Category Archives: Accountability

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13 Feb 2019

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Accountability, Austerity cuts, Transport (local)

California abandons high-speed rail link as too expensive

So similar to HS2!
Los Angeles to San Francisco 383 miles for around £60 billion
London-Manchester 330 miles for around £56 billion

At least the Californians had the sense to abandon theirs!

“The big picture: The project was years behind schedule with an estimated completion date of 2033.

It had been hamstrung by political backlash in the state, and polling showed that a majority of Californians disapproved of the plan as costs ballooned.
Similar proposals for high-speed trains on the East Coast, including along the heavily trafficked Northeast Corridor between Washington, D.C., and Boston, have also fallen apart due to opposition and massive cost estimates, per the New York Times. …”

https://www.axios.com/california-high-speed-rail-cancelled-gavin-newsom-abf6bc5e-a759-47ae-adcb-92b15cce139f.html

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12 Feb 2019

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Accountability, Clinton Devon Estates, Developers/ Development, East Budleigh, EDDC, Environment (local), Natural England

Bats (and Batmen and Batwomen) in East Budleigh – today’s development

Owl hears that, somewhat surprisingly, EDDC’s Development Management Committee voted to defer the bat habitat decision.

It also appears that yesterday’s activity in and around the barn, reported by Owl here:

https://eastdevonwatch.org/2019/02/11/bats-in-east-budleigh-barn-cleared-24-hours-before-eddc-planning-committee-meets-to-decide-their-fate/

has been reported to the Police who have allocated a crime number to it.

Here is how it has bedn reported in the local newspaper:

“Campaigners fighting the proposed demolition of a known bat habitat in East Budleigh have been given ‘breathing space’.


Image: Archant, Daniel Wilkins

More than 20 members of a conservation group gathered outside Exmouth Town Hall this morning (Tuesday, February 12) ahead of a crucial meeting to decide the fate of an East Budleigh barn known to be home to rare and protected bats.

East Devon District Council’s development management committee decided to defer their decision pending additional information from Natural England about wildlife mitigation on the site.

Landowner Clinton Devon Estates (CDE) is looking to knock down the barn and build a new dwelling on the site and has offered to build a separate ‘bat barn’ on the plot as mitigation.

Speaking after the meeting, Karen Alexander-Clarke, secretary of the East Budleigh Parish Conservation Group told The Journal this decision gives them ‘breathing space’ in their fight to protect the bats’ home.

The Pound, in East Budleigh, which is subject to a planning application to demolish a barn which is thought to be home to species of rare bats.

She also said they would be writing to Natural England to lobby them and ‘emphasise that there are councillors that feel as strongly as we do’.

Speaking at the meeting, councillor Brian Bailey also raised concerns over whether the bats would take to their new home.
He said: “The bats, I feel, have been served poorly because there is no guarantee what so ever that the bats will survive the demolition or would accept their new home.”

Cllr Geoff Jung said: “This is one house and one family that is going to benefit and how many bats and other wildlife are going to benefit?”

An independent ecology report commissioned by the council recommended that the mitigation being offered by CDE be accepted.

Cllr Mark Williamson said he did not feel confident that, if they refused the application and CDE appealed, the Planning Inspectorate would back their original decision.

He said: “As we do frequently, we would look to our statutory consultees to guide us.

“Natural England is giving quite detailed guidance and they recommend the planning authority follow advice from the ecologist.”

Councillors voted in favour of deferring the application pending information from Natural England on the suitability of the proposed ‘bat barn’.”

https://www.exmouthjournal.co.uk/news/east-budleigh-bat-barn-demolition-plan-deferred-1-5889261

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12 Feb 2019

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Accountability, Claire Wright, East Devon Tories, EDDC, Otterto

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One (Tory) councillor nearly sabotaged a highways safety project in Otterton

Honestly, EDDC Tories will stop at nothing to try to stop Claire Wright …. even if they cut off their own noses to spite their faces!

EDDC Councillor Tom Wright thinks he knows better than Otterton residents. Perhaps residents angry at his intervention should ensure they DON’T tick HIS box in local elections on 2 May!

Blog of Claire Wright.

“Otterton Parish Council has agreed to part fund a 20mph limit through the village, at a packed and testy meeting last night.

[This is the road being discussed below]

The agreement was made, despite a Conservative councillor selected to stand for Otterton in the East Devon District Council May election suggesting repeatedly during the meeting that the 20mph limit was a waste of time.

This did not go down with residents who made it clear they disagreed with him.

The vast majority of the village of Otterton wants a 20mph limit. I have carried out a consultation, had a public meeting and made a case based on the policy requirements.

Also backing the proposal is the Otterton Primary School headteacher.

And the parish council wrote to Devon County Council highways officers last year to support the case.

I have worked towards this over the past year or so, but despite meeting virtually all the policy requirements, the scheme fell recently as there has not been a speed related death in the village. A traffic accident resulting in a death, yes. But not a speed related death.

This very silly rule will hopefully be overturned thanks to a new government report which a Devon County Council highways task group is currently working on. This very much emphasises a ‘can do’ approach to 20mph limits as they are beneficial in slowing traffic and

Despite having no jurisdiction over Otterton – neither a resident nor a councillor representing the village, EDDC Conservative, Tom Wright continued to pour cold water all over the plans for the revised speed limit and claimed it was a waste of money.

