The UK could soon see its highest-ever rate of Covid infections thanks to the new variant JN.1, according to experts. Professor Christina Pagel, of University College London, said the rapid spread of the strain means we have yet to reach the peak of infection while Professor Steve Griffin said it could outstrip previous waves of infection.

Neil Shaw www.devonlive.com

She compared the current strain to the Omicron substrains BA.1 in December 2021 and BA.5 in January 2022 and said coronavirus cases will continue to surge for weeks, reports The Mirror. New figures show that overall numbers have soared over the Christmas and New Year period, with JN.1 subvariant emerging as the dominant strain in the last few weeks.

It grew from making up just one per cent of coronavirus cases at the end of October to five per cent by mid-November – and is now topping the table of infections after reaching 51 per cent on Christmas Day. JN.1, which has been reported worldwide, is a descendant of the Pirola variant and has been described as much more immune evasive than its parents.

Professor Pagel told the i newspaper: “Unfortunately it is likely that this JN.1 wave has not yet peaked and will peak mid-January, either next week or the week after. And then infections will stay very high for a few weeks on the downward slope too. I am sure this wave will rival the first two Omicron waves in 2022 and might even exceed them.”

However, she said it is unlikely that hospitalisations will approach the levels seen during the previous Omicron waves. Professor Steve Griffin, a virologist at Leeds University, meanwhile told the newspaper that we may see case numbers “resembling when BA2 emerged”, which was England’s largest-ever wave in March and April 2022.

Surveys showed that 7.6 per cent of the population were estimated to be infected with Covid during this period, though hospitalisations and deaths were far lower than during the pandemic.

Other scientists have warned about waning immunity. Prof Peter Openshaw, from Imperial College London, told the Sun: “Immunity falls over time, and for many, it’s been over a year since they had their last booster jabs.”

The US Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) has also highlighted the rapid spread of JN.1 – but said in their latest report that is not any more aggressive than other variants in circulation. The CDC wrote: “At this time, there is no evidence that JN.1 presents an increased risk to public health relative to other currently circulating variants.”

The UK Health Security Agency’s (UKHSA) latest report estimates a Covid-19 prevalence of 4.2 per cent across the total population in England and Scotland – meaning that approximately 1 in every 24 people could test positive for any type of Covid infection at the current time. Prevalence rates were highest in people aged 18 to 44 years, and the highest prevalence regionally was found in London.

The cold winter weather and increased socialising indoors have contributed to the seasonal rise in cases. The NHS and UKHSA are urging all those eligible to come forward for a seasonal COVID-19 vaccine before the window closes on January 31, 2024. Professor Steven Riley, Director General for Data and Surveillance, UKHSA said: “At this time of year, the cold weather, shorter days and increased socialising mean that the potential for transmission of respiratory viruses like COVID-19 is particularly high. This, as well as the possible impact of new variants, means it’s not unexpected to see cases increasing.

“If you are showing symptoms of COVID-19 or other respiratory illnesses, you should try to limit your contact with other people as much as possible, especially those who are older or more vulnerable. It’s important that those people who are most at risk of severe illness and hospitalisation as a result of COVID-19 come forward for their seasonal vaccination to make sure they have the best possible protection this winter. You can get a vaccine through your GP, by booking with a local NHS vaccination service, or you can find a COVID-19 vaccination walk-in site.”

SWW said sewage was now being transported to a treatment works after the clearing of floods.

From BBC Local news

A spokesman said: “Our teams continue to work hard to fix the issue at Exmouth.

“However, we are experiencing some delays with the temporary pipe that will allow us to complete a full repair without the need to further tankering.

“We expect the temporary pipe to be working fully by the end of the week.”

He added the firm was “sorry for inconvenience and appreciate the patience of the local residents”.

(Including an update on the Exmouth sewage crisis)

May I take this opportunity to wish all readers a happy new year, while also pointing out again that these columns are ‘a personal point of view.’

www.exmouthjournal.co.uk

They do not represent an “official line” from East Devon District Council. Instead, they are my take on mainly local, often regional, sometimes national, and very rarely international matters that affect the district.

As we enter an election year, there are obviously many difficulties presenting almost daily for Conservative candidates and I won’t restate the obvious here. Their greatest obstacle in local campaigning is how readers should take promises of action when after fourteen years in power these actions are only needed because of them! Two very recent examples, if I may.

First, although I steer clear of Twitter/X, I was passed a posting by Simon Jupp MP in which he blamed the “LibDem-led administration at EDDC” (I think he means me) for the council having to consider a new community to the east of Exeter. Although Mr Jupp has decided not to stand in his current constituency, which could be affected, he is clearly trying to leave a bit of ammo behind for his successor as Conservative candidate. I wouldn’t pick it up off the ground if I were him.

Put simply, the decision to continue exploring a new town location was supported by all 3 Conservative members at EDDC’s Strategic Planning Committee on 5th December 2023. The recording of this is on YouTube about 3 hours 7 minutes in. Unlike Mr Jupp, Councillors Brian Bailey, Ben Ingham and Helen Parr knew as well as everyone else that it is the chaos around the National Planning Policy Framework and some illogical “housing need” numbers which makes consideration of this necessary in the first place. The 3 Conservatives could do little else and could justifiably feel somewhat undermined by their own MP.

I am grateful for the second example to our superb portfolio holder, Geoff Jung, and some terrific campaigners in Exmouth for my spending New Year’s Day not pottering along a beach but immersed in the latest and worst chapter of South West Water’s sewage operations in Exmouth. Many Exmouthians will have seen nine huge tanker lorries carrying sewage out of the failing plant in Phear Park and driving it across town to the plant in the Maer Road car park. As a council, both directly concern us, having responsibilities and ownership obligation. At the time of writing this had been going on day and night for 72 hours, ruining people’s sleep and leading to more untreated sewage entering the sea.

Geoff and I asked our terrific officers to act, sending urgent emails to the relevant agencies asking for immediate clarification around the health and safety issues. Meanwhile, Mr Jupp has taken to Twitter/X saying he is “demanding” action from South West Water. His potential successor is getting involved too. Their problem is that this scenario comes wholly from their own party, its grotesque defunding of the Environment Agency – who should be on these incidents instantly and strongly – and their failure to deal with the cavalier way South West Water is set up corporately. Exmouth Phear Park and Maer Road Car Park, and whatever items of sewage can be found on the Maer after manhole covers pop under the pressure, are the product of fourteen years Tory chaos.

