interim review that the current regulatory system, including Ofwat, had “largely lost public trust”.

Customers, MPs and campaigners protest outside a Thames Water bailout hearing in London earlier this year. Photograph: Victoria Jones/REX/Shutterstock

Industry leaders have also long bemoaned a lack of coherence in water regulation, with different regulators and agencies doubling up on areas of investigation. This has made it hard to have timely decisions, allowing investigations to drag on rather than prevent or address environmental harm and pollution.

Cunliffe had also suggested “fundamental, structural options for integrating regulatory remits and functions”. There are now three regulators for water – Ofwat, the Environment Agency and the Drinking Water Inspectorate.

Water campaigner and former Undertones frontman Feargal Sharkey said: “The bonfire of the quangos in the industry needs to go further, we need remedial and radical action and we demand it now.

“A regulator that has never been prepared to acknowledge its role at the epicentre of greed, corruption and incompetence is just as guilty as any water company of polluting rivers and exploiting customers.”

A government spokesperson said: “We do not comment on speculation”.

Insiders at Ofwat have expressed concern that scrapping the regulator without a clear plan for the future could add to uncertainty at a sensitive time for investment. However, sources said they supported combining some different investigatory and punishment powers within one regulator – even if it cost them their jobs.

One insider said “simply scrapping Ofwat would not be a quick fix”.

“If this were an easy way to avoid putting Thames Water into special administration, I think the government would have done it already,” they added.

A senior Whitehall source said they feared the politicisation of regulatory changes could make it harder to attract investment for the water industry in the short and medium term.

“Investors need to know what they are buying,” the source said. “That includes regulation.”

On Friday, it was revealed serious pollution incidents by water companies were up by 60% last year compared with the year before. The total number of serious pollution incidents in 2024 was 75, up from 47 in 2023, Environment Agency figures showed. Of these, 81% (61) were caused by three companies: Thames Water (33), Southern Water (15) and Yorkshire Water (13). Thames Water’s serious incidents more than doubled from 14 to 33.

Ofwat declined to comment

Ed Hill was elected as a Reform UK councillor on Devon County Council but has now been expelled from the party

Miles Davis www.bbc.com

A Reform UK councillor who was elected to Devon County Council in May has been expelled from the party.

Reform UK said it had expelled Ed Hill for publishing a letter about free school meals in the name of all Reform Devon councillors without their consent.

In June it emerged Hill had reported two fellow Reform councillors to police over election expenses.

Hill, the member for Pinhoe and Mincinglake, said there had been a misunderstanding which led him to believe he could add his colleagues’ names as signatories.

‘Unacceptable’

A Reform UK spokesman said Hill’s actions “damaged the interests of the party”.

The spokesman said: “We will not tolerate any councillor using their colleagues’ names without their consent.”

Hill sent the letter to all of Devon’s MPs and to the media asking them to support automatic enrolment for free school meals.

Michael Fife Cook is leader of the Reform group on Devon County Council, which now has 17 members.

He said: “Irrespective of something being a good cause, attaching councillors’ names to a letter without their consent is totally unacceptable behaviour.

“That Cllr Hill not only did this, but then made the letter public – including sending it to the media and MPs – meant disciplinary action was inevitable.”

Hill said he genuinely believed he had secured the permission of colleagues via one of the Reform councillors.

“I think it feels like an overreaction and I’m still committed to the Reform cause,” he said.

“Nobody from Reform contacted me about the suspension before it happened.”

Hill was previously removed from his role as chairman of the Exeter branch of Reform after reporting colleagues to police over concerns relating to overspending on election expenses.

He said: “Had I been able to communicate directly with my fellow councillors through formal party channels – instead of being excluded from all internal communications – this confusion could have been easily avoided.”

Reform UK said it would not be taking any action against Neil Stevens, member for Alphington and Cowick, regarding his election expense return.

Devon and Cornwall Police said there had been no arrests or charges at this point, but enquiries remain ongoing.

On Social Media

Ed Hill says he will appeal

BREAKING: DevonLive is now reporting on my expulsion from Reform UK — following my efforts to ensure hungry children are auto-enrolled for Free School Meals.

The Party claims I listed councillors on a public letter without consent. I’ve provided screenshot evidence showing I was told: “They will sign the letter.”

At worst, this was a genuine misunderstanding — made worse by the fact that I’ve been excluded from all internal communications since reporting a fellow councillor to the police.

I’m appealing the decision — and I’ll continue standing up for transparency, accountability, and the people who elected me.

This little detail caught Owl’s eye in one of the BBC reports on Susan Davy’s resignation.

In a statement, Pennon Group praised Ms Davy’s leadership, highlighting her role in acquiring three other water companies and overseeing a £4.2bn sale of waste firm Viridor.

The company also noted her announcement of a record £3.2bn capital investment programme over the next five years.

Pennon’s board will conduct a formal search for a successor, during which time Ms Davy will continue to helm the company, it said in a statement.

Details of Ms Davy’s retirement compensation will be published on the company’s website, it said.