At one point he even accused me of blogging that I would fund the entire project myself.

I replied that this was never the intention, as the upper limit cost would use up half my entire locality budget!

I also said it was quite wrong for him to be trying to undermine my work and the wishes of the vast majority of residents of Otterton.

Nevertheless Cllr Tom Wright, backed up by two managers attending from Ladram Bay, attacked me several times for this.

The Ladram Bay managers were on the warpath because I had asked them to fund a third of the scheme, given that a significant proportion of traffic travels to Ladram Bay. Local traffic surveys have confirmed this.

Otterton Parish Council Chairman, John Fudge received a statement from Ladram Bay about an hour before last night’s meeting which he read out.

It has taken about six months for the company to produce a response following my initial approaches to them, which they ignored.

The parish council clearly had reservations about the cost and the implications on the precept so I increased my offer to half funding the scheme. This will be decided at a later date, assuming the scheme finally gets approval.

Here’s the letter:

Dear Otterton Parish

Regarding the proposed introduction of an 20mph speed limit and the request of Councillor Claire Wright for Ladram Bay to part fund.

All the present information leads to the ineffectiveness of such an initiative, during a meeting in 2018 that was held in Otterton, with the Parish Council and the Highways Authority, it was communicated by Highways that a 20mph scheme without any relevant traffic calming measures would have absolutely no effect on speed reduction. This is also backed up by the latest government research study (Nov 2018) that confirms “no significant safety outcome in terms of collisions or casualties have come following the implementation of a 20mph zone” Unfortunately no scheme can legislate against the mindless minority who unfortunately drive recklessly.

Should Devon County Council support and approve such a scheme, or come up with a different scheme with proven results, then we will certainly consider funding part of the project in conjunction with other businesses in Otterton, if approached by the Parish Council.

Please can it be noted that we, like many residents, are vexed that Councillor Claire Wright has reneged on her promise at the public meeting January 2018 to fund the scheme in it’s entirety.

Ladram Bay Holiday Park

Thank you to Otterton Parish Council for agreeing to contribute to the costs of the scheme, should it be approved. We now await the results of the Devon County Council taskgroup, which should report its findings back in the next few weeks.”

http://www.claire-wright.org/index.php/post/otterton_parish_council_agrees_to_part_fund_20mph_limit_at_ill_tempered_mee

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12 Feb 2019

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Accountability, EDDC, Lib Dem (local), Martin Shaw, Seaton/ Colyford / Colyton

Should Seaton’s disgraced ex-Mayor still be Chair of the town’s Lib Dems?

Given that Councillor Burrows (Seaton Town and East Devon district) was forced to resign his post as Seaton Mayor and is subject of at least one complaint to EDDC’s Monitoring Officer:

https://eastdevonwatch.org/2019/01/11/seaton-disgraced-ex-mayor-peter-burrows-town-council-responds-names-names/

should he still be Chair of the Seaton branch of the Lib Dems?

And he might consider amending his puff-job for himself on his “invitation only” Seaton Views Facebook page (from which he excludes or bans many people who do not share his views) where he says:

“… Peter is currently the Chairman of Seaton & District Liberal Democrats with Lewis Ragbourn secretary and Ron Farlow treasurer. The Liberal Democrats in Seaton are the only party that campaigns and informs residents outside of elections.”

Owl thinks that East Devon Alliance is constantly campaigning and informing residents of the whole of East Devon, AND Seaton in particular, with its high-profile Devon County Councillor Martin Shaw, who is campaigning and working tirelessly for Seaton and Colyton – particularly over issues of the NHS and Highways issues in that area.

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12 Feb 2019

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Accountability, Clyst St Mary, Developers/ Development, EDDC, Greater Exeter, Rural communities

Save Clyst St Mary – update

“Following the message that we received asking us to remove our banner from the fence backing onto A3052, I thought that I should write to you to let you know we are still here and continuing the fight for sustainable development in Clyst St Mary. There has been numerous items in the press regarding development in and around Exeter known as the ‘Greater Exeter Strategic Plan (G.E.S.P)’ and I have attached a copy of our latest press release which might help to explain matters a little more.

Over five years ago when we formed the Save Clyst St Mary Campaign we never expected to have received so much overwhelming support, for so many years. It really goes to show how uniting the different areas of the village can lead to a continued great outcome for everyone.

If you know someone who wants to get involved either just as a member or actively helping please let me know.”

PRESS RELEASE

“Village Life -v- Future Development

Many people favour living in a picturesque, rural village nestled in surrounding countryside with only the amenities of a village shop, post office, school, pub, hall and church. Clyst St Mary is a village where some historic areas have barely changed since late-medieval times but the settlement has expanded and progressed to incorporate the demands of the 21st century.

It is often described as a rural idyll, offering a different lifestyle than that experienced in the nearby urban City of Exeter. The old village is portrayed as charming and rustic but new contemporary designs show a progressive quality that coexists with the more traditional standards of the settlement. It remains unpretentious but with a modern, caring and vibrant neighbourhood.

