Author Archives: East Devon Watch

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25 Oct 2018

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Accountability, Austerity cuts, Privatisation

Government not sure PFI/privatisation was such a good thing ….duh!

The article blames Labour but it was Sir John Major who introduced it in 1992 and later Labour, Coalition and Tory governments continued with them. Many dirty hands made nowt work!

“Sources claim that in the wake of the collapse of outsourcing giant Carillion earlier this year, the Treasury wants to see whether PFI schemes represent “real value for money”.

Under PFI, the state hires contractors such as Carillion to build and deliver projects – then lease it back for a set annual fee.

But under Labour [and later Coalition and Tory governments], more than 500 schemes ended up costing taxpayers five times the original building cost. In 2011 one hospital was being charged £333 by the PFI provider to change a lightbulb.

Industry insiders claim that while the Chancellor’s review won’t “re-write” previous PFI deals, it could kill off PFI “for good”. …”

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25 Oct 2018

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Accountability, Air pollution, NHS (local)

Take a deep breath … on second thoughts – don’t

“UK ‘won fight to weaken rules on waste emissions’

The Government has successfully lobbied to water down new EU rules on waste incinerators’ emissions, according to Greenpeace. The decision comes amid concern that the UK already has levels of air pollution above legal EU limits in many cities, leading to the early death of 40,000 a year, according to the Royal College of Physicians.
i p8

Toxic air health threat at 2,000 GP surgeries
A new report by Cambridge Environmental Research Consultants, commissioned by the British Lung Foundation, has found that more than 2,000 GP surgeries and 200 hospitals are in areas with toxic air. This means people with heart and lung conditions could be putting themselves at risk by visiting these GP surgeries and hospitals. Air pollution has been linked to diseases ranging from Alzheimer’s to type 2 diabetes.
Guardian Online, Mail p21”

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25 Oct 2018

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Accountability, Austerity cuts, Developers/ Development, EDDC, Local Government Finance

EDDC cannot protect heritage assets due to its “limited resources” leaving them at the mercy of developers

Owl says: no surprises there …..

“Hundreds of hours have been ‘wasted’ trying to protect important historical buildings after a council delayed a formal review for the third time, say a campaign group

The criticism was levelled at East Devon District Council (EDDC) by the Otter Valley Association (OVA) after a formal review into heritage assets in the area was postponed for a third time.

OVA campaigners are worried without a review planning decisions may be made which compromise important historical buildings and structures.

An OVA spokesman said: “For the third time since 2016, EDDC has postponed the long promised formal review of the local heritage assets list by the strategic planning committee.

“So, 100 hours of work wasted as the list is not legally accepted for planning purposes, as demonstrated by an inspector’s decision on a recent planning application which dismissed any idea of the ‘specialness’ to the community of a beautiful Hatchard Smith house in Budleigh Salterton.”

A spokeswoman for EDDC responded to the association’s criticisms, she said: “We very much value the hard work that the OVA has put into their list of nominations for the local list of heritage assets and are sorry that we have not been able to progress this work more quickly.

“Unfortunately, we have limited resources and, first and foremost, we have to prioritise undertaking our statutory duties in relation to listed buildings, conservation areas and other heritage assets to ensure that the nationally important heritage assets in the district are conserved.”

According to EDDC there are more than 3,000 entries on the national list in East Devon and the work involved in conserving the structures ‘leaves little time to commit to compiling a list of locally important heritage assets’.

However, work is being done on the council’s heritage strategy which will clarify the council’s position on the local list as well as provide a timeline for production of the list.

The spokeswoman added: “The heritage strategy has been delayed to enable wider engagement with the membership of the council, however this additional work will lead to a better strategy and a wider understanding of the issues among council members before it is presented to the Council’s strategic planning committee on November 27.”

http://www.exmouthjournal.co.uk/news/heritage-asset-review-east-devon-1-5751668

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25 Oct 2018

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Austerity cuts, Cranbrook, Developers/ Development, Inequality

EDDC says it can’t afford to part-fund a community worker for Cranbrook

Yet it can spend £10 million-plus on a new HQ and says section 106 funding is running out despite continued building-out of the town. Developers seem to be getting a really easy ride in Cranbrook.

http://www.midweekherald.co.uk/news/fundraising-bid-to-employ-community-development-worker-for-cranbrook-dashed-1-5751029

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24 Oct 2018

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Austerity cuts, Inequality

“Working people going hungry and can’t get help, MPs told”

“A growing number of people with “good” jobs cannot afford to feed their families and are unable to get help from food banks, MPs have been told.

