Coronavirus infection rates in North Devon have hit the milestone figure of zero – with no cases in a seven day period.

Daniel Clark www.devonlive.com

In the seven days between April 3 and 9, there was not a single positive case from the 9,942 tests – from lateral flow and PCR – that were carried out.

It means that the district becomes the first in England since the second wave began to record an infection rate of 0.

Three positive cases though have subsequently been recorded – one from April 10, 11 and 12 – but as the infection rates cover a seven day period five days in arrears, it means that for one day, North Devon’s infection rate is 0.

Coronavirus cluster map showing North Devon and it\’s 0 infection rate for the period from April 3-9

Across the rest of Devon, in the same seven day period, Torridge (2 cases), West Devon (3), East Devon (8), and South Hams (6) also recorded cases that were in single figures, while infection rates in Exeter and Teignbridge were also below the 10/100,000 mark, with Mid Devon (18.2/100,000) the highest of Devon’s districts.

At an upper tier level, Devon as a whole has the second lowest infection rate in England, with 7.2/100,000, with only East Sussex having a lower rate.

The sale of collapsed regional airline Flybe has been completed – meaning the company is set to fly again with the chance of services resuming in the summer.

George Thorpe www.devonlive.com

In March last year, the airline which had a hub based at Exeter Airport and also operated flights from Cornwall Airport Newquay went into administration with all flights grounded as a result.

Disruption to the aviation and travel industry brought on by the coronavirus pandemic were partly blamed for the firm’s collapse.

However, in a statement released today, the joint administrators who were brought in following Flybe’s demise have confirmed that the assets of the airline have been sold off to a new company affiliated with investment adviser Cyrus Capital.

Along with this, the administrators confirmed that a new company previously known as Thyme Opco Limited will now be renamed “Flybe Limited”.

The completion of the agreement – which was first signed on October 19 – includes the transfer of Flybe jobs as well as assets and other parts of the business.

Speaking about the sale, Flybe Limited said that it is hoping to launch planes into the skies again this summer.

A Flybe Limited spokesperson added: “We are extremely excited to announce the conclusion of almost six months of dedicated hard work by the great team at Flybe, the UK Civil Aviation Authority, the European Commission, and the many others who made this announcement possible.

“Today’s news represents a critical first step in our mission to accomplish the first-ever rescue of an insolvent British airline.

“Subject to further success with vaccinations and relaxation of travel restrictions, we plan to launch a new and much improved Flybe sometime this summer on many of our former routes where there remains a critical need for a strong, reliable, and customer-focused airline.

“While our company will initially be smaller than before, we intend to grow, create valuable jobs, and make significant contributions to essential regional connectivity in the UK and EU.”

Simon Edel, joint administrator and EY-Parthenon Turnaround and Restructuring Strategy Partner said: “Completion of the sale of Flybe is positive news for local communities previously served by Flybe.

“The launch of a new Flybe will enhance regional connectivity across the UK and create new job opportunities within the airline industry.

“Flybe stands to make an important contribution to local economies as they rebuild after the pandemic and as restrictions ease to allow an increase in air travel.”

Owl’s view is that we need a “changing of the guard” in County Hall. It’s a pity that the minority parties have not reached local agreements not to compete with one another where one party is well placed to win. For example, the Lib Dems and the Greens reached such an agreement in Exeter City but this has not been extended at County Council level. Did “central office” veto any local deals?

Owl understands that the East Devon Alliance (EDA) was prepared to work with their coalition partners. For their part the EDA is only fielding candidates in divisions in which they won or came a close second last time.

Owl generally supports independent candidates in local elections, where they are genuinely independent. But once bitten twice shy.

In East Devon, over the years, we have had two particularly outstanding independent councillors: Roger Giles and Claire Wright. Many who admired them formed the East Devon Alliance (EDA) as a vehicle to provide more “quality assured” independent candidates. Crucially EDA candidates have all signed up to a set of core principles based on the Nolan principles – see their web site.

Unfortunately, the Indy brand has been devalued by Ben Ingham. In 2019 he pulled  together an ad hoc group of “independent” candidates and campaigned as an independent in the District Council elections. Voters, looking for a change, took the opportunity presented to reduce the Tories to a minority party and Ben Ingham anointed himself leader of a coalition.

Tellingly, he refused to allow any EDA independents to join his cabinet or committees and effectively formed a coalition with the Tories. We have learned the hard way that his “independents” spanned the range of genuine Independents, quasi-Independents, and “really-not-very-independent-at-all-but-I probably-wouldn’t have-got-in-if-I-still-called-myself-Tory” independents.

Owl can spot examples of each of these in the County candidate lists.

In contrast an EDA indy is quality assured.

As for the others it is worth looking to see if they are District Councillors and, if so, what their voting record is. (A good test is how they voted in the GESP debate).

A few other observations from Owl.

Owl has previously reported that Ben Ingam, having rejoined the Conservative party, failed to be nominated as the Tory candidate for the Exmouth and Budleigh Coastal Division. Given his ambition, Owl assumed he would pop up somewhere else, but he has failed to do so.

There are quite a few “Freedom Alliance” candidates mainly elsewhere in the County but one is standing in Seaton and Colyton. Readers, like Owl, may wonder what a “Freedom Alliance” party stands for. Beware, this was formed in response to what it sees as unnecessary “governmental restrictions and curtailments on free people” during the COVID-19 pandemic. So this might pose a “UKIP” type of threat to the right wing Tory vote, making some of their seats more vulnerable.

Devon County Council local elections candidate list announced

Daniel Clark www.devonlive.com

The full list of candidates who are standing for election to Devon County Council has been announced.

Elections will take place for all 60 seats on Devon County Council on Thursday, May 6, with voters going to the polls to elect their representatives for the next four years.

The entirety of the 60-strong council will be up for re-election, with 56 ‘single-member’ Electoral Divisions and 2 ‘two-member’ Divisions’.

The current composition of the council consists of 41 Conservatives, 7 Labour, 6 Liberal Democrats, 3 Independents, 1 Green Party, 1 East Devon Alliance and 1 North Devon Liberal.

All elected councillors will serve their usual four year term upon their election.

More than a quarter of the council will change, with 17 current councillors not standing for re-election, including the current chairman of the council Stuart Barker and cabinet member Barry Parsons, as well as the former leader of the council Brian Greenslade.

The Conservatives and Labour are the only parties who are fielding the maximum of 60 candidates, with the Liberal Democrats fielding 55.

The Green Party are fielding 45 candidates, with one from UKIP, five from Reform UK, and 20 from the Freedom Alliance, who are standing on a platform of ‘no lockdowns, no curfews’.

The East Devon Alliance have three candidates, the Trade Unionist and Social Coalition have six, while there are 28 Independent candidates.

Below is the list of candidates who are standing, with the * denoting where they are the sitting councillor who is up for re-election.

DEVON COUNTY COUNCIL

EAST DEVON

Axminster

Ian Hall (Conservatives) *

Paul Hayward (East Devon Alliance)

Jules Hoyles (Liberal Democrats)

Oliver Tucker (Labour)

Broadclyst (2 councillors to be elected)

Ellis Davies (Labour)

Peter Faithfull (Independent)

Henry Gent (Green Party)

Tom Hobson (Conservatives)

Mathieu Holladay (Labour)

Jamie Kemp (Liberal Democrats)

Sara Randall Johnson (Conservatives) *

Exmouth (2 councillors to be elected)

Tim Dumper (Liberal Democrats)

Josie Parkhouse (Labour)

Michael Rosser (Green Party)

Richard Scott (Conservatives) *

Jeff Trail (Conservatives) *

Joe Whibley (Independent)

Daniel Wilson (Labour)

Exmouth and Budleigh Salterton Coastal

Brian Bailey (Independent)

Christine Channon (Conservatives) *

Keith Edwards (Labour)

Brigitte Graham (UKIP)

David Hayward (Reform UK)

David Ireson (Green Party)

Penny Lewis (Liberal Democrats)

Feniton and Honiton

Jake Bonetta (Labour)

Cathy Connor (Liberal Democrats)

Phil Twiss (Conservatives) *

Otter Valley

Jess Bailey (Independent)

Steve Bloomfield (Labour)

Luke Gray (Green Party)

Charlie Hobson (Conservatives)

Jake Slee (Liberal Democrats)

Seaton and Colyton

Paul Blackmore (Freedom Alliance)

Marcus Hartnell (Conservatives)

Angela Marynicz (The Democratic Network)

Martin Shaw (East Devon Alliance) *

George Tomkins (Labour)

Martyn Wilson (Liberal Democrats)

Sidmouth

Stuart Hughes (Conservatives) *

Louise MacAllister (East Devon Alliance)

Colin Mills (Labour)

Whimple and Blackdown

Iain Chubb (Conservatives) *

Wes Healey (Green Party)

Karen Hoyles (Liberal Democrats)

Liz Pole (Labour)