This community has recently embraced considerable, sustainable housing development with the building of almost 100 new residences (a substantial quantity for a modest-sized village) to support East Devon Local Plan growth policies to 2031. However, the Local Plan also includes a further 150 dwellings allocated on brownfield land at Winslade Park awaiting planning approval, which totals approximately 250 new homes. Although it is appreciated that people need somewhere to live, such high numbers in one village go beyond growth recommendations in the Local, Villages and Neighbourhood Plans.

Crucially, there are also fears that proposals in the Draft Greater Exeter Strategic Plan (GESP) for substantial future development along the A3052 around Westpoint at Clyst St Mary will sound the death knell for this historic Devon village, with the creation of, perhaps, another new town similar to Cranbrook or building a large suburb of Exeter or a sizeable extension to the existing settlement, all of which could result in the destruction of the village identity.

The entire GESP area incorporates Exeter City, Teignbridge, Mid Devon and East Devon with a vision for the provision of new homes, jobs and infrastructure for existing and future generations while protecting and enhancing the environment. Ideally, each area would share growth, avoiding one locality being burdened by substantial, unsustainable over-development.

However, concerns are not alleviated by recent comments made by East Devon planners declaring that some communities will be detrimentally impacted by proposed GESP large scale growth recommendations, e.g. ‘…in most cases growth would have to be quite substantial to make it viable to deliver the required services and facilities to make the settlement suitably sustainable for growth and in the process could harm the character of the village and the existing community.’

http://eastdevon.gov.uk/media/2581497/040918strategicplanningcombinedagenda.pdf – (Strategic Planning Committee report – 4th September 2018, page 24, Item 9.1).

Furthermore, at the full Council meeting in October 2018 in answer to a question as to why East Devon is taking a disproportionate share of development (58% more than Exeter, 53% more than Teignbridge and nearly three times that of Mid Devon according to independent analysis conducted by CPRE), a local politician replied: “Because we have the land and we are good at it.”

Exeter City Council has just unveiled their 20-year vision for the city, which includes 12,000 new homes, cultural centres, ‘a garden bridge’ across the Exe and the creation of a comprehensive cycle and pedestrian network to tackle traffic congestion.

However, with a target of 53,200 homes proposed for the Greater Exeter areas and the propulsion for substantial business growth, surely the communities within East Devon should equally have sight of the development proposals for their localities? For example, the present Exeter Sowton Park and Ride site appears to show future development – so where will the new replacement Park and Ride facilities be located to serve Exeter?

To date, representatives from East Devon local authority, business communities and growth partnerships have maintained exclusivity regarding the proposals for the GESP large allocation sites offered by landowners for future major development. Will there be a general release to the public of this restricted information before the Local Elections in May 2019? The electorate may be reluctant to vote for expansive commercial and housing proposals that would destroy or detrimentally alter their community.

Consequently, it might be thought unwise to acquaint the populace at this time with extensive GESP growth recommendations for fear that they would be judged undesirable. Although, there will, of course, be statutory public consultation on such vast development proposals under GESP but not until after the Local Elections!

In reality, Clyst St Mary’s portrayal as an idealised village is not entirely accurate and the images below bear testimony to the daily traffic congestion which reaches unacceptable levels, where the A376 and A3052 converge at the bottleneck that is the Clyst St Mary roundabout.

At present, large volumes of HGVs serving the extensive business expansions at Hill Barton and Greendale Industrial Estates, together with huge tractors and trailers importing and exporting to an ever-increasing sized anaerobic digester, thunder through the village! Coupled with significant large levels of commuter and tourist traffic they create safety issues for residents (especially young children) accessing the village primary school, shop, village hall and play park via the toucan crossing on the A3052. Regrettably, the pedestrian footbridge is unsuitable for many users and is generally in a state of disrepair!

Only last year a resident sustained serious injuries crossing the A3052 in the village after being knocked down by a speeding car during daylight hours! Fortunately, there appears to be current medium-sized road improvements planned around the Clyst St Mary roundabout and Junction 30 of the M5 in the near future.

However, it is considered that the crucial, major road network advancement necessary in this area at present and for any future development expansion may not be forthcoming in the current uncertain and fragile financial climate. It is unacceptable for developers to build sizeable residential and business developments that access a substandard, mediocre road network. There is gridlock with the present peak time traffic let alone any future requirements. Planning cycle tracks and park and ride facilities are positive approaches but may be inadequate ‘band-aid solutions’ that will not sufficiently tackle the root causes.”

[Pictures with press release not shown here]

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12 Feb 2019

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Accountability, Claire Wright, General Election, Hugo Swire

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Research shows Swire could lose his seat to Claire Wright!

“The Conservatives would win a working majority if a general election was held now, according to YouGov modelling.

Theresa May’s party was forecast to win 321 seats – up from 317 at the last election – while Labour would lose 12 seats, the research for The Times suggested.

The SNP and the Liberal Democrats were each predicted to gain four seats, while Ukip would again win nothing.

But the market research company, which correctly forecast the 2017 result, predicted the Tories would see a fall in their estimated vote share, from 43.4% in 2017 to 39.4%, if an election was called this month.

Jeremy Corbyn’s party would also see a drop, from 41% to 34.2%, while the Liberal Democrats and Ukip were forecast to see a rise in vote share.

