A decent “old school” Tory, one of the few with principles, who was prepared to put Devon before party and speak truth to power especially in negotiating the tricky subject of devolution. He was not afraid to say “no” to a Tory Government, for example on imposing “Mayors” on rural communities. – Owl

Adam Manning www.exmouthjournal.co.uk

The leader of Devon County Council has announced he is leaving the post after 15 years.

John Hart became Leader of Devon’s opposition Conservative Party in 2007 and won power of the county council in the 2009 election. He has remained Leader since then.

The Devon Conservative Group will hold a ballot to decide the County’s next Leader, and Mr Hart will remain in post until then.

He said: “It is the right time for me to stand down as leader. The county council is in a good position with a balanced budget.

“We’ve managed the budget this year so that we can now propose an allocation of an extra £10 million to repairing potholes and carrying out extra drainage work on our roads.

“We’ve concluded an agreement with the Government for £95 million of national funding to support our special needs education and, within weeks, we will hopefully finalise our devolution deal.”

Mr Hart was first elected to his home ward of Wembury and Erme in 1989 and now represents Wembury and Bickleigh after boundary changes.

He said: “It has been a real privilege and pleasure to serve the people of Devon for so long and I particularly want to thank the people of my ward for their continued support.

“Devon is the county in which I grew up and have lived all my life, in which I’ve run my family business, got married and raised my children and it is the county which I love.

“I must pay tribute to my wife Rita and my children for their support which has enabled me to do this job in the way that I have.”

Mr Hart said he was also proud of his record of producing balanced budgets in every year of his leadership except one exceptional year during Covid.

“Devon County Council has been a huge part of my life and I have thoroughly enjoyed working with some excellent councillors and officers to provide vital services to the people of Devon.”

Devon’s longest-serving MP, Sir Gary Streeter, said: “John has been a tower of strength in the life of the county for three decades or more.

“He has been a great servant to the people of Devon and epitomises the best principles of public service. On top of all that, he has been a wise counsellor to me on many occasions.”

Christine Channon preceded Mr Hart as Conservative leader and was county council leader for two years during the coalition administration between 2001 and 2005.

She said: “John combines great political skills with a limitless capacity for hard work.

“He’s known for being at his desk early in the morning and he’s still there when almost everybody else has gone home.

“His door is always open to councillors of all political persuasion as well as council officers. They are customarily greeted with great good humour and he always listens to their concerns.

“John has made his mark regionally and nationally as well as in Devon as exemplified by the Western Morning News regularly naming him as one of the most influential people in the South West in its annual surveys.

“He will be sorely missed as leader and we all wish him and Rita well for the future.”

Richard Foord, MP for Tiverton & Honiton

You cannot open a newspaper or turn on the radio without hearing of appalling loss of life in the Middle East – and worrying risks of escalation too.

Yet we cannot allow ourselves to forget another major conflict taking place on Europe’s doorstep – Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It has been 782 days since Vladimir Putin ordered Russian forces to undertake full-scale war on the people of Ukraine. Since the conflict began, tens of thousands of lives have been lost, millions have been displaced, and casualties on both sides have been high.

Despite some early successes, Putin has failed in his objective. He wanted a swift conquest of Ukraine, and to encourage other Eastern countries to crawl back into Russia’s sphere of influence. To date we have seen the opposite happen – with many in the West rallying to support the Ukrainian people.

In the UK we have a proud record of supporting Ukraine as it stands up to a bully, while caring for the displaced. We were the first country to provide various types of material, and generous people in East Devon opened their homes to those fleeing the conflict. Here in Devon, we’ve also seen huge efforts being made to help deliver support to those still in Ukraine who are caught up in this imperialist war.

Medics4Ukraine is a local initiative based out of Axminster and linked to a company called World Extreme Medicine. Since 2022, they have been delivering medical supplies and life-saving training to those on the frontline in Ukraine. Mark Hannaford, Luca Alfatti and their team have done incredible work. Last week they delivered their 22nd convoy of supplies. This represents over £3.1 million worth of medical kit donated and training delivered, with around 900 people trained.

I met with Mark and Luca last year. They proposed to me that we should get the Government to agree to donate surplus equipment and dressings that were past their expiry date to Ukraine, where they would be in high demand. Having raised this with the Secretary of State for Health in Parliament multiple times, I am glad to see this approach has been endorsed by ministers – who confirmed earlier this month that a further £2 million worth of surplus supplies are being released to Ukraine. This will enable Ukrainians to better treat infections and wounds.

Medics4Ukraine are close to hitting their £100,000 fundraising target. If you want to support their work, consider donating and helping this proud Devon initiative continue to make a difference for Ukrainians: http://www.gofundme.com/f/medics4ukraine

A building on Exmouth seafront will be knocked down this afternoon.

Demolition work on the Coastwatch House will begin today after Storm Kathleen destroyed its foundations last week.

As global warming continues we can expect storms to become more energetic and their frequency to increase – Owl

Adam Manning www.exmouthjournal.co.uk

The high spring tides, combined with the storms last week, undermined the corner of the building.

It has now been declared unsafe by Building Control and a Dangerous Building notice was served by East Devon District Council (EDDC).

Demolition has been arranged to start on April 16, and neighbouring businesses have been informed.

The Mamhead slipway remains closed to the public while the work takes place.

Exmouth was badly hit by the storms last week.

Drain overflows on the beach were also exposed.

A spokesman for EDDC said: “Contractors placed boulders and concrete blocks in front of the building as a temporary measure to take the brunt of the waves, and to prevent damage, but the building could not be saved from being further undermined.

“We have been working with NCI Exmouth throughout, and we thank them for their assistance, and we sympathise with them over the loss of this building.”

Richard Foord votes “aye”

“No vote recorded” is the official record for Simon Jupp last night.

Owl assumes that he was in Whitehall though he could have been taking an extended weekend “reaching out” to Richard Foord’s constituents in places like Honiton and Axminster.

[Update 10:20 am Jupp was in the House of Commons on Monday voting down the Lord’s amendments to the Rwanda Bill and spoke on Tuesday in the debate on energy security.]

Sitting on the fence would seem to fit with the conflict between his declared  “libertarian” instincts (See this post) and his wanting to be seen as “loyal”, given his PPS status.

In his short political career Simon has worked closely with right-wingers.

He was a SPAD to Dominic Raab before his selection as the Tory candidate to succeed Hugo Swire. (No vote recorded for Raab).

In October 2022 Simon Jupp “united” behind Liz Truss (voted “No” ). As a result he was also “newly promoted” as a PPS to  Simon Clarke (voted “No” ) when he became Secretary of State for Levelling-up, Housing and Communities.

