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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

But more heads need to roll! – owl

Sequence of events this week

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

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

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

Dear Fred,

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

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

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

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

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

Yours sincerely,

Susan Davy
Chief Executive Officer, Pennon Group

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

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

10 July

Dear Susan   

Re: OFWAT Wastewater Investigation 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Your sincerely

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

Rachel Gilmour MP (Tiverton and Minehead)

Caroline Voaden MP (South Devon)

Steve Darling MP (Torbay)

Richard Foord MP (Honiton and Sidmouth)

Ian Roome MP (North Devon)

Martin Wrigley MP (Newton Abbott)

Ben Maguire MP (North Cornwall)

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

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

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

“The time was right to pass leadership to a new generation” after nearly three decades in the water sector.” She is quoted as saying!

South Devon’s MP Caroline Voaden said “this decision should have come a lot sooner”.

We have yet hear from Director of Communications Simon Jupp – Owl

ITV News www.itv.com 

South West Water Chief Executive Officer Susan Davy will step down from her role and retire from Pennon Group’s board, bringing an end to her 18-year career with the water utility giant.

Ms Davy has been CEO of Pennon Group, the parent company of South West Water, since July 2020. Before that, she served as Chief Financial Officer for five years.

In a statement, she said that “the time was right to pass leadership to a new generation” after nearly three decades in the water sector.

Her retirement comes just a day after industry regulator Ofwat found a “range of failures” in how South West Water had managed its wastewater treatment works and sewer network.

Ofwat said South West Water (SWW) “failed to meet its legal obligations”, pointing to a lack of adequate management systems, including oversight from the senior leaders and board.

Lynn Parker, Ofwat’s Senior Director of Enforcement, said: “We’ve found significant failings that have led to more spills than the law allows over a significant number of years so we consider this to be systemic failings.

SWW has proposed spending £24 million under an “enforcement package” to target storm overflows, tackle sewer misuse, and provide funding for environmental groups.

This will be funded by the company and shareholders.

As a result, it has avoided being fined by Ofwat which would have been the lesser amount of £19 million – 6.5% of its annual turnover – going back to the Treasury.

This investigation is part of work by Ofwat and the Environment Agency to review all water and wastewater companies in England and Wales.

Reflecting on her decision to retire, Ms Davy said: “It has been an honour to serve as Chief Executive Officer of Pennon. Running a water company is always interesting, often challenging, but totally fulfilling.

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

Ms Davy highlighted that Ofwat’s recent approval of the company’s investment plans provided “a natural juncture” to retire from Pennon.

She added “This has been my life for the past 30 years, and now it’s right I hand this huge responsibility to the next generation of leaders.”

Ms Davy’s successor will be announced in due course.

What issues have South West Water faced?

• May 2025: the Government announced four criminal investigations will be carried out into SWW following hundreds of reports and complaints about sewage pollution on beaches.
• April 2025: hundreds of homes and businesses were left without water for several days after a burst water main in Plymouth. An Environment Agency report showed in 2024 SWW had 56,000 spills (28,000 in 2023). Duration of storm overflow usage increased to 544,000 hours (531,000 in 2023)
• March 2025: the Environment Agency won a case against SWW which tried to prevent 12 charges relating to sewage discharges in Cornwall being taken forward in a prosecution. It’s facing charges for illegal discharges and breaches of environmental permits including at Hooe Lake Sewage Pumping Station, Polperro Harbour and Bodmin Road Plymouth between 2016 and 2021.
• Nov 2024: SWW pleaded guilty to five charges relating to illegal water discharges and breaching environmental permits in Plymouth and Polperro.
• Sept 2024: More than 300 residents and businesses in Exmouth threatened legal action against SWW because of their concerns over sewage spills on the beach leading to a series of no-swim warnings.
• July 2024: SWW was ranked among the worst performing water companies in the UK with the Environment Agency’s assessment reading “requires improvement” after the company discharged sewage into rivers and seas more than 58,000 in the previous year.
• May 2024: More than 16,000 households and businesses in Brixham were told to boil their drinking water after the cryptosporidium parasite was found in the supply, leading to an outbreak of diarrhoea and vomiting. Two people were taken to hospital while hundreds of others fell ill.

South West Water treatment works

What is South West Water doing to address the issues?

South West Water has already taken some steps to address its compliance issues.

It says it has invested more than £16 million to remedy the 21 WWTW that failed to meet requirements.

It is in the process of delivering a storm overflow reduction plan investing to reduce spills and greater oversight of its compliance with environmental obligations.

Noah Law, MP for St Austell and Newquay, has had the company’s CEO Susan Davy on ‘resignation watch’ for some time.

He said: “I think they have a long standing plan in place for different asset management periods but what I want them to do now is accelerate that pace and show they know the sense of urgency residents have around this.

“I would urge a real caution of Susan Davy as to whether she looks at taking her bonus this year after all of this news.

When asked if Davy should resign, Louise Rowe, SWW’s Director of Compliance, said: “Susan became CEO in 2020. Under her leadership SWW has significantly upheld the governance, we’ve put hundreds of millions of pounds into the wastewater activities and all of that has been recognised by Ofwat in their report that improvements have happened.”

