Wants to live in the countryside only Monday to Thursday and could “relocate to a Cheltenham townhouse at the weekend” to enjoy shopping, medical facilities, theatres and restaurants.

Just how many houses do people think they are entitled to? Don’t ask about the buses and how to get to the surgery. And all those second homers spoiling the idyll! – Owl

Will Humphries, Southwest Correspondent www.thetimes.co.uk 

A magazine editor who moved to the Cotswolds to pursue the good life has been ridiculed by locals after she publicly bemoaned the lack of taxis, the small size of schools and the presence of farm vehicles.

Jade Beer, the former editor-in-chief of Condé Nast’s Brides magazine, moved her family out of London six years ago after growing tired of “the sheer mass of people, weary of battling the daily commute and the long hours”. She wrote in the Evening Standard that they were “blissfully happy” after buying a cottage near the market town of Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire, “on a sprawling estate and we had views of cows to the front and sheep to the back”.

However, things took a turn for the worse when she realised that the countryside was not serenely quiet.

“Come summer, everyone who owns a motorbike seems to descend on the Cotswolds in large convoys, ditto vintage cars,” she said. She bemoaned the fact that her village had one taxi driver who needed to be booked “a week in advance” and only offered pick-up times he was willing to do. She also said the nearest hospital was 45 minutes away, and claimed her house was haunted.

She added: “In the immediate vicinity of our home there are half a dozen holiday rentals that are let almost year-round . . . We’ve seen mobile cocktail vans pull up outside for hen parties and cars thoughtlessly blocking shared driveways. If you are unfortunate enough to buy a house next to one, there is little you can do about it, since the owners typically do not live locally themselves.”

Beer said she wished she lived in the countryside only Monday to Thursday and could “relocate to a Cheltenham townhouse at the weekend” to enjoy shopping, medical facilities, theatres and restaurants.

Her comments provoked a storm of local ridicule. “What a ridiculous, small-minded, entitled, pompous moaner,” one person said.

Another said: “I live in the Cotswolds and I speak for many here. Move to Cheltenham if you must or, preferably, back to London and stay there. People like this push prices up and squeeze locals out of the housing market.”

Alun White, mayor of Stow-on-the-Wold town council, told The Times: “People should study an area before they move to it. We are deep in the heart of the country here and you can’t expect inner-city services.”

Beer is not the first media figure to come unstuck in the country. Liz Jones, the Mail on Sunday columnist, had her mailbox shot at in 2009 after she wrote disparaging remarks about the locals in Dulverton, Exmoor. She moved back to London in 2012.

The Conservative party has been asked by the election watchdog to explain how Boris Johnson found £60,000 to pay for the refurbishment of his Downing Street flat.

James Tapper www.theguardian.com 

The Electoral Commission said it had contacted the party “to establish whether any sums relating to the renovation works fall within the regime regulated by the commission”.

The inquiries are likely to lead to further tension between the watchdog and some Conservatives. Last year the party’s co-chair, Amanda Milling, condemned the commission as being “simply not fit for purpose” and the party called for the watchdog to be abolished unless it was stripped of many of its powers.

Labour said the prime minister should say whether any “special favours” are owed to donors who allegedly funded his and fiancee Carrie Symonds’ extensive redecoration of the flat they share above 11 Downing Street.

The Daily Mail reported yesterday that a “secret” £60,000 payment for part of the work was made by the Conservative party last summer. This was reimbursed by Lord Brownlow, the newspaper reported, but the donation was not declared to the Electoral Commission or the House of Commons register of interests.

Lord Brownlow is an entrepreneur and former Tory vice-chairman who was made a life peer in 2019 by Theresa May.

Symonds’ £200,000 interior redesign is not covered by the £30,000 annual allowance that the prime minister receives for his accommodation, and Downing Street has been trying to set up a charity to pay for it.

Allegra Stratton, the prime minister’s press secretary, said earlier this month that “every twist and turn” of the refurbishment would be recorded, but added: “Conservative party funds are not being used to pay for any refurbishment of the Downing Street estate.”

The Electoral Commission sought to play down its inquiries, saying that it talked regularly to all political parties about funding, adding: “We are in contact with the party to establish whether any sums relating to the renovation works fall within the regime regulated by the commission.”

A Conservative party spokesperson said: “All reportable donations to the Conservative party are correctly declared to the Electoral Commission, published by them and comply fully with the law. Gifts and benefits received in a ministerial capacity are, and will continue to be, declared in government transparency returns.”

All the major political parties have been fined by the Electoral Commission in recent years, but it has been targeted for criticism by many pro-Brexit MPs and campaigners.

Jacob Rees-Mogg, the leader of the Commons, said the commission was not trusted to be impartial. Meanwhile, the committee on standards in public life, an independent body which reports to the prime minister, announced last summer it would be conducting a review of electoral regulation including the Electoral Commission’s remit.

The Conservative party submitted a lengthy criticism of the commission to the CSPL’s review, including a call for the commission’s powers to be handed over to Companies House. Others calling for abolition included Jon Moynihan, who donated £100,000 to Johnson’s leadership campaign.

That was followed in October by news that the commission’s chair, Sir John Holmes, a career diplomat, had been forced out of his position last year.

Labour has said that the Tory call to abolish the Electoral Commission is a “harmful and worrying step for the integrity of our democracy”.

Counting at the May elections will be delayed in England because ballot papers will need to be quarantined in case people have sneezed Covid onto them.

Where and how will they be securely stored? – Owl

By Christopher Hope, Chief Political Correspondent www.telegraph.co.uk

Thousands of council seats, along with mayoral elections and Police and Crime Commissioner elections will take place in England, as well as assembly elections in Scotland and Wales, on Thursday May 6.

New guidance, titled Covid Secure Elections 2021, from Lawyers in Local Government – a group which represents council solicitors – “recommends that Ballot papers will be quarantined for 24 hrs prior to being handled by staff”.

This will mean that the count will start on Saturday May 8, not Friday May 7.  

The group said this was “in the pursuance of limiting risk, and making sure the process is as safe as possible given many people used to count are over 50”. The last over-50s are due to be vaccinated just a week before election day.

One of the concerns is that tipping out the ballot papers could allow germs left there by voters to infect people counting the papers.

Jim McManus, Hertfordshire County Council’s director of public health who helped drew up the guidance, told the Telegraph added: “From our perspective, we also looked at what other elections did and will continue to review the evidence.

 “Our continued question is whether tipping out large quantities of ballot papers from boxes can generate aerosols.”

However, Association of Electoral Administrators which represents council returning officers played down concerns about the safety of polling cards which are mailed out to voters ,saying “there is no need to quarantine ballot papers before commencing the verification or count process” as long as usual Covid safety protocols are observed.