EXETER

Alphington and Cowick

Yvonne Atkinson (Labour) *

Julyan Levy (Green Party)

Katherine New (Conservatives)

Rod Ruffle (Liberal Democrats)

Duryard and Pennsylvania

Bea Gare (Women’s Equality Party)

Michael Mitchell (Liberal Democrats)

Rich Parker (Green Party)

Percy Prowse (Conservatives) *

Martyn Snow (Labour)

Exwick and St Thomas

Lee Gillett (Conservatives)

Rob Hannaford (Labour) *

Jamie Lynde (Green Party)

Frankie Rufolo (For Britain Movement)

Maya Skelton (Liberal Democrats)

Heavitree and Whipton Barton

Danny Barnes (Labour)

Alfie Carlisle (Conservatives)

Debbie Frayne (For Britain Movement)

Lily James (Liberal Democrats)

Lizzie Woodman (Green Party)

Pinhoe and Mincinglake

Tracy Adams (Labour)

Paula Fernley (Green Party)

John Harvey (Conservatives)

Kate Jago (Independent)

Henry Mayall (Liberal Democrats)

St David’s and Haven Banks

Andrew Bell (Green Party)

Arden Foster-Spink (Conservatives)

Joel Hambly (Liberal Democrats)

Carol Whitton (Labour) *

St SIdwell’s and St James

Sue Aves (Labour) *

Johanna Korndorfer (Green Party)

Kevin Mitchell (Liberal Democrats)

David Moore (Conservatives)

Wearside and Topsham

Christine Campion (Liberal Democrats)

Helen Dallimore (Labour)

Andrew Leadbetter (Conservatives) *

Jon Mills (Green Party)

Wonford and St Loye’s

Marina Asvachin (Labour) *

Jack Eade (Green Party)

Peter Holland (Conservative)

Kris Mears (Liberal Democrats)

MID DEVON

Crediton

Martin Binks (Conservative)

Elin Bold (Labour)

Christopher Hurley (Freedom Alliance)

Frank Letch (Liberal Democrats)

Creedy Taw and Mid Exe

Ann Conway (Freedom Alliance)

Paul Edwards (Green Party)

Margaret Squires (Conservatives) *

Thomas Stephenson (Labour)

David Wilson (Liberal Democrats)

Cullompton and Bradninch

John Berry (Conservatives) *

Andrea Glover (Liberal Democrats)

Edward Southerden (Labour)

Hannah Watson (Green Party)

Tiverton East

Jason Chamberlain (Labour)

Matt Farrell (Liberal Democrats)

Andrew Perris (Independent)

Colin Slade (Conservatives) *

Tiverton West

Richard Chesterton (Conservatives)

Trevor Cope (Green Party)

Ana Hendy (Independent)

Peter Hill (Labour)

Willand and Uffculme

Simon Clist (Liberal Democrats)

Fiona Hutton (Labour)

Charles Kay (Freedom Alliance)

Ray Radford (Conservatives) *

Adam Rich (Green Party)

NORTH DEVON

Barnstaple North

John Agnew (Labour)

Robbie Mack (Green Party)

Rob Pet (Freedom Alliance)

Ian Roome (Liberal Democrats)

Natasha Vukic (Conservatives)

Barnstaple South

Lou Goodger (Green Party)

Philip Hawkins (Labour)

David Hoare (Conservative)

Josie Knight (Freedom Alliance)

Caroline Leaver (Liberal Democrats)

David Luggar (Independent)

Braunton Rural

Mark Cann (Labour)

Stewart Johnstone (Freedom Alliance)

Pru Maskell (Conservatives)

David Relph (Green Party)

Liz Spear (Liberal Democrats)

Chulmleigh and Landkey

Valerie Cann (Labour)

Paul Henderson (Conservatives)

Turtle Knight (Freedom Alliance)

Glyn Lane (Independent)

Philip Mason (Independent)

Victoria Nel (Liberal Democrats)

Nick Withers (Green Party)

Combe Martin Rural

Katherine Armitage (Freedom Alliance)

Oliver Bell (Labour)

Andrea Davis (Conservatives) *

Julie Hunt (Liberal Democrats)

Steven White (Green Party)

Fremington Rural

Frank Biederman (Independent) *

Stephen Jarvis (Green Party)

Finola Oneill (Labour)

Scott Paddon (Conservatives)

Paddy Sullivan (Freedom Alliance)

Helen Walker (Liberal Democrats)

Ilfracombe

Cecily Blyther (Labour)

Paul Crabb (Conservatives) *

Syed Jusef (Liberal Democrats)

Lesley Mason (Freedom Alliance)

Netti Pearson (Green Party)

South Molton

Steve Cotton (Independent)

Steven Hinchcliffe (Labour)

Gill Saunders (Green Party)

Val Schenn (Freedom Alliance)

Alex White (Liberal Democrats)

Jeremy Yabsley (Conservatives) *

SOUTH HAMS

Bickleigh and Wembury

John Hart (Conservatives) *

Christopher Oram (Liberal Democrats)

Edward Parsons (Labour)

Emma Relph (Freedom Alliance)

Win Scutt (Green Party)

Dartmouth and Marldon

Carlo Bragagnolo (Reform UK)

Lynn Gunnigle (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition)

Jonathan Hawkins (Conservatives) *

Kevin John (Labour)

Christian Parkes (Freedom Alliance)

Simon Rake (Liberal Democrats)

Ivybridge

Victor Abbott (Liberal Democrats)

Roger Croad (Conservatives) *

Simon Gedye (Freedom Alliance)

David Trigger (Labour)

Kingsbridge

Julian Brazil (Liberal Democrats) *

Peter Burgess (Freedom Alliance)

Samantha Dennis (Conservatives)

Paul Furlong (Labour)

Bettina Rixon (Green Party)

Salcombe

Jonno Barrett (Labour)

Jim Blake (Freedom Alliance)

Rufus Gilbert (Conservatives) *

Mark Lawrence (Liberal Democrats)

Lily Rixon (Green Party)

South Brent and Yealmpton

Paul Bishop (Labour)

Richard Hosking (Conservatives) *

James Sandy (Freedom Alliance)

Daniel Thomas (Liberal Democrats)

Totnes and Dartington

Jill Hannam (Labour)

Jacqi Hodgson (Green Party) *

Stephen Hopwood (Freedom Alliance)

Jame Rogers (Conservatives)

TEIGNBRIDGE

Ashburton and Buckfastleigh

Su Maddock (Labour)

John Nutley (Liberal Democrats)

Sarah Parker-Khan (Conservatives)

Andy Williamson (Green Party)

Bovey Rural

George Gribble (Conservatives) *

Eoghan Kelly (Independent)

Sally Morgan (Liberal Democrats)

Anna Presland (Green Party)

Lisa Robillard Webb (Labour)

Chudleigh and Teign Valley

Jerry Brook (Conservatives) *

Richard Keeling (Liberal Democrats)

Emily Simcock (Green Party)

Rick Webb (Labour)

Dawlish

Bruce Mattock (Trade Unionist and Social Coalition)

Noel Nickless (Conservatives)

Linda Petherick (Independent)

Jeff Pocock (Labour)

Richard Ward (Reform UK)

Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrats)

Exminster and Haldon

Alan Connett (Liberal Democrats) *

Lucy Rockcliffe (Green Party)

Bhav Studley (Labour)

Dudley Swain (Independent)

Terry Tume (Conservatives)

Ipplepen and the Kerswells

Chris Clarance (Conservatives)

Alistair Dewhirst (Liberal Democrats) *

John Hodgson (Labour)

Graham Read (Green Party)

Jane Taylor (Independent)

Kingsteignton and Teign Estuary

Andrew McGregor (Liberal Democrats)

James Osben (Trade Unionist and Social Coalition)

Ron Peart (Conservatives) *

Christopher Robillard (Labour)

Newton Abbot North

Phil Bullivant (Conservatives)

Ryan Hall (Trade Unionist and Social Coalition)

Liam Mullone (Independent)

Lesley Robson (Labour)

Eloise Rokirilov (Liberal Democrats)

Newton Abbot South

Janet Bradford (Independent)

John Fitzsimons (Labour)

Jane Haden (Trade Unionist and Social Coalition)

Alex Hall (Conservatives)

Colin Parker (Liberal Democrats)

Doug Pratt (Green Party)

Teignmouth

Sean Brogan (Trade Unionist and Social Coalition)

David Cox (Liberal Democrats)

Jackie Jackson (Labour)

Sylvia Russell (Conservatives) *

TORRIDGE

Bideford East

Annie Brenton (Labour)

James Craigie (Independent)

Will Douglas-Mann (Green Party)

Jude Gubb (Independent)

Linda Hellyer (Conservatives) *

Stephen Potts (Liberal Democrats)

Bideford West and Hartland

Dylan Billson (Labour)

Bert Bruins (Liberal Democrats)