“We will continue to make the improvements needed where wastewater activity needs it across our beautiful region.”

What has the reaction been?

In a statement, South Devon’s MP Caroline Voaden said “this decision should have come a lot sooner”.

She said “Today’s announcement closes a sorry tenure as CEO of South West Water where Ms. Davy oversaw shocking levels of sewage spills, plummeting customer confidence, and a water contamination event that sent people to hospital.

“In truth, this decision should have come a lot sooner. The shocking report from Ofwat was clearly the straw that broke the camel’s back, and for me, epitomised the negligent attitude SWW has shown to the environment and its customers in the past five years.

“I look forward to meeting the new CEO of SWW when they are announced, and I hope they can learn from the systematic mistakes Ms Davy made throughout her time in post.”

A £24m enforcement package for South West Water has been proposed after a three year investigation into its failures in managing wastewater treatment works and sewer networks.

Georgina Barnes www.bbc.co.uk

The Water Services Regulation Authority (Ofwat) said South West Water (SWW) had “recognised its failures” including failing to build and operate wastewater treatment works and sewer networks and not meeting its legal obligations.

Last month, one of SWW’s treatment works was the source of pollution that killed thousands of fish in a Cornish river.

SWW said it had proposed the “ringfenced investment programme” to be “funded by the company and shareholders and not our customers” – it had faced paying a fine of up to £19m.

The enforcement package will see £20m invested from 2025 to 2030 to reduce spills from specific storm overflows, the creation of a £2m local fund to tackle sewer misuse and misconnections and £2m to support environmental groups to deliver local improvements.

‘Put things right’

In January, the company announced plans to almost double its investment in the environment to £2.5bn between 2025 and 2030.

SWW CEO Susan Davy said it would take the necessary steps to address the failures Ofwat had identified.

She said: “I have always said that when things go wrong, it is how we respond and put things right and that is exactly what we are doing.

“In response to Ofwat’s findings, we have proposed a ringfenced investment programme of £24m to spend more to further reduce spills, tackle sewer misuse and establish a Nature Recovery Fund.

“This is in addition to the £760m we are already investing over the next five years to reduce the use of storm overflows across the region.”

In its investigation, Ofwat said 54% of SWW’s wastewater treatment works storm overflows had spilled on 20 or more occasions between 2020 and 2024.

It said SWW had “failed to demonstrate” the spills had happened in exceptional circumstances but said the company had already taken steps to address the operation of a range of its treatment works and storm overflows.

Lynn Parker, senior director for enforcement at Ofwat, said water companies would always be “held to account” if they failed to meet legal obligations.

She said: “Our investigation found a range of failures in how South West Water has gone about managing its wastewater business.

“As we continue to progress our sector-wide investigation, we are pleased that companies like South West Water are stepping up to acknowledge their failures and to put things right.

“We will continue to monitor the company to ensure that this work is carried out as quickly as possible so that customer confidence can begin to be restored.”

A consultation will be held to the public and key stakeholders before Ofwat’s final decision.

SWW Tanker operations resume in Exmouth – can’t blame the rain!

Earlier this week tankers have resumed operations taking sewage from the Maer Road pumping station holding tank to the sewage treatment plant at Maer Lane. 

10 or 11 tankers are waiting in line, part of the car park has been coned off and the operation seems to be continuing 24 hours. 

It is classed as an emergency but EDDC do not believe pollution to the beach is involved.

Simon Jupp, SWW Director of Communications, is a source of information and reassurance. – Owl

See latest post on:

Update on Snouts in the Water Trough

Susan Davy lands total annual pay package of £803,000 for 2024/25 despite losses

Holly Williams (Extract) www.independent.co.uk

The boss of South West Water owner Pennon has picked up a near-£200,000 share bonus despite the firm racking up losses after a water contamination crisis and amid painful bill hikes.

The water firm’s annual report revealed that chief executive Susan Davy was handed £191,000 in long-term share awards, with a total annual pay package of £803,000.

She had already faced criticism from MPs when she revealed in February that her pay had risen to £511,000 in 2024-25, from £492,000 the previous year in the wake of a parasite outbreak in Devon and rising cases of sewage spills.

Pennon, which also owns supplier SES Water, recently reported losses widening to £72.7 million for the year to the end of March from £9.1 million losses the previous year.

Last year’s incident in Brixham, south Devon, cost it about £21 million and pushed it deeper into an annual loss……

Thames Water Under Fire After Emergency Loan used to pay bonuses

Teddy Cambosa (Extract) www.ibtimes.co.uk 

Britain’s largest water utility, Thames Water, is embroiled in a financial scandal after revelations that the debt-laden company diverted funds from a £3 billion emergency loan to pay £2.46 million in ‘extravagant’ bonuses to senior managers, despite teetering on the brink of nationalisation.

A report from The Guardian stated that Thames Water used funds from an emergency loan to pay £2.46 million in bonuses to 21 managers, despite the loan being intended to keep the troubled company afloat.

These managers will receive the same payout in December and another £10.8 million next June, according to a letter from Chair Sir Adrian Montague to MPs, noting that the payments average over twice the recipients’ annual salaries.