It also emerged as many as one in four council workers might not turn up to help with the count. Somewhere in the region of 100,000 are needed to staff polling stations on May 6.

Around 40,000 polling stations will be open to voters from 7am to 10pm on the day, with two or more staff in each.

Some councils are struggling and looking to fill up to 100 vacancies, while others have just a handful of posts outstanding.

The Telegraph has learned that 2,000 civil servants and volunteers from the National Citizen Service have now been drafted in to help deal with the shortfall.

Election teams are also looking to recruit reserve polling station staff, to avoid any last-minute issues should anyone need to self-isolate.

Polling expert Lord Hayward said the final result of the elections might not be available for up to five days after election day this year.

A Cabinet Office spokesman said: “The Government is providing a range of support to ensure these polls are COVID-secure and effective.”

BORIS Johnson and his Cabinet have broken the UK Government’s transparency rules by failing to disclose ministers’ outside earnings, it has been reported.

Laura Webster www.thenational.scot

According to the Ministerial Code, the Government must publish a statement “covering relevant ministers’ interests” twice a year – there has not been one published since July 2020. The last to appear before that was in December 2019.

Payments and other interests worth millions of pounds have now not been published for nine months.

Alistair Graham, the former chair of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, has said the failure to publish these interests is “scandalous”.

The failure to put out the information is understood to be linked to the resignation of Alex Allan, the PM’s independent adviser on ministerial standards. He quit the role last year in protest as Johnson refused to sack Priti Patel over alleged bullying.

Allan has not been replaced after four months – it is unclear whether the post was ever advertised.

The revelation that ministers are breaching the rules comes as Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross demands Nicola Sturgeon’s resignation over claims she broke the Scottish Government’s Ministerial Code.

The UK’s latest list on ministers’ interests was due to be published in January and, with Allan’s former position still vacant, it is not clear when this document will be released.

According to OpenDemocracy, it could take months to publish it even once Allan is finally replaced. This is because there is a backlog of 137 ministers to go through, and compiling the information involves interviews and correspondence.

Some ministers have large portfolios to comb through. For example, Jacob Rees-Mogg is estimated to be worth between £70 million and £200m. He also has a 20% share in an asset management firm, among other holdings and investments.

Zac Goldsmith was also included in the most recent Sunday Times Rich List with an estimated net worth of £285m.

A spokesman for the Cabinet Office insisted a new list would be released in “due course”.

Money raised from the sale of council homes will be diverted away from building new social housing under new plans announced by the government.

www.independent.co.uk

Under the policy confirmed by ministers on Friday councils will not have to use the receipts from Right To Buy sales to build council homes to replace those sold off.

Housing and homelessness campaigners have criticised the move and say it will make the housing crisis worse for people on low incomes and lengthen council waiting lists.

Under the announcement, councils will soon be able to use the cash to fund schemes to help people buying houses, which are generally targeted at people on higher incomes.

The cash will be available to use for shared ownership homes, which in some parts of the country can be unaffordable to even relatively wealthy buyers.

It will also be available to fund ministers’ First Homes scheme, which offers market rate properties with a 30 per cent discount for qualifying buyers.

While individual councils will on paper be able to choose to keep funding social housing instead, the ministry of housing acknowledged concerns that there could be “a potential implicit pressure for councils to favour supplying shared ownership properties because of their lower debt costs” with council budgets under pressure.

The ministry said it would explain why this would not be a problem in the future.

Polly Neate, chief executive of the charity Shelter, said the policy was “a step in the wrong direction”.

“We are already selling off more social homes than we build every year. Now the money from these sales will be funnelled into home ownership schemes that are far out of reach for average renting families, rather than building more of the secure and affordable social homes we so desperately need,” she said.

“With more than a million households on the waiting list, and potentially many more people facing homelessness in the aftermath of this pandemic, this new proposal is the last thing we need.

“The government should instead be focusing on building a new generation of social homes that could actually tackle the housing crisis.”

Council homes sold under Right To Buy tend to end up in the hands of private landlords, with an estimated 40 per cent of all those sold under the scheme now rented out for profit.

The number of council homes sold under the policy increased five-fold in six years after David Cameron’s government lifted a cap on the policy and increased discounts.

A pledge by the government that homes sold would be replaced like-for-like is nowhere near to being met, with around two thirds not replaced as of 2020.

As of June 2020, 85,645 homes have been sold through the policy since it was updated in 2012, but only 28,090 built to replace them.

In a consultation response posted to its website, the ministry for housing, communities, and local government said the government intends to “allow local authorities the option to use Right to Buy receipts to provide properties for shared ownership as well as for social and affordable rent.

“Since the receipts consultation was issued, the government has announced the new First Homes scheme, which will enable first-time buyers to access discounts of at least 30 per cent on new build properties in their area compared to market prices.

“Local authorities, who know their local areas best, will have the flexibility to shape the scheme to support those most in need of help in their area. To support them in helping to deliver First Homes, the government will also allow local authorities to use Right to Buy receipts to fund First Homes.”

The ministry added: “We recognise that some respondents were concerned about a potential implicit pressure for councils to favour supplying shared ownership properties because of their lower debt costs, while others noted practical questions not previously encountered in Right to Buy, such as whether receipts from staircasing would count as Right to Buy receipts. We recognise that local authorities may also have questions around using receipts to fund First Homes.

“We will publish guidance clarifying all these practical questions and making it clear that there is no obligation on any local authority to use Right to Buy receipts for shared ownership properties or First Homes and that it will be down to individual authorities whether they make any use of this flexibility based on the needs of the local area.”

All coastal towns in England will be eligible for government funding to help them reopen as restrictions are eased, under new plans set out by ministers.

BBC News www.bbc.co.uk

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said the £56m fund would also “spruce up” high streets and help councils welcome visitors back safely.

Pubs can erect marquees in their gardens for longer and there will be a crackdown on “cowboy parking firms”.

Labour said it was a “drop in the ocean” in terms of what areas needed.

England’s current “stay at home” regulations are expected to be lifted on 29 March, with most restrictions eased in various steps by the 21 June, based on certain conditions being met at each stage.

Announcing the latest tranche of funding, Mr Jenrick acknowledged it had been “an incredibly difficult period for retail and hospitality”.

He said the government would do everything it could to help businesses reopen safely.

There has been concern about how coastal areas in particular will cope with an expected influx of visitors.

When the first lockdown was eased last June, seaside resorts were gridlocked, with Bournemouth declaring a “major incident” as people flocked to the beach.

Mr Jenrick said that this time, £6m of the £56m Welcome Back fund would be specifically allocated to support coastal areas.

