More than 90% of freshwater habitats on England’s most precious rivers are in unfavourable condition, blighted by farming pollution, raw sewage and water abstraction, an Observer investigation reveals.

[“Our environmental improvement plan, published this January, marked a step change in how we deliver our commitment to restore 75% of our protected sites to a favourable condition by 2042 – setting an interim target to turn things around now, helping nature to recover, and putting us on the right path to achieving this goal by 31 January 2028.” Mañana – Owl]

Jon Ungoed-Thomas www.theguardian.com 

None of the approximately 40 rivers with protected habitats in England are in overall good health, according to an analysis of government inspection reports. These include the River Avon in Hampshire, the Wensum in Norfolk and the Eden in Cumbria.

Recent government figures show that only 9.9% of these habitats on sites of special scientific interest (SSSI) are in favourable condition. SSSI status encompasses freshwater habitats, along with nearby woodland, marsh and fenland. In comparison 59.4% of protected habitats on coasts and estuaries are in favourable condition. The Observer’s analysis suggests the freshwater habitats are most at threat because of a cocktail of pollution from agricultural runoff, sewage discharges and microplastics, as well as damaging human interventions such as dredging.

Out of 256 assessments of freshwater habitats on 38 English rivers that are SSSIs, just 23 (9%) were in favourable condition, meaning they are in a healthy state and are being conserved by appropriate management.

“It is an utter disgrace,” said Charles Watson, founder and chair of the charity River Action, which raises awareness of river pollution and the need for solutions. “These should be the most protected river catchments in the country, but there has been a total failure of regulation.”

Some of the SSSI river sections have not been inspected since 2010 because of lack of funds. Volunteers across the country are stepping in to measure the quality of their local rivers and are demanding action to counter what they claim to be the government’s inadequate inspection regime.

Campaigners believe the government is not taking the problem seriously enough. SSSIs are meant to safeguard England’s most important areas of natural heritage, and Natural England, the conservation watchdog, has a legal duty to protect them. But when the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) was asked by the Observer more than a week ago for “a list of rivers in England which are sites of special scientific interest and their current status”, it responded it was unable to “get this specific dataset”.

On the River Avon, one of the country’s most diverse chalk streams, which rises in Wiltshire and flows into Hampshire, there are 17 stretches of river and streams that are protected habitats and just two are in favourable condition. “Water quality fails on several indicators,” said an assessment from September 2021.

The River Wensum, which flows from its source in north-west Norfolk to its confluence with the River Yare, has excessive phosphate concentration at all points where there is monitoring data. Excess nutrients in the water can cause the rapid growth of certain plants and algae blooms that damage habitats.

The River Eden and its tributaries in Cumbria have 35 stretches of water that are protected habitats. None are in favourable condition. Assessments found physical barriers to salmon migration and several stretches “exceeding the phosphorus target”. A charity, the Eden Rivers Trust, has been working to protect and restore the river.

The six stretches of the River Itchen in Hampshire that are SSSI units are all classified as unfavourable. A Natural England document says “water quality measurements show phosphorus concentrations to be exceeding the targets in most units”.

All four stretches assessed on the River Kennet, a tributary of the River Thames, are classified as unfavourable, but are considered to be recovering with a strategy to improve the health of the river.

A June 2022 Natural England assessments says the long-term issues have been low water flow, discharges from sewage treatment systems and channel modification such as dredging.

The condition of the River Wye was downgraded in May after a campaign over the impact of intensive chicken farming, and following sampling of the river by volunteers. All seven stretches of the Wye assessed as SSSIs are now “unfavourable-declining”, along with all four SSSI units on its tributary the River Lugg. The River Wye is showing declines in salmon and white-clawed crayfish, while water quality on the Lugg has declined.

The Environment Agency and Natural England have a joint river restoration programme for about 30 rivers and their catchments, covering most of the main SSSI rivers with projects continuing across the country. The work includes environmental schemes aiming to restore the Avon, Eden, Wensum, Kennet, Itchen, Wye and Lugg. The River Restoration Centre, which advises the government on the programme, said more resources were required.

An assessment of water bodies published under the EU water framework directive in September 2020 showed the proportion of rivers in England with good ecological status was 14%, but that none achieved good status for chemicals.

A river must be considered good in both categories to be classified good overall, so no rivers met the criteria.

Government target dates for water bodies to achieve good chemical and ecological status range from 2027 to 2063.

Natural England’s chair, Tony Juniper, said: “We are incredibly fortunate to have so many fantastic rivers in England – including nearly all of the world’s precious chalk streams – and many of these rivers are protected because of their outstanding natural features.