It is worth noting that Thames Water paused the bonus plan in May after it was discovered that Montague had incorrectly informed MPs that creditors required the payouts. Ministers aimed to block such bonuses, but existing legislation only applies to top executives, leaving these significant retention payments legally unaffected…..

The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner was charged the highest interest rate out of all the other organisations the fire service lent money to in the previous financial year.

The short-term loan was part of a wider £22.5 million in borrowing,

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

Devon’s police commissioner office has turned for the first time to the county’s fire service for £5 million in short-term loans.

The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) for Devon and Cornwall said it had borrowed money from its emergency services counterpart alongside other councils and pension funds.

The £5 million it borrowed from Devon and Somerset Fire & Rescue service in the year to April came with a seven per cent interest rate, although it was only for a short period of time.

Fire service documents show the term of the loan – the period within which it has to be paid back in – was a third of a month, suggesting it would have been paid off in 10 days or less.

Interestingly, the OPCC was charged the highest interest rate out of all the other organisations the fire service lent money to in the previous financial year, with the next highest being 5.7 per cent for a loan to West Northamptonshire Council, and the lowest being 4.45 per cent to Helaba, a German bank.

The OPCC said the money it borrowed was used to cover short term fluctuations in cashflow, with those periods being around five days.

In total in the 2024/25 financial year, the OPCC borrowed £22.5 million from a range of lenders, which were Kirklees Council in West Yorkshire, Hampshire Pension Fund, Hyndburn Borough Council in Lancashire, and the West Yorkshire Pension Fund. 

And it has borrowed £20.5 million in the current financial year that will end next April, the OPCC confirmed.

A spokesperson said the borrowing was part of “routine cashflow management”, essentially meaning that it needed to make sure it had enough money in its coffers to pay some outgoings before its next expected income.

It is common for local authorities, such as councils and police commissioner offices, to borrow money from similar authorities.

An OPCC spokesperson said: “As part of routine cashflow management, it is sometimes necessary to borrow money for short periods.

“Through our treasury management strategy, there are approved routes for doing this in the best value for money way, which includes borrowing from public sector partners.

“All short-term borrowing is repaid quickly and does not therefore add to the long term borrowing that is undertaken to finance capital projects, such as buildings, which is repaid over a longer period.

“The treasury management strategy is reviewed annually to ensure our approach represents the best value for taxpayers.”  

In the OPCC accounts for the 2024/25 financial year, it states that all long-term borrowing is taken from the Public Works Loan Board, which is part of the Treasury and is the main lender to local authorities.

The accounts add that all short-term borrowing is arranged from local authorities to cover short-term fluctuations in cash.
 

A Cornwall MP says he has become so frustrated with sewage pollution, he has put the Chief Executive of South West Water on what he has described as “resignation watch”.

www.itv.com

Noah Law, the MP for Newquay and St Austell, has said he is issuing a ‘final warning’ to Susan Davy, calling for her to take immediate action to upgrade the region’s sewage treatment infrastructure.

South West Water has responded that it has a 15-year delivery programme to reduce its use of storm overflows across its network and redesign its infrastructure – but it also says that work of that scale takes time.

Pennon, which owns South West Water, has said they recently met with the MP to go through their investment plan in his constituency.

Speaking to ITV News West Country in Pentewan, the MP said: “The sense of urgency just isn’t there from South West Water.

“Getting detail on the timeframes around this infrastructure upgrade has been like drawing blood from a stone and I want them to be extremely transparent with the public as to when they can expect to see some of that change which we’ve fought so hard for in Government and through the Water Special Measures Act.”

He added: “I’m pressing really hard to get that information on just when we are going to see those upgrades. A five-year timeframe isn’t good enough, people want to see action now.”

According to South West Water’s own figures, there were 134 spills from the water treatment works in Pentewan last year.

Elsewhere in the region, MP for Taunton and Wellington Gideon Amos carried out water testing on the River Tone in a designated bathing water spot.

The result was a reading of ‘poor’ quality and the MP says water companies should be making cleaner rivers a priority.

The boss of Pennon Group and South West Water CEO, Susan Davy, received a total pay package of more than £800,000 in 2023-24, including almost 200,000 in long-term share awards.

Meanwhile, customers’ yearly bills rose by around a third from April this year.

A spokesperson for Pennon said: “We run critical national infrastructure and have embarked on our largest ever investment programme across our Group – £3.2bn – which spans from Cornwall to Surrey – 11 of these major projects are in Mr Law’s constituency.

“We are prioritising our investment on what customers have told us are most important to them and to help us deliver on what we promised; to reduce the use of storm overflows, ensuring water resilience and supply, investing in vital infrastructure, supporting customers more than ever and taking a green first approach to our solutions as much as possible.”

They added: “We live and work in this region and care deeply about what we all do every single day – we are also customers of South West Water. “Our 4,000 brilliant colleagues work hard day and night to keep taps running and toilets flushing, we will not stop and we will continue to deliver on our promises.”