There is no wriggling out of this, and I am reminded by all the indignant Conservative social media protests of that ancient playground saying, “He who smelled it, dealt it”. I imagine many readers will feel the same.

A seafront venue in Exmouth is closed due to Storm Henk. An eyewitness said Ocean’s roof ‘is coming off’. Pictures from the scene show police and fire engines have blocked the Esplanade.

Another landmark in the saga of “Exmouth’s Albatross” which we all now own! – Owl

PS it also featured in National News: “The roof of a pedestrian bridge at the railway station in Okehampton, Devon, was blown off and part of an entertainment complex roof in Exmouth fell on to the seafront…”

Jamie Hawkins www.devonlive.com 

The witness told DevonLive: “The roof of the ocean is coming off down Exmouth seafront. Both entrances are blocked by emergency services.”

Ocean confirmed the building is closed ‘for the safety of our guests to closed the complex for the day.’ A post on their Facebook page read: “Due to the the unexpected turn in the weather as a result of Storm Henk, we’ve decided it’s best for the safety of our guests and team to close the complex for the day.

“We’re sorry for any inconvenience this may cause, and will be in touch (if we haven’t already) if you have a booking for today. Stay safe and warm and we’ll keep you updated here on our reopening when the skies clear up!”

Police and the fire service have been contacted for more information.

Updates will appear in our blog below:

20:20Jamie Hawkins

Ocean to remain closed until lunchtime tomorrow

A spokesperson said: “Quick update. As of now, our doors will remain closed until lunchtime tomorrow. This is to allow for a thorough inspection in the morning, to ensure the structural integrity of the building prior to opening.

“Rest assured your safety, and that of our team, is always our first priority. We’ll be reaching out to those whose bookings are affected.”

Is a bus stop all Seaton gets out of levelling up? – Owl

A Devon council plans to remove flowerbeds from a seafront esplanade to build a new bus stop in their place.

Two existing bus stops are due to be replaced by one new one Image source, Devon County Council

BBC News www.bbc.co.uk

The existing bus stops on Seaton’s Marine Place and Seafront Gardens would be replaced by a single stop, Devon County Council said.

The new waiting area is proposed for the esplanade side of the roundabout.

The council said it “appreciated” losing the flowerbeds might be “disappointing” for residents and visitors.

But it added: “It is agreed that pedestrian safety must come first, and it is essential that these beds are removed for this work to go ahead

“The removal of the flowerbeds does though offer an opportunity for East Devon District Council to consider how to make the best use of the space to make the seafront a more attractive place to visit.”

If the proposal proceeds, funding would come from the Department for Transport, it said, with plans now on the council website.

Thames Water was the first to publish a comprehensive map, in January last year, prompting a series of negative headlines about days-long spills. Southern Water and South West Water have limited maps covering beaches but not rivers, known as Beachbuoy and WaterFit respectively.

The Exe, Otter, Sid and Axe all empty into the sea at Exmouth, Budleigh Salterton, Sidmouth and Axmouth. All the inland communities in East Devon discharge their treated waste and storm overflows into one or other of these rivers or their tributaries, The Exe carries more from Exeter and Mid Devon.

[For example, in 2022 (the data is only updated annually by the Rivers Trust) the combined two Honiton wastewater treatment plants plus the nearby village of Gittisham discharged untreated waste for a total of 3252 hours on 283 occasions into the small river Otter. The popular Lime kiln car park is at the mouth of the Otter and that part of the beach is a popular bathing spot.] – Owl

Adam Vaughan www.thetimes.co.uk 

Water companies have reneged on a promise to produce live maps of sewage spills by the end of last year, leading campaigners to warn they are putting public health at risk.

Just months after The Times’ Clean it Up campaign began, senior water industry sources said companies would beat a 2025 legal deadline for near real-time online maps of discharges. Instead, they said all firms would go faster and release them before the end of 2023.

However, no new maps were released after the promise was made. That means swimmers, paddleboarders and other water users are reliant on a “sewage alert” map created by the charity Surfers Against Sewage. 

Thames Water was the first to publish a comprehensive map, in January last year, prompting a series of negative headlines about days-long spills. Southern Water and South West Water have limited maps covering beaches but not rivers, known as Beachbuoy and WaterFit respectively.

On New Year’s Day, Thames Water’s map showed scores of spills in Oxfordshire, while Southern had spills from the Isle of Wight in the west to Folkestone in the east. Five of nine monitored beaches between Exmouth and Lyme Regis were spilling sewage in South West Water’s region.

It is understood the failure of other firms to meet their mapping promises is due to a reluctance to weather criticism. Companies are also keen not to incur the wrath of politicians, including Steve Barclay, the new environment secretary. Last month, he told them that sewage spills from storm overflows were “unacceptable” and a priority for him.

“Until absolute transparency through real-time sewage spill reporting is mandatory everywhere, the paying public’s health and goodwill continues to be at risk,” said James Wallace, chief executive of River Action, a charity that supports water campaign groups.

A spokesman for the industry group Water UK said companies were “on track” to produce maps by the 2025 legal deadline. He did not address why they had failed to meet their 2023 pledge, and there are still no concrete dates for when the maps will materialise in coming months.

Lawyers and managers at six water companies have refused to release data on sewage releases that could reveal evidence of illegal spills.

One town’s fight against sewage pollution

The Times has twice used environmental information regulations requests to ask for stop and start times of sewage spills, to cross reference with weather data and see whether companies are discharging on dry days. Companies are legally permitted to release sewage only during wet weather. Anglian Water, Northumbrian Water, Severn Trent Water, South West Water, United Utilities and Yorkshire Water refused to conduct an internal review of their initial refusal to publish the data.

Most argue that a release could prejudice a long-running investigation into the problem by the Environment Agency and Ofwat, which is expected to report its findings later this year. Barry Matthews, deputy general counsel at South West Water’s owner, Pennon Group, suggested that “it is the regulators and not the press or the public” who should be able to see the data, which he said concerned “complex technical and regulatory matters”.

Yet the BBC was able to establish from similar data that Thames Water, Wessex Water and Southern Water had last year collectively spilled for 3,500 hours on days when it was not raining. The Times has complained to the data watchdog, the Information Commissioner’s Office, over the continued refusals of the other six firms.