“However, most are under huge pressure, from overabstraction to chemical pollution and from physical modification, to now, also, the effects of global heating. Many of the pressures causing river health to decline, such as runoff from fields, can arise some distance away from our sites of special scientific interest, but cause damage nonetheless.

“That’s why an integrated approach is essential to restoring our rivers – working together with partners to deliver solutions that work for farmers, landowners and industry and the environment on which we all depend.”

“Working at the level of whole catchments is an essential part of this integrated approach, bringing together action on wastewater treatment, abstraction, farming, housing, infrastructure and physical habitat restoration to create rivers resilient to climate impacts.

“I’m very pleased the government is increasingly focused on catchment-scale action, which will help to deliver the national target to restore all protected sites, including SSSI rivers, to favourable condition by 2042.”

A spokesperson for Defra said its own published figures showing SSSI unit conditions along rivers were “experimental” statistics.

They said: “Overall, 89% of priority habitats are in favourable condition or recovering. But our rivers and rare chalk streams are hugely important to communities and to nature– as are the protected sites they flow through – which is why we are prioritising their recovery.

“Our environmental improvement plan, published this January, marked a step change in how we deliver our commitment to restore 75% of our protected sites to a favourable condition by 2042 – setting an interim target to turn things around now, helping nature to recover, and putting us on the right path to achieving this goal by 31 January 2028.

“Our plan for water sets out how we will tackle every source of water pollution alongside additional investment, stronger regulation and tougher enforcement on those who pollute. On top of this, our storm overflows discharge reduction plan set strict new targets on water companies and it prioritises action in ecologically important sites – such as SSSIs – so overflows in these areas are addressed. We will continue to work with Natural England and other partners to drive actions that return our protected sites to favourable condition.”

The UK’s investment in renewable energy has lagged significantly behind the rest of the world in recent years, according to an analysis of global data.

Still cutting the “Green Crap” policies as announced by David Cameron. – Owl

Rume Otuguor www.theguardian.com 

The latest government figures reveal the UK’s renewable capacity has fallen to an average increase of 4.45% in the past three years, compared with an average 9.67% annual increase globally.

The analysis follows the government’s announcement that it will approve more than 100 new oil and gas licences.

In the UK, total renewable capacity grew by 1.96% in 2020, 3.65% in 2021 and 7.74% in 2022, averaging a capacity of just 4.45% a year – well down from the 24.26% growth recorded in 2015.

The rest of the world recorded much higher levels of growth in renewable capacity compared with the UK in the last three years. In 2020, renewable capacity grew by 10.3%, followed by 9.1% in 2021 and 9.6% in 2022. This averages a 9.67% increase, more than double that of the UK over the same period.

The Liberal Democrats’ energy and climate spokesperson, Wera Hobhouse, criticised the government’s failure “to invest in the greenest, cheapest and most popular form of energy” and demanded it do more, including removing restrictions on new solar and wind and empowering local authorities to support decentralised energy that will “not only bring down bills, but also provide skilled jobs for the future”.

She said the figures showed the Conservative party could not be trusted with the environment. “They would rather new onshore oilfields than solar farms and wind turbines,” she said.

Roger Fouquet, a senior research fellow at the Energy Studies Institute in the National University of Singapore, said that as countries such as Iceland move towards 100% renewable energy, “its investment is likely to slow down, only increasing to meet the rising demand of power”. However, he noted that the UK cannot compare.

“The UK’s current renewable electricity capacity is below 50%, and has a great deal of further investment to undertake to claim to be a leader in low-carbon energy systems. In fact, 45% of European economies have a higher share of renewable electricity capacity,” Fouquet said.

RenewableUK, a leading non-profit energy trade association, believes the government needs to develop a plan to compete with the EU and US in a competitive renewables market.

Its executive director of policy, Ana Musat, said: “The government urgently needs to develop a comprehensive strategy for making the UK renewables sector the most attractive to global investors, so that we can continue to build new clean energy projects at scale and attract supply chain investment in key areas such as blades, cables and floating offshore wind.”

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said: “We won’t apologise for moving faster and earlier on renewable energy than many other countries, and we are glad to see that nations across Europe and the rest of the world are starting to catch up.

“We have already attracted around £120bn investment in renewables since 2010, and are expected to attract a further £100bn in net zero by 2030 – powering up Britain and supporting up to 480,000 jobs. This has meant we have increased the amount of energy coming from renewables from 6.7% in 2010 to 41.5% in 2022.”

New plans to convert Sidmouth’s seafront Drill Hall into a Rockfish restaurant have been unveiled with images as to what it will look like. The plans are bigger and better than a previously approved scheme and include a new outdoor terrace.