He was sacked alongside Clarke but promoted again within a month as the Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to the new Secretary of State for Transport, Mark Harper (voted “for”).

Here is a list of those Tory MPs who voted “No” last night.

Conservative (59):

1. Kemi Badenoch (minister)
2. Steve Baker (minister)
3. Alex Burghart (minister)
4. Andrew Griffith (minister)
5. Julia Lopez (minister)
6. Lee Rowley (minister)
7. Gareth Johnson
8. Craig Whittaker
9. Adam Afriyie
10. Sarah Atherton
11. Richard Bacon
12. Shaun Bailey
13. Simon Bayner
14. Jake Berry
15. Graham Brady
16. Suella Braverman
17. Paul Bristow
18. Rehman Chishti
19. Christopher Chope
20. Simon Clarke
21. Brendan Clarke-Smith
22. Dehenna Davison
23. Sarah Dines
24. Jonathan Djanogly
25. Jackie Doyle-Price
26. James Duddridge
27. Mark Eastwood
28. George Eustice
29. Nick Fletcher
30. Mark Francois
31. Richard Fuller
32. Chris Green
33. Jonathan Gullis
34. Darren Henry
35. Adam Holloway
36. Paul Holmes
37. Eddie Hughes
38. Tom Hunt
39. Robert Jenrick
40. Greg Knight
41. Edward Leigh
42. Andrew Lewer
43. Marco Longhi
44. Rachel Maclean
45. Anthony Mangnall
46. Karl McCartney
47. Anne Marie Morris
48. Tom Randall
49. Jacob Rees-Mogg
50. Laurence Robertson
51. Gary Sambrook
52. Alec Shelbrooke
53. Greg Smith
54. Alexander Stafford
55. Jane Stevenson
56. John Stevenson
57. Desmond Swayne
58. Liz Truss
59. Giles Watling

[More than 100 abstained]

Did you really need to buy the book?

In 2020, Tory ministers promised 40 new hospitals as part of a new buildings programme, but the National Audit Office has discovered that the scheme will not be delivered by 2030 as was pledged.

Andrew Gregory www.theguardian.com 

Millions of patients are being put at risk in crumbling hospitals that are unfit for purpose, MPs have said, as figures reveal more than 2,000 NHS buildings are older than the health service itself.

Health bosses have repeatedly warned ministers of the urgent need to plough cash into replacing rundown buildings in order to protect the safety of patients and staff. The maintenance backlog has risen to £11.6bn in England.

Now analysis of NHS Digital data has found that at 34 out of 211 NHS trusts in England at least one in four buildings have been standing since before 1948, the year the NHS was founded.

Sewage leaking from sinks on to wards are among the issues affecting more than 2,000 buildings that predate the health service. Last month it was reported that the ceiling of an intensive care ward collapsed on to a patient on life support and a falling lift broke a doctor’s leg. One hospital is said to have been using its intensive care unit as a storeroom because it deemed it unsafe for patients.

In 2020, Tory ministers promised 40 new hospitals as part of a new buildings programme, but the National Audit Office has discovered that the scheme will not be delivered by 2030 as was pledged.

The Liberal Democrats’ health and social care spokesperson, Daisy Cooper, described the situation as a “national scandal”, with millions of people “treated in old and crumbling hospitals that are no longer fit for purpose”.

“Patients and staff deserve the dignity of safe, modern and clean hospitals,” Cooper said. “But instead this government has shamefully chosen to raid capital budgets for fixing crumbling buildings to plug the gap in day-to-day costs, while hospitals are literally falling apart.

“Rishi Sunak needs to get a grip and announce a plan to fix our crumbling hospital buildings. Patients should not have to pay the price for this Conservative government’s chronic neglect of the health service.”

The head of NHS Providers, which represents health trusts, said the safety of patients and staff was at risk, with too many NHS buildings “in a very bad way”.

Saffron Cordery, the deputy chief executive of NHS Providers, said: “The situation is just getting worse year after year. The safety of patients and staff is at risk. NHS trusts have an £11bn-plus list of essential repairs waiting to be done and the backlog is mounting at an alarming rate.

“The eye-watering cost of trying to keep creaking buildings and out-of-date facilities going is soaring. To be properly equipped to give people first-class care, the NHS needs safe, 21st-century buildings and facilities.”

The Guardian revealed last week that thousands of pests including rats, cockroaches and bedbugs were being found in NHS hospitals every year.

Hospital bosses are having to spend millions of pounds on pest control after discovering lice, flies and rodents in children’s wards, breast clinics, maternity units, A&E departments and kitchens.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We’re investing record sums to upgrade and modernise NHS buildings, with £4.2bn invested last year alone, which has helped us achieve the biggest five-month fall in waiting lists in the past 10 years.

“This is on top of expected investment of over £20bn for the New Hospital Programme – with four hospitals already open and another four due to follow this financial year and a further £1.7bn for more than 70 hospital upgrades.”

A problem like Thames Water is everyone’s problem. People with only a passing interest in finance will still feel the ripple effects should it become insolvent.

Anna Isaac www.theguardian.com 

It won’t be because the water stops coming out of the tap or the cleanliness of Britain’s rivers – so clearly scarred by the effects of creaking infrastructure and raw sewage – worsens.

It will be due to the rising cost of investment, a burden borne by the private sector, and, by extension, households and businesses. If the company collapses, a slice will be trimmed from many British pensioners’ pots, managed by mega funds that are owners of Britain’s water companies.

Whether or not the crisis triggers a full-blown nationalisation and pulls a water company on to the government’s balance sheet is uncertain. But the odds are clearly going in that direction.

Ofwat, the water industry watchdog, has “far less time to find a solution than it thinks”, one major bond investor in Thames told the Guardian. Another lender to the operating company said “there are six weeks left to save it”.

So grim is the outlook for bondholders at Thames’ operating company that the Investment Association, the trade body for fund managers, has already issued a rallying call to Thames’ lenders, laying the groundwork for intensive lobbying of the government and, ultimately, potential legal action. This work is only preliminary for now but it indicates the potential fightback against Ofwat and the Treasury by investors should Thames’ entire operation run aground.

A light was shone on Thames’ notoriously complex ownership structure when a holding company – Kemble – defaulted on a debt repayment. It is widely expected to go bust, collapsing one storey of a fragile house of cards.

What matters now is whether or not the ringfenced operating company, the part that is regulated by Ofwat, stays solvent.