She will be treated as a “good leaver” under the board’s remuneration policy.

Ms Davy said: “Running a water company is always interesting, often challenging, but totally fulfilling

“I have enjoyed taking responsibility for the provision of a sustainable service to millions of homes.”

Despite the chaos and unresolved issues she leaves behind, she is likely to leave under favourable terms. – Owl

A week ago the government’s decision to put crucial work to protect Devon’s fragile railway line between Dawlish and Teignmouthon on hold was announced.

Devon and Cornwall MPs had been lobbying ministers to make sure the fifth and final phase of the project to protect the railway line.

Now it’s the turn for road improvements to be turned off. So much for “levelling up”! – Owl

Blow as vital Devon M5 upgrade put on ‘maybe’ list

Bradley Gerrard, local democracy reporter www.radioexe.co.uk 

A major upgrade to a Devon M5 junction said to be vital to unlocking the development of thousands of new homes has suffered a blow after being put under review.

Proposals to upgrade J28 at Cullompton appeared to be progressing well, with funding pledged by the previous government towards the scheme.

But now ministers have released a list of projects they say will be reviewed over the summer to ascertain whether they remain “viable, affordable and deliverable”.

Mid Devon District Council sees the proposed upgrade to the motorway junction as a non-negotiable piece of the Culm Garden Village puzzle.

Culm Garden is where around 5,000 homes are planned, and proponents of the development claim upgrades to the road network must be made before thousands more residents move into the new properties.

Back in 2023, Mid Devon District Council released a statement saying the then government, led by Rishi Sunak, had included the J28 scheme as part of its Network North program that sought to make a host of transport upgrades across the country.

However, in a letter to local councils this week, the Department for Transport said it had split the 70 schemes included in the Network North program into two groups; 28 which are moving ahead, and 42 that have “not yet reached the critical point of outline business case stage, or which have other issues and challenges”.

The DfT said those 42 schemes it is reconsidering amount to a combined £3 billion, which could prove difficult to fund on top of the £1.5 billion it expects to spend on the 28 schemes it has given the green light to.

Richard Foord (Liberal Democrat), the MP for Honiton and Sidmouth, Cullompton had already seen “significant new housing” and has been “chalked-up for more”, meaning the M5 junction upgrade should be progressed.

“The government should crack on with the scheme straight away,” he said.

“It is essential to provide infrastructure before new housing is built.

“Thousands of new houses are proposed for the town and this will cause absolute gridlock unless we can secure improvements to J28.”

Mr Foord added he would continue to make the case to ministers in the “strongest possible terms”.

Cabinet members at Mid Devon District Council heard that the government was aiming to make a decision on which schemes would be given the go-ahead.

Richard Marsh, director of place at Mid Devon District Council, said the wording in the government’s letter suggested the projects not immediately waved through had failed to progress to the outline business case stage.

“But we have been waiting for the government view on [the prior step of] our strategic outline business case for over a year before can progress,” he said.

“It is not that we have not done anything, we have been waiting for feedback to allow us to carry on but now we have a clearer timescale [about when a decision will be made] we can re-engage the DfT and Treasury via Devon County Council to understand what that looks like.”

Mr Marsh added he would continue to impress on government that the future delivery of East Cullompton and Culm Garden were dependent on the upgrade of the M5 junction, and “in every conversation we will make that clear”.

Council leader Councillor Luke Taylor (LIberal Democrat, Bradninch) said he was concerned that the government might believe that the prospective reopening of Cullompton train station negated the need for the motorway junction upgrade.

“I’m worried about them saying ‘give them the station and we don’t need to worry about the motorway junction’,” he said.

“They might think the station will support the delivery of housing, but the rationale for reopening the station isn’t necessarily linked to that.”

The council’s chief executive, Stephen Walford, was cautious on pre-empting government decisions but appeared to agree with Cllr Taylor.

“It’s impossible for me to speak for the government in terms of what it intends to do, but all I can do by way of seeking to give collective reassurance [to councillors] is that while reopening the station is a good thing to facilitate growth, what it doesn’t do is substantially move the dial on generating highway capacity needed to bring forward strategic development sites like Culm Garden Village,” he said.

“That level of development will generate a traffic need and transport demand that a new station cannot mitigate.”

Councillor Steve Keable (Liberal Democrat, Taw Vale), the cabinet member for planning and economic regeneration, said he believed Homes England, a government body, would support the council in its case for the J28 upgrade.

But more heads need to roll! – owl

Sequence of events this week

This week 12 local MPs have signed a couple of highly critical letters to Susan Davy (two signed both).

On Tuesday 8 July, Fred Thomas, Labour MP for Plymouth Moor View wrote to South West Water boss Susan Davy to demand that she forego her bonus of nearly £200,000 and instead redistribute the sum to the customers South West Water has failed. The letter noted that compensation to customers was still outstanding and that four criminal investigations were under way. He gathered cross party support from six local MPs including a couple of LibDems, Steve Race MP for Exeter, and David Reed MP for Exmouth and Exeter East.