Keith Funnell (Green Party)

Joel Herron (Independent)

Tony Inch (Independent) *

Paul Jelf (Freedom Alliance)

Robin Julian (Independent)

Jeffrey Wilton-Love (Conservatives)

Northam

David Chalmers (Liberal Democrats)

Leonard Ford (Independent)

Simon Mathers (Green Party)

Dermot McGeough (Conservatives)

Jake McLean (Labour)

Holsworthy Rural

Claire Davey-Potts (Liberal Democrats)

Jim Lowe (Labour)

James Morrish (Conservatives)

Cathrine Simmons (Green Party)

Pete Watson (Independent)

Torrington Rural

Chris Bright (Liberal Democrats)

Ruth Funnell (Green Party)

Andrew Saywell (Conservatives) *

Siobhan Stride (Labour)

WEST DEVON

Hatherleigh and Chagford

Lynn Daniel (Green Party)

George Dexter (Liberal Democrats)

James McInnes (Conservatives) *

Matt Morton (Reform UK)

Douglas Smith (Labour)

Okehampton Rural

Terry Edwards (Labour)

Patrick Gilbert (Liberal Democrats)

Tony Leech (Independent)

Bob Rush (Reform UK)

Lois Samuel (Conservatives)

Brian Wood (Green Party)

Tavistock

Mandy Ewings (Independent)

Chris Jordan (Green Party)

Debo Sellis (Conservatives) *

Mike Sparling (Labour)

Pete Squire (Liberal Democrats)

Yelverton Rural

Judy Maciejowksa (Green Party)

Tony Marchese (Labour)

Mark Renders (Independent)

Philip Sanders (Conservatives) *

Ashley-Ross West (Liberal Democrats)

[Delayed as EDDC web site has been undergoing maintenance]

• Construction of a manege Andrewshayes Cottage Dalwood Axminster EX13 7DYRef. No: 21/0986/FUL | Validated: Thu 01 Apr 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of first floor rear extension. 83 Millhead Road Honiton EX14 1RFRef. No: 21/0989/FUL | Validated: Thu 01 Apr 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of porch 38 Lincoln Close Feniton Honiton EX14 3EQRef. No: 21/0988/FUL | Validated: Thu 01 Apr 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Certificate of lawfulness for the provision of a detached ancillary caravan / log cabinBadger Down Marley Drive Lympstone Exmouth EX8 5DYRef. No: 21/0984/CPL | Validated: Thu 01 Apr 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of single storey rear extension and front roof extensions 81 Bradham Lane Exmouth EX8 4AWRef. No: 21/0987/FUL | Validated: Thu 01 Apr 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Proposed erection of timber barn for storage of agricultural equipment and fruit from the newly planted orchard. Land East Of Southcombe House Salcombe Regis Sidmouth EX10 0JNRef. No: 21/0969/FUL | Validated: Thu 01 Apr 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Single storey rear extension and raising of existing garage roof to convert a section of the rear of the garage into a utility room 75 Winston Road Exmouth EX8 4LRRef. No: 21/0952/FUL | Validated: Thu 01 Apr 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• T1: Ash, fell Reason: The tree is dying from ash dieback 27 Eyewell Green Seaton EX12 2BNRef. No: 21/0957/TRE | Validated: Wed 31 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Certificate of lawfulness for the installation of roof lights.2 Cornishes Cottages Woodbury Exeter EX5 1LHRef. No: 21/0967/CPL | Validated: Wed 31 Mar 2021 | Status: Approved
• Enlargement of rear extension. 4 Burrow Close Newton Poppleford Sidmouth EX10 0BSRef. No: 21/0947/FUL | Validated: Tue 30 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision

• T1 Beech – Height 15 m. Reduce by 2m. Danger to neighbour’s property. T2 Ash – Height 18 m. Fell. Worries of dieback and danger to neighbour’s property. T3 Horse Chestnut – Height 15m. Reduce main tree by 2m. Remove 1 sub-dominant tree moving through main tree, touches roof of neighbouring house and electric cables. Remove 1 second sub-dominant limb which also touches the neighbour’s roof and electric cables, to leave space for Lime to prosper. T4 Ash – Remove 1-3m limb 70mm in diameter, touching neighbour’s electric cables. T5 Oak – Remove 3x 3m limbs, 50mm in diameter to reduce weight over pavement to improve figure of tree. T6 Oak – Remove 3x 4m limbs, 80 mm in diameter to reduce weight over pavement to improve figure of tree. T7 Holme Oak – Fell. Unhealthy and dangerous condition. 6 Kingsholme Colyford Colyton EX24 6RJRef. No: 21/0931/TRE | Validated: Thu 01 Apr 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Prior approval for proposed change of use of agricultural buildings to form 3 no larger dwelling houses and 2 no smaller dwelling houses (class C3 use) and associated operational development under Class Q (a) and (b) Barns To North Of Crosshill Farm Weston Honiton EX14 3PFRef. No: 21/0950/PDQ | Validated: Tue 30 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• G1 Hornbeam – Reduce 2 trees away from Alder House to the south to gain 2m vertical clearance, MDC 50mm T1 Elm Fell. T2 Field Maple – Reduce height to 2m, MDC 250mm T3 Willow – Reduce south western aspect by 3 to 4m, MDC 50mm T4 Sycamore Fell. T5 Hazel Thin out by removing older growth, retaining young stems for continued growth Reason Appropriate Arb management Alder House Parsonage Way Woodbury Exeter EX5 1EFRef. No: 21/0949/TRE | Validated: Wed 31 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Outdoor pool with plant in existing outbuilding and re-grading / landscaping works within the walled garden; localised repairs and reinstatement of section of collapsed garden boundary wall. Pomeroy House Gittisham Honiton EX14 3AJRef. No: 21/0944/FUL | Validated: Thu 01 Apr 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Change of use of the land to a mixed agricultural/equestrian use, along with the erection of a stable block and formation of a new vehicular access. Land And Buildings South West Of Heathayne Cross Colyton EX24 6RSRef. No: 21/0933/FUL | Validated: Tue 30 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Reserved matters application (access, appearance, landscaping, layout, scale) pursuant to the outline planning permission ref: 12/1291/MOUT (Phases 7 and 9) for the construction of a local centre, play area (NEAP) and multi-use games area with associated public square, parking, access road and landscaping; the partial discharge of conditions 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 and 19 of outline planning permission 12/1291/MOUT relating to phases 7 and 9. Land At Old Tithebarn Lane Clyst HonitonRef. No: 21/0936/MRES | Validated: Tue 30 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Extension to existing cubicle building Higher Mallocks Farm Woodmanton Woodbury Exeter EX5 1HGRef. No: 21/0935/FUL | Validated: Tue 30 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Erect cover to silage clamp Higher Mallocks Farm Woodmanton Woodbury Exeter EX5 1HGRef. No: 21/0934/FUL | Validated: Tue 30 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• T1 – Monterey Cypress To reduce low lateral branches growing toward the property to achieve a 3 metre clearance from the building. Pruning cuts of up to 75mm To remove low split branch overhanging the garage. To crown lift second and third order branches over garage to achieve a 3 metre clearance. Pruning cuts of up to 75mm. To reduce extended limbs so as to fall in line with the rest of the crown. Pruning cuts of up to 75mm. This work is in order to prevent damage occuring to the adjacent buildings by rubbing or falling limbs and also improving the form/aesthetics of the tree Weir Lodge Millford Road Sidmouth EX10 8DPRef. No: 21/0911/TRE | Validated: Tue 30 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Reserved matters application, for the construction of one dwelling and detached garage/car port, seeking approval of appearance, landscaping, layout and scale (pursuant to outline planning consent 19/2676/OUT) 1 Heath Cottages Broadclyst Exeter EX5 3GZRef. No: 21/0909/RES | Validated: Tue 30 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision

• T1 – Holly – To reduce height by approx 3 metres T2 – Bay (Multi stemmed) – To reduce crown to historic reduction points. T3 – Yew – To reduce height by approx 3 metres in line with historic reduction points. G1 – Sycamore group – To re pollard at historic pollard points. All of the above have historically been pruned and managed as a high hedge, the work above is to maintain this level in order to both increase light into the garden of this property and neighbouring properties whilst also reducing the stress on the historic pollard/pruning points caused by several years of new growth. T4 – Oak – To reduce crown by approx 25% of the foliar area via thinning, removing branch ends of up to 4 metres and making pruning cuts of up to 75mm. To improve form, reduce shade cast and reduce stress on the historic pruning/pollard points. T5 – Yew – To reshape and balance crown via reduction of lateral branch ends of up to 2 metres, making pruning cuts of up to 75mm. To improve form and balance. T6 & T7- Monterey Cypress and Thuja – To dismantle to ground level. These trees are in close proximity to and suppressed by a large Monterey Cypress, the trees are poor specimens and are beginning to show signs of decline. It is felt that removal is the best option. Weir Lodge Millford Road Sidmouth EX10 8DPRef. No: 21/0906/TCA | Validated: Tue 30 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Retention of greenhouse Rose Cottage Hawkchurch Axminster EX13 5XDRef. No: 21/0907/FUL | Validated: Thu 01 Apr 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Proposed extension to garage and car parking space, plus new roof to house entrance canopy. 1 Arden Close Budleigh Salterton EX9 6JGRef. No: 21/0916/FUL | Validated: Tue 30 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Two storey split-level rear extension. 8 River View Drive Colyton EX24 6PRRef. No: 21/0929/FUL | Validated: Mon 29 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of detached summer house. 40 Honey Park Road Budleigh Salterton EX9 6EGRef. No: 21/0926/FUL | Validated: Mon 29 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• T1, Sycamore : 360 degree 2 metre crown reduction to ensure tree no longer interferes with neighbouring dwelling Barclays Bank 106 High Street Honiton EX14 1JWRef. No: 21/0921/TCA | Validated: Mon 29 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Conversion of existing two apartments back to one house with the conversion of attic, addition of dormer windows, addition of two storey side extension and rear single storey extension. Trow View Two Bridges Road Sidford Sidmouth EX10 9PLRef. No: 21/0910/FUL | Validated: Mon 29 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• T1, lime : reduce second and third order branches by 1 – 1.5m to a suitable side branch with no reduction in height. No cuts larger than 50mm. Reason – to allow more light into the house and garden. 18 The Cricketers Axminster EX13 5RGRef. No: 21/0905/TRE | Validated: Mon 29 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of single storey extension 1 Lock Close Sidmouth EX10 9GBRef. No: 21/0903/FUL | Validated: Mon 29 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of double garage and shed. Bickwell Meadow Muttersmoor Road Sidmouth EX10 8RHRef. No: 21/0922/FUL | Validated: Wed 31 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision

• Construction of front porch, alterations to roof design and provision of new external materials. Brackenbed Bendarroch Road West Hill Ottery St Mary EX11 1JYRef. No: 21/0923/FUL | Validated: Wed 31 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Proposed single storey rear and side extension and replacement front porch 2 Wynards Close East Budleigh Budleigh Salterton EX9 7ETRef. No: 21/1010/FUL | Validated: Mon 29 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• T1 – Maple Fell to near ground level and replant with Silver Birch – Betula pendula standard 12-14cm The two adjacent Maples are being removed as part of a planning application for 51 Butts Close and are being replaced by two Silver Birch, Mr Liddiard wants to remove the remaining Maple and replace with the same species. 52 Butts Close Honiton EX14 2FSRef. No: 21/0928/TRE | Validated: Tue 30 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of rear dormer window and first floor extension including balcony. 4 Underhill Close Lympstone Exmouth EX8 5JERef. No: 21/0877/FUL | Validated: Tue 30 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• T1, eucalyptus – lightly reduce third order branches by approximately 0.5m. T2, rowan – formative prune to encourage better form. T3, eucalyptus – shorten back crown over adjacent rowan by approximately 1m. T4, pine – shorten back first order low limb over park by 2m and lift lower branches to clear 3m from ground level. T5, willow – remove and grind stump – decay at base. T6, pine – shorten back two low first order branches over shed. T7, hawthorn – remove dead wood. Flat 1 Norton Garth Court Station Road Sidmouth EX10 8NYRef. No: 21/0882/TCA | Validated: Tue 30 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• T42 Birch tree extensive stem base decay located between root buttresses and extends downwards to the root system. Section fell. Within falling distance to the gardens, risk of failure. T43 Oak Dead tree. section fell to leave a monolith habitat at 2-3 metres height. Gittisham Hill House Sidmouth Road Honiton EX14 3TYRef. No: 21/0885/TRE | Validated: Tue 30 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• T1, Holly : remove two main stems to lower young growth. T2, Spindle : reduce second and third order branches by approximately 0.5m. Little Myrtle Millford Road Sidmouth EX10 8DPRef. No: 21/0859/TCA | Validated: Wed 31 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of tree-house The Holt Exton Lane Exton Exeter EX3 0PNRef. No: 21/0858/FUL | Validated: Mon 29 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Replacement of existing shopfronts. 139 And 141 High Street Honiton EX14 1LWRef. No: 21/0852/FUL | Validated: Tue 30 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Side and rear extension 30 Lime Grove Exmouth EX8 5NPRef. No: 21/0840/FUL | Validated: Mon 29 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision

• Variation of condition 2 (plans condition) of planning permission 20/1963/FUL (Proposed new two-bedroom dwelling with off-road parking and garden) to reduce size of plot and size of dwelling. Sundown Littlemead Lane Exmouth EX8 3BURef. No: 21/0822/VAR | Validated: Tue 30 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Demolition of existing bungalow and garage and construction of 4 terraced houses, off street parking and associated landscaping Hillcrest School Bungalow St Johns Road Exmouth EX8 4EBRef. No: 21/0817/FUL | Validated: Tue 30 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Variation of condition 2 (approved plans) of planning permission 20/1170/FUL (Construction of detached dwelling, associated works and landscaping following demolition of agricultural building (alternative to residential change of use of agricultural building to dwelling under class Q approval reference 19/0238/PDQ) to allow modifications to elevation details of dwelling, relocation of air source heat pump and bin/recycling storage facilities, revisions to landscaping and realignment to part of eastern boundary of site Upcott Farm Broadhembury Honiton EX14 3LPRef. No: 21/0785/VAR | Validated: Wed 31 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Demolition of existing retail store and Bus Garage and construction of residential apartment block containing 9 residential units together with associated landscaped gardens and private parking Axe Valley Mini Travel/Sureware 26 Harbour Road Seaton EX12 2NARef. No: 21/0649/FUL | Validated: Tue 30 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Agricultural barn Land At Ratcliffes Huxham Exeter EX5 4EWRef. No: 21/0645/FUL | Validated: Tue 30 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• T1, weeping beech – shorten side second and third order branches by 1.5m to clear roof by 3m and over drive and hedge to give clearance of 2.5m with no cuts larger than 75mm. Heronsbridge Little Knowle Budleigh Salterton EX9 6QSRef. No: 21/0548/TCA | Validated: Tue 30 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Erection of low level timber fence and raising of the chimney. Rosemary Cottage Church Street Sidford Sidmouth EX10 9RLRef. No: 21/0493/FUL | Validated: Mon 29 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of two storey rear extension and new and altered side windows at first floor level (revised scheme to 20/2342/FUL) 7 Briar Close Exmouth EX8 2NLRef. No: 21/0469/FUL | Validated: Thu 01 Apr 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of twin unit composting toilet Feneck Ponds CowleyRef. No: 21/0291/FUL | Validated: Mon 29 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Replace existing garage with double carport and store. Charton Tree Cottage Rousdon Lyme Regis DT7 3XXRef. No: 21/0067/FUL | Validated: Tue 30 Mar 2021 | Status: Awaiting decision

First of all this is an example of the need for a strong and independent press. These revelations of “cronyism” would not have come to light without the joint investigations conducted by The Financial Times and The Sunday Times.

Secondl, it is still getting worse.  it has now been revealed that a senior civil servant, Bill Crothers, worked for Greensill Capital – the financial firm at the centre of the David Cameron lobbying row – while still employed in Whitehall. news.sky.com  – Owl

www.bbc.co.uk

David Cameron’s efforts to lobby ministers on behalf of the finance firm Greensill Capital are to be examined during a government review.

The investigation will be led by lawyer Nigel Boardman. In an earlier statement, the former prime minister said he had not broken any rules.

But he admitted: “I accept that communications with government need to be done through only the most formal of channels, so there can be no room for misinterpretation.”

What did David Cameron do?

The man behind Greensill Capital – Lex Greensill – worked as an unpaid adviser to David Cameron when he was prime minister, and developed a policy designed to ensure small firms got their bills paid faster. The scheme also benefited Mr Greensill’s company.

Mr Cameron went on to work for Greensill Capital after leaving office, and tried unsuccessfully to lobby the government to increase the firm’s access to government-backed loans.

He pressed Treasury ministers – including sending Chancellor Rishi Sunak text messages – for emergency funding for the company, in which the former prime minister had a financial interest.

David Cameron and Lex Greensill also met Health Secretary Matt Hancock for a “private drink” in 2019 to discuss a new payment scheme for NHS staff.

Mr Cameron is reported to have told friends he was set to earn as much as £60m from shares in Greensill, where he had worked since 2018.

In his statement, he said: “Their value was nowhere near the amount speculated in the press.” But he has not given any more details.

In the end, Mr Cameron’s pleas to the Treasury for emergency loans for Greensill Capital were not successful.

The firm has now gone bust, throwing the future of thousands of workers at Liberty Steel, a company backed by the finance firm, into doubt.

Did this break any rules?