The Liberal Democrats wrote to the commissioner’s office in December to look at whether companies were failing to be transparent enough. “I am asking you to launch an immediate investigation into these firms not complying with [regulations] and call upon those firms to release data they are withholding from public scrutiny. Enough is enough, these firms must be held accountable, and should no longer be able to hide behind fabricated excuses,” said the Lib Dem MP Tim Farron.

A water company has been accused of “wilfully polluting” while using tankers to move sewage to an overflowing pumping station in Devon.

[Effectively chucking it into the sea – Owl]

Brodie Owen www.bbc.co.uk

South West Water (SWW) said a sewer burst in Exmouth on 30 December, as well as flooding elsewhere, had forced it to use lorries to transport the waste to a nearby pumping station instead of a treatment works.

But campaigners said the pumping station was already under major pressure before waste was delivered to it.

SWW apologised for the disruption and said it was working as quickly as possible to repair the burst main.

The utility said it had been transporting waste to Maer Road pumping station, near Sandy Bay, as it had been prevented from taking it to a treatment works due to flooding.

The Environment Agency (EA) had been notified of the situation, SWW said.

But campaigners said it meant the company transported sewage to an area where sewage was already being discharged.

Geoff Crawford, from End Sewage Convoys and Pollution Exmouth, said it was “wilful pollution”.

“It’s definitely clear that they know that Maer Road is overflowing – their system WaterFit, external clearly shows that,” he said.

“Even though it’s overflowing, they are adding sewage to that overflow.”

He said the pumping station had overflowed “pretty much non-stop” since sewage tankers were used.

“There’s probably a few hundred tanker movements in the past few days, 24/7.

“They are really noisy, travelling past care homes, past schools and through residential areas.

“They are running their pumps and their engines throughout the night.

“There’s a lot of really fed-up, tired and angry residents.”

SWW said it was planning to take the waste to Maer Lane treatment works now that flooding had eased.

It said: “Our teams are working hard to repair a sewer which burst in the Exmouth area on 30 December.

“In order to complete this essential work, we have needed to use tankers to transport flows from the sewer to a local pumping station to allow the team to work on the damaged pipe.”

It said it was aiming to install an overland pipe by the end of Wednesday “to divert flows around the damaged section of sewer so we can complete a full repair without the need for tankers”

It added that it was “sorry for any inconvenience caused while we complete this work as quickly as possible”.

The EA has been contacted for comment.

Congress Introduces Bill to Block Hedge Funds from Buying Single-Family Homes

The proposed legislation aims to help U.S. home buyers who can’t afford to outbid deep-pocketed institutional investors.

www.planetizen.com 

Earlier this month, in response to the growing U.S. housing affordability crisis, Democratic lawmakers from both houses of Congress introduced bills that, if passed, would ban hedge funds from purchasing single-family housing market, reports Chris Clow of HousingWire. They would also be required to sell off all single family homes they own over a decade.

Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon introduced the “End Hedge Fund Control of American Homes Act of 2023” to the Senate. Rep. Adam Smith of Washington introduced the House version.

Clow’s article also cites a piece from the New York Times that reported that Democratic Reps. Jeff Jackson and Alma Adams of North Carolina introduced a separate bill, the “American Neighborhoods Protection Act,” which would require corporations owning more than 75 single family homes to pay a yearly fee of $10,000 per home into a housing trust fund to be used for down payment assistance.

According to the Urban Institute, as of June 22 institutional investors owned 3 percent of all single-family rentals nationwide, but in more affordable markets, their market shares are considerably higher; the top three are Atlanta (28.6 percent), Jacksonville (24.2 percent), and Charlotte (20.1 percent). More recently, data analytics company CoreLogic reported that despite the anemic housing market, investors have been busy, buying nearly 26 percent of single-family homes that sold in June 2023.

“You have created a situation where ordinary Americans aren’t bidding against other families, they’re bidding against the billionaires of America for these houses,” Sen. Merkley told the New York Times. “And it’s driving up rents and it’s driving up the home prices.”

The lawmakers acknowledge the legislation is unlikely to pass given the current climate in Congress. Still, Congress must start the conversation on this issue,” Rep. Smith said in an interview with the Times.

The number of patients who might not exist but are registered with GPs has risen by almost two-thirds over the last five years, figures suggest.

www.theguardian.com 

‘Ghost patients’ refers to when more people are registered with GP practices than are in the population. GPs are paid for patients on their list, meaning practices could be receiving millions of extra pounds for people who may not be real.

NHS Digital figures analysed by the PA news agency show 62.9 million patients were registered at a GP practice in England on 1 November last year.

This compares with Office for National Statistics estimates of 57.1 million people in England in 2022, meaning about 5.8 million ghost patients were registered with surgeries.

This figure is 61% higher than five years ago – 2018 data suggests there were about 3.6 million ghost patients.

GP surgeries received an average of £164.64 per registered patient in 2022-23, meaning practices could have received about £955m for patients who might not exist.

The Royal College of GPs said surgeries “try hard to keep their patient lists up to date” and are not deliberately profiting by keeping more patients on their lists than actually exist.

It said some patients, including babies, may not be included in the count, while others have left the surgery or moved elsewhere. But the TaxPayers’ Alliance said the public is unfairly subsidising GP practices for patients who may not exist.

It called for lists to be amended if unknown users cannot be found.

In 2019, the NHS Counter Fraud Authority began investigating whether GPs were claiming for nonexistent patients, but this investigation was halted and has not been reopened.

Tom Ryan, a researcher at the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “When it comes to GP patients, the numbers simply don’t add up. Taxpayers are subsiding service users who may not even exist.

“Unless these missing patients can be found, funding for GP practices should be amended accordingly.”

Dr Victoria Tzortziou-Brown, vice-chair of the Royal College of GPs, said: “GP practices try hard to keep their patient lists as up to date as possible, but this relies on timely and accurate information about the movement of patients so that individuals are not inappropriately removed from a GP list.

“So-called ghost patients are nothing sinister, and are not a case of surgeries deliberately profiting by keeping patients on their lists when they shouldn’t be there – they are a records management issue.

“This known discrepancy between the estimated size of the local population and the number of people registered at GP practices can occur for a number of reasons.