Many different groups hope it staves off insolvency. Chief among them are Ofwat, the Treasury, and lenders to Thames’ operating company. But it is also laden with about £15bn debt, which is increasingly expensive to service. Appetite to pump more money into the part that keeps the taps on is going to depend on two things: whether or not bills can rise by enough to make a return attractive enough for investors to put in fresh money, and whether Thames can convince Ofwat that its efforts to reform itself – with a new and improved turnaround plan – can justify that bill hike.

How much Thames’s 16 million customers have to pay for their water depends on this negotiation. Thames’s owners want to raise bills by 40% and it would probably not be the only company in England to push through bill increases of that scale if it can persuade Ofwat it has changed its ways. On average bills are already expected to rise by 35%.

Thames can only hope to raise its bills if there is enough heft in its plans to change how it manages its assets and governs the business. It must convince Ofwat that those Victorian pipes it claims to be mending are really getting replaced, and that shiny efforts to build super sewers really do lead to a new and effective wastewater system that does not spill sewage into rivers and streams each time the rain comes down.

What is unclear is just who might come forward with the necessary cash even if the bills and governance can be straightened out. Ofwat and the Treasury are desperate to keep attracting the kind of patient cash that pension funds and long-term investors offer. Thames’s travails will be watched closely by the nimble, global mega funds that Britain needs to overhaul and upgrade its infrastructure, from power lines to new windfarms.

A plausible turnaround plan could sway Ofwat’s thinking on whether or not a bill hike will actually achieve results. And Ofwat wants those investors committed for the long haul – a 25-year, rather than five-year, horizon.

There is no single, universal view about how to press ahead among the shareholders of Kemble, the holding company of Thames’ operating arm. Many of the investors in Kemble’s debt and equity are also creditors to the operating company.

Some investors are more amenable to finding a way through than others. Quiet words in quiet corners are under way.

Time is short, however. One of the major indications that bondholders in the operating company are waiting for is Ofwat’s decision on Thames’ bill increases, expected in June. That verdict must be taken by the regulator’s 23 May board meeting. In the view of some major bondholders, that leaves only six weeks to save their investment in the water operating company.

Ofwat declined to comment on “speculation” but said it was working on its draft decisions, due in June. “We will continue to monitor Thames Water as it seeks to turn around its performance for customers and the environment,” a spokesperson said.

According to the company’s internal estimates, Thames believes it can operate for 15 months based on its current spending plans, even without fresh investment. But Thames’ problems will come home to roost well before then.

“Planning permission is a state asset and should be priced accordingly. Landowners and developers should pay for it. This way we will find the money for our social housebuilding.

Many other countries do this…… most of the uplift in UK land values arising from planning permission remains uncaptured by the state.”

Julian Richer www.thetimes.co.uk 

Far too many people in this country cannot afford a decent roof over their heads — a growing scandal that is having huge social consequences. I’ve seen this problem worsen, with housing ministers coming and going (15 since 2010!) while little gets done. I’m originally a retailer, but I also have a keen interest in property. We are facing an immense challenge on housing, but I believe there are several important things we might do.

At least eight million people are in housing need, plus millions more in the private rented sector who live with the fear of arbitrary eviction or rents rising beyond their reach. A general election is looming. I’m calling on politicians from all parties to make housing a priority and be ready to take bold decisions.

A new mindset is needed. Good-quality social housing is the best way out of our crisis. Social renting should be a valid option for people from all walks of life. The stock should be well maintained and well managed.

The housing crisis cannot be talked about without a rational and intelligent look at land and planning — and specifically, land value capture.

Planning permission is a state asset and should be priced accordingly. Landowners and developers should pay for it. This way we will find the money for our social housebuilding.

Many other countries do this. But the Scottish Land Commission reported that most of the uplift in UK land values arising from planning permission remains uncaptured by the state.

Capturing it would allow us to replace much-discredited Section 106 agreements, which ask developers to make contributions that benefit the surrounding area. The existing Community Infrastructure Levy should also be updated to charge developers for the full cost of linking their projects to roads, sewerage etc.

Another big elephant in the room, which very few are aware of, is Harold Macmillan’s Land Compensation Act of 1961, which we urgently need to repeal.

Before this legislation came in, local authorities had the power to compulsorily purchase land at existing use value. The 1961 law forces the state to compensate landowners for the potential value. State-built housing schemes were now unaffordable. That is a big (and largely unknown) reason behind the situation we are in now.

Paying landowners existing use value (and I would be perfectly happy with a 100 per cent uplift to farmers for their “inconvenience”) would take a huge cost out of the building equation. Councils would be able to turn on the housing supply tap at scale. Indeed, once built, there would be a huge increase in asset value (profit) for UK Plc.

Here are a selection of points from my manifesto to put things right:
1) There should be priority reform for renters, including:
a) The banning of revenge evictions;
b) The extension of assured short-hold tenancies for up to five years by mutual agreement.
c) Tenants being evicted only for major contract breaches;
d) The statutory inspection of private-sector rental properties, with councils taking tough action against rogue landlords;
2) We need a responsible landlords’ charter or accreditation scheme in the meantime, which would include “voluntary” adherence to the above. I am happy to set this up myself if the response is favourable;
3) Taxpayer-funded subsidised home ownership schemes should be scrapped. They push up prices and do nothing for the less well-off;
4) The Land Compensation Act 1961 must be repealed as an absolute priority;
5) “Right to buy” should be scrapped;
6) Planning permission must no longer be given away;
7) Permitted development laws must be tightened up so they are not misused for shoddy housing;
8) The use of anonymous offshore trusts should be banned and companies blocked from buying property or land unless the beneficial owners are disclosed and funds proven to be legitimate;
9) Quality standards should be set for sustainable housing so it’s built to last;
10) Benefit payments must cover the cost of social housing rents.

The housing supply disaster can be addressed only by politicians working together beyond the usual four-year cycle, and through a change in mindset.
It also calls for a willingness to tackle the complex, messy business of managing expectations and balancing competing interests. In a democracy, this is part and parcel of creating change for the better.

Julian Richer is a retailer, philanthropist and author. 

Questions for, but no answers from, Simon Jupp.

Mystery deepens over Devon Lib Dem ‘website’ redirecting to Tory rival

Bradley Gerrard www.devonlive.com

Three web domains in the name of a Lib Dem MP but that redirected people to a Conservative rival’s website now appear to have been disconnected. Pressure began growing on Simon Jupp (Conservative, East Devon ) last week to explain why the web addresses – RichardFoord.co.uk, RichardFoord.com and RichardFoord.uk – sent users to Mr Jupp’s website.