Daniel Clark www.devonlive.com

Mitch Tonks’ chain have also acquired the toilet block adjacent to the Drill Hall on Sidmouth seafront which ‘will result in a much enhanced restaurant offer on this site’. Work has been ongoing and now Rockfish are at the stage where they have submitted a fresh planning application for the site.

News of the chain’s expansion into Sidmouth was first reported in 2020, and initial plans for the former Drill Hall were given the go-ahead by planners. But three years on, work has yet to begin, beset by delays and ‘legal matters’ having slowed down the proposals – but now they are back.

“With our proven track record and our focus on quality, family and sustainability, we believe Rockfish is the right fit for Sidmouth which being by the water will provide a perfect destination for people to travel to and eat fresh seafood,” a statement with the planning application, submitted to East Devon District Council says. “As with all our other restaurants we will create 30 – 40 local full and part time jobs. The investment into Rockfish Sidmouth will be in Excess of £1m in total.”

A spokesperson for Rockfish said the submitted plans honour the historic significance of the Drill Hall, which would house the new Rockfish restaurant. They added the projected works will preserve the working aesthetic of the Drill Hall in its setting and blend in with the character of the existing, neighbouring buildings on Sidmouth’s esplanade.

They continued: “The submitted design also outlines efforts to protect the local landmark from any further erosion or decay as a result of the elements, by adding a layer of further insulation to the outer walls. Alongside these preservative works for the Drill Hall, Rockfish’s plans for the site now also include the redevelopment of the adjacent toilet block and the addition of new, more modern public toilet facilities for the town.”

Artist impression of Rockfish’s plans for Drill Hall on Sidmouth seafront

A statement with the planning adds: “If approved the building will serve as a restaurant for popular seafood chain, Rockfish, with a view to help rejuvenate the East end of Sidmouth’s historic Seafront Esplanade which has been neglected in recent years. The proposal would be the first restaurant in the Eastern end of the town and as such would help to draw more people to the Port Royal area, improving the commercial viability of nearby businesses such as Sidmouth Trawlers and the Lifeboat Shop.

“The primary dining space is proposed to be located in the Main Hall on the ground floor level, with a more suitable quantity of natural daylight being introduced to the restaurant through the creation of four new window openings in the bays along the Eastern wall. The extension would have secondary seating with three large windows opening up its natural light and highlighting sea views. The original interior is proposed to be preserved as much as possible, with the hammer-beamed roof structure and brick arches retained to act as focal points of the space.

“The proposal is to operate largely within the form of the existing building, as well as the extension which replaces the toilet block. The extension includes extended seating to the main restaurant, prep area and store room for kitchen. A new toilet block will replace the old one. It is proposed to have two unisex bathrooms both accessible with baby changing.”

Founder & CEO Mitch Tonks added: “I’m really excited about this incredible, historic location and about Rockfish joining the thriving community in Sidmouth. Opening a sustainable seafood restaurant in a seaside town, right by the water, naturally feels like the perfect fit. We’re also very honoured and proud that our works on the Drill Hall will go beyond the restaurant itself and provide a public service to those who live and are planning to visit this fabulous location.”

Rockfish has sites in Brixham, Salcombe. Dartmouth, Exeter, Exmouth, Plymouth, Torquay, as well as Poole and Weymouth in Dorset. New openings in Topsham, as well as Sidmouth, and a second Salcombe site are planned.

East Devon District Council planners will determine the fate of the application at a later date.

Tory ministers hit out at ‘incompetent’ Home Office as Legionella bacteria to put barge out of action for weeks

Jenny Medlicott www.lbc.co.uk

The Bibby Stockholm could be out of action for weeks after Legionella bacteria was detected in the water supply.

Migrants on board the housing barge have been moved back to hotels after they were evacuated from the vessel on Friday.

It comes just five days after the first group of asylum seekers moved onto the barge following a series of delays.

Senior MPs have now questioned why the group of 39 migrants was allowed to board before the test results had been returned.

“Small boats week has turned into Carry On Up the Channel week,” one senior Tory said.

“This is deeply troubling, and rapidly turning into a farce that the Home Office can ill afford,” former minister Tim Loughton said.

He continued: “Given the importance of the project, it was important that every risk assessment was performed before the people were put on the barge. Given the delays, there are serious questions as to why they were not done and what comeback there is on the contractors or whoever is responsible for signing it off for habitation.”

Another MP said the incident was an “embarrassment” and signalled “incompetence”.

Reports suggest that Home Office officials were told about the discovery of Legionella bacteria in the water on Wednesday.

But despite this, six more migrants were transferred onto the barge the following day.

Legionella bacteria can cause Legionnaires’ disease, a lung infection that causes flu-like symptoms, coughs, chest pain and shortness of breath.