“In addition to list inflation, which incorrectly increases the count of patients, there are also issues associated with under-coverage.”

An NHS England spokesperson said it works with GP surgeries to review and update patient lists “and it is vital that practices do this on a regular basis, so they are as accurate as possible”.

A spokesperson for the NHS Counter Fraud Authority said: “The NHSCFA had planned to undertake an intelligence assessment on the nature and scale of GP capitation fraud in 2019.

“This was to improve our understanding of the risk posed to the NHS by fraud and error in general practice, primarily as regards GP capitation [the money paid to GPs for every registered patient].

“It was effectively halted by difficulties in obtaining core data and our priorities shifted from this position with the NHS response to Covid-19.

“We have not yet revisited the issue as we direct our resources to where the intelligence indicates the most appropriate priorities sit.”

The South West has the highest community pharmacy vacancy rate in England.

Two universities are joining forces to try to tackle the urgent need for more pharmacists, particularly in the south-west of England.

What a good idea!

Did anybody in all the following unaccountable overseeing organisations such as: the Heart of the South West, our Local Enterprise Partnership; or the Great South West reborn as the Great South West Partnership (made up of businesses, universities, LEPs and local authorities, including Dorset Council, BCP Council and Dorset LEP; think of it? Too busy devising strategies?

What part did any of the local NHS overseeing organisations play or were they too busy flicking the beads on their abacus? – Owl

John Ayres www.bbc.co.uk

The University of Bath is working with the University of Plymouth to deliver its well-established MPharm course at both institutions.

Pharmacists are on the government’s national shortage occupations list, especially in the South West, which has the highest community pharmacy vacancy rate in England.

With no pharmacy degree courses west of Bath, course leaders said they hoped students studying in Plymouth would then fill local vacancies when they graduated.

Bespoke teaching facilities

Lyn Canning, director of Practice-based Learning in the School of Pharmacy at the University of Bath, said the plan, supported by NHS England, “gives us that opportunity to produce more graduates”.

She added: “The other thing it does is gives us an opportunity to have brand new bespoke pharmacy practice teaching facilities that are then available within the south-west.”

Prof John Curnow, the University of Plymouth’s deputy vice chancellor, said the partnership would see pharmacy students learn “in practice-based and clinical teaching spaces, with consultation rooms and simulation equipment”.

Rhiannon Hardie is a recently qualified pharmacist who studied at Bath and returned to Cornwall, where she grew up.

She said she believed the new scheme would offer an opportunity which was not available when she was training and it would attract others from the county to the career.

“There are loads of opportunities down here,” she said.

“I can definitely spread my wings and, now that I have qualified, there are lots of different things that I could do down here that I liked the idea of.

“Cornwall as a whole can be quite a deprived area … [but students] wouldn’t have to go away and spend all this money to stay at university if it is right on their doorstep.”

The course would be delivered in close collaboration with NHS England and local stakeholders, bosses said.

Changes to pharmacy education will allow pharmacists to prescribe medication on registration from 2026.

Ministers have been told they will be “punished” by voters after analysis revealed the decline of vital flood defences across England.

Josh Halliday www.theguardian.com 

The proportion of critical assets in disrepair has almost trebled in the West Midlands and the east of England since 2018, leaving thousands of homes and businesses more vulnerable to storms.

Critical assets are defined as those where there is a high risk to life and property if they fail.

The east of England, which spans the Conservative heartlands from Suffolk to Bedfordshire and Essex, has one of the highest proportion of rundown flood defences in England, with nearly one in 11 – more than 850 assets – considered “poor” or “very poor” by Environment Agency inspectors.

Steve Reed, the shadow environment secretary, said: “The Conservatives’ sticking-plaster approach to flooding has left communities devastated and cost the economy billions of pounds.”

Using Environment Agency data obtained by Greenpeace’s investigative arm, Unearthed, the Guardian tracked the state of England’s vital flood defences from 2018 to 2022.

The analysis revealed a sharp rise in the proportion of critical assets in disrepair across many parts of the country.

In the east Midlands, which was deluged by Storm Babet in October, the proportion of flood defences in the worst conditions has almost doubled in the last five years.

Together with the east of England, the north-west has the highest rate of flood defences so damaged they are almost useless, with one in 11 defences considered in disrepair in 2022 – more than 815 – up from one in 16 in 2018.

In the West Midlands, the rate of ruined assets has risen from one in 44 in 2018 to one in 14 last year.

The number of damaged flood defences has increased across all regions in the last five years. However, the analysis examined the proportion of flood defences in disrepair rather than the number because thousands more assets have been built since 2018.

Experts said the picture of disrepair was likely to worsen after higher costs and budget shortfalls forced the Environment Agency to axe a quarter of its new flood defence projects.

Georgia Whitaker, Greenpeace UK’s climate campaigner, said the analysis painted a “grim and desperate picture”.

She said there was “absolutely no excuse for this lack of preparation” from the government, and added: “If politicians fail to commit to crucial climate action, they risk being punished at the ballot box.”

In total, 4,204 of England’s most important flood defences were in a poor or very poor condition in 2022. This accounts for about one in 15 of the total, up from the one in 25 registered four years ago.

Of these, 856 were judged very poor, meaning they had “severe defects resulting in complete performance failure”, essentially rendering them useless.

The remaining 3,348 were in poor condition, meaning they have defects that would “significantly reduce” their performance.

The government’s environment department (Defra) claimed that more than 61,500 flood defences met the required condition and that 2,400 did not, but the Guardian has not been able to verify this data.

A spokesperson said mitigation measures, such as increased inspections, would be put in place when assets were not found to be in the right standard.

Defra said: “Flooding can be devastating to communities – which is why we are investing a record £5.2bn between 2021 and 2027 to better protect hundreds of thousands of properties, including over £200m a year for maintaining of flood defences.”

The Environment Agency has slashed the number of homes it expects to protect from flooding over the next five years as higher costs have forced it to scale back projects.

A National Audit Office report last month said the agency had pledged to protect 336,000 properties from the risk of flooding by 2027 – but that this had been cut to 200,000 – a reduction of 40%.

The Environment Agency also removed 500 of the 2,000 new flood defence projects originally included in its six-year flood and coastal erosion programme.

A sign of desperation. - Owl

‘Never bring an arsonist into your home,’ Conservative MPs warn their leader.