Charity boss Adam Smith said people on benefits were able to get emergency food parcels and did not go hungry.

But a “hidden bracket” of working people were not entitled to do so or were ashamed to ask for help, he told the environmental audit committee.

The Trussell Trust, the main food bank charity in the UK, says delays in benefit payments, debt and insecure employment are among the reasons that people have to turn to them for help.

People who use food banks are normally referred to them by social workers, job centres, care workers or other officials.

Mr Smith said enough was being done to support people on benefits who were in food poverty, but “the problem in this county is there is a hidden bracket of people who are suffering”.

He read out an emotional testimony from an anonymous teacher, who had sought help at his organisation’s “social supermarket” in Wakefield, West Yorkshire.

The woman said she had a “good job” but her wages had not gone up in a decade and the rising cost of living meant she was being forced to choose between “shopping and getting myself and my son to school”.

She said she felt “so embarrassed” that she had been struggling to feed her children.

Mr Smith’s charity the Real Junk Food project, runs “pay-as-you-feel” cafes and a new “social supermarket”, which sell, or give away, food that had been destined for waste and has been made fit for human consumption.

Unlike food banks, anyone can use the cafes and a growing number of working people were turning to them for help, Mr Smith said.

“If we want to end hunger we need to stop feeding the poor, we need to start feeding everybody and making sure everyone has the human right to access food,” he told the committee.

Anna Taylor, from the Food Foundation think tank, told the committee the government did not collect data on families who were in food poverty and had not taken the issue seriously.

According to Endhunger, a church campaign to end food poverty in the UK, as many as 8.4 million people “are living in households that struggle to put enough food on the table”.

The charity is backing a bid by Labour MP Emma Lewell-Buck to force the government to monitor and annually report on food insecurity across the UK.
Her Food Insecurity Bill is supported by 150 MPs across different parties but is unlikely to become law without government backing. …”

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-45956546

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24 Oct 2018

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Affordable and Social Housing, Housing (local), Rogue landlords

Rogue landlords – the latest scandal

“A Liverpool tower block that had more housing prosecutions in 2017 than any other building was 80% owned by international investors, some of whom were banking publicly funded rents while subjecting tenants to potential danger from hazardously low temperatures.

Mill View tower, a 16-storey former council-owned high rise in Toxteth, attracted 13 prosecutions last year for Elite Property Management and Lettings Ltd, a local firm that was managing 13 of the flats. The flats had cost around £60,000 each in 2013 and were all rented to residents claiming housing benefit. The company was prosecuted for licensing offences.

The discovery of the building’s story – described as “shocking” by two local MPs – has prompted calls for some landlords to have their properties seized and housing benefit rental payments withheld.

When environmental health officers inspected the block in April 2016, 11 out of the 13 flats that were later the focus of the prosecutions were owned by overseas investors – based as far away as Russia, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore and Malaysia.

In total, about 80% of the block was owned by international investors, with only 12 of the tower’s 64 flats UK-owned, when the inspectors called. …

[A pictorial breakdown of non-UK owners follows]

“The worst thing about it is that while the money is being ploughed in, it is not in any way productive. Investors’ money is not being used to build more affordable homes, it is just being used to buy existing assets. It just increases the competition for homes and increases the cost of homes, with the people of the UK ending up with more expensive houses and no increase in the supply of houses.”

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/oct/24/freezing-uk-tower-block-was-cash-cow-for-foreign-investors

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24 Oct 2018

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Accountability, Cranbrook, E.on district heating Cranbrook, EDDC

E.on temporary energy centre for Cranbrook’s phase 4 runs into problems

Cranbrook Town Council notes:

MESSAGE & APOLOGY FROM E.ON FOR PHASE 4 RESIDENTS – OVERRUN
E.on is sorry that the works to the temporary energy centre on Phase 4 have overrun but assures residents they should be completed by 5pm.

That’s the problem when you have district heating and no control over who provides your energy supply – or the price they charge.

