Between May and July 2025 10,000 tests for water pollution at the Environment Agency’s Starcross laboratory in Devon were cancelled.

“When is a regulator not a regulator? When it’s the Environment Agency,”

“With impeccable timing the Environment Agency reminds us all of exactly why they to should be added to Sir Jon Cunliffe’s bonfire of the quangos [the Water Commission]. Institutionally incompetent, complacent and discredited.” Feargal Sharkey told the BBC.

Jonah Fisher, BBC environment correspondent.  www.bbc.co.uk

Thousands of water tests to identify potential harmful pollution in rivers, lakes and estuaries in England have been cancelled in the last three months due to staff shortages, the BBC has learned.

The Environment Agency confirmed the cancellations after campaigners showed us internal emails and documents with plans for extensive cuts to monitoring programmes.

The cancelled tests are for so-called inorganic pollutants – substances such as nitrates and phosphates that can indicate sewage or agricultural pollution.

The EA says its testing programme “remains robust” but this week a landmark report said it had “struggled to effectively oversee and manage the water system”.

In the three months from May to July the water regulator says that 10,000 scheduled tests at its main laboratory at Starcross in Devon did not take place due to staff shortages.

Others were combined with other tests or postponed in what the EA says was an “optimisation” process.

The Environment Agency said seven national inorganic testing programmes had been completely “paused”. They include programmes that track chemical pollution in rivers, lakes and estuaries as well as one that monitors the regulator’s plans for dealing with drought.

Jo Bradley, who worked at the Environment Agency’s water quality team for more than 20 years, told the BBC: “Some inorganic substances, such as copper and zinc, are directly toxic to aquatic organisms, including fish and insects,”

“Others, such as phosphorus and nitrogen, are nutrients and they can affect river health when they are present in high quantities.

“These substances must be tested routinely, at many hundreds of locations, so that we can see trends in river chemistry and quickly identify problems.”

The EA said it “paused” 17.5% of its inorganic testing at the Starcross Laboratory from May to July.

Over the entire year it said it was expecting to operate at 15% below capacity.

A spokesperson blamed the reduction in tests on “fluctuations in staffing capacity” and could not say when the laboratory would be working at full capacity again.

Staffing problems are nothing new at the EA. In 2023 its chairman Alan Lovell told parliament that it had “struggled with recruitment and retention of staff”.

Internal emails obtained by campaign groups Greenpeace and Desmog through freedom of information requests were shared with the BBC. They show EA officials discussing the impact of staff departures on testing and saying that others planned to leave.

One senior official, writing an email to her colleagues, said it was “not good news I’m afraid” adding “this isn’t where we want to be (again)”.

Helen Nightingale, who worked at the Environment Agency as a catchment planner, analysing data from its water quality programme until 2022, says that while she was there she saw a shift of focus away from serious investigation to trying to find “successes”.

She also said that morale was low: “The pay is not great – we didn’t have pay rises for years due to austerity,

“But a lot people are in it [the EA] because they want to make a difference – and when you’re not even getting that – well, what’s the point?”

Documents seen by the BBC show that the work affected by the cuts to testing this year included investigations into the water industry in various parts of the country, and monitoring of protected areas including the River Wye, which is currently facing a pollution crisis linked to intensive chicken farming.

Stuart Singleton White from the Angling Trust which has been running its own citizen scientist testing programme., said: “This spring, while the EA cut 10,000 water samples, our Water Quality Monitoring Network collected its 10,000th.

“Our latest annual report showed that 34% of sites breached “good ecological status” for phosphate, and 45% showed signs of nitrate pollution. Pollution is out of control, and extensive testing is key to addressing the problem.”

Singer-turned-campaigner Feargal Sharkey said the cancelled tests are further confirmation of the EA’s limitations.

“When is a regulator not a regulator? When it’s the Environment Agency,” Mr Sharkey told the BBC.

“With impeccable timing the Environment Agency reminds us all of exactly why they to should be added to Sir Jon Cunliffe’s bonfire of the quangos [the Water Commission]. Institutionally incompetent, complacent and discredited.”

This week, Sir Jon recommended that a single water regulator be created, with the EA handing over responsibility for monitoring water pollution.

A spokesperson for the EA said: “We are committed to protecting the environment and water quality testing remains a top priority having received an extra £8m in funding.”

“Our water quality testing programme remains robust and prioritised on the basis of need – only a small proportion of tests were impacted by this issue, with no impact on pollution incidents and bathing water testing.”