The remaining £50m will be distributed by central government to councils for things such as improving green spaces and providing more outdoor seating areas, markets and food pop-ups.

He also announced the government would be “cutting red tape” to allow pubs to erect marquees in their gardens for “the whole of the spring and summer”, rather than the 28 days currently permitted, so people can meet up with their family and friends “whatever the weather”.

And in a bid to attract more shoppers to the high street, ministers have announced a crackdown on cowboy parking firms.

There will be a new appeals process to try to curb unfair tickets and caps will be introduced on private parking fines.

The struggles of the hospitality sector amid multiple lockdowns have been well documented. And the independent retailers’ trade body Bira says the past 12 months have been the worst of its members’ lives – with crucial in-person Easter and pre-Christmas trade lost.

Once non-essential shops can open again, from 12 April in England, and any help to attract people back will no doubt be welcome. Businesses will want to make the most of pent-up demand in a safe way.

The same goes for hospitality. Assuming social distancing will still be in place at least to start with, maximising outdoor space will be crucial for venues which have it – especially during the first phase of their reopening when only outdoor service will be permitted.

Packages like these for high streets and towns won’t fix the long-term challenges facing town centres: shoppers going online, leaving big high street stores increasingly empty. Some customers have grown so used to internet shopping during a year of lockdowns that the habit will stick.

The hope will be, however, to make this a summer to remember after a winter to forget.

Government officials say this will “give drivers more confidence in heading into town knowing they won’t be unfairly penalised by rogue operators”.

Mr Jenrick said: “As we move to the next stage on the road map out of lockdown, we are all looking forward to being reunited with friends and family outdoors and making a safe and happy return to our favourite shops, cafes, pubs and restaurants.

“Our Welcome Back Fund gives every city, town and high street support to prepare for a great summer. This funding will help councils and businesses to welcome shoppers, diners and tourists back safely.

“As soon as the road map allows, we need to get behind our local businesses and enjoy all that this country has to offer and that we’ve been missing so much.”

But Labour has accused the Conservatives of presiding over “decades of decline”.

The shadow communities secretary, Steve Reed, said: “This is just a drop in the ocean compared to how much the Conservatives took away over a decade when they pushed our high streets and seaside towns into deep decline – and it’s not clear which areas will benefit.

“The Conservatives have done nothing to level the playing field between high street shops and online retailers. Now they want to hollow high streets out by selling off temporarily closed shops to wealthy developers so they can never reopen as shops again. “

“Last year I wrote about chocolate cake at a planning meeting on Facebook. Someone commented ‘I hope they choke on their cake’ and I ‘liked’ that comment. That was enough for the executive and officers to pursue me for six months, subjecting me to a standards hearing and splashing my name in all the papers saying that I had ‘incited violence’.

“They pretended to feel threatened by my cake story they spent £5,000 of public money and concluded that I’d brought the office of councillor into disrepute. So it’s hilarious that now the leader of Teignbridge Conservatives is standing squarely behind the comment ‘I know where you live… we are going to literally f*** you lot up you bull****ing thieving b****rds’.”

Cllr Liam Mullone who leads the Newton Says No party

A recommended read, draw your own conclusions – Owl

Daniel Clark, local democracy reporter www.radioexe.co.uk

Teignbridge District Council’s HQ [Compare Blackdown House – Owl]

Conservative leader asked to denounce “intimidation”

Police are investigating reports that the son of a prominent Teignbridge politician sent threatening messages to a councillor.

Cllr Liam Mullone (Newton Says No party) has reported comments allegedly left on Cllr Mullone’s Facebook page by Andrew Bullivant, the son of Conservative leader on Teignbridge District Council, Phil Bullivant.

The comments are understood to have involved allegations of unfounded criminal behaviour by the ‘Newton Says No Group’ that Cllr Mullone leads, as well as threats towards him. One comment is believed to have said: ‘I know where you live… we are going to literally f*** you lot up you bull****ing thieving b****rds.’

Cllr Mullone has said that he takes the threats seriously and has called for Cllr Bullivant to step down from his role because he hasn’t condemned the action and harassment allegedly made against him.

He said: “Cllr Bullivant, when asked to simply disavow his son’s lies and threats, merely said that I was ‘reaping the whirlwind’. By which he seems to mean that you should expect threats and intimidation if you question his tactics.

“We raised a legitimate concern: that his son was friends with the lead developer and the lawyer advocating for NA3 – people the council had to fight, at massive public expense, in judicial review – and asked whether this was healthy. We did it through the proper channels. And the price for asking questions, apparently, is sanctioned intimidation.

“My problem, and that of my group, was entirely with Cllr Bullivant and the fact that you advocated for, and voted on, a development that would directly benefit your son and his friends. We had the right to raise this conflict of interest and we did it via the proper channels. We reluctantly accepted that you are allowed to do that. We left it there.”

He added: “It was your son who decided to spring to your defence and take this into all-out war, and to continue with it, and you seem to think that this is all right and proper, because we dared to question you in the chamber?

“I have to take threats seriously because I have a family, but I’m not bothered about the insults. I showed them to the whole council mostly because I find the hypocrisy sort of funny.

“Last year I wrote about chocolate cake at a planning meeting on Facebook. Someone commented ‘I hope they choke on their cake’ and I ‘liked’ that comment. That was enough for the executive and officers to pursue me for six months, subjecting me to a standards hearing and splashing my name in all the papers saying that I had ‘incited violence’.

“They pretended to feel threatened by my cake story they spent £5,000 of public money and concluded that I’d brought the office of councillor into disrepute. So it’s hilarious that now the leader of Teignbridge Conservatives is standing squarely behind the comment ‘I know where you live… we are going to literally f*** you lot up you bull****ing thieving b****rds’.”

But Cllr Bullivant said that he had no plans to step down from his role, the allegations of impropriety by him have not been proven, and that Cllr Mullone and his colleagues have previously resorted to attacks on those in favour of the NA3 development, including the ‘Rogues Gallery’ set up on their website before their election to the council.

Cllr Liam Mullone leads the Newton Says No party

He said: “In his attempt to justify fighting the NA3 development, Liam Mullone and his colleagues have resorted to a series of attacks against anyone who has a different opinion or believes in delivering the homes approved under the neighbourhood plan approved in 2013.

“The often vicious and malicious attacks have been made without recognition or acknowledgement of the facts and seem designed to vilify Teignbridge District Councillors, Teignbridge Officers and anyone who dares to question the NSN narrative.

“The allegations have been treated very seriously by Teignbridge who have incurred considerable costs in having independent examination of the facts and in every case found that the tactics employed by the NSN group have lacked credibility and have never been based on the true facts.”