YouGov polled 40,119 people between February 2 and 7.

The pollsters found Labour was most likely to lose Sheffield Hallam – Nick Clegg’s old seat which was won by Jared O’Mara in the last election – as well as disgraced ex-Labour MP Fiona Onasanya’s Peterborough seat.

The Conservatives would lose Zac Goldsmith’s Richmond Park seat and Sir Hugo Swire’s East Devon, according to the research.”

https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/tories-would-lose-devon-seat-2533487?fbclid=IwAR2CUwiuUQjeXrf3u3C-_ldZ1JFFqfsoB7h6v0Fi7LrlgnsqVXvbblVhdY8

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11 Feb 2019

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Accountability, Clinton Devon Estates, Development Management Committee, EDDC, Environment (local)

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Bats in East Budleigh: barn cleared 24 hours before EDDC planning committee meets to decide their fate

Over the past two weeks there has been much activity on the Pound and within the barn. Last week one set of the double doors were removed.

Today, the barn is being emptied of its contents.

When challenged on the activity, members of the East Budleigh Parish Conservation and Wildlife Protection Group were told Clinton Devon Estates had instructed the workers to get the barn cleared.

This planning application is on the agenda for tomorrow’s Development Management Committee, where it is supposedly being decided.

Although set for approval with conditions, it is very worrying that any activity around or within the barn has disturbed or destroyed any wildlife present in advance of a planning decision.

As it has been a very mild winter thus far, it is entirely possible that much of the Pound’s wildlife will not have left.

Nothing should be being done until permission is granted and license issued by Natural England.

it makes the group wonder if the gossip mongers were right all along, in saying this application is a ‘done deal’?

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11 Feb 2019

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Accountability, Economy, Local Government Finance, Post-Brexit Adjustments

Public services: cut, slash, burn, destroy after Brexit

Brexit just a useful excuse.

“… In his annual budget in November, Hammond loosened the government’s purse-strings, giving support to the economy as it slowed ahead of Brexit. However, rising healthcare spending leaves little spare for other public services, the IFS said.

“This suggests yet more years of austerity for many public services — albeit at a much slower pace than the last nine years,” IFS research economist Ben Zaranko said.

Public services outside of health, defence and overseas aid saw budgets fall by an average of 3 percent a year in real terms after 2010, and now look set for declines of 0.4 percent a year in inflation-adjusted terms going forward, the IFS predicts.

“The (finance minister) has said that the Spending Review will take place in 2019, and that is the right moment for government to make long term funding decisions,” a spokesman from the finance ministry said in a statement.

“Outside the (health service), total day to day departmental spending is now set to grow in line with inflation, and public investment will reach levels not sustained in 40 years in this parliament.”

Due largely to the global financial crisis, Britain’s budget deficit peaked at nearly 10 percent of gross domestic product in 2009/10 — one of the highest in the world at the time — but is roughly on track to drop to 1.2 percent this year. …”

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-budget/uk-public-services-face-post-brexit-squeeze-forecasters-warn-idUKKCN1Q002T

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11 Feb 2019

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Accountability, Austerity cuts, Post-Brexit Adjustments

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Shipping company with no ships, no backer and the wrong kind of port for the ships they don’t have!

Owl can only assume, after May says she has confidence in “Failing Grayling” yet again today that he must have some Theresa May selfies in his possession …..

” … Grayling is under further pressure to explain how Seaborne was awarded the contract after weekend reports that Ramsgate authorities could not afford to run the port.

The contract was cancelled a day after Grayling contacted Thanet district council to ask it to postpone a budget that would have shut down parts of the port for use by freight shipping.

Questions remain about the viability of Ramsgate’s port for use post-Brexit. It can accommodate ships up to 180 metres long, but modern ships are typically 230-250 metres.

John Davis, a member of the Ramsgate Action Group, said: “You can’t run a double-decker bus service out of a single-storey garage on the side of a bungalow – that’s the problem.”

Questions remain about the procurement process after the DfT relied on an emergency exemption provided for by the Public Contract Regulations Act to award the contract. Eurotunnel has accused the government of “anti-competitive” and “distortionary” behaviour.

Meanwhile, Grayling’s decision to award contracts to three ferry companies, including Seaborne is being challenged at the high court. Eurotunnel, which operates the Channel Tunnel, says the contracts totalling £108m were awarded through a “secretive and flawed procurement process”. But the Department for Transport (DfT) argues that the “extreme urgency” of preparations for Britain’s departure from the EU on 29 March justified the process.

At a hearing in London on Monday, Eurotunnel’s barrister Daniel Beard QC said the procurement process for “additional capacity for transport of goods across the English Channel” had been “undertaken without any public notice being issued”.”

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10 Feb 2019

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Accountability, East Devon Alliance, EDDC

Not a party person? Become an independent councillor

Fed up with “same old” ways of doing things in East Devon? Fed up with political party coming before people? Want to do something about it?

A good start would be to attend the East Devon Alliance AGM on

Saturday 23 February 2019
11 am
Dissenters Hall, Sidmouth

(on the corner of All Saints Road at the top of Sidmouth High Street, EX10 8ER – opposite Tesco Metro)

You can talk to current EDA councillors and, if you are interested in making a difference in YOUR community, they will tell you how EDA can provide help, advice and support.