Vital work to protect the cliffs and beach at Seaton Hole will begin next month, following planning approval for a £1.4 million improvement scheme. 

Josh Tate www.radioexe.co.uk

The work is designed to reduce erosion and lower the risk of cliff falls, helping protect the coastline and nearby homes. 

The project is being managed by a partnership of East Devon District Council and South West Flood and Coastal. 

Work will include adding more large rocks (known as rock armour) at the base of the cliffs, refurbishing and removal of wire baskets filled with stones (gabions) that support the cliff base next to Check House seawall and carrying out repairs to Check House seawall.

These planned improvements are set to strengthen defences between Seaton Hole and West Walk Promenade, making the area safer to the effects of the sea. The scheme is also expected to deliver nearly £5 million in long-term benefits. 

Cllr Geoff Jung, East Devon District Council Portfolio Holder for Environment – Operational, said, “While there may be some minor disruption over the summer, this work is essential. It will make Seaton Hole safer and more accessible for everyone, and help protect properties on the clifftop. 

“Please keep a safe distance from the work area and don’t climb on the rocks or near the cliffs, as they are unstable and pose a serious risk.” 

Cllr Paul Arnott, Leader of the Council, added, “This part of the coast has seen repeated landslides and ongoing erosion. It’s vital that we act now to protect local homes and ensure this beautiful area remains safe for future generations.” 

The work is due to be completed by November. 

“South West Water explains pollution discharge off beautiful Devon beaches”

That’s the headline but it looks more like a “description” (burst sewer pipe) than an “explanation” of how and why.

No mention of Susan Davy, who is still in charge, pulling on the Marigolds and leading the clean up from the front. – Owl.

People must not swim off Woolacombe and Combesgate beaches

Alex Driscoll www.devonlive.com

Discharge coming from a burst at a South West Water pumping station has led to a pollution spilling into the sea, making bathing hazardous at some of the most beautiful and popular beaches in North Devon.

The discharge of harmful waste into the sea comes in the week that schools are breaking up for the summer holidays.

The incident has affected the water quality at beaches in Woolacombe and Combesgate, with the Environment Agency (EA) telling people not to bathe in the water.

North Devon Council said that signage was placed on the beaches warning locals and tourists of the incident and the danger to people’s health.

An EA spokesperson said: “Our specialist officers have attended this incident in North Devon to investigate and take samples.

“We have also issued advice against bathing at Combesgate Beach and Woolacombe Village bathing waters.

“We advise that swimmers and beach users stay updated via Swimfo for the latest information.

“Members of the public can report environmental incidents to us via the Environment Agency’s 24-hour incident hotline: 0800 807060.”

South West Water later confirmed that the incident was caused by a burst at the Castlerock Pumping Station, north of Combesgate Beach.

At 9.30pm, Monday, July 21, a burst at the pumping station was identified.

South West Water said: “We are utilising tankers to move flows away from the pumping station to reduce any environmental impact.

“We are very sorry for the disruption while our teams are on-site tonight working around the clock to manage the situation.”

The discharge was stopped at 1am this morning, Tuesday, July 22, but work to repair the burst is ongoing.

South West Water told Devon Live: “The discharge was stopped at 01.00 hours today and our teams are still working hard to fix the main.

“The Environment Agency have issued an alert and we are taking samples to assess water quality.”

It is currently unclear how long it will take for the pollution incident to be resolved.

To keep up with our live blog on the incident, click here.

[He is the one still suspended].

Can Alison Hernandez now claim “closure” over the “one for the price of three” debacle? – Owl

ITV News www.itv.com

The Chief Constable of Devon and Cornwall Police, Will Kerr, who has been suspended from his job for the last two years, has announced he is to stand down.

In a statement issued by the Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez they have said that he will retire by mutual consent.

Mr Kerr has been under investigation in Northern Ireland but has not been charged with any offence.

An investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct in England continues although this is not related to criminal allegations investigated in Northern Ireland that have since been dismissed.

Alison Hernandez said: “Suspension from duty is a neutral act and there is always a presumption of innocence until proved otherwise.

“I have now agreed Mr Kerr’s departure from the force to allow processes for new and stable leadership to take Devon & Cornwall Police forward as this is now in the best interests of all parties.

“I remain frustrated at the amount of time this investigation has taken and the way that cross jurisdictional issues have lengthened the process during separate investigations by the Police Service of Northern Ireland, Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland and now the IOPC.

“His departure does not signal guilt, but instead a deep appreciation of the need for Devon & Cornwall Police to move forward with stable leadership from a substantive Chief Constable.”