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24 Oct 2018

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Accountability, Cranbrook, Developers/ Development, EDDC, Transport (local)

Cranbrook: no road markings causing serious problems with anti-social parking

Cranbrook Town Council Facebook page draws attention to a serious traffic problem:

“APPEAL FOR CONSIDERATE PARKING ON CRANBROOK’S ROADS:

There was another near miss earlier today when a resident pulling carefully out of their road was unable, due to cars parked at the junction, to see a group of approaching cyclists. Although nobody was hurt on this occasion, the cyclists had to swerve and could have been forced into the path of oncoming traffic. Although Cranbrook has no road lining may we remind residents that the principles of the Highway Code still apply.”

6 mins ·
MESSAGE & APOLOGY FROM E.ON FOR PHASE 4 RESIDENTS – OVERRUN
E.on is sorry that the works to the temporary energy centre on Phase 4 have overrun but assures residents they should be completed by 5pm.

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24 Oct 2018

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Accountability, Austerity cuts, Police (local)

“Fresh cuts will leave largest forces in England and Wales with [police] officer numbers last seen in the 1970s

“Three of Britain’s most senior chief constables have warned of a fresh crisis in policing after the government squeezed budgets even further, which they say will leave no alternative but to cut the number of officers.

In an unprecedented public warning, the chief constables of the West Midlands, Greater Manchester and Merseyside forces told the Guardian the fresh cuts would leave them with officer numbers last seen in the 1970s.

Since 2010 the government has cut police funding by 19%. Police in England and Wales have now been told that a £420m pensions shortfall must be met from their already reduced budgets.

After recalculating officers’ pension liabilities, the Treasury decided forces needed to contribute more. Forces are now coming to terms with the impact of the further budget squeeze and anger is mounting.

Ian Hopkins, the chief constable of Greater Manchester, the third biggest force, said he had hoped to have 6,300 officers by the end of March 2021; instead he is likely to have 5,709 – fewer than the force’s 1975 total.

Hopkins told the Guardian: “Clearly we would always look to save money without job cuts, but the reality is 83% of our budget is people and after eight years of efficiencies across all parts of the organisation – which has seen us make reductions of £183m – there would be little alternative but to cut posts, both officers and staff.”

He said he feared the new funding squeeze would reduce his force. “This would just get worse as we would have to further prioritise against threat, harm and risk, screen out more and more crime. Essentially we would just have to focus on providing a response function, a serious and organised crime capability and a custody function as the core capabilities of policing.”…

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/oct/23/police-chiefs-fewer-officers-treasury-shrinks-budgets-pensions?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

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24 Oct 2018

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Air pollution, Housing (local), National Planning Policy Framework

“Young couples ‘trapped in car dependency’ “

“It must be miserable: you’ve saved for a newly-built home past the town’s ring-road, but now you’re trapped too often in a metal box with wheels.
You spend hours in traffic ferrying yourself and your children around because your estate has no shops; no pub; no doctor; no school; no jobs.
A report says this is the buttock-numbing fate of numerous young couples.

It’s come about because planners allowed edge-of-town housing estates where car travel is the only option.

Intriguingly, the research by a new green group – Transport for New Homes – has been backed by a motoring group, the RAC Foundation.

Researchers visited more than 20 new housing developments across England in what they say is the first piece of research of its kind.

They found that the scramble to build new homes is producing houses next to bypasses and link roads which are too far out of town to walk or cycle, and which lack good local buses. …

The problem is that planners are measured by whether they hit their targets for new housing,” she said. ‘At the moment they just approach developers who are sitting on greenfield sites and end up peppering housing round towns without any regard to whether the land is accessible or not.”

Councillor Martin Tett, transport spokesman for the Local Government Association, called for councils to be given powers to ensure house builders contribute to local infrastructure and services as part of new development.

He said: “The planning system exists to ensure development is appropriate and residents are able to have their say.

“Councils are determined to do more in planning for new places in ways that improve air quality and promote more sustainable forms of travel but a lack of funding is a clear barrier to such investment.”

A government spokesperson said its revised planning rulebook tells developers to create high quality areas which promote walking, cycling and use of public transport.

They added: “The rules also make sure that councils put plans in place for the infrastructure needed to support new developments.”