Does this mean police resources locally will be concentrated in just Exmouth and Exeter? – Owl

Home Office www.gov.uk (Extract)

Thousands of shoppers and businesses will see increased police presence, stronger prevention and enforcement action by police and councils to support safer high streets this summer.   

Over recent years street crime has sky-rocketed, with theft from the person more than doubling between December 2022 and December 2024, and there has been record levels of shop theft, up by more than 60% – with offenders increasingly using violence and abuse against shopworkers.

This marks a key step in delivering the government’s Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, which from July will see named, contactable officers in every community, increased peak time patrols in town centres and anti-social behaviour leads in every force.  

Commissioned by the Home Secretary, Police and Crime Commissioners across England and Wales have developed bespoke local action plans with police, businesses and local councils to crackdown on crime this summer.  

The aim is to support town centres to be vibrant places where people want to live, work and spend time, and restore faith in community policing after years of declining police officer presence on Britain’s streets.  

These plans include increased visible town centre policing and ramping up the use of targeted enforcement powers against troublemakers – including banning perpetrators from hotspots.  

The summer initiative will also support young people, making sure there are activities across the 500 towns for young people to be involved in throughout the holidays. 

The Home Office, alongside police, retailers and industry are also launching a new Tackling Retail Crime Together Strategy, which will use shared data to assist in disrupting not just organised criminal gangs, but all types of perpetrators including prolific offenders who are stealing to fund an addiction and ‘opportunist’ offenders. 

Creating thriving town centres where businesses and communities can flourish supports the government’s growth mission, raising living standards, backing local economies and supporting communities. 

Initiatives taking place this summer include:  

• in Humberside, police are using real-time mapping to deliver dynamic patrols to target emerging problem locations while reassuring local communities
• in Devon and Cornwall, police are embedding specialist anti-social behaviour lawyers to fast-track enforcement activity
• in Derbyshire, police have developed a Night Time Economy Charter to help deliver consistent proactive policing and coordinated management across the four largest local town centres
• in Wales, Dyfed-Powys Police are targeting seasonal, tourist towns through early police visibility, deterrence and community reassurance
• in Nottinghamshire, police have introduced a new diversionary intervention programme for Out of Court Resolutions with conditions attached for problem offenders

Towns signing up in Devon and Cornwall:

No, not Simon Jupp but Anne Marie Morris, ejected by the voters of Newton Abbot in favour of Martin Wrigley MP Lib Dem. Owl

Guy Henderson www.devonlive.com

A former Devon Conservative MP who was suspended for using racist language has joined Reform UK.

Anne Marie Morris represented Newton Abbot from 2010 to 2024 when her 17,500 majority was overturned by Liberal Democrat Martin Wrigley.

Now she will work on developing social care policy for Nigel Farage’s right wing party.

She first had the Tory party whip removed by then-prime minister Theresa May in 2017 after using racist language in a discussion on Brexit. She said the consequences of having no exit deal were the ‘n***** in the woodpile’.

At the time she apologised and said it had been an unintentional slip. The party whip was returned after six months.

She later lost it again after backing a Labour move to cut VAT on energy bills.

Ms Morris explained her decision to join Reform, saying: “The country is in a desperate position. I believe now it is Reform UK that offers the vision and leadership Britain so badly needs. I want to play my part in delivering that vision.”

Her arrival among the party ranks was welcomed by Reform chairman David Bull, who said: “We are delighted. She brings a wealth of experience with her and will be a crucial part in developing the party’s social care policy as we look to build our policy platform ahead of the next general election.

“Anne Marie is just one of many who realise that Reform UK is the only party that can stop this damaging Labour government in its tracks.”

Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper said Ms Morris’ language had been ‘abhorrent’ and the people of Newton Abbot had made their views clear.

In a statement she said: “The mask has slipped, exposing Farage’s hollow claims of dragging his party into the mainstream. That Reform is embracing someone who has used such abhorrent language speaks volumes: they are the company they keep.

“Ms Morris’ constituents already made their views clear when they ejected her at the general election in favour of a hardworking local Liberal Democrat champion. The public will view Farage’s decision to elevate someone with such an appalling track record to the core of the Reform party with similar contempt.”

Caroline Voaden (Oral answers to questions 26 June – link)

(South Devon) (LD)

“Devon and Torbay combined county authority will receive just £40 million between 2026 and 2030 in local transport grant funding—less than half the amount awarded to York and North Yorkshire and a fraction of the billions given to the city regions, despite Devon having the longest road network in the country. A large local operator says that just £1 million a year would make a transformational change in Devon, where rural deprivation is well hidden. Will the Minister meet me to discuss the issues facing the bus network in Devon and the Government investment that is needed?”

Simon Lightwood,

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport

“Our long-term bus investment will support rural areas to improve local bus services. That is on top of the £712 million we have allocated to local authorities in 2025-26.”

Owl wonders if this week’s story about Labour’s proposal to scrap city mayors in favour of multi authority ones (aka mayoral strategic authorities) as part of its devolution deal, gives us a glimpse of what might lie in store.

Under Labour’s plan only strategic mayoral authorities will get serious devolved powers and funds. Unitary Plymouth now finds itself in the front line.