James Vaughan, who came out of retirement to run the force will continue as Interim Chief Constable until a new recruitment process is complete.

In accordance with police misconduct regulations, the investigations will continue despite Mr Kerr’s departure.

Mr Kerr said: “Having been cleared in relation to what I believe were malicious criminal allegations in Northern Ireland, I have decided that it’s now in the best interests of my family and the Force that I retire as Chief Constable.

“After nearly 36 years of public service, this is not the way I would have chosen to retire but the Force, and communities across Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, deserve stable leadership in policing.

“I remain a strong advocate for effective accountability in policing, but that accountability process must be fair, timely and proportionate. Sadly, like too many other officers, that has not been my experience over the past two years.

“I continue to wish all of the highly committed officers and staff in Devon and Cornwall Police well and, despite the personal challenges of the past few years, I remain proud of the value of community-focussed policing, and a firm supporter of the people within its ranks.”

How much has all this cost us? 

Do we expect a comment from the “selfie girl”?

And there is still an outstanding misconduct case with the suspended Chief!  – Owl

www.itv.com

The Deputy Chief Constable of Devon and Cornwall Police has been found guilty of misconduct by a police disciplinary tribunal.

Jim Colwell has been given a written warning after the hearing determined he breached the force’s “notifiable associations” policy.

An IOPC spokesperson said: “He has been sanctioned with a written warning, to last for 18 months, after the misconduct tribunal found that his actions breached professional standards relating to orders and instructions and discreditable conduct.”

ITV West Country understands Mr Colwell failed to declare that he had exchanged messages with a journalist on social media.

A Devon and Cornwall Police spokesman said: “DCC Colwell has now returned fully to his duties in his substantive rank of Deputy Chief Constable and will be supporting Chief Constable James Vaughan and working with the executive in focusing on delivering policing services to our communities by driving continued improvements in performance, returning additional officers to the front line by reducing senior ranks and rolling out a clear focus on the Government’s neighbourhood policing guarantee to communities across Devon & Cornwall.”

Last year, Mr Colwell was suspended after allegations he used his work mobile phone to exchange personal messages.

The IOPC cleared him of gross misconduct and said he had no case to answer.

Mr Colwell led the force in place of chief constable Will Kerr who was suspended in July 2023 over sexual allegations.

An investigation by the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland (PONI) later cleared Mr Kerr of any wrongdoing.

A separate IOPC investigation into allegations of misconduct against Mr Kerr is still ongoing and he remains suspended.

That’s the stark take from today’s Times.

Cunliffe’s report said there was no “single, simple change, no matter how radical, that will reset the water sector and restore the trust that has been lost”. As a result, his report contains a total of 88 recommendations

Households must be prepared to accept a decade of above-inflation bills to fix Britain’s “failing” water system and cope with extra demand, the architect of government reforms has said.

In a warning to ministers who have pledged to hold down bills Sir Jon Cunliffe said that costs were “rising” in the water system and suggested the government needed to be honest about who would pay.

Compulsory water meters will be introduced and regulator abolished – key recommendations from landmark report into ‘broken’ water industry

Major recommendations also include the ability to block company takeovers and taking a more interventionist approach to regulation. But nationalisation was excluded.

Feargal Sharkey:  “We were promised champagne, what we got was a glass of sour milk”. 

Surfers Against Sewage said the report “utterly fails to prioritise public benefit over private profit”.

Link to the 465-page report of the independent Water Commission and a  67-page summary here.

Sky News reports:

Sarah Taaffe-Maguire news.sky.com 

The system for regulating water companies in England and Wales should be overhauled and replaced with one single body in England and another in Wales, a once-in-a-generation review of the sector has advised.

The report, which includes 88 recommendations, suggests a new single integrated regulator to replace existing water watchdogs, mandatory water metering, and a social tariff for vulnerable customers.

The ability to block companies being taken over and the creation of eight new regional water authorities, with another for all of Wales to deliver local priorities, has also been suggested.

The review, the largest into the water industry since privatisation in the 1980s, was undertaken by Sir Jon Cunliffe, a career civil servant and former deputy governor of the Bank of England who oversaw the biggest clean-up of Britain’s banking system in the wake of the financial crash.

The government confirmed at a news conference on Monday that Ofwat will be abolished as part of an overhaul of a “broken” water regulation system.

Environmentalist Feargal Sharkey told Sky News, “we were promised champagne, what we got was a glass of sour milk”.