No whip, no toeing a party line, no party politics – just a group of independent-minded people working together for the benefit of everyone in East Devon.

Or, if you want to discuss this now, contact
secretaryeda@yahoo.com

Do things the 21st century way, not the 19th century way!

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10 Feb 2019

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Accountability, DCC, Economy, EDDC, Growth Strategy, Local Enterprise Partnership, Local Government Finance, Scrutiny

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“Heart of the South West, our Local Enterprise Partnership, gets its first school report and it’s not good”

Local David Daniel, a former senior government strategist, who has done much work on the East Devon economy, Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership (HotSWLEP) statistics and forecasts and county growth figures (and presented these to EDDC and Devon County Council) has provided this analysis of the current “achievements” of HotSWLEP.

It must be recalled that HotSWLEP is sucking up vast amounts of money that in the past would have gone direct to local authorities and its board members (apart from a few councillors) have vested interests in housing development, the nuclear industry, commercial banking and Hinkley C recruitment.

Here is the report:

“As a result of the 2017 Mary Ney review of Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) Governance, a newly formed Joint Scrutiny Committee is to scrutinise Heart of the South West’s (HotSW) annual performance review. This will take place on

Thursday, 14 February, in County Hall at 2.15.

There will, however, be no opportunity for public engagement or speaking and this Scrutiny Committee is not politically balanced but appointed by the very councils that agreed HotSW’s strategy in the first place.

Credit where credit’s due, this is progress! Remember, HotSW was appointed by the Government to act as our “devolution body in waiting” in 2011. It didn’t publish minutes of any meetings in the public domain until 2015. Yet it had already agreed a growth deal with the Government on our behalf the year before, 2014.

It has since published wildly ambitious strategy papers culminating with its Productivity Strategy in late 2017 aimed at doubling our local economy first in 18 years, later revised to 20 years, through transformational growth in the “Golden Opportunity” economic sectors of: Aerospace; Marine; Nuclear; Data Analytics and Healthcare. Economic growth comes from increasing the labour force and/or increasing productivity.

Demographically, the population is set to grow 0.8% p.a. but it is an ageing one and the growth of those of employable age will only be a fifth of this at 0.16% p.a. HotSW intends to “limit growth” in employment to 0.8% per annum and concentrate on raising productivity way above the national average. But even this “limited” growth in employment is five times the trend and will need substantial inward migration.

When this strategy was written, productivity in the HotSW area ranked 7th worst in England. An Office of National Statistics (ONS) report last week said: “The lowest labour productivity in 2016 was in Cornwall and Isles of Scilly. Other largely rural LEPs with relatively low labour productivity included Heart of the South West, Greater Lincolnshire, and The Marches”. The ONS now places HotSW lower at 4th worst, 18% below UK average.

We now have the opportunity to lift the lid and peer into how successful HotSW has been in meeting the targets it agreed, by reading the HotSW annual performance review for 2017, commissioned from Ash Futures.

Investment

HotSW has secured a total of some £245M to date from central government funds, though, when assessed on a per head basis, HoSW has actually received one of the lower allocations across the LEP network. These funds are supposed to be matched by funding from other sources.

LEPs have to be business-chaired and business-led and it was intended that LEPs would unlock private investment. However, the bulk of this matched funding is forecast to come from public bodies including 17% from local authorities. Only 23% will come from the private sector. In regard to this the report says: “Our consultations have also highlighted that the strategic plan is not perceived as having had any significant influence over private sector investment plans.”

Only seven of the 56 funded projects are yet complete in spending terms and so the bulk of the benefits are yet to come. Though this needs to be read in the context of a continuous stream of past funding previously distributed through Regional Development Agencies.

Of these projects, 30 are designed to create conditions for growth e.g. transport and digital infrastructure; 17 are designed to capitalise on distinctive assets in expected high growth sectors such as low-carbon and nuclear energy, marine, big data and photonics; and seven on maximising productivity and growth such as opening up employment space.

Several stakeholders feel that rural areas have been ‘overlooked’ by LEP investments and much of this due to this original identification of urban-based transformational opportunities. However, this should not come as a surprise given the composition of the original HotSW board which was dominated by individuals from a construction/development; defence/nuclear or big education background.

Here are some examples of the sort of projects submitted in the bid proposals:

£13 million to provide Hinkley C infrastructure and £55 million of pump priming to provide Hinkley housing;

a Nuclear Training College;

and one of the deals agreed includes £13.7 million loan funding to three developers to accelerate home building at: Frome, Brixham, Exeter and Highbridge. (You may ask why developers need such funding).

Much is made of the “Golden Opportunity” offered by Hinkley C. This is not the first nuclear power station to be built on the site. Hinkley A was constructed between 1957 and 1965 and Hinkley B between 1967 and 1976. So there should be plenty of historical evidence of the short and long-term economic benefits of such developments. Where are they or are they too insignificant to be found? It is no longer obvious that this is a growth industry.