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-45956792

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23 Oct 2018

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Accountability, East Devon Tories

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Why do we have such incompetent people running the country?

A theory (Guardian comment):

“For the last twenty or so years the Tories have neglected their structure of local branches. As a result they now have a tiny membership. Their declared figure of 124,000 is almost certainly falsely inflated. If you do the arithmetic on their declared income from subs, the only membership figure that makes any sense is somewhere around 41,000.

As a result many local branches are moribund and have been for years. Local branches were not just sources of income. They were also schools for rising talent. So with no schools for rising talent for quite some time, the Tories now do not have any talent at any level of their organisation.”

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23 Oct 2018

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Accountability, Privatisation, Rural communities, Transport (local)

A frazzled mother starts huge bus service protest in Bristol

“I gave birth to my daughter in March, and I’ve begrudgingly had to place her in a nursery already because I have to work. The nursery is on the other side of Bristol to where I live. For more than a month now I’ve failed to drop her off on time because I’ve had to wait so long for a bus to turn up. The journey normally takes 45 minutes in the rush hour, but the waiting adds an extra 45 minutes (even though buses are supposed to run every 12 minutes).

Getting her home in the evening has been even more of an ordeal. Night after night we couldn’t get back before her bedtime. At the end of the week, my baby had bags under her eyes and red pupils – the sign of a true commuter, but she’s only seven-months-old. The waits were so long I had to breastfeed her on the side of the road. I don’t mind breastfeeding in public, but I’d rather not be outside in the middle of October balancing my baby on my knee.

I finally broke a week ago when the bus I was on – operated like most in the city by First Bus – was so full it passed two stops, leaving 60 passengers stranded. By the time I reached the city centre I’d used my phone to call for a demonstration on Facebook.

Over the next 24 hours 800 people signed up. Stories of missed hospital appointments, children being late for school and people being late for work flooded in. It quickly became clear I hadn’t just organised a demonstration; the outpouring of stories and anger was now online for all to see, share and sympathise.

First Bus contacted me after the demonstration was advertised to take place on 24 November in the centre of Bristol. They blamed students returning to Bristol’s two universities, schools restarting in September, road works and closures of the popular Bristol Parkway train station. But it has admitted that it is 150 drivers short in the west of England. To try to cope, staff have been brought in from as far away as Cornwall. Any company that runs an important service in a major city needs to have planning skills and the ability to recruit and retain staff.

Ironically, while this took place, the mayor of Bristol, Marvin Rees, announced he wanted to double the number of passengers using Bristol buses. The idea that the current system could support twice the number of passengers is laughable and shows how far removed elected officials have become from the reality of privately run services. This is because they have had too little say in how transport services are run since they were rapidly privatised in the 1980s.

This is not just a problem for Bristol. The national campaign group We Own It says prices have risen by 35% above inflation as result of bus privatisation, and in the past 10 years £1.8bn of revenue generated by the big five bus companies – Arriva, Stagecoach, First, Go-Ahead and National Express – has gone straight to shareholders. This is money that could be reinvested into bus services if they were nationalised. …”

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/oct/23/bus-revolt-bristol-privatised-services

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23 Oct 2018

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Affordable and Social Housing, Developers/ Development, Housing (local)

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Empty secret database of “rogue landlords” to be kept secret!

More than one MP destined to be in it, perhaps?

“The government’s new rogue landlord database was billed as a key tool for local councils to target the country’s worst landlords, but, more than six months after the system started, not a single name has been added – and even when some are added, the public will not be able to find out.

A freedom of information request filed by the Guardian and ITV News revealed that by the end of August the database was empty. When details of rogue landlords are eventually entered they will only be accessible to central and local government, unless the rules are changed.

When the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) was asked via another freedom of information request to spell out why the public would be denied access to the database, it said the reasons behind keeping the database’s contents secret were also secret. …”

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/oct/23/governments-rogue-landlord-list-empty-after-six-months

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23 Oct 2018

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Developers/ Development, Persimmon

“Furious families are forced to EVACUATE their 11-year-old homes while developer Persimmon pays its chief executive £47m”

“Families forced to evacuate their homes because they could collapse have accused one of the country’s biggest builders of abandoning them while it paid executives millions of pounds in bonuses.