He added: “In my case, they tried to implicate my family and I in a planning issue affecting part of NA3.

“Despite my adhering strictly to the full code of conduct and taking no part in any debate over the application and withdrawing from discussions during the debate, NSN then accused me of taking part in a debate over a different application, from a different land owner with a different team of advisers that had or has no connection with me or my family. This issue, because of the serious nature of the allegation was referred by me to the legal team of Teignbridge to conduct an independent review and establish the true facts.

“The resulting investigation carried out by a qualified person with no association with Teignbridge or any political party was completed last year and found that there were no conflicts of interest, and that the correct declaration of interest and actions had been taken and I had fully met the requirements of the Council.

“The matter was also passed by NSN to the police who confirmed no offence had been committed.”

Cllr Phil Bullivant is the opposition Conservative leader on Teignbridge District Council

Cllr Bullivant continued: “Despite the evidence, the in depth investigation, the lack of any link between the two planning applications the latest desperate moves by NSN and their supporters to move attention away from their actions is very concerning, particularly to anyone who believes in the truth.

“Their latest attacks seek to implicate my son, an estate agent who practices in Plymouth and Bristol because he has an unconnected professional relationship with one of the parties that brought forward the application that I declared an interest in and therefore took no part in discussions or decisions is not worthy of comment as the fact speak for themselves.

“NSN would do better to look after the interests of College and Ambrook wards rather than pursue their vindictive and aggressive agenda designed to sully the reputation of and bring down Teignbridge District Council.”

A police spokesman said: “Police are investigating reports that threatening messages were sent to an individual in Newton Abbot between November 11, 2020, and January 25, 2021. Police enquiries continue.”

At a time when the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital was battling Covid outbreaks, experiencing severe pressures and working with a significant number of staff absences, an announced visit by inspectors was carried out.

Anita Merritt www.devonlive.com

A focused inspection was carried out at the hospital by independent health and social care regulator the Care Quality Commission (CQC) on January 19, because the trust had experienced more than one outbreak of hospital transmitted Covid-19.

The aim was to observe infection prevention and control measures, and speak to staff.

Just days before, the hospital revealed it was currently in the midst of its biggest surge of coronavirus patients since the pandemic began, with numbers expected to keep rising over the next few weeks.

At that stage, 186 people had died of the virus at the hospital as of January 12, and the total number of beds occupied with Covid-19 patients was 94, as of January 7. The total number of Covid related absences was 300 on January 6.

At the time of the CQC inspection, more than 7,000 of the 8,000 hospital site staff had been vaccinated, and patients were being vaccinated in line with the government directed vaccine program.

Also more staff had been given influenza vaccines than ever before.

The results of the inspection have been published today and the hospital has been praised for the ‘effective’ way it has been dealing with the pandemic.

It was also acknowledged the toll that dealing with the virus has placed upon staff, but that they have continued to deliver great care.

Amanda Williams, CQC’s head of hospital inspection for the South West, said: “I am pleased to report that Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital had effective processes in place to support standards of infection prevention and control, including managing cleanliness and creating a suitable environment.

“Staff received training in safe infection prevention and control procedures in line with national guidance and were aware of the trust’s IPC (infection prevention control) policies.

“In addition, the trust was focused on learning from mistakes and continuously improving IPC practices. There was an action plan in place to meet identified goals. Auditing of all infections had taken place and learnings had been shared across the trust.

“However, there were isolated occasions, particularly during busy periods, when some infection prevention control measures were not being followed according to recommended guidance.

“We have asked the trust to monitor this and take action to assure themselves of compliance regarding the appropriate levels of personal protective equipment, including enhanced personal protective equipment, to ensure its use is in line with national guidance.”

It was confirmed that all frontline staff were Covid-19 tested twice a week, and agency and bank staff were tested on their arrival to the ward, with results provided in minutes.

During the pandemic it was noted elevated levels of staff sickness had been experienced by the trust and it had created increased risk during the ongoing pandemic.

In December 2020 it had caused the trust to raise an internal incident alert.

The report said: “The strain of this was raised during our inspection by staff and leaders and was recognised by all as a strain on staff wellbeing.

“We were provided with data which showed that some improvement in staff sickness levels was evident. Senior team leaders considered this was due in part to improved testing of staff and improved infection prevention and control procedures within the trust.

“We observed support material and access to support services within the hospital. These included posters,leaflets, and screensavers. Staff told us they were able to raise concerns they may have about their physical and mental wellbeing and felt they would be heard.”

It added: “It was evident from speaking with staff that the challenges created by the pandemic had a physical and mental effect on their wellbeing, but they remained passionate about providing quality care to patients.

“We saw staff provide care in a compassionate way regardless of the difficulties created by Covid-19, and patients were comforted and reassured by kind and caring staff.”

Hospital leaders were praised for recognising staff fatigue by making wellbeing a major focus, such as having additional annual leave, rewards, and a full suite of support for staff psychological and physical health.

In terms of combating the numbers of patients with Covid-19, it was reported that all patients were tested for Covid-19 with a test on admission to the hospital, and then on their third and fifth day.

It was noted there was a plan to increase the frequency of patient testing to every other day.

It was added patients were tested 24 hours prior to being discharged to a care home, to their home with a package of care or if going home to a member of the family who was vulnerable.

Key points noted during the inspection included:

• Leaders operated effective governance processes. Staff at all levels were clear about their roles and accountabilities. Governance structures and the communication within them were effective to ensure that changes and learning supported patient safety across the trust.
• Leaders understood and managed the priorities and issues the service faced. They were visible and approachable in the service for both patients and staff.
• Staff felt respected, supported and valued. The service had an open culture where staff could raise concerns without fear.
• It was evident from speaking with staff that the challenges caused by the pandemic were both physically and mentally challenging, but they remained passionate about providing quality care to their patients.

• The service collected reliable data and analysed it. Staff could find the data they needed, in easily accessible formats. The information systems were integrated and secure.
• Leaders and teams used systems to manage performance effectively. They identified and escalated relevant risks and issues and identified actions to reduce their impact.
• All staff were committed to continually learning and improving services. There were systems and processes for learning, continuous improvement, and innovation. Leaders and staff also collaborated with partner organisations to help improve services for patients.

RD&E chief executive Suzanne Tracey said: “We welcome the CQC inspection and report that underlines the excellent work that has gone on across the Trust to keep our patients and staff safe, during one of the most challenging periods ever experienced by the NHS.

“We have worked very hard to ensure that we have followed – and at times gone above and beyond – the national guidelines recommended by PHE in our drive to be safe. As we move into a lower prevalence period we must continue to be vigilant, and we will continue to review our infection control measures to ensure that they are proportionate and effective.”