Economic Measures and Growth

Lack of progress in making any significant changes to our economy are best illustrated by two direct quotes from the review:

“…….the review of economic data leads to the overall conclusion that the HoSW economy, at best, continues to track the ‘baseline’ growth scenario. That is, there is no firm evidence that it is achieving either ‘strong’ or ‘transformational’ growth as aspired to in the Strategic Economic Plan.” [Baseline – continuing to fall behind UK average; Strong – keeping pace with UK average; Transformational – faster than UK average]

“The plan outcome measures and objectives in the current economic environment do not currently look achievable, certainly in the short-term. Some of this is outside of the LEP partnership’s control (with more muted conditions nationally). However, the fact that many of the Strategic Plan outcome measures are expressed in relative terms does means that even if significant absolute improvements have been made to the HoSW economy, they may still never meet their outcome measures given that other areas will grow more quickly, notably London and South East. It is our view that some of the outcome targets, particularly those associated with the ‘transformational’ target, now look very aspirational in their nature.”

The only areas on track appear to be in the delivery of broadband coverage and in housing development density (development rates against existing stock).

Conclusion

For an unelected body that made a pitch to Government eight years ago that it could transform the local economy, including, initially, delivering health and transport, this below average performance from unlocking investment to falling productivity surely can only be seen as a failure?

The review catalogues the “critical issues” (excuses) for shortfalls: the economic context has changed; the expected ‘freedom and flexibilities’ have subsequently been rolled-back by Government; parameters [strings] have been tied around what could be funded; HoSW is a relatively new ‘construct’ and does not naturally represent a functional economic, or political, area as found elsewhere in the UK.

But that’s life. Any worthwhile strategic plan needs have been developed to be robust against a set of likely future scenarios. The “critical issues” listed above shouldn’t have come as surprise and the sensitivity of the plan to these sorts of “issues”, some use the term risks, should have been examined and reported. Another essential component, given the extreme uncertainty of how to improve productivity, should have been the development of a set of metrics and a feedback mechanism. So it is heartening to see that the reviewers make this recommendation:

“Currently, there is no ‘feedback loop’ back to the Strategic Investment Panel to develop its understanding of ‘what has worked well, and what not’ with investments made. Whilst we recognise that many projects are still at an early stage of development, we feel this is a missed opportunity. A better understanding of how investments have developed would lead to better long-term decision-making.”

On the basis of this review, is HotSW delivering value for money (our money)?

SOURCES:

Joint Scrutiny Agenda and Ash Futures Review reports pack:
https://democracy.devon.gov.uk/documents/g3570/Public%20reports%20pack%2014th-Feb-2019%2014.15%20Heart%20of%20the%20South%20West%20HotSW%20Local%20Enterprise%20Partnersh.pdf?T=10

Office for National Statistics latest productivity data:
https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/labourproductivity/articles/regionalandsubregionalproductivityintheuk/february2018#results-for-local-enterprise-partnerships-and-city-regions

HotSW Productivity Strategy:

Click to access HeartoftheSouthWestProductivityStrategy.pdf

HotSW Strategic Economic Plan

Click to access Non-tech-summary-FINAL.pdf

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10 Feb 2019

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Accountability, East Devon Tories, Voting

Vote for (Tory) me and the kid gets it!

… Which well-known, long-serving Tory councillor was overheard suggesting to children at a youth club that a vote for him would be a vote for a skate park?

Presumably meaning votes by their parents – not even an EDDC Tory would be that thick? Er ….. moving on …

Naughty, naughty councillor – your card is marked …!

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10 Feb 2019

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Accountability, Sleaze

“Failing Grayling” political cv: how being gobsmackingly incompetent is no bar to ministerial office

THIRTEEN MASSIVE BLUNDERS CATALOGUED HERE.

What does this man have on May? Or (heaven forbid) is this the best she can do?

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/chris-graylings-catalogue-failure-13-13978573

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10 Feb 2019

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Accountability, Local Government Finance

“Basildon Council to sell land it bought for £1m for £1”

“A council is to sell a plot of land it bought for £1m two years ago to the developer of a four-star hotel – for £1.

Basildon Borough Council’s oversight and strategy committee approved the scheme for land next to Basildon Golf Club, which will also see it pay an estimated £500,000 for an access road.

The council said the project was “an exciting step forward for the area”.

But critics have described it as a “bad deal”.

The authority bought the land in March 2017 for more than £1m, according to council papers seen by the BBC, in a bid to ensure a “high quality” hotel was built on the site.

‘Back to the drawing board’

After a bidding process, Bran Investments was selected as the council’s preferred developer.

The company carried out a study which found that while there was demand for a hotel, the anticipated room rate was below the original expectation. This led it to revise its proposal and offer a notional purchase price of £1, according to the council report.

The council, which can sell land for less than its market value if the project boosts the borough’s economy, said the hotel would create 50 jobs once open and 100 people could be employed during the construction process.

Conservative council leader Andrew Baggott said: “This is an important and exciting step forward for the area and the borough.”

Basildon Council independent councillor Kerry Smith said:

“This is a bad deal – it doesn’t weigh up.

“I think they need to go back to the drawing board and open the bids again and let’s see who we get.

“This sixth bidder has been offered the £1 deal. The other five, who they have totally rejected, haven’t been offered this deal which is costing taxpayers money.”

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-47172198

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9 Feb 2019

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Accountability, Disability issues, Inequality, Rural communities, Transport (local)

“Almost half of England’s bus routes ‘at risk due to lack of funds’ “

“Almost half of England’s “vital” bus routes could be scrapped due to a lack of funding, according to local authorities.