Mr Cameron didn’t appear to do anything wrong, under the current rules.

They state that: “On leaving office, ministers will be prohibited from lobbying government for two years”.

Mr Cameron stood down as prime minister in July 2016 and joined Greensill in August 2018.

But former Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said the rules may need to be strengthened to ban former ministers from lobbying government for five years.

“Former ministers, prime ministers must never be lobbying for commercial purposes – cabinet ministers should not be entertaining such lobbying.”

Why is he still facing calls to be investigated?

Although Mr Cameron has been cleared by a watchdog of breaking lobbying registration rules, a Sunday Times investigation has shed new light on his dealings with Mr Greensill when he was prime minister, in the early days of the Conservative/Lib Dem coalition.

In 2012, Mr Greensill was made an unpaid adviser in Mr Cameron’s government, with a Westminster pass and access to government departments.

He used this access to promote a government-backed loan scheme he had devised.

Mr Cameron and the late Lord Heywood, the most senior civil servant at the time, were fully behind it, believing it would help to deliver on a promise to speed up payments to small firms.

But Mr Greensill also stood to make a lot of money from the scheme, even though the Sunday Times claims many in Whitehall had serious reservations about it.

How did Greensill’s scheme work?

Mr Greensill’s specialism was supply chain finance – a service for companies which don’t want to wait months for their bills to be paid.

For a small fee, the finance company pays the seller as soon as the goods are delivered, and get its money back when the bills are eventually paid by the customer.

Mr Greensill’s firm was at one point valued at $7bn (£5bn), with a fleet of four private jets.

He helped to convince the UK government to set up a supply chain finance scheme for pharmacies – paying them early for money they were owed by the NHS. In 2018, Greensill Capital won the contract to run it.

Why did Greensill Capital collapse?

Questions had been asked before about the sustainability of Greensill’s business since at least 2018.

But the final blow came last July, when one of its insurance companies withdrew cover that protected some of Greensill’s investors.

Liberty Steel, Britain’s third-largest steel producer employing 3,000 people in England, Scotland and Wales, was receiving financial backing from Greensill.

Its future is now in doubt.

Why does any of this matter?

The relationship between those at the top of government and big business has never been under more scrutiny, following questions over the way Covid contracts were awarded.

Critics argue that it is too easy for ministers and top civil servants to use their inside knowledge of Westminster to enrich themselves when they leave government. The danger is that decision-makers could have one eye on their next pay day, rather than the best interests of the country.

In 2010, Mr Cameron warned that the “the far-too-cosy relationship between politics and money” was “the next big scandal waiting to happen”.

There is also a question of access. Who gets time with ministers to push their cause?

There are thousands of lobbyists – from trade unions to environmental groups to multinational companies – why do some people appear to get favoured treatment?

What will the review look at?

The government says the review, which will report back by to PM Boris Johnson by the end of June, will examine the awarding of contracts for supply chain finance.

Downing Street says it will look at “how contracts were secured and how business representatives engaged with government”.

Mr Boardman will step down as a non-executive board member at the government’s department for business during the review.

Labour has criticised the scope of the review – and has called for a special Commons committee to investigate instead.

Boris Johnson’s government has been accused of corruption, privatising the NHS by stealth, operating a “chumocracy” and mishandling the pandemic and climate crisis, by Sir David King, a former government chief scientist.

Fiona Harvey www.theguardian.com 

“I am extremely worried about the handling of the coronavirus pandemic, about the processes by which public money has been distributed to private sector companies without due process,” he told the Guardian in an interview. “It really smells of corruption.”

King contrasted the success of the vaccination programme, carried out by the NHS, with the failure of the government’s test-and-trace operation, which has been contracted out to private companies.

“The operation to roll out vaccination has been extremely successful, it was driven through entirely by our truly national health service and GP service – just amazing,” he said. “Yet we have persisted with this money for test and trace, given without competition, without due process … I am really worried about democratic processes being ignored.”

He said: “This is a so-called chumocracy, that has been a phrase used, and that is what it looks like I’m afraid: it is a chumocracy.”

Last May, King set up an independent alternative to the government’s Sage committee, which advises on the pandemic. The intention was for the unpaid members of Independent Sage to offer public advice without political influence, after it was revealed that Johnson’s then adviser Dominic Cummings had sat in on some Sage meetings.

King, a former professor of chemistry at Cambridge University, has a long history of working with governments of all stripes. He was appointed chief scientific adviser under Tony Blair in 2000, serving until 2008, and under the Tory-Lib Dem coalition was appointed chair of the Future Cities Catapult, launched in 2013. He also worked under Johnson as foreign secretary during Theresa May’s premiership.

King said: “He was my boss – he wrote me a handwritten letter to congratulate me on my climate success.”

King rejected the argument that the government had to act quickly to counter the pandemic and had been forced to ignore normal processes in doing so. “People say it’s a crisis – I say the government is using a crisis to privatise sections of the healthcare system in a way that is completely wrong,” he said. “A fraction of this money going to public services would have been far better results.”

He accused the government of acting deliberately to carry out ideological aims of privatising the NHS. “It is slipping this through in the name of a pandemic – effectively, to privatise the NHS by stealth,” he said. “I’m quite sure this has not been an accident, I’m quite sure this has been the plan, there has been clarity in this process. The audacity has been amazing.”

King, who has made the climate crisis one of his key areas of focus, is also concerned about the police and crime bill, which would give police the powers to shut down protests regarded as a nuisance.

He said: “It’s extremely worrying, as we pride ourselves in Britain on having developed a true democracy. Any democracy needs to give voice to dissent. There’s a real danger that we’re going down a pathway that leads away from democracy.”

King recently signed a letter calling on the supreme court to reconsider its pursuit of Tim Crosland, a campaigner against the third runway at Heathrow, for contempt of court. “I think he is being set up as an example to others,” said King. “It shows [the government’s] churlish attitude towards people campaigning.”

Does this signal the end of domestic flying, or will it be “saved” in the UK by a slow and fuel-dirty rail system connecting the regions, with all the investment concentrated on HS2? – Owl

Kim Willsher www.theguardian.com 

French MPs have voted to suspend domestic airline flights on routes that can be travelled by direct train in less than two and a half hours, as part of a series of climate and environmental measures.

After a heated debate in the Assemblée Nationale at the weekend, the ban, a watered-down version of a key recommendation from President Emmanuel Macron’s citizens’ climate convention was adopted.

It will mean the end of short internal flights from Orly airport, south of Paris, to Nantes and Bordeaux among others, though connecting flights through Charles de Gaulle/Roissy airport, north of the French capital, will continue.

The climate commission set up by Macron had originally recommended the scrapping of all flights between French destinations where an alternative direct train journey of less than four hours existed.

This was reduced to two and a half hours after strong objections from certain regions and from Air France-KLM, which, like other airlines, has been badly hit by local and international Covid-19 restrictions on travel.

A year ago, the French government agreed a €7bn loan for AF-KLM on the condition that certain internal flights were dropped, but the decree will also stop low-cost airlines from operating the banned domestic routes.

The chief executive of Air France-KLM, Benjamin Smith, has said the airline is committed to reducing the number of its French domestic routes by 40% by the end of this year.

The transport minister, Jean-Baptiste Djebbari, told MPs: “We have chosen two and a half hours because four hours risks isolating landlocked territories including the greater Massif Central, which would be iniquitous.”

The measure, part of a climate and resilience bill, was passed despite cross-party opposition. The Socialist MP Joël Aviragnet said the measure would have a “disproportionate human cost” and warned of job losses in the airline sector. Other MPs, including from the Green party, complained that watering down the climate convention’s recommendation had made the measure meaningless.

Mathilde Panot, of the hard left La France Insoumise, said the measure had been “emptied”, while her colleague Danièle Obono said retaining the four-hour threshold would have made it possible to halt routes that “emit the most greenhouse gases”.

The French consumer association UFC-Que Choisir had called on MPs to retain the four-hour recommendation and give the new law “some substance … while also putting in place safeguards that [French national rail] SNCF will not seize the opportunity to artificially inflate its prices or degrade the quality of rail service.

“The Covid-19 pandemic is exacerbating pre-existing environmental and social crises. It must lead us to rethink our health policies in order to face the challenge of future health crises of infectious origin.”

It added that banning domestic flights if a direct train alternative of fewer than four hours existed it would have a “real impact” on reducing CO₂ emissions and would not adversely affect travel times or prices.

“On average, the plane emits 77 times more CO₂ per passenger than the train on these routes, even though the train is cheaper and the time lost is limited to 40 minutes,” it said. “Our study shows that … the government’s choice actually aims to empty the measure of its substance.”

Details of the exact routes that will be halted will be published in the official decree. Flights from Paris to Nice, which takes about six hours by train, and Toulouse, four hours by train, will continue.