Final recommendations of the commission have been published on Monday morning to clean up the sector and improve public confidence, as bills rise 36% over the next five years. Here are its nine key recommendations:

• Single integrated water regulators – a single water regulator in England and a single water regulator in Wales. In England, this would replace Ofwat, the Drinking Water Inspectorate and water-environment related functions from the Environment Agency and Natural England. In Wales, Ofwat’s economic responsibilities would be integrated into Natural Resources Wales.

It’s hoped this will solve the “fragmented and overlapping” regulation, and more stable regulation will improve investor confidence. Communications regulator Ofcom was given as an example of how combining five existing regulators into one worked.

• Eight new regional water system planning authorities in England and one national authority in Wales to be responsible for water investment plans reflecting local priorities and streamlining the planning processes.

The new authorities would be independent, made up of representatives from local councils, public health officials, environmental advocates, agricultural voices and consumers. The aim is they could direct funding and ensure accountability from all sectors impacting water.

• Greater consumer protection – this includes upgrading the consumer body Consumer Council for Water, into an Ombudsman for Water to give stronger protection to customers and a clearer route to resolving complaints. Advocacy duties are to be transferred to Citizens Advice.

• Stronger environmental regulation, including compulsory water meters. Also proposed by Sir Jon are changes to wholesale tariffs for industrial users and greater water reuse and rainwater harvesting schemes. A new long-term, legally binding target for the water environment was suggested.

• Oversight of companies via the ability to block changes in ownership of water businesses when they are not seen to be prioritising the long-term interests of the company and its customers, and the addition of “public benefit” clauses in water company licences.

To boost company financial resilience, as the UK’s biggest provider, Thames Water struggles to remain in private ownership, the commission has recommended minimum financial requirements, like banks are subject to. This could mean utilities hold a certain amount of cash. It’s hoped this will, in turn, make companies more appealing to potential investors.

• The public health element of water has been recognised, and senior public health representation has been recommended for regional water planning authorities, as have new laws to address pollutants like forever chemicals and microplastics.

• Fundamental reset of economic regulation – including changes to ensure companies are investing in and maintaining assets to help attract long-term, low-risk investment. A “supervisory” approach has been recommended to intervene before things like pollution occur, rather than penalising the businesses after the event.

• Clear strategic direction – a long-term, 25-year national water strategy should be published by the UK and Welsh governments, with ministerial priorities given to water firms every five years.

• Infrastructure and asset health reforms – companies should also be required to map and assess their assets and resilience.

Nationalisation of the water industry was not in the Independent Water Commission’s terms of reference and so was not considered.

Sir Jon said the report has “tried to attack the problem from all sides”.

He warned that bills are going to rise by 30% over the next five years.

“There are some inescapable facts here,” he said.

“The cost of producing water and dealing with our wastewater is going up.”

How has the report been received?

In a speech responding to Sir Jon’s report, Mr Reed said he was abolishing Ofwat.

The water industry lobby group Water UK said “fundamental change has been long overdue”.

“These recommendations should establish the foundations to secure our water supplies, support economic growth and end sewage entering our rivers and seas,” a spokesperson said.

“The Independent Water Commission has written a comprehensive, detailed review of the whole sector, with many wide-ranging and ambitious recommendations.

“Crucially, it is now up to government to decide which recommendations it will adopt, and in what way, but the commission’s work marks a significant step forward.”

Campaign group Surfers Against Sewage said the report “utterly fails to prioritise public benefit over private profit”.

“This is not transformational reform, this is putting lipstick on a pig - and you can bet the champagne is flowing in water company boardrooms across the land,” said its chief executive, Giles Bristow.

“Only one path forward remains: a full, systemic transformation that ends the ruthless pursuit of profit and puts the public good at the heart of our water services,” he said.

“We welcome Sir Jon’s calls for a national strategy, enshrining public health objectives in law and regional water planning. But we won’t be taken for fools - abolishing Ofwat and replacing it with a shinier regulator won’t stop sewage dumping or profiteering if the finance and ownership structures stay the same.”

Environmentalist Feargal Sharkey told Sky News, “we were promised champagne, what we got was a glass of sour milk”.

The regulator Ofwat said, it will now work with the government and the other regulators to form the new regulatory body in England, and “to contribute to discussions on the options for Wales set out in the report”.

“In advance of the creation of the new body, we will continue to work hard within our powers to protect customers and the environment and to discharge our responsibilities under the current regulatory framework. We will also work collaboratively with all our stakeholders to ensure a smooth transition.”

However, all is not what it seems.   