In extreme cases, it can lead to people coughing up blood.

None of the people on board have shown any symptoms yet, but they have used the water supply.

Ministers were later informed by the UK Health Security Agency on Thursday evening about the bacteria discovery and were advised to remove the six newly boarded migrants from the floating accommodation.

However, the Home Office announced on Friday all 39 migrants would be relocated as a “further temporary precaution”.

It is understood that the Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, and Immigration Minister, Robert Jenrick, were first informed of the bacteria’s presence on Thursday.

A Home Office spokesperson said on Friday: “As a precautionary measure, all 39 asylum seekers who arrived on the vessel this week are being disembarked while further assessments are undertaken.

“No individuals on board have presented with symptoms of Legionnaires’, and asylum seekers are being provided with appropriate advice and support.

“The samples taken relate only to the water system on the vessel itself and therefore carry no direct risk indication for the wider community of Portland nor do they relate to fresh water entering the vessel. Legionnaires’ disease does not spread from person to person.”

It is believed the migrants on board have now been relocated to hotels around a two-hour drive from Portland, where the vessel is moored, according to The Telegraph.

It could take weeks before the pipes are free of the bacteria and new checks are carried out.

Speaking to LBC’s Ben Kentish on Friday, Shadow Immigration Minister Stephen Kinnock said that the Bibby Stockholm barge was a “floating symbol of Tory incompetence and failure”.

Continuing, MP Stephen Kinnock stated how Labour would “scrap the unworkable, unethical and unaffordable Rwanda plan” if elected, adding they would channel the funds into improving the National Crime Agency.

Mr Kinnock added that if elected as Prime Minister, Keir Starmer would show “respect” to the EU to secure a migrants return deal.

It comes just days after Tory minister Sarah Dines insisted to LBC’s Nick Ferrari at Breakfast: “It is a safe place for people to live and stay.

“It is a very complex situation. Let us just be clear that the Government is determined to use barges such as this one to make sure we have somewhere which is proper – rudimentary but proper – accommodation for migrants.”

Migrants are being housed on the barge as part of government plans to grapple with soaring levels of small boat arrivals in the UK.

It is designed to be cheaper than paying for hotels across the country, which has proved controversial with some communities and even led to some being targeted by protesters.

More than 100,000 people have now crossed the Channel since records began in 2018.

Persimmon has become the latest homebuilder to warn on profits and completions as mortgage rates put pressure on the housing market. 

Pedro Gonçalves moneyweek.com

In the space of a few weeks, Persimmon, Bellway, Berkeley, Taylor Wimpey and Barrett Developments, which together have been responsible for building around 30,000 homes a year in the past, have all warned they’re planning to cut construction this year off the back of lower demand. 

It comes after 14 consecutive increases in interest rates by the Bank of England (BoE), which have risen to a 15-year high of 5.25% and pushed mortgage costs higher for homeowners.

UK housing market data from RICS shows more signs of a slowdown in property, as agreed sales fell to -44% in July, down from -36% the previous month.

The pressure of high interest rates has choked both buyer demand and mortgage applications, meaning that price declines reached levels last seen in 2009.

The average two-year fixed mortgage deal is now 6.83%, according to Moneyfacts. The typical five-year deal stands at 6.34%.

House price slump hurts Persimmon 

Persimmon has announced it reduced its headcount by almost 300 in the first half of the year and further reviews are ongoing to cut costs by as much as £25m annually.

Home sales dropped to 4,249 in the six months to June, compared with 6,652 in the first half of 2022 while underlying operating profit fell to £152.2m from £440.7m.

“Against a backdrop of higher mortgage rates, the removal of Help to Buy and significant market uncertainty, Persimmon has delivered a robust sales rate excluding bulk sales whilst growing the private average selling price in our forward order book and also securing cost savings,” chief executive Dean Finch says.

Still, the average price of each new home sold by the business rose from £245,597 to £256,445.

“As we have seen elsewhere, trading conditions have waned over the last 4-6 weeks with sales rates falling to 0.41. Pricing appears to remain resilient, but the next big test for the market will be the autumn selling season,” says Investec analyst Aynsley Lammin.

Persimmon’s downbeat assessment of the housing market comes only a few days after Bellway announced it would shut two of its divisions and slow activity in a third, as it predicted that house completions would “decrease materially” over the next 12 months.

The company said it completed 10,945 homes, down from 11,198, with an average selling price of £310,000, down from £314,399 the previous year. Reservations were also down, declining 28.4% in the year to 31 July.

The FTSE 250-listed group said it would update its forecast on volumes in its full-year results in October.