Mr Foord (Liberal Democrat, Tiverton and Honiton ) will contest the new Honiton and Sidmouth seat against Mr Jupp at the forthcoming general election. Now, just days after news of the web domains emerged in a national newspaper, they do not connect to Mr Jupp’s website.

A Google search for them still lists them, but the links are no longer active. Mr Jupp said he was “not responsible for the web domains”, and the Electoral Commission said it is not an issue they will be looking into.

But Paul Arnott (Liberal Democrat, Coly Valley), the leader of East Devon District Council, an area currently represented by Mr Jupp, said it was up to the Conservative MP to explain what he thinks occurred.

“As leader of East Devon District Council for the last four years, I have made it a priority at all times to make sure the council and all local politicians operate at the highest level of truthfulness and transparency,” he said.

“At this stage it is not certain what has happened here, but I do think the absolute onus is on Simon Jupp to give a full, frank and immediate explanation of what has happened.”

A spokesperson for Mr Foord said: “When we talk to people across Mid and East Devon, they tell us they want their representatives to play it straight and be honest.

“Links that look genuine but simply redirect to Conservative websites only serve to arouse suspicion and undermine trust.

“People deserve better from their MP, and at the election they have a chance to demand better by voting Liberal Democrat.”

• Discharge of Condition for 23/2702/FUL: Condition 6 (colour and finish of external surfaces to building) Shapwick Grange Uplyme DevonRef. No: 24/0755/DOC | Validated: Fri 05 Apr 2024 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Discharge of conditions for 22/1102/FUL : Condition 4 (landscaping) 4 The Old Stables Winslade Barton Clyst St Mary Exeter EX5 1ATRef. No: 24/0752/DOC | Validated: Fri 05 Apr 2024 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Discharge of condition for 23/2678/FUL: Condition 6 (colour and finish of external surfaces to building) Shapwick Grange Lane To Shapwick Grange Uplyme DevonRef. No: 24/0757/DOC | Validated: Fri 05 Apr 2024 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Discharge of Condition for 23/1254/FUL: Condition 5 (Tree Protection Plan) & Condition 9 (Hard Surfacing) Long Acre Lyme Road Uplyme Devon DT7 3XARef. No: 24/0758/DOC | Validated: Fri 05 Apr 2024 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Discharge of conditions for 21/0527/VAR : Condition 4 (landscaping) Winslade Barton Clyst St Mary Exeter EX5 1ATRef. No: 24/0753/DOC | Validated: Fri 05 Apr 2024 | Status: Awaiting decision
• T4, Lime : remove broken branch T9, Cherry : crown lift to 2m above ground level. T14, Alder : crown reduce by 2m. T15, Alder : crown reduce by 3m. Fire Station Canaan Way Ottery St Mary Devon EX11 1AQRef. No: 24/0742/TRE | Validated: Thu 04 Apr 2024 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Discharge of Condition for 23/1398/FUL: Condtion 3 (Materials) & Condition 7 (Landscaping) 9 West Hill Lane Budleigh Salterton Devon EX9 6AARef. No: 24/0748/DOC | Validated: Thu 04 Apr 2024 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Certificate of existing lawful use for an extension as an unrestricted residential dwelling (C3 Dwellinghouse) Chapel Cottage Cowley Devon EX5 5ENRef. No: 24/0737/CPE | Validated: Wed 03 Apr 2024 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Certificate of lawfulness for the proposed construction of a conservatory23 Shale Row Tithebarn Exeter Devon EX1 3XHRef. No: 24/0736/CPL | Validated: Wed 03 Apr 2024 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Discharge of condition for 16/0658/LBC: Condition 2 (materials) Hill Farm Hayes Lane East Budleigh Devon EX9 7DARef. No: 24/0727/DOC | Validated: Wed 03 Apr 2024 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Prior approval (class Q) for a change of use of agricultural buildings to a single dwellinghouse (use class C3) and for building operations reasonably necessary for conversion Halls Farm Higher Metcombe Ottery St Mary EX11 1SSRef. No: 24/0708/PDQ | Validated: Tue 02 Apr 2024 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Prior approval (class Q) for a change of use of agricultural buildings to 2no dwellinghouses (use class C3) and for building operations reasonably necessary for conversion Halls Farm Higher Metcombe Ottery St Mary EX11 1SSRef. No: 24/0707/PDQ | Validated: Tue 02 Apr 2024 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Discharge of Condition for 23/2169/FUL: Condition 4 (Materials) & Condition 5 (Landscaping) Windward Mare Lane Beer Devon EX12 3NBRef. No: 24/0713/DOC | Validated: Tue 02 Apr 2024 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Removal of rear utility room to be replaced with single storey rear extension, additional solar panels on front facing elevation and glass balustrade on existing balcony area and external staircase on North East/Side elevation. Abbots Mews Combe Raleigh Honiton EX14 4TQRef. No: 24/0717/FUL | Validated: Tue 02 Apr 2024 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Prior approval (class Q) for a change of use of agricultural buildings to a single dwellinghouse (use class C3) and for building operations reasonably necessary for conversion Halls Farm Higher Metcombe Ottery St Mary EX11 1SSRef. No: 24/0706/PDQ | Validated: Tue 02 Apr 2024 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Proposed detached annex for resident, and minor landscaping works. 14 Roundhouse Lane Exmouth Devon EX8 3BZRef. No: 24/0701/FUL | Validated: Fri 05 Apr 2024 | Status: Awaiting decision
• T1, Maple: remove eastern branch that overhangs garden and is growing into Prunus (cut back to stem). T2, Cherry: remove ~80% of water shoots along lateral branches, all 2m with diameters 50mm. T3, Yew: crown lift and prune lower branches, overhanging eastern hedge, reducing branch lengths by 1m, maximum diameter cuts (mdc), 50mm. Reduce lower branches growing toward south western corner of neighbouring property by removing branches 1m, mdc 50mm. T4, Bay: crown lift to give approximately 2m clearance from the ground. Prune branches away from phone line to give 30cm clearance. T5, Maple: pollard to 1.2m in height. T6, Cherry: fell to ground level. Bramley Corner Russet Mews Talaton Road Whimple Exeter EX5 2QQRef. No: 24/0694/TCA | Validated: Thu 04 Apr 2024 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Proposed conversion to 4no. residential flats and retention of part commercial element as offices including replacement of various windows and external doors Fairfield House New Street Honiton Devon EX14 1BSRef. No: 24/0669/LBC | Validated: Thu 04 Apr 2024 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Proposed conversion and partial change of use into 4no. residential flats and retention of part commercial element as offices including replacement of various windows and external doors Fairfield House New Street Honiton Devon EX14 1BSRef. No: 24/0668/FUL | Validated: Thu 04 Apr 2024 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Concreting farm access and yard area Woodhayne Farm Whitford Shute EX13 7NRRef. No: 24/0666/FUL | Validated: Fri 05 Apr 2024 | Status: Awaiting decision
• T1, Oak: Prune back off building to give a minimum clearance of 2-3 metres. Stuckeys House West Hill Road West Hill Ottery St Mary EX11 1TURef. No: 24/0663/TRE | Validated: Tue 02 Apr 2024 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Demolition and replacement of an existing timber lean-to. The Tithe Barn The Old Rectory Huxham EX5 4EJRef. No: 24/0651/LBC | Validated: Sat 06 Apr 2024 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of managers’ accommodation and extension to Lily Farm Vineyard business premises Lily Farm Vineyard Dalditch Lane Budleigh Salterton EX9 7AHRef. No: 24/0640/FUL | Validated: Wed 03 Apr 2024 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Certificate of Existing Lawfulness for confirmation that Planning Permission has been implemented and that continued development of dwellings as per the application 19/2349/FUL is legal Synderborough Farm Sidbury EX10 0QJRef. No: 24/0626/CPE | Validated: Wed 03 Apr 2024 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Siting of rural workers dwelling (static caravan) in support of rural business (retrospective) Clapperentale Farm Escot Park Ottery St Mary Devon EX11 1LURef. No: 24/0605/FUL | Validated: Fri 05 Apr 2024 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of deck in rear garden [Retrospective] 10 The Grove Sidmouth Devon EX10 8ULRef. No: 24/0546/FUL | Validated: Thu 04 Apr 2024 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Alterations to front elevation to include: 1no. illuminated facia sign; 1no. hanging sign at first floor; 2no. wall lights at ground floor either side of entrance; 1no. chalkboard ; 4no. floodlights along eaves; 1no. pictorial sign writing at first floor; alterations to court yard elevation to include: 2no. wall lights at ground floor either side of door entrance; 1no. transom entrance sign on door and 1no. pictorial sign writing The Three Tuns 133 High Street Honiton EX14 1HRRef. No: 24/0105/LBC | Validated: Thu 04 Apr 2024 | Status: Awaiting decision