The immediate context is that a wealthy “businessman, entrepreneur and philanthropist” from Australia, Angus Forbes who came to Plymouth in 2019, has garnered sufficient signatures to require Plymouth City Council to hold a referendum on July 17 on whether or not to elect a mayor for the city. 

Labour have now frozen that process (see below), though Forbes has indicated he will fight the decision through the courts. Reform UK’s Plymouth branch has thrown its support behind the referendum (if it is held). 

If the referendum passes, Forbes has indicated that he will be a candidate.

Worth noting that Torbay voted to abandon its mayor in 2019. Similarly, Bristol abandoned its mayor in 2022.

The Plymouth referendum proposal has cross party opposition under the banner: “Plymouth knows better”

It has also got a bit nasty with Police issuing a Community Resolution Order against an individual following City Leader Tudor Evans claims to have received “serious threats of violence”.

The government preference for strategic mayoral authorities is for these to have a population in excess of 1.5 million. I.e. something bigger in scale than geographical Devon. 

Candidates will need huge resources or, organisational or political backing, to campaign over such a dispersed area.

In Owl’s opinion the examples of choosing Crime Commissioners and Leaders of Local Enterprise Partnerships are not encouraging. No inspired leader has emerged. The result has been mediocracy.

City mayors to be scrapped in Plymouth 

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

A question mark hangs over whether a referendum will take place in Plymouth next month after the government confirmed that city mayors will be scrapped if a new act of parliament is passed.

Minister of state for local government and English devolution Jim McMahon said in a statement this week that Labour wants regulations to “freeze processes that are underway” as it plans to simplify local government.

He said the 13 directly elected local council mayors currently in place across the country would continue but no new ones would be created.

“We must ensure precious time and resources are not spent moving Plymouth to a new governance arrangement while parliament is considering legislation that would prevent new council mayors,” he said.

But whilst any election for a directly elected mayor in Plymouth has been delayed by a year to 2027 to allow the English Devolution Bill to pass through parliament, the referendum to decide whether Plymouth residents want a mayor instead of a council leader and cabinet could still go ahead on 17 July.

The government’s move is to avoid confusion caused by establishing new regional mayors for strategic authorities which are set to be at the top of a forthcoming change to local government structure.

These authorities would oversee a small number of unitary councils in Devon  responsible for all local services, and the current two tier structure of county and district councils would disappear.

The Mayor for Plymouth campaign, spearheaded by businessman Angus Forbes, got enough support from the public to trigger a referendum at the cost of £410,000.

Mr Forbes said it wanted strong accountable leadership directly chosen by all Plymouth voters with politics taking a back seat.

Earlier this year he said his interpretation of the white paper was that Plymouth could have an elected mayor provided it is part of a strategic authority.

A ‘coalition’ group called Plymouth Knows Better was set up to urge the public to vote against it in the referendum.

It said it welcomed the confirmation today from the minister that no new city mayors will be created.

“This decision confirms that the government won’t create any new city mayors – making Plymouth’s referendum not just unnecessary, but now entirely redundant,” it said

A spokesperson added: “Local people will be rightly angry that public money is being spent on a vanity project that never had any future, all because the lead petitioner and millionaire Mr Forbes wouldn’t take no for an answer.

“The cross-party Plymouth Knows Better coalition has, from the start, tried to inform people that this position was being scrapped – and today’s news proves we were right.”

Plymouth and Sutton MP Luke Pollard said the money should be spent on filling potholes or looking after children in care.

The Mayor for Plymouth campaign has not yet commented on the minister’s statement.

Closer to home, Exeter Reform’s facebook page appears “unpaused” but its local Chair Cllr Ed Hill is claiming (25 June):

I’m still banned from the Reform UK Exeter Branch page (by Matt Sykes), so if you’re looking for updates from me, this is the place.

Please invite others to this page so they don’t miss anything important – especially those who may still think I’m able to post elsewhere.

Let’s keep the truth flowing.

The recently elected leader of Warwickshire County Council has resigned, leaving his 18-year-old deputy in charge.

Elizabeth Glinka Political Editor, BBC Midlands www.bbc.co.uk

Reform UK councillor Rob Howard released a short statement in which he said he had made the decision with “much regret”.

Howard was elected in May, when Reform made unprecedented gains in the local elections, becoming the largest party in Warwickshire and forming a minority administration.

The outgoing leader cited his health as the reason for his decision, adding: “The role of leader is an extremely demanding role and regretfully my health challenges now prevent me from carrying out the role to the level and standard that I would wish.”

He also confirmed that his current deputy, George Finch, would serve as interim leader until the council confirmed a new leader in due course.

Speaking to the BBC earlier this month, Howard said he was “not intimidated” by the challenge of running a local authority with £1.5bn of assets and a revenue budget of about £500m.

Despite resigning the top job with immediate effect, Howard confirmed he would be staying on as a county councillor.

“I am honoured and privileged to have held the role, even if only for a short time. I remain committed to my continued role working as a county councillor for the benefit of Warwickshire residents,” he said.