Nadine Dorries is reported as saying “Sunak has repeatedly denied on the record having contact with Cummings which makes him an on the record liar,” 

Peter Walker www.theguardian.com 

Conservative MPs have expressed anger and alarm at the claim that Rishi Sunak offered Dominic Cummings a secret deal to help him win the election, with one saying Boris Johnson’s former chief aide should have “no place in political life”.

Other Tory MPs have commented in WhatsApp groups to express opposition to the idea, first revealed in the Sunday Times, with some saying it showed a lack of judgment by Sunak. Another likened it to letting “an arsonist into your home”.

Downing Street has not denied Sunak met Cummings twice for discussions, but rejected Cummings’s contention that this involved a job offer, saying the prime minister simply had “a broad discussion” with him.

Cummings, one of the architects of the successful Vote Leave campaign, was sacked by Johnson after less than a year but remains one of the most controversial figures in UK politics.

Part of this comes from his apparent breach of lockdown rules when he took his family from London to the north-east of England in spring 2020. He is also a notably abrasive figure, accused by others of being at the centre of a toxic, misogynistic and arrogant cabal of advisers in Johnson’s No 10.

According to the Sunday Times, Cummings and Sunak held talks in North Yorkshire, where the prime minister’s constituency is located, in July. Cummings had previously had a meeting in London in December 2022 with Sunak and Liam Booth-Smith, Sunak’s chief of staff, the report added.

Cummings told the Sunday Times Sunak had offered him a private role preparing for the next election, but that the PM would not agree to his terms.

Cummings said: “He wanted a secret deal in which I delivered the election and he promised to take government seriously after the election. But I’d rather the Tories lose than continue in office without prioritising what’s important and the voters.

“I said I was only prepared to build a political machine to smash Labour and win the election if he would commit to No 10 truly prioritising the most critical things, like the scandal of nuclear weapons infrastructure, natural and engineered pandemics, the scandal of MoD procurement, AI and other technological capabilities, and the broken core government institutions which we started fixing in 2020 but Boris [Johnson] abandoned.”

One former cabinet minister told the Guardian: “I’m staggered that this was even thought to be a good idea, especially when Rishi said in the past he was having nothing to do with Dominic Cummings.

“This is a man who is deeply toxic, whose approach to politics is sociopathic, and I’m being polite. Why on earth would you want to entertain someone like that back in the heart of politics, when they did so much harm?

“It shows no judgment at all. Dominic Cummings has no place in political life, in my view, and that would be the view of most people in the Conservative party, from left to right.”

A senior backbencher said: “Every Conservative MP should remember the thousands of emails from outraged constituents after Dom’s trip to Bernard Castle. Never let an arsonist into your home, most certainly don’t welcome them in, no matter how bad the polls. Dominic Cummings has no interest in the Conservative party.”

One usually supportive MP said: “Picking anybody’s brains is fair enough, even if you disagree with them. But to offer a job to someone as controversial and damaging, both to policy and to the Conservatives, is a retrograde step. All this will do is dig up a lot of memories that we in the party would rather forget.”

The Lib Dems called for an inquiry into whether Sunak had breached the ministerial code in failing to declare both meetings in the official register.

A government spokesperson said: “In full accordance with the ministerial code, meetings with private individuals to discuss political matters do not need to be declared.”

Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow paymaster general, whose role is central to Labour’s election preparations, said: “Out-of-touch Rishi Sunak is asking the wrong question if he thinks the lockdown rule-breaking architect of Boris Johnson’s failed premiership is the answer.”

Cummings became a figure of some national ridicule during the pandemic after claiming he drove his family to the County Durham beauty spot of Barnard Castle to test his eyesight.

More recently, at the public inquiry into Covid, Cummings was accused of “aggressive, foul-mouthed and misogynistic” abuse after messages showed he tried to sack the senior civil servant Helen MacNamara, saying No 10 was “dodging stilettos from that cunt”.

Let them eat cake – Owl

Plans to introduce a range of measures to tackle obesity in England, including curbing junk food advertising and restricting volume offers like buy-one-get-one-free, kicked into the long grass.

Victoria Atkins (Health Secretary), who says there is no conflict of interest with her husband’s role as managing director of one of the world’s largest sugar companies, signalled she is very unlikely to take any significant action..

Andrew Gregory www.theguardian.com 

Less than three weeks into her new role as health secretary, Victoria Atkins left health campaigners aghast when she suggested her approach to tackling obesity would largely focus on dietary advice.

Obesity is a devastating public health problem harming millions of people in the UK that will never be resolved by tips on what to eat and what to avoid. Two in three adults are overweight or obese and the problem costs £100bn a year.

The country’s food environment is in such a sorry state that everywhere you look, unhealthy food options dominate – every workplace, every leisure facility, every shop, every corner. Tens of millions of people are struggling with their weight – it’s not about a lack of individual willpower or self-control. Even those who spend every waking hour trying desperately hard to shed the pounds are often thwarted by relentless advertising, easy availability and low-cost promotions.

Yet Atkins, who says there is no conflict of interest with her husband’s role as managing director of one of the world’s largest sugar companies, signalled she is very unlikely to take any significant action.

“We could all do with help and advice on how to be healthier,” she told the Times this month. “We’ve got to try to do that in a way that is not nanny-stateish but if we give people information then that can be part of helping us try to lead healthier lives.”

Atkins said she believed tackling obesity was “incredibly important” but added that she wants to ensure “all of us have a healthy relationship with food” as she prioritises diet advice.

The government vowed to introduce a range of measures to tackle obesity in England, including curbing junk food advertising and restricting volume offers like buy-one-get-one-free.

But the plans, to the utter dismay of doctors, public health professionals and health campaigners, have since been shelved – until October 2025. Even then there are no guarantees. Atkins says she “will want to convince myself as to the effectiveness of measures that have been announced”.

Now a new report, commissioned by the government’s own obesity research unit and obtained by the Guardian, provides vital new evidence on obesity – and a call for action. Far from it being a problem that simply requires more responsibility from society, the report shows that many people are trapped into making poor decisions and buying unhealthy food.

One of the paper’s authors, Dr Paul Coleman, told the Guardian that after conducting more than 100 interviews with adults across the socioeconomic spectrum, it was clear most were aware of what constitutes a healthy diet.