Steve Reed, Environment Secretary,  is reported to be  “furious” about an average 36% rise in water bills in England and Wales.

He said he would resign as environment secretary if the government failed to halve sewage pollution in rivers by 2030. “Politicians come and say we’re going to do things. Of course our job should be on the line if we don’t.”

This 2030 deadline is after the dissolution of this parliament. Steve Reed needs to judge himself on a meaningful target a little bit sooner than this to carry any credibilty.

More fundamentally this target is flawed as Feargal Sharkey told the Guardian:

“It’s an act worthy of a Greek tragedy telling your regulator that you’ve come up with a plan that turns out to be worse than the one they come up with a year and a half ago. The government has decided to axe Ofwat while announcing targets which are worse than theirs. Their plan is not worth the paper it’s written on.”

Reed announcend that he would cut sewage spills by 50% by 2030 against 2024 levels. However, Ofwat’s goal would reduce sewage spills to 204,893 by 2030, compared to Reed’s which would reduce them to 225,199 by that year.

Defra sources said Reed’s target could be stronger than Ofwat’s because for 2021 storm overflows baseline only 87.8% of overflows were monitored. The 2024 baseline includes 100% monitoring. However, the two figures are largely similar.

Another one worthy of “Sir Humphrey”! – Owl

This story is now being widely reported. Hurrah! – Owl          

Feargal Sharke says : “The bonfire of the quangos in the industry needs to go further, we need remedial and radical action and we demand it now.

“A regulator that has never been prepared to acknowledge its role at the epicentre of greed, corruption and incompetence is just as guilty as any water company of polluting rivers and exploiting customers.”

Watchdog has faced intense criticism over sewage spills, shareholder payouts and ballooning debts last year.

 Helena Horton, Anna Isaac and Rowena Mason The Guardian  Fri 18 Jul 2025

England and Wales’ embattled water regulator will be abolished under recommendations from a government-commissioned review due out on Monday, the Guardian understands.

Ministers will announce next week a consultation into creating a new regulator, to coincide with the results of a review into the water industry directed by former Bank of England deputy governor Sir Jon Cunliffe.

This consultation is likely to conclude with the abolition of Ofwat, the watchdog that polices how much water companies can charge for services in England and Wales, sources said.

Ofwat has faced intense criticism over its failure to prevent sewage spills, hefty payments of dividends, and ballooning debts across England and Wales’s water companies. The review will recommend a new regulatory system.

Cunliffe’s review was set up by the government amid growing public anger about record sewage spills and rising bills, as well as the fraying finances of some of the biggest utilities.

It will be the largest review of the sector since its privatisation under Margaret Thatcher. At the launch of the review last year, the environment secretary, Steve Reed, said it would “shape new legislation to reform the water sector so it properly serves the interests of customers and the environment.”

Critics have said Ofwat presided over a culture of underinvestment in water infrastructure and financial mismanagement by water companies since its creation in 1989. The most troubling case for the government is the UK’s largest water company, Thames Water, which is loaded with £20bn in debt and struggling to stave off financial collapse.

Thames Water is in talks with Ofwat over a takeover by creditors who hold much of its debt, and is trying to secure leniency from fines and penalties. Should those negotiations fail, it is likely to fall into temporary state ownership via the special administration regime.

Cunliffe warned in his interim review that the current regulatory system, including Ofwat, had “largely lost public trust”.

Customers, MPs and campaigners protest outside a Thames Water bailout hearing in London earlier this year. Photograph: Victoria Jones/REX/Shutterstock

Industry leaders have also long bemoaned a lack of coherence in water regulation, with different regulators and agencies doubling up on areas of investigation. This has made it hard to have timely decisions, allowing investigations to drag on rather than prevent or address environmental harm and pollution.

Cunliffe had also suggested “fundamental, structural options for integrating regulatory remits and functions”. There are now three regulators for water – Ofwat, the Environment Agency and the Drinking Water Inspectorate.

Water campaigner and former Undertones frontman Feargal Sharkey said: “The bonfire of the quangos in the industry needs to go further, we need remedial and radical action and we demand it now.

“A regulator that has never been prepared to acknowledge its role at the epicentre of greed, corruption and incompetence is just as guilty as any water company of polluting rivers and exploiting customers.”

A government spokesperson said: “We do not comment on speculation”.

Insiders at Ofwat have expressed concern that scrapping the regulator without a clear plan for the future could add to uncertainty at a sensitive time for investment. However, sources said they supported combining some different investigatory and punishment powers within one regulator – even if it cost them their jobs.