France’s new law will be watched closely by other countries. Austria’s coalition conservative-green government introduced a €30 tax on airline tickets for flights of less than 217 miles (350km) last June and a ban on domestic flights that could be travelled in less than three hours by train.

Meanwhile, the Netherlands has been trying since June 2013 to ban short domestic flights. In 2019, Dutch MPs voted to ban flights between Schiphol airport in Amsterdam and Zaventem airport in Brussels, a distance of 93 miles. However, the ban was seen as breaking European commission free-movement regulations and was not implemented.

“..Let one anecdote stand in for the bigger picture. The Tories sold half the magistrates’ courts and more than a third of county courts in England and Wales between 2010 and 2020, and about 600 police stations. The same government is engaged in a screeching U-turn today and trying to deal with the tens of thousands of Covid-delayed trials by opening “Nightingale courts”, although I doubt that Florence Nightingale would have sent the lowliest British soldier in Crimea to our fetid prisons.

Bewildered detectives reported to former chief crown prosecutor Nazir Afzal that a police station in the north-west was included in the fire sale and an organised crime group bought it. The gang run it as a pizza restaurant and a front for the distribution of drugs – “extra toppings”. Afzal tells me police intelligence heard the gangsters “crowing” about getting one over on their old adversaries….” (extract)

Full article here: Nick Cohen www.theguardian.com 

Is this the start of the “New Normal”? – Owl

A property developer owned by a French investment management group has announced an ambitious £2bn plan to build 5,000 retirement homes across 40 urban sites in the UK over the next decade.

Julia Kollewe www.theguardian.com 

As town and city centres are being reshaped as a result of the changes to UK high streets accelerated by the coronavirus pandemic, Retirement Villages Group (RVG) said it had won planning permission for a £110m retirement community of 196 one and two-bed apartments to rent or buy in central West Byfleet in Surrey, on the site of a 1960s office block with shops and a car park, which will be knocked down.

In its first move into north-west England, the company, which was acquired by Axa Investment Managers’ property arm in 2017, has also won the go-ahead for a new £65m village of 147 retirement homes on the site of a former garden centre in Chester, 10 minutes from the town centre.

The sites are being developed in response to rising demand from people aged over 65 looking to downsize from their family homes, and keen to live close to town and city centres. Construction will start on both sites this summer and the homes are expected to be put for sale or rental off-plan towards the end of next year.

The homes will be centred around a community square, and residents will have access to a restaurant or cafe, wellness centre with gym and swimming pool, library and support and care services if needed.

Traditionally, retirement villages have been built in rural areas as “gated communities”, but a number of firms have embarked on constructing apartment blocks designed for elderly people in urban areas, taking advantage of empty retail and office sites.

Legal & General has set out plans to build 3,000 retirement homes in UK city centres in a £2bn project in coming years, in an attempt to revive ailing high streets.

The Covid-19 pandemic has triggered a surge in online shopping and exacerbated the decline of big city centre high streets. Many office workers have been instructed to work from home since the outbreak a year ago, prompting companies to draw up long-term plans for more home or hybrid working, split between home and the office.

There is a shortage of purpose-built retirement housing in the UK. A report published last year by Cass Business School, the Association of Retirement Community Operators and the Centre for the Study of Financial Innovation found that just 7,000 new homes designed for older people are built each year. This, it concluded, is “insufficient to serve the 180,000, 65-plus households that will be created each year over the next decade”.

RVG was set up in 1981 to build housing-with-care and today runs 16 sites with 1,500 retirement homes in the UK. In 2017, it was acquired by Axa Investment Managers’ alternative investments and property arm.

More than 100 NHS treatments or “clinical services” were axed or postponed every week last year because of poor maintenance of hospitals and other health service buildings.

Ben Glaze www.mirror.co.uk

Labour research uncovered the “number of incidents caused by estates and infrastructure failure which resulted in clinical services being delayed, cancelled or otherwise interfered with owing to problems or failures related to the estates and infrastructure failure”.

House of Commons Library analysis of latest NHS Digital data shows 5,908 incidents in 2019/20 – up 23% from a year earlier when there were 4,810.

It means an average of 113 incidents each week, or 16 a day.

Clinical service incidents can be caused by power supply problems, equipment failures, waste management issues or problems with heating or flooding.

An NHS intensive care unit was evacuated last month amid fears its roof could collapse.

Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Kings Lynn, Norfolk, declared a critical incident.

Labour plans to tackle Health Secretary Matt Hancock over a £9billion NHS-wide maintenance backlog when ministers answer departmental questions in the Commons on Tuesday.

Shadow Health Minister Justin Madders said: “These figures reveal the true cost to patients of years of underfunding in the NHS.

“Waiting lists were already at record levels pre-Covid and have got worse in the last year and so additional delays and cancellations because the Government has failed to support basic maintenance and infrastructure costs are unacceptable.

“Patients should not be suffering longer in pain because of this.

“The Government’s record on hospitals is shameful.

“Instead of improving or maintaining basic hospital facilities they’re letting the repair bill grow and grow.”

According to NHS Providers senior policy officer Patrick Garratt, the maintenance backlog bill rose by 40% between 2018/19 and 2019/20, from £6.4bn to £9bn.

The Department of Health was approached for comment.

If you recently made a comment that wasn’t posted please accept Owl’s apologies and re-send it to Owl’s email. (Owl thinks it related to the solar farm post)

Owl gets a lot of spam and very occasionally a genuine comment gets dumped in the spam bin. This time it coincided with one of those occasions when, overnight, WordPress updates the blog admin pages to give them a completely “new look”, leaving Owl’s wings flapping and head spinning. In the learning process the comment got deleted.

Moral of the story is: never try to teach an Old Owl new tricks!

Another Judicial Review joins the queue.

9 April goodlawproject.org 

Last week, the High Court granted permission to advance our case against Government for its award of contracts to Abingdon Health for rapid antibody tests. The deal with Abingdon Health has been marred by controversy since the very beginning, with Government suppressing reports that raised the alarm around the effectiveness of the tests and ignoring their own legal advice on the lawfulness of the contracts.

The High Court has now agreed that we can argue our case on the following grounds:

• there was apparent bias in the award of contracts by Government, given the role the Government’s own scientific advisor Professor Sir John Bell played in securing the deal for Abingdon Health. The Judge observed that Professor Sir John Bell was on ‘both sides of the contract’, given his role both as a key Government advisor and also as a significant figure in the UK Rapid Testing Consortium, which acted as subcontractor to Abingdon Health; 
• Government awarded the contracts to Abingdon Health unlawfully by giving preferential treatment to Abingdon Health because it was a British company; 
• the decision to award the contracts to Abingdon Health breached the obligations of equal treatment, transparency and proportionality because Government failed to undertake any transparent or lawful process at all in respect of the award of the contracts;
• the contract awards led to the grant of unlawful state aid (including Government subsidies for research and components), for which no justification whatsoever has been put forward;
• Government acted irrationally when awarding contracts to Abingdon Health. In particular, the first contract stated that the tests had to be tested and deemed fit for use by the regulator by a certain date. The date came and went without the tests being validated, yet Government pressed ahead with another contract. 

The full transcript of the judgment can be found here. 

Until now, Government has refused to engage meaningfully with our case. It was noted several times by the Judge that it was not possible to consider points in detail because of the lack of evidence provided by Government. But the Court’s decision last week means that Government will no longer be able to fob us off. In particular, it will be forced to disclose details of the decision-making process – and the role of Professor Sir John Bell – as part of these proceedings. 

It is perhaps not surprising then that Government is once again estimating an eye-watering bill to defend this case – around £670,000. Despite these huge costs, we will not be deterred. We have applied for a cost capping order so we can continue to push for answers.

This deal has been shrouded in mystery since the very beginning. If you are in a position to donate to the legal challenge, you can help uncover the truth: https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/abingdon-health/ 

The percentage of younger generations owning a home has declined since 2003, ownership by the over–55s has held steady, while the over–65s have increased their share.

There are now 5.5 million second homes in England – a 50% increase between 2011 and 2020 – and they are owned primarily by older people.

This skewing of incentives to purchase property as an investment rather than to put a roof over one’s head has broad economic consequences as well. It locks funds to property rather than into more economically productive uses such as business and industrial investment. As a result we impoverish ourselves twice over with overpriced property and an underperforming economy. – Owl  

Intergenerational Foundation (contains link to full report)

COVID-19 has exacerbated housing inequalities between the young and the old according to new research from the Intergenerational Foundation. While younger generations have lost their jobs, their homes and even their mental health during COVID-19, older generations have stockpiled space.

There are now 5.5 million second homes in England – a 50% increase between 2011 and 2020 – and they are owned primarily by older people. According to the think tank, 52% of owners now under-occupy their homes, with housing assets and space passing from renters to owners and from younger generations to older generations. 