Residents of Philmont Court, a four-storey block of flats built in Coventry just 11 years ago, said they felt betrayed by developer Persimmon after more than a decade of problems with their properties.

They have been forced into temporary accommodation while repair work takes place after experts warned extreme winds could cause the building to partially collapse.

The alarming problem was only discovered when builders were called in to fix defects with insulation throughout the 48 apartments, which residents say have caused widespread damp and mould. One resident claimed the conditions have caused her seven-year-old son to develop breathing problems.

There were also complaints about guttering, noise, the plumbing and electrics – but despite repeated pleas for help over ten years, Persimmon has refused to deal directly with the residents.

The situation is a further embarrassment for the company after it paid its top three executives £104 million last year. Jeff Fairburn, the chief executive, was paid £47 million alone.

He last week flounced out of a television interview when asked about the payout. The 52-year-old is under pressure to give up his massive bonuses and for the company to provide compensation to the residents in Tile Hill, Coventry.

Geoffrey Robinson, MP for Coventry North West, said: ‘For Jeff Fairburn and Persimmon to treat these residents in this way, many who are first-time buyers, is utterly scandalous. If he had any compassion, he would compensate my constituents.’

Hayley MacSkimming-Barnett said a bedroom used by her children Lydia, ten, and Cameron, eight, had been severely affected by mould. The 34-year-old interior designer said: ‘There was mould growing up the bedroom walls, in the wardrobes, under the children’s mattresses and on their teddy bears. But every time we raised it we were told there was nothing wrong with the building.

‘My son has developed chest problems and during every winter we have had to take him to hospital because his airway has closed up.

‘Persimmon built these homes and it should accept responsibility. The bosses wouldn’t live somewhere like that – and I’m sure their children don’t have to sleep on mouldy mattresses.’

Philmont Court was built in 2007 by Westbury, a company owned by Persimmon.

But soon after moving in, residents began to complain of condensation and mould. Landlord Whitefriars, which bought the building, told them they were not airing the flats properly. In 2016 inspections were finally carried out and problems with insulation around windows were discovered.

Under a warranty which applies to most new homes, industry body the National House Building Council (NHBC) was called in to fix the problems. But builders discovered even more serious structural problems and residents were moved into temporary accommodation in May this year and repair work began in August.

Resident Hannah Perch said the ordeal had ruined the experience of buying her first home.

The 27-year-old teacher said: ‘The idea of the Persimmon executives getting paid these bonuses makes me livid.’ …”

http://flip.it/MGlqVn

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23 Oct 2018

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Accountability, EDDC

Councillors must be of good character!

Owl says: now if only they could make councils and councillors adhere to the Nolan Principles- everything would be fine:

“The government will tighten rules in local government to prevent people found guilty of serious crimes from standing for office.

Anyone who is subject to an anti-social behaviour injunction, criminal behaviour order, sexual risk order or is on the sex offenders’ register will no longer be allowed to stand for elected office.

The changes, announced on Friday, will make sure those who represent their communities are accountable and held to the highest possible standards, the government said.

Local government minister Rishi Sunak said: “Elected members play a crucial role in town halls across the country, and are the foundations of local democracy.

“They are community champions, and have a leading role to play in building a better society for everyone.”

He added: “With such an important role comes great responsibility, and these changes will protect residents while upholding the values and high standards of behaviour we all expect.”

Previously, anyone convicted of an offence carrying a prison sentence of more than three months was banned from serving as a local councillor.”

https://www.publicfinance.co.uk/news/2018/10/new-rules-increase-accountability-public-office-roles

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22 Oct 2018

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Affordable and Social Housing, Business Rates, High Street decline, Housing (local)

First they changed offices to homes, now it’s shops

Will they be affordable ……….

“… Experts believe that turning unused shops into houses could stop the decline of town centres – as well as bringing down sky-high property prices.

Mr Hammond is also under pressure to freeze business rates which are blamed by retailers for helping to hollow out the high street.

A spokesman for the Treasury said: “We don’t comment on Budget speculation.”

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/7556955/empty-shops-could-be-turned-into-homes-to-solve-britains-housing-crisis-and-make-property-cheaper/

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22 Oct 2018

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Cranbrook, Developers/ Development

“Fire stations may need to be moved due to new housing developments” [including Cranbrook]

Owl says: does this mean ambulance stations, schools and doctors’ surgeries may now be in the wrong places?