It warned that surging mortgage costs impacted sales in the final three months of 2022 when the UK was already reeling from the bonds crisis sparked by Liz Truss’ mini-Budget.

Bellway is also currently consulting on the closure of its London partnerships arm, which sees it working with housing associations, councils and private rental sector investors on projects, as well as its South Midlands division.

The move could see around 90 employees from the company’s 3,000-strong workforce lose their jobs.

Dark clouds build over the housing market 

As well as Bellway and Persimmon, Taylor Wimpey has said it is planning to cut jobs in order to find savings of £20m a year.

While Barratt announced in July that it would build 20% fewer homes in 2024, and Berkeley has said its annual sales were expected to fall by a fifth.

Competitors Crest Nicholson and Vistry have said high mortgage rates were hampering demand from first-time buyers.

“Lists will fall and people will get the care they need more quickly” – Rishi Sunak, January 2023. 

NHS waiting lists have hit a new record high despite a pledge by Rishi Sunak to bring them down.

Jon Stone www.independent.co.uk

An estimated 7.6 million people were waiting to start routine hospital treatment at the end of June – up from 7.5 million in May, NHS England said.

The figure is the highest number since comparable records began in August 2007.

The prime minister made cutting waiting lists one of his priorities for 2023, pledging in January that “lists will fall and people will get the care they need more quickly”.

But far from cutting waits, lists are still growing to a level never seen before, the latest numbers suggest.

Last week, Mr Sunak blamed industrial action by doctors for his failure to close the gap.

The latest backlog figures come as junior doctors are set to walk out again for their latest four-day strike on Friday, with the stoppage ending on Tuesday morning.

Doctors have had their real wages cut in recent years and are asking for their salaries to be restored, in part to stem a recruitment and retention crisis in the health service. The government says the demand is unaffordable.

Labour has accused the government of making “excuses” for failing to tackle waiting lists by blaming doctors.

Health think tanks including the King’s Fund and Health Foundation, as well as groups such as NHS Providers, which represents hospitals, have consistently said the health service needs more funding to make improvements.

The government and NHS England have set a target to eliminate all waits of more than a year by March 2025.

By this narrower metric, there has been slight progress, with the number of people waiting more than a year for treatment down from 385,022 at the end of May to 383,083 people at the end of June.

But at the current rate of change, this target will not be reached.

An even narrower target, to eliminate waits of 18 months or more for NHS treatment, was missed in April this year. A total 7,177 were waiting longer than 18 months in June 2023, down from 11,446 at the end of May.

Last week, health minister Maria Caulfield said the government expected waiting times to go up before they went down, telling LBC radio that the numbers would “peak in the next few months”.

The government has said it will draft in spare capacity from the private sector to try and cut waiting lists, including the use of eight new privately-run diagnostic sectors.

Ministers also say they are changing the rules to make it easier for the NHS to buy in private services, by altering the so-called “provider selection regime”.

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan, a Labour shadow health minister, said the government had no plan to turn the situation around.

“One in eight people are now waiting for NHS treatment, more than ever before. Patients are waiting in pain and discomfort for months or even years,” she said.

“Rishi Sunak has no plan to turn this around, he only offers excuses. He blames hard-working doctors and nurses, yet he hasn’t lifted a finger to stop the strikes.

“The last Labour government delivered the shortest waiting lists and highest patient satisfaction in history. The next Labour government will provide the staff and reform the NHS needs, so it is there for us when we need it once again.”

Living the life of a “Hedgie”? – Owl

Rishi Sunak has used RAF jets and helicopters for domestic flights more frequently than the UK’s previous three prime ministers, the BBC can reveal.

By Joshua Nevett www.bbc.co.uk

Ministry of Defence data show he took almost one such flight a week during his first seven months in office.

The prime minister has been accused of hypocrisy for flying short journeys domestically, given his pledges to curb planet-warming carbon emissions.

But Mr Sunak has said air travel was the “most effective use of my time”.

In response to Freedom of Information requests, the BBC was told the number of domestic flights on Command Support Air Transport aircraft broken down by prime minister between July 2016 and April 2023.

The RAF division – known as 32 Squadron – operates two Dassault Falcon 900LX jets and a helicopter to transport the PM and other ministers domestically.

In total, Mr Sunak boarded 23 domestic flights on these aircraft in 187 days, which is one every eight days on average.

Two caveats to bear in mind are the brevity of Ms Truss’s time in Downing Street, and the limitations on Mr Johnson’s travel during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The BBC initially requested data on the number of flights each UK prime minister since Tony Blair had taken using a military aircraft to travel domestically. But the MoD rejected the request on cost grounds and advised asking for data on those flights since Mrs May.