Local Government Association (LGA) analysis found the free bus pass scheme was underfunded by about £652m in 2017-18.

It said councils were having to fill the gap between government funding and the cost of the scheme, with free bus passes for off-peak travel being a legal entitlement for those over 65, or those with a disability.

However, the constraints have meant local authorities have been spending less on discretionary services such as free peak travel, post-school transport and supported rural services.

Almost half of all bus routes in England receive partial or complete subsidies from local councils.

The services are at risk as councils struggle to maintain the current levels of support, the LGA warned.

It called on ministers to bring back full funding of the costs of the concessionary travel scheme.

More from UK

“An estimated funding gap of £652m a year for concessionary travel is unsustainable for councils already struggling to protect other subsidised bus travel in rural areas, or helping young people with their travel costs,” said LGA transport spokesman Martin Tett.

“Properly funding the national free bus pass scheme is essential if the government wants councils to be able to maintain our essential bus services, reduce congestion and protect vital routes.

“If this is not addressed in the spending review it could lead to older people having a free bus pass but no bus to travel on.”

Department for Transport figures showed local bus journeys in England fell by 85 million – or 1.9% – in the year ending March 2018.

The councils say more than 3,000 supported bus services since 2010-11 have been either withdrawn, reduced or altered.

“It is for councils to decide which bus operations to support in their areas, but we help to subsidise costs through around £250m worth of investment every year,” a Department for Transport spokeswoman said.

“£42m of this is devolved to local authorities and a further £1bn from government funds the free bus pass scheme, benefiting older and disabled people across the country.”

https://news.sky.com/story/almost-half-of-englands-bus-routes-at-risk-due-to-lack-of-funds-11632137

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9 Feb 2019

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Accountability, Post-Brexit Adjustments, Sleaze

Government contract with no ships ferry company terminate

Owl says: Another astounding example of “Failing Grayling” ineptitude. After screwing up Work and Pensions and Justice he was let loose on transport. He’s obviously in line for next Brexit Minister (unless Swire gets there first).

“A controversial ferry contract awarded to a firm with no ships as part of no-deal Brexit plans has been scrapped by the Department for Transport.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling’s decision to award Seaborne Freight a contract worth £13.8 million had attracted widespread criticism.

The department said it had decided to terminate the contract after the company’s Irish backer, Arklow Shipping, pulled out of the deal.

A DfT spokeswoman said: “Following the decision of Seaborne Freight’s backer, Arklow Shipping, to step back from the deal, it became clear Seaborne would not reach its contractual requirements with the Government. We have therefore decided to terminate our agreement.

“The Government is already in advanced talks with a number of companies to secure additional freight capacity – including through the port of Ramsgate – in the event of a no-deal Brexit.” “

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9 Feb 2019

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Accountability, Democracy, Local Government Finance

Labour to offer councils direct access to Westminster

“Labour has announced proposals for a new representative body for councils to give them a regular voice at Westminster and a direct say on policy.

Andrew Gwynne, the shadow communities and local government secretary, will set out the plans for a local government commission, made up of leaders from all types of local authority.

Under Labour, the representatives would meet every month with the communities secretary and other cabinet ministers and “inform decision-making”, Gwynne will say in a speech to the Local Government Association (LGA) conference in Warwick.

Labour said the current communities secretary, James Brokenshire, had met directly with just one council in April to June last year, the last three months for which records were available.

There have been significant cuts to central grants for councils since 2010, and the LGA says its members are facing a funding gap of £3.2bn in the next financial year.

In his speech, Gwynne will argue that councils are hugely neglected by the centre of government, all the more so given that a Labour calculation found that 44% of the commitments in it 2017 manifesto would have fallen directly or indirectly to local authorities in England to implement.

He will say: “For nine years, ministers have sat in meetings in Whitehall and cut funding to councils hundreds of miles away, never having to see the library that is closed, the potholes that go unfixed and the elderly people that go without care as a result.

“To fix our broken political system which has left people disconnected and disillusioned with Westminster politics, we need to put local people and communities at the heart of decision-making.”

The new commission would “ensure that councillors can influence every decision that affects local councils”, he will say. “We need their guidance, your support and your advice, in ensuring that from Whitehall to our town halls we are being as effective as possible in helping our hardworking communities. Gone will be the days when we have a secretary of state for local government that doesn’t want to know local government.”

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/feb/09/labour-unveils-plan-to-give-voice-to-neglected-councils

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8 Feb 2019

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Accountability, EDDC, Local Government Finance

Oh noooooo…..”£20m investment fund to be set up so East Devon can buy property and raise cash to balance budget”

Owl says: THAT COST-NEUTRAL MOVE TO HONITON SEEMS TO HAVE COST AN AWFUL LOT!

Owl can see it now …. and it isn’t nice …

“East Devon District Council is set to join the growing number of councils who are investing in property to help balance its budget.

The cabinet have recommended to full council that up to £20m be allocated to an investment fund, either from existing resources or funding from the Public Works Loan Board.

The money would then be drawn down and invested as and when required and would be expected to give the council a net return of £450,000 a year.