IFS research economist uncovers unbalanced application of inflation estimates leading to deeper “real” cuts than appear from a superficial look at the budget – Owl

Philip Aldrick, Economics Editor www.thetimes.co.uk

Rishi Sunak’s departmental spending cuts in the budget were deeper than thought, analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies shows.

The chancellor took advantage of a change in the Office for Budget Responsibility’s inflation outlook to cut everyday spending budgets by £4 billion in cash terms from 2022-23 onwards while holding fast to the government’s principle that it is ending austerity.

However, the IFS found that he did not apply the same principle to the OBR’s higher inflation forecast for 2021-22. Rather than raise cash spending, he held it.

Ben Zaranko, an IFS research economist, said the double standards showed that the claim that the cut was a response to the altered inflation outlook did not stand up to scrutiny.

“Describing this as simply a ‘mechanical change’ is misleading. It’s a choice,” he said.

As the higher inflation estimate for 2021-22 more than offset the lower estimate for 2022-23, the price level in 2022-23 is higher than previously forecast, which makes the cut even deeper in real terms, he added.

The overall impact of the November spending round and the March budget was to reduce spending by £14 billion from 2022-23 compared with plans before the pandemic.

As protected departments such as health and schools have separate cash deals, unprotected departments including justice and local government face an ever deeper squeeze.

“The plans in the budget mean spending 8 per cent less on unprotected services in 2022-23 than the government was planning prior to Covid — despite the extra demands caused by the pandemic,” Zaranko said.

Sunak unveiled a significant increase in public service spending in the budget. Day-to-day spending on public services is on course to grow 3 per cent above inflation over the parliament.

A Treasury spokesman said: “This is categorically not a return to austerity. We are significantly increasing public spending with a £72 billion rise over this year and next. We remain committed to investing in our vital public services.”

Even under the “New Guard” EDDC has been granting planning permission to extend caravan sites within the AONB e.g most recently Pooh Cottage, Budleigh Salterton and there seems to be never ending expansions at Ladram Bay.

If this sets a precedent then such permissions would seem to be open to successful legal challenge – Owl

“Even if I only take into consideration the development of the Service Field, that is a significant intrusion into the AONB, contrary to a host of local and national policies. This case is in my view a more extreme version of Thornton Hall – the interests of the credibility of the planning system weighs heavily in favour of quashing the permission.” Mrs Justice Lieven

Alex Davis www.devonlive.com

A campaign group in North Devon has succeeded in quashing planning permission to allow a holiday park to extend land into an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Croyde Area Residents Association (CARA) filed the lawsuit against Parkdean Resorts and North Devon District Council to reverse planning permission from January 2014, granting Ruda Holiday Park expansion into green field areas around Croyde Bay.

The group claimed that North Devon Council unknowingly gave Parkdean permission to place an unlimited amount of caravans on the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty after approving a change to the resort’s opening dates.

The case was heard in the High Court of Justice on March 4 and 5, with a decision being made by Mrs Justice Lieven.

Mrs Justice Lieven stated in her judgement: “Even if I only take into consideration the development of the Service Field, that is a significant intrusion into the AONB, contrary to a host of local and national policies. This case is in my view a more extreme version of Thornton Hall – the interests of the credibility of the planning system weighs heavily in favour of quashing the permission.”

“It would be very hard to explain to a member of the public why a permission which was granted in complete error and where the developer has now got a permission which gives him what he originally sought, i.e. the extension of operating times, should not be quashed.”

Croyde Area Residents Association was set up in response to increasing tourism in the Georgeham area. The association raised over £40,000 from local backers to file the lawsuit, in what they named a ‘David v Goliath’ fight.

Service field to be used for holiday park expansion

A spokesperson for CARA said: “CARA is delighted that Mrs Justice Lieven has quashed the harmful 2014 planning decision that unlawfully permitted expansion of Ruda Holiday Park into green undeveloped fields in the area of outstanding natural beauty in the Croyde Bay area.”

“This is the right decision for this beautiful natural landscape and the environment. We are relieved that this result has, for now, put the AONB and environment back at the forefront when it comes to proposals for any development in this precious area.”

“We want to thank our legal advisers Richard Turney and Alex Shattock of Landmark Chambers and Lisa Foster and her team at Richard Buxton Solicitors for their patience, commitment, expertise and practical approach to this important legal action.”

“Finally, and not least, we are hugely grateful to all those who have supported us from near and far. The funds we needed to raise to bring this legal action were substantial and the time and effort required pursue this case, considerable.”

“We could not have done this without the generosity, good spirit and good will provided by so many along the way. This decision represents a significant achievement for the many hundreds of people who have contributed in so many ways.”

“Whilst CARA fronted this action, it has been buoyed up by a much wider community of people who care about preserving protections to ensure that beautiful areas like this continue to be there for everyone not only now but in the future as well.”

Parkdean resorts, who own Ruda Holiday Park, currently own 67 holiday parks across the country, with four in Devon and eight in Cornwall.

In October 2013, the park applied for an “extension of the time limits during which the holiday park may be open”, using a site location plan which extended into unused land, as well as 12 hectares of land owned by third parties.

In November 2016, Parkdean Resorts submitted a planning application to station 50 within the Service Field to the North East of the park, meeting objection from the National Trust and regional AONB Partnership Officer.

After withdrawing the application in December 2017, the resort applied for a Lawful Development Certificate for siting caravans in the Service Field, claiming that the 2014 permission permitted the use of the entire red-lined area of the site location plan. After an appeals process, this was granted in February 2020 and challenged by CARA in July 2020.

A Parkdean Resorts Spokesperson stated: “We have been in frequent contact with the local parish council and local planning authority and have followed all the appropriate legal procedures.

“Our relationship with residents in the local area is very important to us and we look to maintain an open dialogue with the local community.”

North Devon District Council are yet to comment.

A bid to build 59 retirement apartments and an office block off Salterton Road in Exmouth has been rejected.

East Devon Reporter eastdevonnews.co.uk 

East Devon District Council’s (EDDC) Planning Committee turned down blueprints for the four-storey ‘extra care’ facility – exclusively for over-70s – earmarked for a plot next to Tesco.

They also panned the inclusion of a two-floor employment space as a ‘sweetener’.

Previous blueprints for just retirement apartments on the two-and-a-half-acre site were turned down by EDDC in 2017 – with a subsequent appeal also rejected on 2019.

The site is allocated as employment in the council’s Local Plan and applicant YourLife Management Services Ltd – a joint-venture by McCarthy and Stone and Somerset Care – changed its proposals to include office space.

The site off Salterton Road in Exmouth.