The prime minister sometimes has access to an RAF Voyager plane for overseas trips, and the government also charters private flights on aircraft operated by Titan Airways.

Separately, Mr Sunak has accepted more than £70,000 worth of private jet and helicopter travel to Conservative Party events from political donors this year.

High politics

Mr Sunak’s use of flights for UK engagements has come under intense scrutiny, with critics questioning why he had not used the train instead of RAF aircraft for relatively short trips to Newquay, Dover and Leeds this year.

Last month, Mr Sunak said those who say “no one should take a plane” in their approach to climate change were “completely, and utterly wrong”.

Labour said the PM was “developing an expensive habit of swanning around on private jets courtesy of the taxpayer”.

The party’s deputy leader, Angela Rayner, suggested Mr Sunak had breached the ministerial code, which states he is supposed to use scheduled flights, unless “it is essential to travel by air”.

In his speech at the COP27 climate summit last year, Mr Sunak said it was “morally right to honour” the UK’s promise to reduce carbon emissions.

The UK has set a legally binding target of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, as part of the global effort to avert the worst effects of climate change.

Flights produce greenhouse gases – mainly carbon dioxide (CO2) – from burning fuel, and these emissions contribute to global warming.

Emissions per kilometre travelled from domestic flights are significantly worse than any other form of transport, and private jets typically produce more CO2 than commercial flights.

But carbon emissions vary considerably depending on the size of the plane, how efficient its engines are, and how many passengers it carries.

In 2019, before the pandemic struck, international and domestic UK aviation accounted for 8% of the UK’s total greenhouse gas emissions.

PM’s priorities

Anna Hughes, whose Flight Free UK campaign urges people to fly less for the sake of the climate, said Mr Sunak’s transport choices were “frustrating”.

She said if leaders demonstrated “the kind of behaviour that we all need to adopt to avert the climate crisis, it communicates that it’s serious and real”.

“You can’t just say I’m the prime minister, I’m too busy and important,” she added.

One former official with knowledge of ministerial travel prior to Mr Sunak’s premiership said transport choices “were based on time”, adding the train would be used “nine times out of ten”.

The former official, who did not wish to be named, said they “had access to the PM’s diary and every single minute of every day is accounted for”.

“In order to achieve a long visit, the only way was to use an aircraft,” they said.

A Downing Street spokesperson said ministers “sometimes require the use of non-commercial air travel”.

“This is a standard practice for governments around the world and this has consistently been the case under successive UK administrations of all political colours,” the spokesperson said.

“Value for money, security, and time efficiency is taken into account in all travel decisions and all flights are carbon offset.”

Although we have the number of domestic flights Mr Sunak has taken up to April this year, we don’t know the details of all those journeys, and what aircraft he used.

We did ask for that information, but the MoD said the “RAF does not retain records for air miles flown by aircraft”, and withheld data on the PM’s trips.

That means we can’t calculate the overall carbon footprint of Mr Sunak’s domestic flights during his first seven months in office.

What we can do is estimate the carbon emissions of some individual flights, using information in the public domain.

For example, on 19 January, the prime minister flew from RAF Northolt in west London to Blackpool Airport on a Dassault Falcon 900LX.

A number of aviation websites say the Falcon has a fuel consumption of about 260 gallons per hour. The flight from London to Blackpool took 41 minutes, which means approximately 178 gallons, or 805 litres, of fuel was consumed.

Based on the government’s fuel-to-emissions conversation rates, the flight would have produced about two tonnes of CO2.

Falcon jets typically have 12 seats. So if we assume the plane was full for the Blackpool trip, two tonnes of CO2 would be 166 kg per person.

To put that into context, the International Energy Agency estimated that the global average energy-related carbon footprint was about 4.7 tonnes of CO2 per person in 2021.

In contrast to Mr Sunak’s flight, a train journey from London Euston to Blackpool North would produce 14.31kg of CO2 per passenger, according to a LNER carbon calculator..

The Trainline website says it takes an average of three hours and 43 minutes to travel from London Euston to Blackpool by train.

Additional reporting by Mark Poynting, BBC climate researcher

Ooops! How does that compute with “Spreadsheet” Sunack, former partner in a couple of Hedge Fund firms? Small change?- Owl

Labour says losses to Treasury bond fund costing £8,900 for every UK household

A Treasury bond fund has careened from an asset to a liability, with losses so profound that each UK household now faces a staggering burden of £8,900, Labour has said.

Martina Bet www.standard.co.uk 

Figures show the Treasury fund, originally devised to capitalise on the Bank of England’s quantitative easing programme, has been rapidly eroding over the past three years.

According to Labour, the fund’s decline turned it into the most substantial liability on the Treasury’s balance sheet by the close of March 2023, culminating in a £251 billion loss.