Extracts from Cllr Ed Hill’s social media reports on “Life as a Devon County Councillor”

19th june

…I’ve just spoken directly with Reform UK Head Office and can confirm that they were unaware of the way I’ve been treated by certain individuals in the Devon branch management.

To clarify:

I remain the Chairman of the Exeter Reform UK Branch
I remain a Reform UK County Councillor for Devon…..

20th June

..I’m still banned from the chair.exeter@reform email account, so anything sent there will go to the regional coordinator, Matt Sykes. I’m also still locked out of the Reform UK Exeter Branch Facebook page—so if you know anyone over there, send them this way for updates.

On the investigation into me allegedly bringing Reform into disrepute: due process is now underway. I gave my witness statement to Reform HQ Investigations about an hour ago—so as they say, it’ll all come out in the wash...

 21th June

..I am still banned from the Reform UK Exeter Branch Facebook group.

So, until the penny drops, any updates that would normally be posted there will be shared here instead.

Transparency and accountability matter — and I’ll continue doing what I’ve always done: keeping members and residents informed...

Is this a lockout? – Owl

South West Water manages 27, or 35 per cent, of all of England’s Blue Flag beaches, it occupies 50 per cent of the top 10 list for spills and 60 per cent of the top 10 worst performers for hours of sewage discharges.

Budleigh Salterton (264 sewage discharges), Exmouth (228) and Sidmouth (158) made up the top three.

Here is what “On the same page” David Reed is doing, posted a day after David Parsley’s article below.

Revealed: Water firms dump sewage 2,380 times at iconic Blue Flag beaches

David Parsley inews.co.uk 20 June – (Extract)

Using the Government’s official data, The i Paper has found that 26 of England’s Blue Flag beaches discharged sewage into seas more than 30 times in 2024, while nine dumped waste more than 100 times.

In all there were at least 2,380 sewage spills at Blue Flag beaches over a total period of 15,291 hours last year.

Visitors to Devon, which has more Blue Flag beaches than any other region, were most likely to experience sewage spills.

The latest figures, which could threaten the Blue Flag status of the worst offending beaches, follow claims from water companies that they are investing in improvements to mitigate sewage spills.

However, last year’s spills at Blue Flag beaches were up on 2023’s figure of 2,101 discharges, while the total hours of spills were up from the figure of 14,834.

Many of the top 10 worst performing Blue Flag beaches in 2024 were covered by South West Water, which manages water and sewage services in the holiday hotpots of Devon and Cornwall.

The beachside towns of Budleigh Salterton (264 sewage discharges), Exmouth (228) and Sidmouth (158) made up the top three.

Exmouth, which pumped sewage into the sea for 2,279 hours in 2024, tops the list in this category. The town, which has been awarded Blue Flag status seven years in a row, saw 214 sewage spills over 1,983 hours in 2023…..

……While South West Water manages 27, or 35 per cent, of all of England’s Blue Flag beaches, it occupies 50 per cent of the top 10 list for spills and 60 per cent of the top 10 worst performers for hours of sewage discharges.

South West Water said: “It is important to address that there are many factors that contribute to whether or not a beach is awarded Blue Flag status and water quality is only one of them.”…..

A new bill which the government says aims to speed up housebuilding has been described as “catastrophic for wildlife” by a nature charity.

This reinforces the point already made to the labour government but tossed aside. – Owl

Janine Jansen www.bbc.co.uk

Devon Wildlife Trust’s chief executive Nick Bruce-White has said it will give developers an open door to pay “cash to trash” the environment.

Labour says it wants to build 1.5 million homes during this parliament and 150 large infrastructure projects.

The government says the new Planning and Infrastructure Bill will deliver a “win-win” for the economy and nature by ensuring builders can meet their environmental obligations faster.

Devon Wildlife Trust has said it wants part three of the bill, entitled Nature Restoration Fund, scrapped.

Mr Bruce-White said it would be “catastrophic for wildlife by effectively giving developers licence to trash wildlife habitats”.

He said it “represents one of the most significant threats to nature that we’ve faced in decades”.

“We’ve worked really hard with government to try and make sure environmental protections are kept within the planning system, so we can both grow the economy and restore nature at the same time.

“All our work behind closed doors has been met with platitudes and false reassurances and we feel like we are being completely ignored,” he added.

‘Environmental improvements’

The government says the Nature Restoration Fund “will ensure there is a win-win for both the economy and nature by ensuring builders can meet their environmental obligations faster.”

“These changes will remove time intensive and costly processes, with payments into the fund allowing building to proceed while wider action is taken to secure the environmental improvements we need.”

At the bill’s third reading, the Minister for Housing and Planning, Matthew Pennycook said: “To those who believe this government might buckle and scrap part three of the bill entirely, I simply say, “You have underestimated the resolve of this government and this minister.”

“The case for moving to a more strategic approach that will allow us to use funding from development to deliver environmental improvements at a scale that will have the greatest impact in driving the recovery of protected sites and species, is compelling.”

Devon Wildlife Trust says often great crested newts and bats are blamed for delaying planning developments, but its own research shows they represent just 3% of planning application appeals.

The charity says sensitive and protected nature sites could be at high risk of damage or destruction under the new planning framework, with species like curlews, water voles, and the High Brown Fritillary butterfly at risk.