The problem, according to those interviewed, was the dizzyingly wide availability and promotion of cheap junk food – and the comparatively higher cost of healthier options.

“For many families, particularly those relying on insecure and unpredictable income, it is often the most affordable and appropriate option to rely on processed and less healthy ready meals,” Coleman said.

“This is due to rising food and energy costs, time pressures, low quality kitchen spaces, and a fear of spending a limited budget on more expensive fresh produce which may be left uneaten and wasted.

“In contrast ultra-processed meals, which are cheap to purchase and prepare, are unlikely to go off or be wasted before being consumed. Families were aware of the negative health impacts but felt they had little choice but to purchase these products.”

The report found that because little action has been taken to promote healthy food or tackle unhealthy food, millions of families, particularly those on low incomes, are failing to prevent their children’s poor diets becoming normalised – permanently.

In short, we are heading for disaster.

In England, two in five children are leaving primary school overweight and are subsequently at a higher risk of chronic illnesses, mental health problems and even a shorter lifespan. Children living with obesity are at greater risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and other long-term conditions, even cancer, that can last into adulthood.

Tam Fry, chair of the National Obesity Forum, who was not involved with the report, says its message is clear. “The incessant advertising and availability of cheap ultra-processed food on-the-go is increasingly putting the mockers on parents who would dearly like their children to eat at a table like granny did.”

Until action is taken to curb the attraction and availability of ultra-processed food and foods high in fat, sugar and salt “their most serious by-product – namely obesity – will continue to rise”, he says.

Welcome to 2024! – Owl

Thousands of Devon residents and holidaymakers planning to head to their local beach come [Monday] morning for a chilly dip in the sea are being warned of potential sewage in the waters.

Lisa Letcher www.devonlive.com

South West Water says sea swimmers could be heading to sewage-polluted waters due to the heavy rainfall that has been coming down in the past 48 hours. It’s as continued heavy rain and strong winds are expected with a Met Office weather warning in place until midnight.

As a result, beaches where some of the largest New Year’s Day dips take place annually have already been impacted with 27 sewage pollution alerts in place. They include Sidmouth, Croyde and Sandy Bay. Check the full list from Surfers Against Sewage 

Posting on Facebook, South West Water wrote: “It’s that time of year when many of us are looking forward to the traditional New Year’s Day swim. Based on the current weather forecast we are expecting heavy rainfall over the weekend, which may result in activation of some of our coastal storm overflows.

“These are essential to prevent flooding into homes and businesses during these periods of heavy rain. Our operational teams are constantly reviewing the weather forecast and taking action, where possible, to prevent or limit their use.”

An interactive map by SAS is its online version of the Safer Seas & Rivers Service (SSRS), tracking real-time sewage discharge and pollution risks around the UK. It monitors water quality at over 450 river and coastal locations across the country so you can swim, surf, paddle or splash without the risk of getting sick and currently has warnings issued for 27 Devon beaches.

England’s sewers were designed with 14,500 storm overflows to stop them from becoming overwhelmed, allowing a mixture of surface water and sewage to be discharged during heavy rainfall. But according to the Environment Agency, these overflows are now used on a routine basis.

Water companies discharged untreated sewage through storm overflows almost 390,000 times in 2022 for a total of 1.7 million hours. Last year the Lib Dems issued a warning ahead of New Year’s Day swims. Mr Farron, the Lib Dem’s environment spokesman, said: “This is a real Christmas stink for so many hoping to enjoy their traditional festive swim.

“The freezing cold water should be the only thing swimmers worry about, not sewage floating by them. It’s disgusting that our coastlines and lakes have been polluted by this foul habit. There needs to be a ban on sewage discharges in swimming areas.”

South West Water has a similar alert system to SAS’s with its Waterfit Live page. It lists 18 beaches in Devon with a current warning that reads: “Condition of the bathing water may be affected by the operation of overflows”

All the beaches with sewage warnings in place on New Year’s Eve in Devon according to SAS:

South Coast

Plymouth Firestone Bay

Plymouth Hoe West

Plymouth Hoe East

Mothecombe

Thurlestone South

Salcombe South Sands

Mill Bay

Sugary Cove

St Marys Bay

Goodrington

Paignton Preston Sands

Beacon Cove

Meadfoot

Teignmouth Holcombe

Dawlish Coryton Cove

Dawlish Town

Exmouth

Sandy Bay

Budleigh Salterton

Sidmouth

Beer

Seaton

North Coast

Westward Ho!

Croyde Bay

Woolacombe Village

Ilfracombe Hele

Combe Martin

The Tory candidate for Tiverton & Minehead, and sitting MP, Ian Liddell-Grainger, has launched a scathing attack on Mid Devon District Council (MDDC) in a 25-minute tirade in Westminster.

Lewis Clarke www.devonlive.com

Ian Liddell-Grainger’s comments have been described as ‘bald faced lies, sexist and sexually inappropriate’ by Mid Devon’s leader, Luke Taylor.

His main focus of attack was alleging that MDDC’s development arm, 3 Rivers Development’s Ltd, which has ceased trading following losses of up to £21 million was a ‘loss-making white elephant’.

The company was founded in 2017 while the authority was under Conservative leadership, before independent councillors were leading the authority between 2019 and 2023 when in May the Liberal Democrats had a landslide victory.

Mr Liddell-Grainger, MP for Bridgwater and West Somerset, made a scathing speech in Westminster Hall on Tuesday, December 19, in which he called the council’s investment venture a “modern morality tale in the manner of Charles Dickens”.

He said that the council’s senior officers, led by chief executive Stephen Walford and deputy chief executive Andrew Jarrett, were “chronically naive” and “out of touch” with the way commerce works, and that they had gambled with taxpayers’ money on risky projects that failed to deliver.

He said: “When Walford and Jarrett moved into their jobs as top officers, I think they probably wanted to make their mark. But neither of them had any experience at all in any other trade or profession; I do not think either of them had ever actually even done a paper round.

“There should have been alarm bells ringing at every level, but Mr Walford and his number-crunching colleague were a convincing double act like Laurel and Hardy—and many others I can think of.”

He also criticised the council’s current leader, Liberal Democrat Luke Taylor, whom he mockingly referred to as “Mr Thingamabob”, for refusing to shut down the company, which he said had cost the council £21.3 million in loans.