The party says in terms of losses for the taxpayer, it represents a cost of £8,900 for every household in the UK and is 76 times the amount that was lost on Black Wednesday in 1992, when the UK was forced out of the Exchange Rate Mechanism.

It also claimed it is equivalent to 10% of the UK’s gross domestic product in 2022, or the entire GDP of Scotland and Wales combined.

Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves said: “Families are already feeling the squeeze from what feels like an endless Tory cost-of-living crisis. Now they face yet another hit thanks to the Conservatives’ catastrophic mistakes in managing this fund.

“This Tory bond black hole will land working people with another astronomical bill for years to come.

“And it leaves them paying the price for the failings of successive Tory chancellors: the hubris of George Osborne thinking this fund was a one-way bet, the complacency of Rishi Sunak ignoring the warning signs in the bond market, and the recklessness of Kwasi Kwarteng turning a crisis into a disaster.

“All of them are guilty of putting their short-term political ambitions ahead of the long-term economic interests of the country.

“That will only change when we have a Labour government in place, determined to rebuild the foundations of economic responsibility, and give Britain the more secure, more resilient economy it needs.”

This Tory bond black hole will land working people with another astronomical bill for years to come.

Labour additionally pointed out that the Treasury’s assessment of taxpayer returns over the entire fund’s existence has changed from a net profit of £128 billion by the end of March 2021 to a net loss of £58.8 billion by the end of March 2023.

Established in January 2009 as part of the Bank of England’s quantitative easing effort to aid the UK’s recovery from the global financial crisis, the Asset Purchase Facility (APF) acquired significant sums of Government bonds and other assets from banks, pension funds and finance firms, providing vital liquidity to a stagnant market.

As the economy rebounded and interest rates remained low, Government bonds regained appeal among corporate investors, leading to an increase in the Bank’s asset portfolio’s value.

In 2013, Labour noted, former Tory chancellor George Osborne revised the rules for the APF, ensuring that future profits from the Bank of England’s investments would be directed to the Treasury.

Ms Reeves, who at that point was shadow Treasury minister, warned Mr Osborne at the time that his short-term cash grab from the Bank was no substitute for a proper strategy “to create the jobs and growth we need to get the deficit down”.

The figures were published in the Treasury’s annual accounts for 2022/23 on July 20.

Treasury minister Andrew Griffith said: “The only black hole facing the British people is the £90 billion unfunded spending splurge that Labour would slap on families across the country.

“There’s a world of difference between movements in a long-term bond portfolio versus the certainty of a Labour government spending other people’s money until there is no money left.

“Meanwhile, we are making progress on the British people’s priorities – halving inflation, growing our economy and reducing debt.”

Yeh, like it was the only way to fix underinvestment investment in the water companies! – Owl

A former Conservative Party advisor has called for the NHS to be fully privatised in order for it to function properly.

Jack Peat www.thelondoneconomic.com 

Buildings across the health service “are in a very bad way and getting worse”, it has been reported this week, with the Government being warned that patients “deserve better”.

It comes after an investigation by the Liberal Democrats found evidence of chemical leaks in patient areas at a number of hospitals in England, as well as broken fire alarms in some facilities.

Saffron Cordery, deputy chief executive of NHS Providers, said: “Keeping patients and staff safe is vital. High-quality care depends on having reliable buildings and equipment.

“Too many NHS buildings and facilities are in a very bad way and getting worse.

“Trust leaders have warned long and loud about the eye-watering cost of trying to patch up creaking infrastructure and out-of-date facilities. The multibillion-pound repairs bill is growing at an alarming rate.”

Data from one Freedom of Information (FOI) request made by the party revealed there had been 115 chemical leak incidents at NHS hospitals between June 1 2022 and May 31 2023.

It has raised more concerns over the funding of the NHS, which were discussed on Jeremy Kyle’s show on TalkTV last night.

Former Tory advisor Leon Emirali said the answer to “fixing” the NHS is “full privatisation”, adding:

“Joanna made a point about free at the point of access. We can still have that with a level of privatisation, where we have private suppliers of healthcare – but for those who need it most, we can means test access to the NHS where those who need it the most in society get their healthcare for free and those who can afford to pay for it do.”

Can you believe this? The government has privately asked water companies to explore saving money on future water supplies by assuming unrealistically low levels of climate change.

On sewage: the Environment Agency appears to ask companies [in a letter] to stick to the bare legal minimum on environmental efforts to save money. “You are expected to explore opportunities to phase non-statutory commitments including net zero to future price review periods where appropriate.”

Angling and river groups, including the Rivers Trust, warn the government that pushing back schemes to 2030 would “delay essential environmental action and, ultimately, increase costs to consumers”.