EDDC planning officers had recommended that the scheme be approved.

But Exmouth Withycombe Raleigh representative Councillor Brenda Taylor said: “This has gone on for far too long. We don’t need another block on Salterton Road and we have plenty of care homes.”

Fellow ward member Cllr Steve Gazzard, who proposed refusal, added: “This revised plan is slightly amended and a sweetener offered to the council by the four business units.

“But the plan hasn’t addressed the issues of the marketing for the site and is snubbing the Neighbourhood Plan and we either agree that they are important and take note or we might as well have not bothered.

“We have more than enough of care facilities in Exmouth, and we have one around the corner.”

Cllr Philip Skinner said: “We are desperate to have flat employment space for Exmouth and the clear lack of employment space is evident for everyone to see.

“I cannot support this and it throws against everything that we do.”

Cllr Olly Davey added: “They have just tagged on four industrial units which is not enough to compensate the loss of the employment land. We have lost so much employment land and there is an overprovision of care homes.”

From the planning application – an artist’s impression of the proposed building.

EDDC officers had recommended that the scheme for approval.

Development manager Chris Rose said in a report to the committee: “On balance, while the proposal would conflict with certain elements of the development plan, the economic benefits and the creation of additional jobs, particularly in this time of significant economic difficulty, is considered to outweigh the loss of a relatively small area of allocated employment land.”

Councillors voted to reject the application on the grounds of the loss of employment land.

McCarthy and Stone last year responded to criticism of its plans, saying the ‘much-needed’ scheme could inject £10.9million into the local economy.

‘Extra care’ is described as ‘suitable for tenants with a heightened level of assisted care requirement’.

Every now and then in the pushing-boulder-uphill world of local government, the stars align and a really good thing is enabled which creates a brilliant outcome.

Paul Arnott www.exmouthjournal.co.uk

At this week’s Poverty Working Group at East Devon District Council, I listened in as our officers set out the wonderful new beginning for a new project addressing both our climate action and poverty relief agendas.

Just last August, our officers put in a bid for £500,000 from the government’s “Green Homes Grant Local Authority Delivery Scheme”.

This scheme is one of the early manifestations of the universally desired idea that as we recover from the pandemic a large part of that fresh start should be to deliver on the green agenda.

There is agreement on this across the political spectrum

Our East Devon officers’ bid to the scheme was successful, one of 55 such local authorities in the country, and as a result they will have been able between January this year and the end of March to have installed no fewer than 100 council-owned homes with air-source heat pumps, an amazing effort.

These are, in essence, retro-fitted units mounted on outside walls which take atmospheric warmth and, through a process akin to reverse refrigeration, create heating warmth and hot water for homes.

This has two permanent positive effects. Firstly, it will drive down the fuel bills for council tenants hugely.

They won’t go to zero, of course, as you still need some electricity to drive the pumps. But, heating and hot water bills will hugely decrease.

That is why this was reported at the Poverty Working Group meeting, chaired excellently by Cllr Megan Armstrong, because of the most pernicious forms of real poverty, that around fuel has been on the increase for many years.

We will all know someone who has to choose between turning a radiator on and affording the ingredients for a meal. It’s grinding, Dickensian, and there should be no place for this in the twenty-first century.

Alongside the implications for lowering costs to tenants, this also fits into our council’s climate change agenda. Only ten months ago,

I was able as new Leader to create a specific Cabinet role for a Portfolio Holder for Climate Action, Cllr Marianne Rixson. We are committed as a council to carbon neutrality by 2040, and the time for action is now. This is a great start.

However, there is a long way to go. We also need to do a lot of work to seal homes against heat loss, easier said than done in some of our older housing stock, and begin to look at what we can do with photo-voltaic panels.

The reality is, it may be even more productive to strive for net zero by making sure that new housing stock being built – whether for the public or private sector – is as compliant with the aims of carbon neutrality as possible, that it exceeds current standards where at all possible.

For example, there is an increasing argument for timber framed new builds, allowing for different types of wall construction more ambitious than just rendered breeze block.

There is a desire to source materials as locally as possible, reducing the air/lorry/sea miles incurred in transporting them to site. With new builds, it is possible to look at ground source heat pumps too, perhaps serving multiple units of accommodation, and larger solar/pv schemes.

Happily, all of this is right at the centre of the government’s agenda. Signals are being sent that very serious money will be made available for councils and companies who are seeking to join forces in this. It’s no cakewalk – councils may have to find matched funding for huge grants, as may companies, but it’s a start.

And the political weather for all of this seems to have changed permanently. At the Poverty Working Group meeting, there was accord across councillors of all parties and none. Long may this last.

Government launches new £5bn ‘Project Gigabit’

More than one million hard to reach homes and businesses will have next generation gigabit broadband built to them in the first phase of a £5 billion government infrastructure project.

Up to 510,000 homes and businesses in Cambridgeshire, Cornwall, Cumbria, Dorset, Durham, Essex, Northumberland, South Tyneside and Tees Valley will be the first to benefit as part of ‘Project Gigabit’.

Chloe Parkman www.cornwalllive.com

Up to 110,000 homes in Cornwall are set to be connected to the fastest broadband in the world.

Cornwall – along with the Isles of Scilly – will be among the first areas to benefit from Project Gigabit, the Government’s new £5 billion scheme to bring the fastest broadband on Earth to hard-to-reach areas.

The government-funded projects will prioritise buildings that currently have the slowest connections and which would otherwise have been left behind in broadband companies’ rollout plans.

The areas include Launceston, Callington, Looe, Camborne-Pool-Redruth and Penzance.

Their available speeds will rocket to more than 1,000 megabits – or one gigabit – per second, meaning families will no longer have to ‘battle’ over bandwidth and will give people in rural areas the freedom to live and work more flexibly.

Gigabit-capable broadband connections offer the fastest and most reliable speeds available.

Digital Infrastructure Minister Matt Warman said: ”Our £5 billion Project Gigabit will dismantle the digital divide and level up rural communities in every corner of the nation, and I’m thrilled that Cornwall will be one of the first areas to benefit.

“As we build back better from coronavirus these lightning-fast internet speeds will level up Cornish communities making them more attractive places to live, raise families and start businesses.”

Up to 510,000 homes and businesses are set to benefit across the UK, with Cornwall down as one of eight areas announced as the first in line for procurement alongside Cambridgeshire, Cumbria, Dorset, Durham, Essex, Northumberland, South Tyneside and Tees Valley.

This will rise to a million in June.

Project Gigabit will invest a record £5 billion to incentivise network providers to build to areas deemed “commercially unviable”.

Areas with the largest proportion of premises identified as hard-to-reach or connected to slow speeds will be first in line for support.