He said: “The Liberal Democrats, who are now refusing to shut down this loss-making white elephant, never objected to its creation in the first place. If they did, they did it so quietly that nobody noticed. Mr Thingamabob may well have been won over by his smooth-talking chief exec; after all, it would be perfectly normal for him to trust his officers.

“Elected members never get paid enough to justify full-time work on council business. They are dedicated amateurs, no matter the party. They are obliged to listen to their officers—especially the most senior, who is the chief executive.”

He claimed that the council had been “incredibly coy” about revealing any details about the company, and that the scrutiny committee had produced a “cack-handed and useless” report that did not hold anyone accountable.

He said that the council had become “toxic” and that there was a “poor relationship” between the company and the elected members, who had lost trust in the officers.

He also alleged that the council had withheld information from the public, and that the chairman of the council, Councillor Frank Letch, had “brutally suppressed” any debate.

He concluded: “This is a saga of wasted opportunity, of council officials wielding enormous influence over councillors, letting them down, then falling out with the whole council. It is a disgrace. Those are all distressing situations, but there have been well-sourced stories in the press recently of real anger from members of the public who tried to obtain simple information about 3 Rivers Developments but were rebuffed.

“People complained that MDDC thinks that the whole business is far too complicated for ordinary people to understand, so information is deliberately withheld.

“When complaints are made at full council meetings, the chairman of the council brutally suppresses any debate. The chairman’s name, incidentally, is Councillor Frank Letch—a man with a short fuse. Perhaps it is a struggle—the naming of a person like Letch. Mainly, the posh dwellings designed for some spare land next to the council buildings are being converted for the use of over-60s, even though the location is completely unsuitable.

“I could, but will not, go on and on. This is a saga of cockups and blunder, and it is very expensive indeed. I would rather risk public money with Ebenezer Scrooge than with those responsible in Mid Devon, and especially the chairman of scrutiny, who is quite ridiculously incompetent.”

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Simon Hoare responded in the debate saying: “Mid Devon District Council is not on my departmental radar as a council causing concern in terms of its finances. Financial management is a different thing. In terms of its basic finances, it is not on the radar.

“I do not know the gentleman to whom he refers with regard to the senior officers, and I can only speak from experience of my exposure and interaction with local government officers over very many years. My experience is that they are women and men of integrity who, day in and day out, devote themselves to the public service of their communities and always strive to do their best.

“Sometimes the best is not good enough, and sometimes the wrong decisions are taken. I think that the motivations of people in public service are usually strong and beyond challenge. I say gently to my hon. Friend that he may not like some of the things that the council has done, and he may have done things differently, but I repeat that the council is not currently on our radar.”

He concluded: “It is particularly important when any party has a very large majority, as the Liberal Democrats do in Mid Devon at the moment. One almost needs to double up and double down on scrutiny in order to prove beyond peradventure that that job is being done. I am about to run out of time. I am grateful to my hon. Friend for raising this issue. As I say, I am happy to continue our conversation in order to ensure that the good folk of Mid Devon receive the service and services to which are they entitled and deserve.”

Mid Devon Liberal Democrats have welcomed remarks from the Local Government Minister, after they expressed confidence in the financial position of Mid Devon District Council.

Councillor Luke Taylor, Liberal Democrat Leader of Mid Devon District Council, said: “Unlike Mr. Liddell-Grainger, Liberal Democrats are focused on ensuring that the residents of Mid Devon receive the quality service and services that they deserve.

“Despite inappropriate language and wild claims by the MP for Bridgwater, it’s telling that even his own Government acknowledges that Mid Devon District Council has no case to answer when it comes to financial management.

“I am sure that Bridgwater residents would rather their MP be focused on tackling the issues they face, instead of these desperate attempts to be relevant here in Mid Devon.

“On behalf of the Mid Devon Liberal Democrats, I want to thank the government for acknowledging the council’s financial prudence. We will remain focused on doing all we can to support everyone living across our towns and villages.”

He added: “Despite the unfounded allegations, bald faced lies, sexist and sexually inappropriate language used by the Conservative MP for Bridgwater, cowering behind Parliamentary Privilege, this Government has recognised that MDDC has no case to answer. We can only hope that this will bring an end to the sordid campaign run by this most un Parliamentary of MPs.”

In a long press article the Tory candidate for the new Exmouth & Exeter East seat, David Reed, outlined his priorities and credentials in somewhat disjointed terms.

The three key issues he will address if elected are: reducing sewage spills; improving social care access; and promoting apprenticeships. 

Many would say that the first two of these issues are the direct result of right wing conservative policies intended to reduce taxes by shrinking the state and cutting investment in services and infrastructure.

Water companies (and Railways, which he doesn’t mention) are examples of how privatisation has broken Britain.  

In a speech to a Conservative Forum in April 2009, for example, David Cameron declared that “the age of irresponsibility is giving way to the age of austerity”, and committed to end years of what he characterised as excessive government spending. He became PM in 2010 with George Osbourne as Chancellor and we can now see the result of what he meant by “austerity”.

In the article David Reed described himself as ‘centre-right’ which doesn’t seem to be a good starting point to stop leaks in sewage or improving access to social care.

On promoting apprenticeship schemes he says they allow:

“…companies, the private sector, to invest in their people, and it creates a much better connection so that people can actually learn on their job, but also have the opportunity once they’re qualified to save a lot more and then buy into things like housing, have a family, which I think the Labour [education] policy has eroded. “

Maybe news to him: the Tories have been tinkering around the edges of the policy on apprenticeship schemes for the past 13 years with the latest funding package published last October.

In Owl’s view apprenticeships suffer from the short term nature of so many investment decisions taken in Britain by both government and the private sector. We need a complete reset on investment but that can only come with a government demonstrating confidence in managing the economy, not conducting mad cap experiments with the likes of Liz Truss.

Asked about his relative political inexperience, he said: “I would like to think that I’ve actually packed a lot into my life so far.  

“I’ve been very close to central government policy for a long time, and I’ve been on the sharp end of delivering that policy, either through the military [as a former Royal Marine] or in other jobs that I’ve done, or in the defence industry [defence contractor BAE Systems with whom the MoD currently spends £4.0bn annually 2021/22].  

“I’m coming in knowing how the state works, understanding how to bid for central government money, how to write an effective bid, which is very, very important, and then how to actually work with relevant authorities to actually get on the job and actually deliver those things. 