Without much evidence, Whitehall has believed that larger councils are more efficient. The average size of English local authorities is now 10 times that found in comparable western European countries.

Editorial www.theguardian.com 

The phrase “all politics is local” is most often associated with Tip O’Neill, former speaker of the US House of Representatives. But such sentiments come to die in England, where decision-making is concentrated in Whitehall ministries. With English council and mayoral elections in May, local government is increasingly that in name alone. Westminster’s creeping preference for single-tier authorities and austerity has seen bigger councils and smaller budgets. Crucially, local government is losing its link to places that matter to local people. Fifty years ago, a more grassroots approach meant people would know their councillor. Now most voters couldn’t name them.

With budgets set by central government, local authorities are being drained of resources to safeguard and improve their area’s social, economic and environmental wellbeing. Years of shrinking finances have closed care homes, creches, youth clubs and libraries. Bin collections, bus routes and school crossing patrols have gone too. Councils are viewed in Whitehall as local service delivery agencies and expected to clean up any mess made in SW1.

In England, devolution and economic development are bound together, as if the former was necessarily conducive to the latter. Metro-mayoralties – the big devolution policy since 2010 – were conceived as ways of “agglomerating” workers around a big city. This model is a democratic improvement on the single tier of local government favoured for decades. The mayor handles strategic conurbation-wide issues and district councils deal with more local issues. But rural counties lacking an economic focus cannot adopt this template. Growth, rather than giving expression to a political community, drives mayoral devolution. By contrast, with London’s assembly and Scottish and Welsh parliaments devolution empowered distinctive political identities.

A looming financial crisis in England presents an opportunity for change. Since 2018, eight councils have declared themselves insolvent. None had done so in the preceding 18 years. Four in 10 authorities are at risk of financial failure over the next five years. Sir Keir Starmer has said devolution would be a major priority for a Labour government, the odds of which are shortening. He should use this moment to rethink local government.

A new report for Compass and Unlock Democracy, entitled Power to the People?, offers creative fixes for Sir Keir to reimagine local democracy. It proposes an English subsidiarity bill to provide a framework for councils’ power, responsibilities and funding to protect against institutional churn; a “fair funding bill” to “address the austerity-driven collapse” in frontline services; and for councils to get a statutory voice within Whitehall. These are big changes, but local government is in big trouble.

Without much evidence, Whitehall has believed that larger councils are more efficient. The average size of English local authorities is now 10 times that found in comparable western European countries. The US state of Wyoming has more than 170 units of local government to serve 580,000 people. The more populous North Yorkshire region, stretching 110 miles from Whitby to Skipton, is represented by one unitary council. The last royal commission to consider the future of local government reported in 1969. In their book The Strange Demise of the Local in Local Government, the academics Steve Leach and Colin Copus say it “struggled to balance its desire to recommend larger units of local government with its recognition that such units would have a damaging effect on voter engagement”. This remains a central question of governance. Democracy in England suffers without an adequate answer.

Extinction Rebellion has hit out at ‘plastic pitch’ plans for Exeter claiming the move to artificial turf could harm birds relying on ‘up to 2.5 million worms’ living under a rugby ground.

Local Democracy Reporter eastdevonnews.co.uk 

Exeter environmental campaigners have made another move in their ongoing protest against an artificial turf pitch planned at a city green space, writes local democracy reporter Bradley Gerrard.

The city’s Extinction Rebellion group has attached what it called a “hard-to-remove” banner high above Flowerpot Playing Field, near St Thomas, where Exeter College is planning to install a new playing pitch.

The campaign group’s banner reads “Save our green space from wildlife destruction and plastic pollution”, and marks the ongoing fight against the scheme that was approved by Exeter City Council in February last year.

The group in action, putting up a protest banner. Photo: Exeter Extinction Rebellion.

A spokesperson for Extinction Rebellion said the group feared the impact on local wildlife from an artificial playing surface.

“There could be up to 2.5 million worms under the Flowerpot rugby pitch,” the spokesperson said.

“The birds in the fields need these worms for food.

“For some species of UK birds numbers are just a quarter of what they were 50 years ago, and each small decision that makes their lives harder means more birds die.

“We must not allow their extinction.”

Exeter College, which has not yet started the implementing the scheme, said it is committed to “embedding the principles of sustainable living and development” across all its activities, and that the pitch would help ensure a healthy lifestyle for its students as well as the city’s residents.