On Thursday 10 July, Susan Davy, in defiant mood, posted her “considered reply” on the SWW web site:

Dear Fred,

Thank you for your letter. I have reflected on this overnight and wanted to respond as soon as possible.

Each year I get to talk to thousands of customers, whether at one of our community roadshows or through our Watershare + panel facilitated events. I want to assure you and your MP colleagues that I’m listening. From questions about storm overflows to hosepipe bans, bonuses, dividends, bills increases and everything in between, they are always challenging conversations and rightly so. It’s as a direct result of this feedback that we are making the biggest ever investment across the South West, focused on the things that customers have told us matter most to them and I’m confident that customers will see real change.

That said, with critical infrastructure, there are unfortunately times when things can and do go wrong. I will continue to be grateful to customers for the patience, kindness and compassion they show my teams who work 24×7 around the clock on the rare occasions this happens. I’m very clear it’s how you respond, learn the lessons and how you support customers that counts and everyone who works at SWW believes that too.

We are also very conscious that this step up in investment will drive up bills. Having made this tough decision, for the first time in over a decade of driving down bill levels, two thirds of this investment will not be funded by customers, instead funded by our investors and debt providers. We have also announced a £200m support package for the most vulnerable, and we would urge any customer struggling to pay to get in touch – we can and will help.

Finally, I am not immune to the strength of feeling around executive pay, particularly around cash bonuses. It’s always an extremely emotive topic and I understand why that is. I have a very responsible job operating in the public interest for circa 4m customers. Given this, my remuneration is set, assessed and awarded independently. In previous years I have forgone bonuses when right to do so. For 2025, and already published in Pennon’s Annual Report, no annual bonus has been awarded, with a long-term incentive plan reinvested back into the business as shares, aligned to the long-term nature of the changes we are making for the future.

Yours sincerely,

Susan Davy
Chief Executive Officer, Pennon Group

Same Day Ofwat publishes enforcement action having found that South West Water has failed to build and operate its wastewater treatment works and sewer networks to ensure they performed sufficiently. The company did not have in place adequate management systems to ensure it was meeting its legal obligations in this regard, including adequate oversight from its senior management team and Board.

Same Day the eight Local LibDem MPs sign and deliver the following coup de grâce:

10 July

Dear Susan   

Re: OFWAT Wastewater Investigation 

Today we received OFWAT’s findings following its investigation into South West Water’s (SWW) management of its wastewater systems and procedures.

Having taken account of the context of this investigation, after years of public dismay at the regularity and extent of sewage discharges into our rivers and coastal waters, OFWAT’s report is clear regarding SWW’s failure to fully respect its legal obligations in this regard.

We regret that what little remaining confidence we had in you as Chief Executive and your Board, has finally been completely extinguished with this report. We do not believe either you or your Board are equipped or fit to achieve the kind of “transformative change” sought by the public, as referred to by OFWAT in its letter.

We note that OFWAT found: “South West Water has failed to build and operate its wastewater treatment works and sewer networks to ensure they perform sufficiently. The company did not have in place adequate management systems to ensure it was meeting its legal obligations in this regard. including adequate oversight from its senior management team and Board. The failures have led to unjustified spills, where wastewater has not gone through all the treatment processes it is supposed to before being released into the environment.”

And that SWW failed to: “Ensure that its Executive and Board received and/or sought sufficient information and assurance on the operational performance of the company’s wastewater assets and their compliance with relevant legal obligations. This lack of adequate oversight resulted in the company’s management failing to be aware of and/or failing to address compliance failures and risks.

SWW doesn’t just run a private company. It also operates a regulated public service which has the privilege of being a largely monopoly supplier on which our communities depend. As such, the public and we, the community’s elected representatives, should reasonably expect that you and your Board reflect this in the manner these duties and legal obligations are discharged.

In the light of OFWAT’s report and after reviewing the situation for the past year since the general election, when we had hoped SWW put its house in order and address the systems failures and to respect its legal requirements, we do not believe you or your Board are best placed to drive the “transformative change” needed.

We will of course make representations during the consultation, and convey a copy of this letter to OFWAT and to the DEFRA Secretary of State, Rt Hon. Steve Reid MP.

Your sincerely

Andrew George MP (West Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly)

Rachel Gilmour MP (Tiverton and Minehead)

Caroline Voaden MP (South Devon)

Steve Darling MP (Torbay)

Richard Foord MP (Honiton and Sidmouth)

Ian Roome MP (North Devon)

Martin Wrigley MP (Newton Abbott)

Ben Maguire MP (North Cornwall)

On Friday 11 July. Susan Davy “steps down” claiming “The time was right to pass leadership to a new generation” after nearly three decades in the water sector.

Owl’s footnote: should anyone be concerned about the future of 56 year old Ms Davy, Companies House lists her 26 appointments which provide her with ample opportunities to find alternative avenues for her talents. 

With people like her in top jobs, how can Britain fail?