East Devon District Council is set to join the growing number of councils who are investing in property to help balance its budget.

The cabinet have recommended to full council that up to £20m be allocated to an investment fund, either from existing resources or funding from the Public Works Loan Board.

The money would then be drawn down and invested as and when required and would be expected to give the council a net return of £450,000 a year.

Any decision on investment of more than £5m would have to be made by the council, but delegated authority to the Deputy Chief Executive in consultation with Leader, Portfolio Holder for Asset Management, Portfolio Holder for Finance and Portfolio Holder for Economy would be given for anything less than that.

Tim Child, Senior Manager – Property & Estates, told the cabinet on Wednesday night that the Commercial Investment Framework was a strategy to help deliver income that would be gleaned from land and property and that the overview committee had supported the principle of it.

He added: “This is a method tried and tested by other authorities. Some have done this and others are trialling it. The model we are set to go with reflects the low risk appetite for East Devon and some of the investments will be within East Devon.”

Chief Executive Mark Williams added: “As the new council prepares for the 2020/21 budget and the £2m funding gap and a 13 per cent reduction in our budget, we will have to do something and a lot of engagement with the public around it. As part of that engagement, I dare say public will say what are you doing to protect the services, and one of those things is to engage in low risk activity to try and generate some income by investing in property.”

Cllr Philip Skinner, portfolio holder for the economy, said that he was very supportive of the idea and was the kind of work the council needed to do. He said: “I look at Torbay, and they are known as a basket case, but they have put together a fantastic financial team and have made some phenomenal investments up and down the country.

“They are doing a really good job, and want to make investments in our patch, so we need to make sure we get there first, as there is a speed that you need to move at in the commercial world as good deals don’t last long as other people recognise that there are good deals.

“We need to make these investments to ensure we can find a way to cover the funding gap we will be facing. We need to wake up and smell the coffee on this. I am very supportive of this and this is the kind of work we need to be doing.”

Among the investments Torbay Council has made includes purchasing a bakery in Bodmin from Proper Cornish Ltd for £3m, with a council spokesperson saying that investment in properties from Cornwall to Kent will raise an estimated £2.8m and that they need to generate more income to fund local services due to budget cuts.

Cllr Mike Allen added: “This strategy is very important. The amounts are small compared to other authorities who are borrowing up to £100m, but this is a prudent way of filling the black hole gap we have in the revenue income.”

Leader of the council, Cllr Ian Thomas, added that the council was taking a very professional approach to an area that they historically haven’t covered very well.

Concerns though about the strategy were raised by Cllr Roger Giles, who said that he would have thought that people generally would want the council to borrow money to provide services for residents and to borrow to provide additional housing for the less well-off residents.

He said that property investment brings with it the potential for significant risk if things go wrong and there were concerns about the public perception of making these investments, particularly if they are outside of East Devon.

Concerns though about the strategy were raised by Cllr Roger Giles, who said that he would have thought that people generally would want the council to borrow money to provide services for residents and to borrow to provide additional housing for the less well-off residents.

He said that property investment brings with it the potential for significant risk if things go wrong and there were concerns about the public perception of making these investments, particularly if they are outside of East Devon.

The cabinet agreed with the overview and scrutiny recommendation hat there should be a Council Tax increase of £5 a year made on an Band D council tax property, taking the meaning the average tax payer will be charged £141.78 a year for 2019/20.

They also agreed to recommend that a vacant post within the Economy Portfolio at a cost of £25,000 be reinstated. The deletion of this vacant post in the draft budget was agreed by the Strategic Management Team as a saving in line with Transformation Strategy “Fit for Purpose” imperative as they believed the saving could be made through efficiencies and would not impact the service, but the cabinet disagreed and said that it would help free up the economy and planning teams from their current pressures.”

https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/20m-investment-fund-set-up-2525158

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8 Feb 2019

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Accountability, East Devon Alliance, East Devon Tories, EDDC, Independent Councillors, Mark Williams CEO EDDC, Voting

Guess which council is very picky where it (sort of) recruits new councillors?

Teignbridge District Council is actively promoting new councillor candidates via numerous events throughout the district.

When challenged, EDDC it seems is not – choosing instead to send CEO (and supposedly neutral civil servant) Mark Williams to selected events, only upon invitation. Like trueblue Budleigh Salterton.

It’s almost like they don’t want any new candidates signing up – thus allow the incumbents to romp back home without a contest thus maintaining (their trueblue) status quo…

Odd that …..

And maybe time to check that electoral roll again.

We don’t want to find ourselves with 6,000+ too few voters again do we, Mr Williams.

As Private Eye might say: Shom mistake shurely …

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8 Feb 2019

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Accountability, Environment (local), Post-Brexit Adjustments

UK-US trade deal: the gift that keeps on taking

“Preparations for a no-deal Brexit are intensifying in London, Dublin and Brussels.

We report today on 30 of 130 demands from American lobbyists from any future UK-US trade deal.

We all know about chlorinated chicken, but corporates have also asked to US Department of Trade for changes in NHS drug rules, weaker data protection, carcinogens in pistachio nuts, lowering food safety standards and fresh ways to sue the British government.

It’s quite a wish-list.”

Source: The Waugh Zone, 8 February, Huffington Post