“The Playing Pitch Strategy for Exeter has identified a lack of facilities for the local and wider area,” a spokesperson for the college said.

“This is stopping local rugby clubs developing more teams, particularly for women and girls.

“The new 3G pitch will help to address this concern, as it will be available when other facilities may be out of action due to the weather.”

The new facilities, once complete, will be available for local teams in the same way as the college’s existing facilities are, and available for hire in the evenings and weekends when they aren’t being used by the college.

Extinction Rebellion believes few people know the new scheme will be surrounded by a three-metre-high fence, and that public feeling about what it calls a “plastic pitch” are negative.

Exeter College said, however, that it is “taking every step possible to ensure the project would enhance wildlife” – including by planting new trees and a wildflower grassland.

Furthermore, it said the pitch has been designed using the “highest environmental standards and uses the latest materials and techniques” to minimise its impact in use and at the end of its life.

The synthetic turf will use a single polymer construction, which the college said is “fully recyclable”, rather than latex.

The pitch will use also 100 per cent natural wood pellets, which can be recycled, rather than rubber crumb, which is conventionally used on such pitches, and sand will also be used.

But improvements are still required

Devon’s children’s social services are now improving, four years after it was rated inadequate by the regulator.

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

In a letter following a visit in March, Ofsted, the education regulator whose remit also covers children’s services, outlined clear progress but also highlighted area where further work is required.

It said a key failing at its last inspection following a period of “slow and inconsistent progress” was that senior leaders did not have what they called a clear line of sight into what was happening to children.

“Positively, the current leadership team, including heads of service and service managers, has improved its line of sight by introducing manageable spans of responsibility, and staff report a more open culture that encourages them to raise concerns,” inspector Steve Lowe said.

However, he noted that quality assurance – essentially the assessment of its decision about children – had increased in volume “but is yet to become the valuable, independent insight into practice that is required as an additional safeguard to children.

“Rapid improvement in the impact of quality assurance, primarily within children’s social care but also alongside statutory partners, is a key next step,” Mr Lowe added.

A crucial development, however, was the moves the council has made to improve what Ofsted calls the county’s ‘front door’ – essentially the point at which children connect with the service.

At its monitoring visit last summer, Ofsted said the new senior leadership team had identified a “significant number of children” referred to the front door who had not had the risks they faced assessed for several weeks, leaving many vulnerable.

“At the point of the last monitoring visit, the senior leadership team had already prioritised making this service safer,” Mr Lowe said.

“The team’s response has been effective, eradicating the waiting list and establishing a permanent workforce in the multi-agency safeguarding hub (MASH) that is making better use of simpler processes.

“During this visit, inspectors did not find any decision in the MASH that had left children at unassessed risk of significant harm.”

While inspectors said “substantial improvements still need to be made”, they acknowledged that senior leaders have a “credible plan” for change.

Ofsted said the service “too readily accepted” parents’ refusal to let social services visit their children alone to carry out assessments.

“Too often, this focus on adults rather than children leaves children without a voice,” Mr Lowe said.

Encouragingly, the service’s response to demand is “now under control, with minimal delay in decision-making by team managers” – an improvement from concerns about children being “unmanageable” at previous Ofsted visits.

Elsewhere, Ofsted said the council’s children’s services need to keep better joined-up records, noting that only some information is kept about families, “reducing the ability to analyse cumulative risks”.

It added that records of whether children had benefited from lower-level, non-statutory support were “not linked to children’s records, increasing the likelihood that the same solution will be offered in the future despite not having been effective the first time.”

Councillor Andrew Leadbetter, the council’s cabinet member with responsibility for children’s services, said it is “important to see, and for inspectors to note, the improvements that our teams are making.

“For that, I want to thank our teams for their hard work and commitment. But it’s equally important for us to hear from inspectors that we’re not yet there, and that further improvements are needed in some areas of our work.

“Today’s report should be seen on the one hand as saying we are a council that is making the right moves in the right direction, but also that we have room to improve and that we must continue at pace with our improvement plans.”
 

Pressure is to be put on South West Water to fund water testing kits so it can carry out regular monitoring on the Taw and Torridge rivers and their tributaries as North Devon Council steps up its campaign for clean water sources.

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

It follows a public meeting organised by the council in February when organisations including South West Water and the Environment Agency agreed to work together to find solutions.

The water company, which reported 38,000 sewage spills in 2022, is investing £2.8 billion into improving water quality with a pledge to fix storm overflows at beaches and eradicate pollution.

But it says it is only responsible for 30 per cent of water quality issues, with agricultural and surface water run-off from developments accounting for many incidents.

Eighty-three out of the 98 bodies of water tested in North Devon have failed to meet good ecological standards.

While the district’s beaches are mostly rated excellent, rivers and steams have most problems.

An army of volunteers in the district have been trained as ‘citizen scientists’ by the Westcountry Rivers Trust to test water for phosphates and add their findings to a national database.

When 12 or more surveys are taken over a year, a scorecard is produced for the catchment, summarising the state of the water.

Cllr Peter Jones (Ind, Witheridge) who has been driving North Devon’s approach, told the council’s policy development committee that there is no shortage of people who want to become volunteers. But funding kits is more challenging as they cost around £40 each.

“I don’t think it will be a problem to get a venue and organise the training, it’s the kits we need, and it would be good if South West Water offered to help us fund them. It’s hard to justify using council money on this at the money.”

Other grants will be sought and parish councils will be asked if to contribute. The committee was told that a holiday complex at Croyde Bay is supporting Georgeham Parish Council to test local water courses.

Members agreed to support the West Country Rivers Trust on social media, and invite stakeholders to another meeting within the next year to discuss progress.

They will also ask planning officers how they think changes can be made to stop pollution occurring from new developments. They are prepared to lobby South West Water and the government if legislation needs to change.

The water company says it is looking at working with councils to find green solutions like reed bed sewage systems which treat waste water naturally before it is discharged back into the environment.

Councillors said old combined sewage systems which meant that rainwater, domestic sewage and industrial waste water are conveyed in the same pipes to sewage treatment works are a big part of the problem when they overflow, dumping raw sewage in rivers and coastal waters.

Owl wonders whether South West Water staff attended the same training programme as the Post Office “Horizon” team?

Andy Tyerman

I raised a number of issues I have with the current WaterFit site using the Independent Customer Panel. They responded positively and asked SWW to address my points. So far so good.

Today [posted 2 days ago]  I have received a response where they have ‘endeavoured’ to answer the issues.

I will leave it up to you to judge whether you think this is a company who is listening to it’s customers.

Here is the letter in full starting with an outline of my queries:

We have endeavoured to answer your queries with regards to WaterFit Live, which the chair of the WaterShare+ panel forwarded to us.