The successful Gigabit Broadband Voucher scheme is also being extended with a £210 million cash injection to give people in rural areas immediate financial help to get gigabit speeds.

Additionally, the government is making £110 million available to connect public sector buildings in the countryside – such as GP surgeries, libraries and schools – with this revolutionary infrastructure.

Tim Dwelly, Cornwall Council Cabinet member for culture, economy and planning, said: ”As we have seen during the coronavirus emergency, the importance of good, reliable and fast broadband connections has never been more vital.

“Cornwall being earmarked as one of the first places to benefit from Project Gigabit will have a positive impact for local businesses and enable thousands more to reach out to new customers and revolutionise the way they operate.

“But it’s also the connections between families and communities, as well as enabling many to work efficiently from home in these difficult times, that is welcomed.

”Our great connectivity is one of the reasons global leaders will be coming to Cornwall for the G7 and this will further our reputation as a great place to do business and connect with the world.”

The first areas will see spades in the ground in the first half of 2022.

Cornwall Council has called on the hotel which is set to host the G7 summit to halt “unauthorised” works.

[What chance for what Whitehall probably regards as a ” National Strategic Infrastructure”, and how are they going to get President Biden’s “The Beast” around those winding lanes? – Owl]

Richard Whitehouse www.cornwalllive.com

The Carbis Bay Hotel has started work on building three pods which will provide nine meeting rooms.

However it started work before submitting a planning application to Cornwall Council, which led to a number of protests from people unhappy about the works which have seen some trees removed.

Cornwall Council said that its enforcement officers were investigating the works and has now called on the hotel to stop the works.

The council said in a statement: “Cornwall Council have investigated these works and determined that planning permission is needed.

“We can confirm that a planning application has been registered and publicised on our web site. Members of the public are invited to make comments in respect of the proposed development which comprises ground works and the stationing of three single storey buildings to be used as meeting rooms.

“When buildings works are being carried out that need planning permission, we advise owners that they may have to remove the buildings if they do not gain permission.

“Planning legislation does not give us powers to stop works whilst we determine the application, but we urge owners to do so.”

It added: “The council is seeking urgent discussions with the owners of the hotel and continues to investigate tree loss. The council will be discussing with the owner mitigation for the impact that the works have already had upon the environment.”

Concerns have been raised by local residents over ongoing development at the Carbis Bay Hotel complex, after a number of trees were felled.

Tim Dwelly, Cabinet member for economy and planning, said: “As a council, we say to any landowner that they should cease unauthorised works and only go ahead if/when the works have planning permission.

“We always urge landowners to respect this request. I had expected Carbis Bay Hotel to do exactly this, in response to the enforcement case triggered by complaints about tree felling and laying of concrete foundations without planning permission.”

Pictured on Saturday, March 13, the controversial ongoing development work at the Carbis Bay Hote ahead of the G7 Summit in June,l which has seen an area of trees cleared.

He added: ““I hope the hotel now takes note. Local people should have their comments considered through the transparent planning process, one which weighs up the pros and cons of development at this site in an objective, considered manner.

“This will be much harder should any further unauthorised and permanent works continue.”

The supreme court is to hear a challenge to the government’s decision to hold voter ID trials in 2019 in a case that could have implications for the wider rollout of the scheme.

Haroon Siddique www.theguardian.com 

The government is expected to introduce a bill in the spring to make photo ID mandatory from 2023 for all UK-wide and English elections despite warnings it would disenfranchise working class and minority ethnic communities.

Neil Coughlan was unsuccessful in a legal challenge to prevent pilots at 10 local authorities at the May 2019 elections but has now been granted permission to take his claim to the UK’s highest court.

The LGBT Foundation and Stonewall, representing the interests of individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or trans, and the Runnymede Trust, Operation Black Vote and Voice4Change, representing the interests of black, Asian and minority ethnic voters, have also been allowed to take part in the supreme court case.

Coughlan, 68, a retired voluntary worker who lives in Witham, Essex, one of the areas where the 2019 pilots took place, said: “I am hopeful that the supreme court judges will agree that when hundreds of individuals were denied their vote in the 2019 local elections because of voter ID pilots, that should have been only as a result of an act of parliament following proper scrutiny.

Neil Coughlan: ‘Requiring individuals to produce identity documents is going to deprive legitimate members of the electorate of the vote.’

“Requiring individuals to produce identity documents is going to deprive legitimate members of the electorate of the vote and I believe it will disproportionately affect the poor and marginalised members of our society.”

Coughlan, who is raising his legal fees through CrowdJustice, lost his case at the court of appeal last year, although one judge said the arguments were “finely balanced”.

Among the arguments Coughlan’s lawyers, from Leigh Day, will make, is that the court was wrong to say measures to combat electoral fraud were consistent with what parliament intended because they would encourage and facilitate voting in the longer term. He says a demand for ID such as a passport, driving licence or utility bill at the polling station “frustrates the facilitation and encouragement to vote”.

Cat Smith, shadow minister for democracy, said: “Voting is a fundamental democratic right, not a privilege for those with the right form of photo ID.

“The range of different civil rights and charity groups supporting this case is testament to the widespread impact this policy will have of suppressing voters across all sections of society.”

The trials at English council elections in 2018 and 2019 permitted voters in different areas to show a variety of documents, but the proposed law is expected to mandate photo ID such as a passport or driving licence. Approximately 11 million electors (24% of the electorate) hold neither of these items.

Tessa Gregory, a solicitor with Leigh Day, said Coughlan hoped that the appeal would show how mandating voter ID “will exclude those at the margins of society whom our democratic institutions need to work the hardest to engage”.

A date has yet to be fixed for the supreme court hearing.

Chloe Smith, minister of state for the constitution and devolution, said: “A local electoral card will be available free of charge from their local council for anyone who wants it.”

The UK’s first electric commuter flight is to depart from Exeter Airport and land at Newquay Airport.

[But don’t book your tickets just yet – this is early stage research/development – Owl]

Anita Merritt www.devonlive.com

If the test flights are successful it could lead to hybrid-electric aircraft zipping about the region.

It follows a successful bid to UK Research and Innovation’s £30 [M?] Future Flight Challenge from a consortium led by electric aviation firm Ampaire.

The consortium – which also includes Rolls-Royce Electrical, University of Nottingham, Loganair Ltd, Exeter and Devon Airport Ltd, Cornwall Airport Ltd, Heart of the South West LEP, and UK Power Network Services – has received £2.4m from the Future Flight Challenge for its £5m 2ZERO (Towards Zero Emissions in Regional Aircraft Operations) programme.

It involves putting in place and testing the infrastructure needed to enable electric planes to operate within existing airport and airline operations.