The report, which investigates the growing inequalities in housing assets and housing space between renters and owners, between rich and poor, and most significantly between older and younger generations, concludes that England now has two housing nations. The first nation is older, well-housed, often well-off, with space to work and self-isolate. The second nation is younger and live in cramped flats or shared homes with little or no access to outside space.

The report reveals that while the percentage of younger generations owning a home has declined since 2003, ownership by the over–55s has held steady, while the over–65s have increased their share. 

As previous research has shown, as the pandemic has unfolded access to space has driven demand, with older and well-off people buying up larger and more expensive properties in larger numbers. London has led the trend with purchases of second homes outside the capital up 309% over 2019.

Furthermore, space inequality has also increased, with owner-occupied homes enjoying a third more space (108m2) on average than privately rented homes (76m2) and almost double the space as a social home, and just 7% of 55–65 year-olds reporting a lack of outside space compared to 21% of 25–34 year-olds. 

Previous IF research has revealed that, on a country level, before the pandemic struck, more than 1 million children were living in households with one bedroom less than the bedroom standard. Add a pandemic, and these households have experienced less space to move around in than older, more privileged households.

Colin Wiles, report author, comments, “As these figures make plain, as well as a housing affordability crisis, we have an under-occupation crisis. The failure to build enough new affordable homes for the young, combined with government policies that prevent the release of land, tackle the Green Belt, or build retirement homes for the old, have conspired to choke supply, push up prices, and encourage older generations to put off downsizing.

Angus Hanton IF Co-founder, add, “While some progress has been made on levelling the playing field between property investors and first-time-buyers, the government could do much more to incentivise the nation to use our housing stock better. The abolition of the council tax regime and the introduction of fairer property taxation, stamp duty holidays for downsizers, and a commitment to gently lower house prices for the young, are all tools available to policymakers, yet here we are, a decade later, revealing a worsening picture.” 

• All figures are for England 

• The Bedroom Standard is a measure used to analyse the difference between the number of bedrooms needed to avoid undesirable sharing (given the number, ages, and relationship of the household members) and the number of bedrooms actually available to the household.

• Sources: English Housing Survey Tables FA1422; FT1101; FA5401

• Purchase price changes: Office for National Statistics (2020) Living Longer: Changes in housing tenure over time.

• SDLT Transactions: HMRC UK Stamp Duty Tax statistics Table 6c

• London figures from Knight Frank

As the local economy begins to re-open, what we need is a local council that listens and is prepared to adapt to the “New Normal” whatever that maybe, particularly in the town centres.

The new administration at EDDC, in the short time it has been in control, shows promising signs of genuinely listening to residents and businesses, and being prepared to react swiftly.

In contrast, Owl’s view is that Devon County Council is stuck in a rut. This is demonstrated by the ponderous suggestion, in this case, of undertaking a “consultation”.

In a recent post Owl reviewed how, last March,  our politicians in Central Government, in Devon County and East Devon failed to rise to the challenge and show leadership, with a few shining exceptions. Since then the “Old Guard” ar EDDC has been replaced by the “New Guard”. The same needs to happen at County Hall.

Exmouth traders celebrate outdoor furniture U-turn

Anita Merritt www.devonlive.com

With just three days to go before hospitality businesses have been given the go-ahead to reopen outdoors, traders in Exmouth have welcomed a ‘significant’ council U-turn which will enable them to keep up outdoor furniture.

East Devon District Council (EDDC) and Devon County Council (DCC) had told businesses that tables and chairs, and even marquees, would need to be taken down each day.

DevonLive reported today, April 9, how George Nightingale, owner of independent award-winning Exmouth pub and restaurant Spoken, did not know whether it would be financially viable to reopen as from April 12, due to lease restrictions which were said to be affecting businesses across East Devon.

However, Spoken, which is situated in the pedestrianised area of the Strand, has now been told by EDDC that it has listened to feedback relating to its sitting-out consent rules and is now offering businesses in the Strand ‘business tenancies’ which will enable them to place tables, chairs and planters/ barriers and temporary marquees is designated areas which can be left out at night.

The new tenancies will be in force until September 30, 2021.

Delighted by the news, George said: “It’s a wonderful result for all the businesses in Exmouth, in particular, but it has far reaching consequences perhaps for other businesses in East Devon and beyond.

“The final details are yet to be thrashed out, but it’s definitely something to look forward to. It makes the area much more usable for all our businesses and also for the locals and visitors to Exmouth.”

The news is also being welcomed by Spoken’s 17 members of staff.

He said: “They will now be able to have more hours and will be able to get paid and move forward as a result of this.”

George also thanked the council for listening to traders concerns.

Spoken in The Strand without any street furniture outside (Image: Google)

He added: “This judgement is of huge significance not just for me, but also the other businesses within The Strand, in particular, all of who will honour the trust that is being placed in us – and not forgetting Exmouth as a whole.

“The Strand is a focal point and must been seen and used as such.

“This really is a genuine move to support business and I cannot thank the council enough. This is absolutely groundbreaking and I know that businesses in the town will not let them down.”

The Spoken began applying to use the outside space on a temporary basis for post-lockdown trading seven months ago.

It is claimed it was only three weeks ago they were told by DCC the matter was going to ‘consultation’. The problem related to a clause in the lease which dates back to when the area outside the Spoken was previously a road 10 years ago.

In a story published earlier today by Devon Live, both EDDC and DCC said the rules over street furniture have to be observed. However, EDDC confirmed it was considering whether alternative agreements can be made to help traders.

Following the latest development, a spokesperson for East Devon District Council said: “We are in correspondence with owners of premises at The Strand and hope to agree a way in which they can all make a success of the forthcoming summer.”

DCC were approached for a comment.

Independent Progressive Councillor Kathy McLauchlan, who successfully obtained full council backing last October to end “sexist banter” and ditch a freeze on allowances for representatives on maternity leave, resigned at the end of February. 

Kathy McLauchlan won the Whimple and Rockbeare ward comfortably in May 2019, taking it from the Conservatives (702 votes to 234). 

In the 2011 election Martin Gammell won the seat for the Lib Dems but it was retaken by the Conservatives in 2015. A by-election followed in 2017 and Martin came within 36 votes of re-taking it.

Now it will be a straight contest between Richard Lawrence (Conservatives) and Todd Olive (Liberal Democrats). In EDDC the LibDems are part of the “Democratic Alliance”.

Whimple is the home of “uber” Conservative Sarah Randall-Johnson (see this post and many others) who not only is County Councillor for Broadclyst but is also on the Whimple Parish Council. SRJ epitomises the “Old Guard”, Whimple and Rockbeare deserve better than SRJ and her ilk.

Exeter candidate list for May elections

Daniel Clark www.devonlive.com

The candidates who will stand for election to Exeter City Council – plus several by-elections elsewhere in Devon – have been announced.

Voters will go to the polls on May 6 for the delayed 2020 local elections in Exeter, the full Devon County Council elections, as well as the delayed Police and Crime Commissioner elections, and by-elections in East Devon, South Hams, Mid Devon and Torbay.

Among those who are defending their seats in Exeter are Phil Bialyk, the Labour leader of the council, and Andrew Leadbetter, the leader of the Conservative opposition, and the Green Party and the Liberal Democrats have entered into an electoral arrangement where they will stand aside for each other in six wards.

In Exeter, each elected councillor would normally be appointed for a four year term, with a third of the 39 seats contested each year (one seat per ward), , but the newly elected councillors will instead only serve a three year term to ensure the return to the usual electoral cycle.

The 13 candidates whose seats will be up for grabs are those who gained the most votes in the 2016 elections, with Labour defending 10 seats, the Conservatives two, and Independents one.

Voters in the Mincinglake and Whipton will elected two councillors – with the person receiving the most votes serving a three year term and the runner-up a one year term – with a by-election also taking place following the death of a serving councillor.

The current make-up of the council is Labour (27), Conservative (6), Liberal Democrat (2), Independent (2), Green Party (1), Vacant (1), with Labour needing to win three of the 14 seats up for grabs to retain control of the council.

By-elections will take also place in the Whimple & Rockbeare Ward in East Devon, in the Castle, Taw and Westexe wards in Mid Devon, and in the Ivybridge West ward in the South Hams, with the winning candidates getting a two year term on the council.

Promoted Stories

Below is the list of candidates who are standing, with the * denoting where they are the sitting councillor who is up for re-election.