Your queries covered the following:

1. National consistency – in the SW we have 10 million visitors every year. There are three water companies and Surfers Against Sewage who issue nearly real time reports on storm overflows. Each has set its own criteria for reporting spills. A spill in Exmouth will be shown for 12.5 hours whilst the same spill in Portsmouth will be shown for 72 hours. In a recent Westminster Hall debate North Devon MP Selaine Saxby spoke of the ‘recommended gold standard of one full tidal cycle’ (12.5 hours) to clear pollution – a standard she has not provided the source for and no one else has heard of. Without national standards for reporting the public cannot be expected to know the different reporting standards for each water authority region.

2. History – WaterFit Live reports only the most recent spill however short. So a CSO could spill for many days stop and then spill for five minutes. A member of the public using the site will only see the five minute spill. A recent history would give much better context and information for water users to make an informed decision about using the water.

3. Types of pollution – WaterFit Live only reports on spills from Combined Sewage Overflows (CSOs). Although water pollutions can be from other sources beyond the water company’s control there are steps that could be taken to cover more threats to water quality. Within the infrastructure a burst pipe or a spill from an Emergency Overflow will not currently be reported on WaterFIt Live. Recently in Exmouth we have had spills from the pumping station at North Exton and the Environment Agency has issued Advice Against Bathing notices whilst WaterFit has shown no alert. (The EA widget is available on the WaterFit site but only at the second CSO level – why would you look if the beach level is showing clear?

4. Accessibility – WaterFit Live is a conventional website there is no capability of setting a favourite beach or receiving push notifications. The site is confusing to navigate with priority given to proposed spend on the location rather than informing of any threat to water quality.

5. Customer input – Since the launch of WaterFit I have sought to work with the team at SWW to provide user feedback. Most recently I suggested a user panel to Susan Davy at the Barnstable meeting and also in a meeting with Laura Flowerdew. I have yet to receive a response.

Below you can find our response:

Our aspiration and commitment over the next two years is for WaterFit Live to become the single, go-to resource for customers and communities seeking information about storm overflows in their local water environment. Starting initially with our bathing beaches and ultimately moving inland to our rivers

The Environment Agency’s online tool SWIMFO Bathing water quality (data.gov.uk) can be used to choose where and when to swim based on the pollution risk forecasts and advice from the Environment Agency.

The bathing waters in the South West region are typically fully tidal; open coastal sites with good tidal exchange volumes (large tidal ranges) over a single tidal cycle of 12.5 hours. This means that they are swept within one full turn of the tide and a bathing water will no longer be impacted after this time. Our historic water quality sampling carried out at bathing water sites following pollution incidents demonstrates tidal exchange over 12.5 hours, with background conditions/good water quality being re-established with this timeframe. We therefore retain our Beach level ‘amber alerts’ on WaterFit Live for 12.5 hours. We are working with others across the water industry to develop a more consistent approach to sharing this data.

SAS state that their justification for retaining an alert on their App for 48 hours is based on World Health Organisation research. This research incorporated coastal environments across the globe, including bathing waters where tidal movement is minimal and where there is therefore very limited tidal exchange (for example the Mediterranean and Caribbean). These environments are very different to those in the South West of England.

It is important to note that we currently also share the start/stop activation data for those storm overflows associated with our bathing waters. This information can be found on our beach level maps. For each storm overflow, a red pin shows that a storm overflow is active, a green one shows that it is not active, and an amber pin shows that it has been active in the last 24 hours. We also share the most recent activation information.

Individual companies are making their own decisions about the specific data they share. While there is no requirement under the Environment Act (2021) to provide historic storm water overflow performance data, we are providing information on the last EDM activation, along with the current near real-time information that is require under the Act. This is our current position.

While we don’t currently have plans for a user panel, this is an interesting idea. Currently, our WaterShare+ Panel receive regular updates on WaterFit Live whilst our WaterFit Live Steering group receives customer feedback and considers how it can be integrated with our plans, ensuring WaterFit Live continues to be useful and effective.

Andy Tyerman Author, responds:

Besides ignoring most of the points I raised the argument around the clearing in one tidal cycle may apply in some coastal areas without a large estuary and complex arrangent of sandbanks such as we have in Exmouth. If they are so sure why do other WCs and most other countries adopt a longer period for alerts. This is a public health issue and a longer alert period should be the default.

This response clearly shows South West Water priority is to remove alerts as soon as possible rather than ensuring the public is safe.

Simon Jupp’s latest facebook post is all about him “reaching out” in Honiton.

All seeing Owl caught the first three comments this provoked from his adoring public which he pretty quickly “hid”.

Here is Simon’s excuse to be in Honiton:

“Local charities and voluntary groups in our part of Devon make a big difference to people’s lives.

It was lovely to be asked along to the Beehive in Honiton today to chat with Citizens Advice East Devon, Ottery Help Scheme, Exeter Community Energy, Devon Communities Together, and TRIP Transport Honiton.

We covered a lot of important topics, including housing, energy and food bills, mental health support, and long-term funding for charities.

I’ll always do all I can to support the charity and voluntary sector, just as they do for others. Thank you to them all!

Please reach out to me if you need help “

Following the devastating fire The Poltimore House Trust has started a Crowdfunder appeal to raise funds.

www.creditoncourier.co.uk 

A spokesperson for the Trust said: “We are absolutely devastated that Poltimore House suffered a major fire in the early hours of April 9 with extensive damage to the house in a suspected arson attack.

“Over the past couple of years, the House and Grounds have become a major hub for our local community with a farm shop, thriving cafe, open house sessions and events – all supported by dedicated volunteers.”

Dr Peter Totterdill, Chair of Poltimore House Trust, added: “This amazing place has been loved by so many people over the years, and our heart goes out to all the many volunteers who have worked so hard to protect and restore Poltimore House. Everyone at Poltimore House Trust is shocked at the scale of the devastation.

“We know that many people love Poltimore House and Grounds and are distraught by what has happened and we are all feeling a deep sense of loss. 

“However, we are determined to save what we can of this important part of Devon’s heritage, and to hold on to our vision of Poltimore House and Grounds as a place for everyone.

“More than ever, we need everyone’s help to recover from this disaster and to move forward with optimism.”

The spokesperson added: “Please support our Poltimore House Emergency Fundraising Appeal so that we can clear up after the fire damage and make the site safe and accessible so we can welcome visitors again.

To donate, visit: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/poltimore-house-fire-appeal .

Three candidates are standing for election as Devon and Cornwall’s Police and Crime Commissioner.