The 2ZERO project is running from December 2020 to May 2022. It will see electric aircraft test flights taking off at Exeter Airport and flying to Newquay Airport.

The demonstration flights will be carried out using Ampaire’s six-seat Electric EEL aircraft and, in a later phase, with a 19-seat Eco Otter, hybrid-electric retrofit of the workhorse Twin Otter commuter aircraft. These test aircraft will be used to develop and evaluate requirements for a fully integrated electric aviation infrastructure.

The 2ZERO team believes an effective demonstration of hybrid-electric aircraft in an integrated system, including the necessary charging and battery storage infrastructure, could lead to a fundamental shift in regional airline operations.

Emissions would be reduced by up to 70% with hybrid-electric aircraft and entirely with a subsequent generation of all-electric aircraft.

Successful demonstration up to 19 seats and 1 MW of power will help to shape regulations and standards which currently have gaps for these new classes of aircraft and airport operations.

2ZERO is seen as an important step towards being part of an exciting new market, forecast by UBS to be worth US$178billion to US$192billion globally between 2028 and 2040.

Andrew Bell, chief executive of Regional and City Airports, the owner of Exeter Airport, said: “Our 2ZERO programme is incredibly exciting for us and the South West region.

“Exeter is an important regional airport and this project really puts us on the map as a forward-looking airport and demonstrates our commitment, along with our partners, to making the future of aviation a sustainable one.”

Karl Tucker, chair of HotSW LEP, said: “We’re delighted to be part of this successful consortium bid to UKRI. The South West has so much to offer, including boasting the most highly skilled workforce in the aerospace sector and our smart aviation cluster.

“This programme is a huge step forwards in transforming the future of air travel and helping the UK to achieve its target of net carbon flights by 2050.”

Susan Ying, Ampaire senior vice president for Global Partnerships, said: “For electric aviation to become commonplace, and play a significant role in reducing greenhouse gases, we need to look at not only electric aircraft but the entire ecosystem to support electric aviation. That will be a key aim of the 2ZERO programme.”

From a sharp-eyed correspondent.

An unfortunate juxtaposition on Devon Live!

Currently, local authorities are not obliged to publish FOI request replies.

This can allow them to hide embarrassing information from the wider public.

How can local authorities say that they believe in and practice transparency.
By making it compulsory we can have transparency.Sign this petition

petition.parliament.uk /petitions/571527

At 10,000 signatures…

At 10,000 signatures, government will respond to this petition

At 100,000 signatures…

At 100,000 signatures, this petition will be considered for debate in Parliament

Share this petition

“Councils should not hide details of their borrowing and investments from the public” an Information Tribunal has ruled in a decision that will help to shine a light on local authorities’ risky investment practices.

“Responsibility for holding local authorities to account for their borrowing and spending decisions ultimately falls on voters. Voters must be informed to make those decisions.” – Meg Hillier, Chair Public Accounts Committee

Argument that disclosure “would damage the council’s commercial interests” – rejected

This is an another exampled of a Conservative Council trying to hide its “secret deals” behind a screen of “commercial sensitivity”. They have been successfully called out by The Bureau of Investigative Journalism.

Thurrock council must give details of £800m loan

Andrew Ellson, Gareth Davies www.thetimes.co.uk

Councils should not hide details of their borrowing and investments from the public, a tribunal has ruled in a decision that will help to shine a light on local authorities’ risky investment practices.

In a victory for campaigners, a freedom of information tribunal has ordered Thurrock council in Essex to disclose which councils it borrowed £800 million from and what “green energy” deals the money financed.

The council took out loans from more than 150 local authorities and then poured more than £800 million into what it believed to be money-spinning renewable energy ventures. This may have been a breach of guidelines which state councils should not borrow in an attempt to make a profit.

Last year The Times revealed that in one £145 million solar power deal the council paid £5 million of taxpayers’ cash in commission to a globetrotting supercar fan.

The loans and investments were overseen by Sean Clark, the council’s finance director, who was also responsible for dealing with finance requests under the Freedom of Information Act. He rejected an FoI request from the Bureau of Investigative Journalism to reveal which councils Thurrock had borrowed from and what deals that money had financed, arguing that it would damage the council’s commercial interests. His decision was upheld by the information commissioner.

The Bureau pursued the case, supported by The Times, and this week the tribunal rejected the council’s argument, saying there was “significant public interest in transparency”.

Meg Hillier, chairwoman of the Commons public accounts committee, said: “Responsibility for holding local authorities to account for their borrowing and spending decisions ultimately falls on voters. Voters must be informed to make those decisions.”

Owl has found a fuller quote from Meg Hillier:

“I applaud the determination of The Bureau for pursuing this and winning a victory for taxpayers.

As the information rights tribunal judge says – responsibility for holding local authorities to account for their borrowing and spending decisions ultimately falls on voters. Voters must be informed to make those decisions. Let the public judge what level of risk they are content to bear with the money they pay in taxes for essential local services.“

East Devon attraction Seaton Jurassic needs someone new to run it after Devon Wildlife Trust has called it a day after five years.

Is this another example of an “Old Guard” seaside “regeneration” project failing? Fingers crossed for Queen’s Drive, Ocean etc. – Owl

Radio Exe News www.radioexe.co.uk 

Challenges posed by the covid pandemic have made it an incredibly tough year. As with all attractions, it has had to close for much of the past 12 months. But now the need “to undertake substantial, costly renovations to the attraction’s exhibitions” have led the trust to decide now is the time to hand over to another manager.

 Owned by East Devon District Council, Seaton Jurassic opened in 2016 and a quarter of a million people have now visited to explore its  interpretation of the story of life and its evolution from the Jurassic to the present day.

Devon Wildlife Trust’s Chief Executive, Harry Barton, said: “We’re very proud of what we have achieved at Seaton Jurassic over the past five years. The team of staff and volunteers we’ve built have done great work establishing the centre. We have also developed good and supportive partnerships with East Devon District Council and the wider community of Seaton.”

Councillor Nick Hookway, East Devon District Council’s portfolio holder for tourism, sports, leisure and culture, said: “We’re very sorry to hear this news but understand that the pandemic has had a dramatic impact on many, including Devon Wildlife Trust (DWT) and East Devon District Council (EDDC). Our partnership at Seaton Jurassic has been of immense benefit to the town and the many visitors that have enjoyed Seaton Jurassic.”

Councillor Paul Arnott, East Devon District Council’s leader, added: “We cannot let this moment pass without thanking the huge number of volunteers from Seaton who have given so much time to keep the centre going against the odds. EDDC will ensure that any future plans are the subject of a full community engagement with the people of Seaton.”