Members of the House of Lords will now debate the bill.

Richard Foord takes up the plight of business hampered by slow broadband speeds

He has previously criticised Devon County Council for its failure to ring-fence money clawed back from a previous scheme to connect rural areas. The county earmarked the money instead for services for young and vulnerable adults.

Owl can’t help associating the history of slow broadband speed with two prominent Tory politicians, now consigned to history.

The first is Richard Foord’s predecessor, Neil Parish, whose genuine attempts to raise this in parliament over the years have since become the butt of ribald comment, such as: “The Tory MP under investigation for allegedly watching pornography in the Commons chamber, has mentioned broadband in the Commons 58 times – mainly concerning slow connection speeds.”

Then there is the long historical connection of former Honiton councillor Phil Twiss, rejected by voters in May, to schemes that have repeatedly failed to deliver over many years.

Five years ago under a post entitled “Search begins for superfast broadband provider in Devon and Somerset”. Owl laid down this challenge to readers of “East Devon Watch”:

“Searching the archive using a combination of these terms: Twiss; broadband supremo; omnishambles, how far back can you go?“ [Answer: to the beginnings of the “Watch” in 2014 when Phil was an EDDC councillor claiming to be something of an expert, advocating an EDDC “go it alone” policy.]

The spotlight has fallen on ‘disappointing’ broadband speeds holding back East Devon businesses, raised by Honiton and Sidmouth MP Richard Foord speaking in Parliament.

Local Democracy Reporter eastdevonnews.co.uk

Businesses in rural areas like East Devon are facing ‘extraordinary barriers’ to success because of poor broadband connections, writes local democracy reporter Guy Henderson.

Digital businesses are at risk as the government delays a drive to connect the countryside to high-speed networks, it’s been claimed.

In the recent spending review, a target to get 99 per cent of the country fully switched on by 2030 was put back to 2032, an announcement which Honiton and Sidmouth Liberal Democrat MP Richard Foord said is ’disappointing’.

He told a Westminster debate on rural businesses that ordinary medium-sized and small businesses in Devon face extraordinary barriers, including being held back by a lack of reliable broadband.

Only 56 per cent of premises in mid Devon have access to full-fibre broadband, he said, which is well below the national average.

Mr Foord cited the example of one constituent, Daniel Lennox of Sidbury, who runs a home-based digital business showcasing regional theatre productions.

“It is exactly the kind of enterprise that we want to be encouraging,” he said. “It is creative, based in the community and part of the future digital economy.

“However, it cannot run properly, given the lack of a decent internet connection to Daniel’s property, which has been left with a part-copper line that is unreliable, slow and not sufficient for a digital business.”

He said the case was far from unique, and while he welcomed the government’s £5 billion investment in Project Gigabit, the rural roll-out of fast connections, the delivery is falling behind.

“We must ensure that rural businesses such as Daniel’s on the edge of villages succeed, and that they do not fail because of unreliable or unavailable broadband,” he said.

Mr Foord has previously criticised Devon County Council for its failure to ring-fence money clawed back from a previous scheme to connect rural areas. The county earmarked the money instead for services for young and vulnerable adults.

People living in a seaside town have welcomed the rejection of a developer’s bid to allow four new luxury flats being sold as second homes.

Jonathan Morris www.bbc.co.uk

A planning inspector has upheld a principal residency condition on all new build dwellings in Salcombe which means the flats are for sale only to people who live there.

“It’s about keeping Salcombe a lived-in town, not just a postcard,” said Salcombe Town Council after the ruling by a planning inspector on the flats at Brewery Quay.

Developer Valentine London said the condition made the flats “unsaleable” because potential buyers were put off.

Residents of Salcombe said overturning the ban would create a “dangerous precedent” in holiday towns like Salcombe where nearly half of all dwellings are already second homes or holiday lets.

The inspector said removing the principal residency condition would “undermine” the purpose of the policy to “redress the balance of an unquestionably high proportion of second or holiday homes in Salcombe”.

The inspector concluded the condition was “reasonable and necessary in the interest of ensuring the properties are only occupied as a principal residence”.

The town council said: “We want our streets to stay alive all year round, the school well-used, neighbours sharing a coffee and local shops and services supported by residents who call Salcombe home.

“Other coastal communities, like us with a substantial visitor economy and many houses not permanently occupied, have been closely watching this appeal.

“This decision helps reinforce the shared importance of protecting space for permanent communities in areas under intense second-home demand.”

‘Not about exclusion’

The council added: “We welcome everyone who loves Salcombe, whether you’re here all year, some of the year, or just visiting.

“What matters is that we work together to ensure Salcombe stays vibrant, resilient, and inclusive.

“Supporting principal residence new homes is not about exclusion, it’s about keeping the heart of Salcombe beating for generations to come.”

Valentine London declined to comment.

All comments on Reform UK Exeter facebook page have been “paused” following two county councillors and an election agent being reported to police by an Exeter colleague over election expenses.

Owl has previously reported that the report to police was made by Ed Hill, who was also elected for Reform in May and was the chairman of the Exeter branch but was removed from the post for what the party says was bringing it “into disrepute”.