“New housing developments across Devon and Somerset may mean a rethink of where fire stations are needed.

There are currently 85 fire stations across the two counties, but the stations are aligned to standards of fire cover from the late 1940s and are not reflective of the current and future demographics of the two counties.

Assistant chief fire officer Peter Bond, director of service improvement, told fire authority members on Monday morning that its risk mapping graphs showed that in the great majority of cases, the authority has a lot of good cover and high risk areas are within the targeted 10 minute response time.

But he added: “It is pleasing to see and that we have our resources in the right place. But there will be some developments in Devon and Somerset, such as Cranbrook, Sherford, Taunton Garden Town, and other towns that as they expand, will sit outside the existing 10 minute response zone.”

https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/fire-stations-need-moved-due-2135030

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22 Oct 2018

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Accountability, Claire Wright, Hugo Swire, NHS (local), Ottery St Mary

The “army” “weaponising” Ottery Hospital!

A few of the “weaponised army” at Ottery Hospital – the strapline picture from the blog of tireless health campaignet Claire Wright – the picture shows 2 children, a dozen ladies of a certain age and two mem. Can anyone see any weapons! Do placards and peaceful protest constitute weaponising?

Added to which, Claire Wright looks distinctly unarmed!

or perhaps this is more appropriate:

or this:

 

and remember, Swire signed up to this:

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22 Oct 2018

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Accountability, DCC, Hugo Swire, Martin Shaw (Seaton), NHS (local)

Open letter to Swire on hospital bed closures from DCC Independent East Devon Alliance councillor Martin Shaw

“Dear Hugo Swire,

In a recent Exmouth Journal article you said: “Regrettably, Ottery Hospital has been weaponised by an anti-Tory coalition for nigh on ten years with them telling a naturally alarmed local community that it will be sold off or closed. I have spent 10 years trying to counter this scaremongering. …”

It’s hardly scaremongering when the hospital has lost its beds and this July’s Devon NHS Sustainability and Transformation Partnership report said, ‘We know a large amount of space in our community hospital buildings is underused. The revenue cost of our community hospital estates is in the order of £20 million; money the NHS could use to improve other services. Working with other public sector partners, as part of the One Public Estate initiative, we will review the space that is required to deliver care, and plan to consolidate the number of sites to free up estate and generate money, which can be re-invested in technology and infrastructure.’

It’s also rich for you to talk about ‘weaponising’ community hospitals. In Seaton we remember all too well when the Clinical Commissioning Group launched its consultation on the future of community hospital beds in 2016, with its preferred option being Option A which would keep the beds in Tiverton, Exmouth and Seaton. You said in Parliament that ‘option B, which sees the beds retained in Tiverton, and also in Sidmouth and Exmouth, is the option worthy of support. Sidmouth has an extremely high proportion of over-85s, with people increasingly living longer, and of people with dementia. Exmouth is the biggest town in Devon with more than 35,000 people.’

Four months later the CCG followed your recommendation, changed its preference, and closed Seaton’s beds. The reasons given for preferring Sidmouth to Seaton were specious – Seaton has an almost identical proportion of elderly. In short, Hugo Swire, you sold Seaton down the river because it was no longer in your constituency (having been removed due to boundary changes in 2010) and you needed to save beds in Sidmouth as well as Exmouth to fend off the challenge from Claire Wright, who even so ran you close in the 2017 General Election.

Today Seaton Hospital, like Ottery, Honiton and Axminster, faces an uncertain future. If it closes, it will be a knock-on effect of the beds decision, and it will be partly on your head.

Martin Shaw, County Councillor for Seaton and Colyton”

Who’s ‘weaponising’ community hospitals, @HugoSwire? Two years ago you were happy to sell out Seaton Hospital to save your parliamentary career

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22 Oct 2018

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Police (local)

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“Alison Hernandez reselected as Tory crime commissioner candidate”

Owl says: so, no better candidate, Tories? Time for others to step up again, otherwise we get too many years of …. mediocrity is the nicest word Owl can choose.

https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/alison-hernandez-reselected-tory-crime-2133647