The current PCC, Conservative Alison Hernandez, is running for re-election, and she’s up against a Labour candidate, Daniel Steel, and a Liberal Democrat, Steve Lodge.

Philippa Davies www.exmouthjournal.co.uk

Ms Hernandez has been in the role since 2016 and said she is proud of her achievements, having made ‘real, tangible progress’ in the four priority areas she set for policing in 2021: tackling violence, antisocial behaviour and drugs, and improving road safety. She plans to continue this work.

She said: “Devon and Cornwall enjoys the highest number of police officers that it has ever had. We see an estate of police stations and other facilities that has been well-managed, refreshed and renewed where needed, and we have seen a progressive investment in technology and resources. I am delighted to report that having listened to our communities, my programme of reopening police enquiry offices across our cities and towns has already seen 13 open where they are most needed, with more to come.”

But both of her challengers say more could be done to reduce crime and restore trust in the police.

Daniel Steel (Labour) said he would bring ‘strength, integrity and honesty’ to the role of PCC, and outlined the following pledges:

Put police back on the streets: More police officers and PCSOs on our streets to prevent crime, catch offenders and tackle anti-social behaviour.

Tackle the levels of violence against women and girls: By creating new police specialists to tackle violence and rape.

Prevent youth crime: Knife crime is soaring. I’ll ensure the police crack down on serious violence and prevent young people getting drawn into crime.

Boost crime prevention and victim support: To make it more local, and better focused on the challenges that face our rural areas and towns. 

Crack down on illegal sewage dumping: I’m backing Labour’s tough plans to ensure water bosses overseeing repeated illegal sewage dumping are prosecuted.

Steve Lodge said the Liberal Democrats ‘have sharpened their focus on law enforcement and criminal justice’ with crime and policing policies that ‘strike a balance between Prevention, Effectiveness and Trust. The party believes that ‘communication is the bedrock of effective policing’.

He said: “Current government policies have missed the mark and we need more innovative and community-focused approaches to crime and policing.

His pledges are:  

Engage our senior officers – committing to bridge the gap between the police and the communities they protect.

Back fair funding and smarter spending – Ensuring our police force has the resources required to fight crime effectively.

Steer a return to proper community policing – Strengthening bonds with local communities to prevent crime and improve safety.

Promote rehabilitation – Working to reduce reoffending and secure a safer future for all residents.

The election will take place on May 2, and the winner will serve a four-year term in the role.

Two children have been arrested on suspicion of arson following a fire at a historic manor house on the outskirts of Exeter.

Radio Exe News www.radioexe.co.uk

The blaze, overnight between Monday 8 and Tuesday 9 April, left the property severely damaged.

It’s thought to have been started deliberately.

The boys, aged 14 and 16, were taken into custody on Wednesday and subsequently released on police bail until 4 July while enquiries continue.

Anyone with information, who hasn’t yet spoken to police, is asked to call 101 using reference number 50240083403.
 

Government recovery fund stipulates affected areas must be less than 150 metres from a ‘main’ river

Helena Horton www.theguardian.com

Farmers who have their entire cropping land submerged underwater have found they are ineligible for a government flooding hardship fund – because their farms are too far from a major river.

According to the Met Office, 1,695.9mm of rain fell from October 2022 to March 2024, the highest amount for any 18-month period in England since the organisation started collecting comparable data in 1836. Scientists have said climate breakdown is likely to cause more intense periods of rain in the UK.

Agriculture organisations said earlier this week that food production was down in the UK because so much cropland was underwater after the floods.

The government this week opened a farming recovery fund scheme, under which eligible farmers can access grants of between £500 and £25,000 to return their land to the condition it was in before exceptional flooding owing to Storm Henk in January.

But farmers have said they have had funding applications refused because they do not meet criteria such as being located near a designated major river.

John Charles-Jones is an arable farmer based in Nottinghamshire. He said he was six miles from the nearest river and not eligible for the fund. His farm has been waterlogged since Storm Babet in October, with most of his topsoil washed away, making it unviable for cropping.

His losses are expected to go into six figures as he planted a third of his planned crops in the autumn before the rain hit, and only 10%-15% of that planted crop will be viable.

Charles-Jones pointed out the farming minister, Mark Spencer, was himself from a farming background in Nottinghamshire, one of the worst-affected counties, but that farmers in the area had been blocked from the fund.

“The eligibility criteria for recipients are completely flawed,” he said, “How could anyone take so long to come up with such nonsense? I don’t think I have ever witnessed such an ill-thought-out scheme. It is difficult to know quite where to start in picking it all to pieces. For once I had higher hopes, with farming minister Mark Spencer actually living and farming in one of the worst-affected counties.”

Andrew Naish, also from Nottinghamshire, said he had faced the same problem. “Whilst grants are technically available, it looks like you will have to have walked on the moon to qualify,” he said. “We, like many farmers, have suffered flooding and large financial losses this winter but fail to meet the criteria for claiming because the government has set the parameters at unachievable levels.”

Henry Ward, an arable farmer based in Short Ferry, east of Lincoln, is perhaps one of the most recognisable growers who have been hit by recent floods. His farm has been shown on news programmes over the past few months as it is entirely underwater, with his farmhouse sitting on what resembles an island in the middle of murky water.

His application for the hardship fund has been refused, despite the fact his farm has been underwater for six months. This is because his nearby river, the Barlings Eau, does not count as a major river in the scheme. Ward told the BBC: “If I’m not eligible, then who on earth is? I’m sure everyone is sick of seeing the pictures in the news as much as I am – but our farmhouse and yard is literally an island in the middle of a 500-acre [202-hectare] lake.”

Ward said his losses were about £100,000, and that he was eligible to claim £3,000 for a small piece of land away from the main farm that was close to the River Witham, but not able to claim any funding for the main farm, which was responsible for the bulk of his losses.

Rachel Hallos, the vice-president of the National Farmers’ Union, said: “It has very quickly become clear that there are major issues with the newly announced farming recovery fund, which aimed to help farmers devastated by Storm Henk in January.

“We are hearing from numerous members who have suffered catastrophic impacts who have been told they are not eligible for the fund because some of their affected areas are more than 150 metres from ‘main’ rivers. These include members with 90% of their land saturated or underwater, and huge damage to buildings and equipment.

“We are taking this up with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs urgently. I cannot believe this is what ministers intended when they launched the fund, which was a welcome and well-intentioned development, which seems to have been fundamentally let down in the detail. While the impact of the weather goes far beyond Storm Henk, this could have been a good start but, as it stands, it simply doesn’t work.”

Defra has been contacted for comment.