Cllr Ed Hill posted this on social media:

“I’ve learned that I’ve been suspended from Reform UK Exeter and as a Reform councillor on Devon County Council. According to Matt Sykes, I’ve brought the party into disrepute.

It’s disappointing, especially given that the only communication I’ve received about it today was the same email sent to all members. Not even a phone call or a text.“

Yesterday he posted this follow up:

Statement from Cllr Edward Hill

I’ve just spoken directly with Reform UK Head Office and can confirm that they were unaware of the way I’ve been treated by certain individuals in the Devon branch management.

To clarify:

 I remain the Chairman of the Exeter Reform UK Branch
 I remain a Reform UK County Councillor for Devon

I continue to serve the people of Exeter and Devon with integrity, and I will not be deterred from standing up for what’s right.

This has not been acknowledged on the Reform UK Exeter Branch facebook page (see above).

Meanwhile Exeter Greens have stepped in to fill the void:

Infighting in the Reform UK party in Devon has seen two county councillors and an election agent reported to police by a colleague over election expenses.

[Fratricide on Devon County Council as reform Reform UK, in a rush to judgement, removes whistle blower from his post and the party, without telling him, for bringing the party “into disrepute”! Read on. – Owl]

Miles Davis, Bradley Gerrard www.bbc.co.uk 

Neil Stevens and his brother Tony were elected for Reform in May and documents seen by the BBC allege Neil Stevens spent about £170 more than the campaign spending limit.

This was reported to police by Ed Hill, who was also elected for Reform in May and was the chairman of the Exeter branch but was removed from the post for what the party says was bringing it “into disrepute”.

Neil Stevens said he misunderstood the process and his election agent Rob Sheridan said he was “confident” there were no errors. Tony Stevens declined to comment.

The Reform UK party won 18 seats in the Devon County Council elections held on 1 May – becoming the second biggest party on the council behind the Liberal Democrats.

Neil Stevens won the Alphington and Cowick seat with 1,126 votes – 72 votes ahead of the Labour candidate Yvonne Atkinson, with the Liberal Democrats a close third on 1,030 votes.

In county council elections, spending limits are set in each ward according to the number of voters, external.

In Alphington and Cowick the limit was set at £1,827.04 – however the election expenditure return papers for Stevens show he spent £1,995.72.

Hill was previously the election agent for Stevens but papers seen by the BBC show Sheridan was appointed as election agent on 3 June, a day before the election expenses forms were submitted.

Hill also alleges that a £250 podcast recording expense claimed by Tony Stevens, who won his Exwick and St Thomas seat by 22 votes, should be split equally between the brothers – further raising the expenditure of Neil Stevens.

Hill said he reported his concerns relating to Sheridan and Neil and Tony Stevens to the police and to the Electoral Commission on 1 June.

He said he had made “a clear promise to the people of Exeter” to “hold our candidates and councillors to the same high standards we expect of others”.

A spokesman from the national Reform UK party told the BBC: “Ed Hill has been removed as chairman of Reform UK Exeter after bringing the party into disrepute.

“There’s currently an ongoing internal investigation into the matter so we won’t be commenting further.”

Neil Stevens told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) he believed the spending limit only related to the money he had personally contributed to his campaign – £1,703.60 – and not to donations of £292.12 he received, meaning he believed he was below the spending limit.

Sheridan told the LDRS he was “confident” there were no errors and that third parties had checked them.

He added further checks to the returns were now being made, and if there had been an error, then an amended return would be filed.

Exceeding limits on candidate expenses can lead to an unlimited fine, while making a false declaration attracts the same punishment and/or up to six months in prison for a less serious summary conviction, or up to 12 months on indictment, according to the College of Policing.

A spokesperson for the Electoral Commission said the spending limit applied “to all spending during the regulated period in the run up to the local elections” including any personal money spent and donations received.

It said: “Any allegations of spending over the limit would be a matter for the police.”

Devon and Cornwall Police did not respond to requests for comment.

Social Media records the spat

A flavour of the internal Reform row can be gained from Cllr Ed Hill’s facebook screenshots below, full link here!

So much for Nolan’s seven principles of public office: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty, and leadership! – Owl

Cllr Ed Hill’s text reads:

I stepped away from the computer today and got stuck into replacing the wishbone on my car. Any mechanic will tell you—no matter how straightforward the job seems, if it’s a French car, it’s rarely simple.

Meanwhile, I’ve learned that I’ve been suspended from Reform UK Exeter and as a Reform councillor on Devon County Council. According to Matt Sykes, I’ve brought the party into disrepute.

It’s disappointing, especially given that the only communication I’ve received about it today was the same email sent to all members. Not even a phone call or a text.

That said, I’m now free to speak to the media without party restrictions. I’ll be on BBC tomorrow at 10:30, and later on LBC (time to be confirmed).

For the record, the two councillors who are actually under police investigation remain in post. I don’t think it takes an expert to see how that might come across.

Hopefully, in time, the party will reflect on this, recognise the facts, and do the right thing. Because I know I’ve acted with integrity and done nothing wrong