“It takes a long time to see how that puzzle fits together, but I come good to go.” 

(Is that a promise? – Owl)

Read the full article here 

As yet, inexperienced David Reed who has only tenuous local connections doesn’t know who he might be facing in the General Election. They could trump him both on experience and local connection.

Exmouth & Exeter East is a seat that Labour has said is not, for them, a “battleground seat”.

Could this be another two horse race?

There are nearly 26,000 Claire Wright votes to play for between the Exmouth & Exeter East constituency and the Honiton & Sidmouth constituency. Owl can’t see many of these going to either of the Tory candidates.

 Letter www.theguardian.com

The latest attack on our planning system is misguided (Michael Gove threatens action against English councils over housing plans, 19 December). Michael Gove misses the real reason why the UK lags so far behind other parts of Europe. For decades, governments have relied on housebuilders, who want to make money quickly. At the same time, it has cut the capacity of local authorities to be more than regulators.

Even in popular areas with agreed plans, such as Northstowe in Cambridge, Southall in west London, or around Gloucester, building is grinding to a halt as confidence dissolves. The results are congestion, pollution and stress for local communities.

The government needs to rebuild capacity to deliver from the bottom up. New towns provide inspiration, but development must be joined up with existing infrastructure capacity, especially local rail. Our Wolfson prize-winning plan for Uxcester Garden City showed how mid-sized cities such as Oxford or York could be doubled in size through a visionary spatial plan. Yet the proposal was blocked by a previous housing minister, apparently because it would extend a tightly bounded city into Tory strongholds.

Good strategic planning requires the use of compulsory purchase powers to assemble land in the right locations at existing use values with long-term loans from pension funds and insurance companies for the foundations. Delivery should be through small builders, including cooperatives (as in the Netherlands or Germany) to create neighbourhoods where people on a range of incomes want to live.

The government needs to resource strategic planning properly rather than continually attacking councils for what is not their fault.
Dr Nicholas Falk
Executive director, the Urbed Trust

A map has revealed the average price of houses in every Cornish postcode and how they have changed over the past year. Data shows the places where prices have dropped the most significantly, including on the pretty Lizard peninsula.

Lisa Letcher www.cornwalllive.com

The data covers houses sold from October 2022 to October 2023 and comes from the Land Registry, where all property sales are recorded. Some postcodes however have seen less than 20 sales and the lower the number of houses sold, the less realistic the average price overall.

It revealed that house prices in TR12 which covers the Lizard peninsula, below Helston, have fallen by more than a quarter with 76 total sales. In October 2022 the average cost of a house was £537,768 but now it’s £116,995 less – a 26.5 per cent decrease.

That’s the largest drop of any postcode district in Cornwall to have had at least 20 sales over the last 12 months. Homes in PL10 – covering Cawsand, Cremyll, Fort Picklecombe, Freathy, Kingsand and Millbrook – saw the next largest drop for an area with over 20 sales.

The average property there cost £336,700 in the year to October. That’s down by 16.1 per cent compared to a year earlier when the average was £400,434.

In TR2 – Truro, Gerrans – prices fell by 13.1 per cent to £455,012, in TR5 – St Agnes – by 13.1 per cent to £506,175, and by 12.1 per cent in PL28 – Padstow, Crugmeer, Porthcothan, St Merryn, Trevone, Treyarnon – to £678,757.

You can see how prices have changed in your local area by using our interactive map as house prices fell by an average of £3,000 across the UK in the year to October. We’ve also listed the top ten places with the largest fall in average house prices.

The average house UK-wide cost £288,000 in 12 months to October 2023, new data from the Land Registry has revealed. That’s 1.2 per cent lower than in the year to October 2022. Average house prices decreased by 1.4 per cent to £306,000 in England and by 3.0 per cent to £214,000 in Wales, but increased by 0.2 per cent in Scotland to £191,000.

Cornwall postcodes with the largest average house price drop

In September Rishi Sunak scrapped “Heavy Handed” plans to make everyone sort their rubbish into seven bins as he rowed back on green pledges.

Looks like he only needs four! – Owl

Following a planning appeal, Churchill Retirement Living has been granted permission to build 54 independent living retirement apartments and six retirement living cottages in Fore Street.

Anita Merritt www.devonlive.com

Controversial plans to build a large block of retirement apartments in the centre of Exmouth which were refused by councillors who argued more homes need to be built with younger people in mind will now go ahead. Following a planning appeal, Churchill Retirement Living has been granted permission to build 54 independent living retirement apartments and six retirement living cottages in Fore Street.

They will be built on the site of builders’ merchants Jewson. In June, East Devon District Council’s planning committee rejected the plans stating the town had reached “saturation point” with homes for older people.

The application had been recommended for approval by planning officers, stating it would be a “sustainable development” and help improve housing supply. In the appeal decision notice, the government’s planning inspector K Ford said it would bring several benefits to the town.

The notice said: “It would deliver economic benefits, both during construction and through the operation of the retirement facility thereafter. There would also be job creation from the commercial space to be provided as part of the development.

“There would also be economic benefits from the local spend by the residents of the development, particularly given the location of the scheme in close proximity to the town centre.”

The Inspector added that “with regards to environmental benefits, the development would make efficient use of previously developed land. Churchill Retirement Living has welcomed the decision and says it will contribute around £465k a year to the local economy and create more than 100 jobs both during and after construction, including eight permanent full-time local jobs.

The new apartments and cottages will encourage independence and the development will also include a communal owners’ lounge, a guest suite, a lodge manager, and a 24-hour emergency call alarm service.

A Churchill spokesperson said: “This is a very positive result and we will now look forward to starting work on this new development in Exmouth in 2024. Retirement housing is shown to be the most effective form of residential development for generating local economic growth, supporting local jobs, and increasing high street spend.

“Our new apartments and cottages will also help improve the health and wellbeing of those who live there, and meet the housing needs of many older people in Exmouth and the surrounding area. Enabling older people to downsize will also help to free up homes for younger families in the area to move into.”

When the plans were rejected in June, the majority of the planning committee members voted against the proposals due to the lack of a “mixed balance” of properties, a loss of employment land, and because the site hadn’t been marketed for the required time of at least a year. The committee’s decision came after several objections were heard at the meeting, including from Exmouth Town Council.