EXETER CITY COUNCIL

Alphington

Julyan Levy (Green Party)

Katherine New (Conservatives)

Rod Ruffle (Liberal Democrats)

Steve Warwick (Labour) *

Duryard and St James

Will Aczel (Liberal Democrats)

Bea Gare (Women’s Equality Party)

Aric Gilinsky (Conservatives)

Martin Pearce (Labour)

Exwick

Phil Bialyk (Labour) *

Kayleigh Luscombe (Conservatives)

Jamie Lynde (Green Party)

Maya Skelton (Liberal Democrats)

Heavitree

Alfie Carlisle (Conservatives)

Barbara Denning (Labour)

Catherine Rees (Green Party)

Mincinglake and Whipton (2 seats due to one vacancy)

Naima Allcock (Labour)

David Barker-Hahlo (Green Party)

Edward Barradell (Conservatives)

Felix Breet (Liberal Democrats)

Emma Morse (Labour) *

Joseph Straker (Conservatives)

Newton and St Leonard’s

Richard Branston (Labour) *

Dan Grey (Green Party)

George Smith (Conservatives)

Pennsylvania

Samuel Barnett (Conservatives)

Zion Lights (Labour)

Nigel Williams (Liberal Democrats)

Pinhoe

David Harvey (Labour) *

John Harvey (Conservatives)

Henry Mayall (Liberal Democrats)

Lynn Wetenhall (Green Party)

Priory

Alys Martin (Labour) *

Joel Punwani (Liberal Democrats)

Charles Russett (Green Party)

James Taghdissian (Conservatives)

St Thomas

Ashley Carr (Conservatives)

Adrian Fullam (Liberal Democrats)

Rob Hannaford (Labour) *

Paul Mouland (Independent)

Frankie Rufolo (For Britain Movement)

St Davids

Arden Foster-Spink (Conservatives)

Amy Sparling (Green Party)

Carol Whitton (Labour)

St Loye’s

Jack Eade (Green Party)

Olwen Foggin (Labour) *

Debbie Frayne (For Britain Movement)

Anne Jobson (Conservatives)

Kris Mears (Liberal Democrats)

Topsham

Christine Campion (Liberal Democrats)

Ivan Jordan (Labour)

Andrew Leadbetter (Conservatives) *

Jon Mills (Green Party)

EAST DEVON DISTRICT COUNCIL

Whimple and Rockbeare

Richard Lawrence (Conservatives)

Todd Olive (Liberal Democrats)

MID DEVON DISTRICT COUNCIL

Castle

Richard Cornley (Labour)

Jason Lejeune (Independent)

Elizabeth Slade (Conservative)

David Wulff (Liberal Democrats)

Taw

Peter Heal (Conservatives)

Mark Wooding (Liberal Democrats)

Westexe

Stephen Bush (Independent)

Claire Hole (Independent)

Adrian Howell (Independent)

Samuel James (Labour)

Stephen Pugh (Conservatives)

Rosie Wibberley (Green Party)

SOUTH HAMS DISTRICT COUNCIL

Ivybridge West

Louise Jones (Conservatives)

Tony Rea (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition)

Katie Reville (Green Party)

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has stated that the proposal to raise the site threshold for affordable homes provision has been dropped.

(Good news but slipped out during Easter – Owl)

www.propertyreporter.co.uk 

According to MHCLG, the measure, which would have temporarily lifted the small sites threshold for affordable housing provision to 40 or 50 homes, would not be necessary at this stage due to the industry’s robustness in the face of the pandemic and “the other measures we have available to support SMEs”.

The measure was proposed to support SMEs during the economic upheavals of the coronavirus crisis.

MHCLG said it would continue to closely monitor the market and speak to SME housebuilders about their challenges and the support that could be given, adding that there are no plans to raise the small sites threshold at this stage.

In current policy, a site of ten homes or more is considered a “major development” and will be subject to affordable housing provision.

In December, the government decided to scrap another proposal from the consultation – changes to the standard method for assessing local housing need. MHCLG planned to introduce an algorithm that would have increased housebuilding in the south of England. But the proposals caused consternation among Conservative MPs.

On the proposed change to the affordable homes threshold, MHCLG said: “The government consulted on raising the small sites threshold in order to assess if it was necessary in the economic circumstances to provide additional support to SME builders.

“We have carefully considered the consultation feedback and the situation in the housing market. On balance, we do not consider this measure to be necessary at this stage, particularly in light of the broader way in which the sector has responded to the challenges of the pandemic and the other measures we have available to support SMEs.

“We therefore do not think any change to existing policy is currently needed.”

Boris Johnson has dropped plans to raise a post-lockdown pint today out of respect after the death of Prince Philip.

The Prime Minister had planned to visit a newly-reopened pub as lockdown eases in England, saying he would be “cautiously but irreversibly raising a pint of beer to my lips.”

However, he has axed the trip as the government cancels all routine ministerial press conferences, interviews and visits in the wake of the Duke of Edinburgh’s death aged 99

The Official Statement: Brian Tolver, Handforth Parish Council “Villain”, breaks his silence.

(“Male, pale, stale” and must have the last word – Owl)

This is the list of Town Hall staff receiving over £100K in FY 2019/2020.

Interesting to see that Mark Wiiliams, seems to be the highest paid District Chief Exec. in Devon, a short snout ahead of Teignbridge. (But this depends on how you count “compensation payments” in Torridge and North Devon. (For example, Jenny Wallace left Torridge in February so these may relate to contact terminations.)

MW is no doubt delighted to beat Karime Hassan of Exeter (former Corporate Director EDDC) despite the latter’s controversial double hat of Chief Executive and Growth Director.

The real interest to Owl is that Mark Williams is not the most highly paid member of staff in EDDC. That accolade goes to a person described as U.N.Disclosed. EDDC also boasts a second member of this family in the £100K+ club.

It’s our money paying their salaries, why the secrecy,?   

In FY 19/20 Mark Williams got £118,164 + 17,725 pension = £135,889, and U.N Disclosed got £152,500. For comparison the PM’s pay was £154,908 (about £4K less than entitlement).    

Town Hall Rich List 2021

Apr 07 2021 www.taxpayersalliance.com

Introduction

Town Hall Rich List 2021 marks the 14th version of this list, first compiled in 2007. For the past 14 years the TaxPayers’ Alliance has assembled the most comprehensive list of council employees in the UK in receipt of over £100,000 in total remuneration.

For the average (band D) property, taxpayers in England will have to pay a council tax rise of 4.4 per cent or an extra £81 per year in 2021-22.^[1]  Wales will see an average increase of 3.8 per cent.^[2] Scottish councils have frozen 2021-22 council tax rates at 2020-21 levels. This is in exchange for receiving a cash grant from the Scottish government equivalent to a three per cent council tax increase.^[3]

Against this background, the number of local authority employees receiving over £100,000 in total remuneration has risen to the highest level since 2013-14.^[4]

Click here to read the report.

Click here for council-by-council breakdown of data.

Key findings

• At least 2,802 people employed by local authorities in 2019-20 received more than £100,000 in total remuneration, an increase of 135 on 2018-19. 693 received over £150,000, 26 more than the previous year.
• The average number of employees who received over £100,000 in total remuneration per local authority is seven. The average number receiving over £150,000 is 1.7 employees per council.
• The local authority with the greatest number of employees whose remuneration was in excess of £100,000 was Essex county council with 40 employees, five more than the previous year. Glasgow had the highest number of employees receiving over £150,000 at 14, two more than the previous year.
• The highest remunerated council employee in 2019-20 was the deputy chief executive at Coventry council, receiving £573,660 in total remuneration. This included a loss of office payment of £395,110, pension payment of £26,559, and salary of £151,991.
• A total of 31 local authority employees received remuneration in excess of a quarter of a million pounds in 2019-20. This was one fewer than the previous year.
• The local authority to pay out the highest amount in terms of bonuses and performance related pay to a senior employee was Edinburgh city council, with the general manager of Edinburgh Trams receiving a £48,895 bonus.
• Total expenses paid to senior employees in the UK amounted to £1,274,497, with the highest amount (£38,043) being claimed by Simon Baker, the now former chief executive of High Peak borough council.
• A total of 21 local authority employees received a loss of office payment of more than £95,000, the cap on payoffs for public sector employees. This cap was briefly in force between 4 November 2020 and 12 February 2021 and did not cover the period of this year’s Town Hall Rich List. It has since been revoked.^[5]

Click here to read the report.

Click here for council-by-council breakdown of data.

---

Support our research by sharing on social media:

FACEBOOK | TWITTER

---

[1] Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, Council Tax levels set by local authorities in England 2021 to 2022, 25 March 2021, http://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/council-tax-levels-set-by-local-authorities-in-england-2021-to-2022, (accessed 25 March 2021).

[2] StatsWales, Annual increase in average band D council tax, by billing authority,  https://statswales.gov.wales/Catalogue/Local-Government/Finance/Council-Tax/Levels/annualpercentageincreaseinaveragebanddcounciltax-by-billingauthority, (accessed 25 March 2021).

[3] BBC, All Scottish councils agree to tax freeze, 11 March 2021,  www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-56320853, (accessed 25 March 2021).

[4] TaxPayers’ Alliance, Town Hall Rich List 2015, 2015.

[5] Sharma, M, Public sector redundancy payment cap scrapped by government, HR Review, 15 February 2021, www.hrreview.co.uk/hr-news/public-sector-redundancy-payment-cap-scrapped-by-government/131756, (accessed 25 March 2021).