One insider said “simply scrapping Ofwat would not be a quick fix”.

“If this were an easy way to avoid putting Thames Water into special administration, I think the government would have done it already,” they added.

A senior Whitehall source said they feared the politicisation of regulatory changes could make it harder to attract investment for the water industry in the short and medium term.

“Investors need to know what they are buying,” the source said. “That includes regulation.”

On Friday, it was revealed serious pollution incidents by water companies were up by 60% last year compared with the year before. The total number of serious pollution incidents in 2024 was 75, up from 47 in 2023, Environment Agency figures showed. Of these, 81% (61) were caused by three companies: Thames Water (33), Southern Water (15) and Yorkshire Water (13). Thames Water’s serious incidents more than doubled from 14 to 33.

Ofwat declined to comment

Ed Hill was elected as a Reform UK councillor on Devon County Council but has now been expelled from the party

Miles Davis www.bbc.com

A Reform UK councillor who was elected to Devon County Council in May has been expelled from the party.

Reform UK said it had expelled Ed Hill for publishing a letter about free school meals in the name of all Reform Devon councillors without their consent.

In June it emerged Hill had reported two fellow Reform councillors to police over election expenses.

Hill, the member for Pinhoe and Mincinglake, said there had been a misunderstanding which led him to believe he could add his colleagues’ names as signatories.

‘Unacceptable’

A Reform UK spokesman said Hill’s actions “damaged the interests of the party”.

The spokesman said: “We will not tolerate any councillor using their colleagues’ names without their consent.”

Hill sent the letter to all of Devon’s MPs and to the media asking them to support automatic enrolment for free school meals.

Michael Fife Cook is leader of the Reform group on Devon County Council, which now has 17 members.

He said: “Irrespective of something being a good cause, attaching councillors’ names to a letter without their consent is totally unacceptable behaviour.

“That Cllr Hill not only did this, but then made the letter public – including sending it to the media and MPs – meant disciplinary action was inevitable.”

Hill said he genuinely believed he had secured the permission of colleagues via one of the Reform councillors.

“I think it feels like an overreaction and I’m still committed to the Reform cause,” he said.

“Nobody from Reform contacted me about the suspension before it happened.”

Hill was previously removed from his role as chairman of the Exeter branch of Reform after reporting colleagues to police over concerns relating to overspending on election expenses.

He said: “Had I been able to communicate directly with my fellow councillors through formal party channels – instead of being excluded from all internal communications – this confusion could have been easily avoided.”

Reform UK said it would not be taking any action against Neil Stevens, member for Alphington and Cowick, regarding his election expense return.

Devon and Cornwall Police said there had been no arrests or charges at this point, but enquiries remain ongoing.

On Social Media

Ed Hill says he will appeal

BREAKING: DevonLive is now reporting on my expulsion from Reform UK — following my efforts to ensure hungry children are auto-enrolled for Free School Meals.

The Party claims I listed councillors on a public letter without consent. I’ve provided screenshot evidence showing I was told: “They will sign the letter.”

At worst, this was a genuine misunderstanding — made worse by the fact that I’ve been excluded from all internal communications since reporting a fellow councillor to the police.

I’m appealing the decision — and I’ll continue standing up for transparency, accountability, and the people who elected me.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

But more heads need to roll! – owl

Sequence of events this week

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

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

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

Dear Fred,

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

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

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

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

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

Yours sincerely,

Susan Davy
Chief Executive Officer, Pennon Group

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

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

10 July

Dear Susan   

Re: OFWAT Wastewater Investigation 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Your sincerely

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

Rachel Gilmour MP (Tiverton and Minehead)

Caroline Voaden MP (South Devon)

Steve Darling MP (Torbay)

Richard Foord MP (Honiton and Sidmouth)

Ian Roome MP (North Devon)

Martin Wrigley MP (Newton Abbott)

Ben Maguire MP (North Cornwall)

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

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

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

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

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

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

ITV News www.itv.com 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This will be funded by the company and shareholders.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What issues have South West Water faced?

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

South West Water treatment works

What is South West Water doing to address the issues?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What has the reaction been?

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

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

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

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

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

Georgina Barnes www.bbc.co.uk

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

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

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

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

‘Put things right’

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

See latest post on:

Update on Snouts in the Water Trough

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thames Water Under Fire After Emergency Loan used to pay bonuses

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

www.itv.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Home Office www.gov.uk (Extract)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Initiatives taking place this summer include:  

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

Towns signing up in Devon and Cornwall:

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

Guy Henderson www.devonlive.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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