Separately, the Liberal Democrats accused water firms of a “scandalous cover-up”, after the companies said they either did not know or would not hand over data on how much sewage they were spilling into rivers and seas.

(And can you believe this? Regulators do not instruct water companies to monitor volume of sewage, only the duration and number of times it is discharged. Last year there were more than 300,000 spills.)

So how many gallons of poo (or Olympic sized swimming pools) were discharged, for example, in the 3,252 hours of spillage from Honiton and Gitisham into the Otter, or from the 1,077 hours from Woodbury into the Exe in 2022?

Not forgetting the direct discharges from all the coastal towns directly into the sea. – Owl

Water Firms can assume “climate change will be low” to cut costs

Adam Vaughan www.thetimes.co.uk 

Water firms are required to publish “water resources management plans” every five years for how they will ensure the water supply for the next 25 years, including new reservoirs and transfers from wet to dry parts of the country.

Amid rising government concern about how environmental targets will push up consumer water bills, the Environment Agency wrote to water companies in July to ask them to ensure their plans “protect your customers from adverse bill impacts”.

The agency said Thérèse Coffey, the environment secretary, had asked it to “investigate the scale of investment needed” in the context of “many families and individuals struggling to pay their utility bills”.

The regulator said companies should see how they could minimise costs from 2030 onwards, while meeting legal requirements. One option given was to see if money could be saved by assuming a “low climate change scenario”.

In the scenario, countries around the world would act dramatically to cut carbon emissions and ensure the global average temperature rose by only 1.6C above pre-industrial levels.

However, such a low level is considered unlikely. The United Nations has said countries’ climate plans put the world on track for 2.4C of warming at best and 2.8C at worst.

Earth has already warmed by 1.2C above the 1850-1900 average due to climate change and July was the hottest month on record.

“With hot tub temperatures at sea and many rivers still recovering from drought, the climate and nature crisis is clearly upon us. Yet the government is steering water companies toward the most optimistic warming scenarios,” said Eleanor Ward, policy officer at Wildlife and Countryside Link, an alliance of environmental groups including the National Trust and RSPB.

Climate change is expected to bring hotter, drier summers and warmer, wetter winters to Britain, putting pressure on water supplies. Even with an “exceptionally wet” July, parts of southwest England remain in drought. Devon and Cornwall remain under a hosepipe ban dating back to last summer.

The latest water supply plans include £14 billion of investment that would create seven new reservoirs, including at Havant Thicket near Portsmouth. Together they would provide an extra two billion litres of water a day, more than the 2.6 billion that the UK’s biggest water firm, Thames Water, provides today.

The Environment Agency asked water companies whether the “basic climate change scenario” would risk their water supply plans or if it might leave the firms “vulnerable to climate change”.

A spokesman for trade group Water UK said: “We strongly oppose the watering down of any plans that will help to safeguard water supplies in a changing climate. Last year’s record-breaking temperatures and the ongoing droughts across Europe are a reminder that investment in water resources must be a priority.”

In a separate letter to water companies, about the industry’s “national environment programme”, the Environment Agency appears to ask companies to stick to the bare legal minimum on environmental efforts to save money.

In one passage, companies are told: “You are expected to explore opportunities to phase non-statutory commitments including net zero to future price review periods where appropriate.” That implies ways of reducing carbon emissions — such as treating sewage with reedbeds rather than more carbon-intensive infrastructure at treatment works — could be delayed to 2030 and beyond.

Water industry figures think the government has realised how much its pledges on sewage pollution will push up water bills, and is now asking companies what they can cut to keep bills down. Normally, suggestions for what should be cut would come from the Environment Agency itself, but in this case firms are being told to look again at their plans for savings.

In a letter to Coffey’s department, environment, angling and river groups, including the Rivers Trust, warn the government that pushing back schemes to 2030 would “delay essential environmental action and, ultimately, increase costs to consumers”.

They added it put nature goals at risk. “This requirement on companies is out of step with the government’s commitment to halt and reverse the decline of nature by 2030,” the groups said.

Separately, the Liberal Democrats accused water firms of a “scandalous cover-up”, after the companies said they either did not know or would not hand over data on how much sewage they were spilling into rivers and seas.

However, regulators do not instruct water companies to monitor volume of sewage, only the duration and number of times it is discharged. Last year there were more than 300,000 spills.

The government was contacted for comment.

Where is the payoff for the Osborne austerity era? – Owl

A West Yorkshire council said it was close to going bust unless a £47m funding gap could be closed, as a growing number of local authorities warned that they were almost running out of funds.

Phillip Inman www.theguardian.com 

Kirklees council, which counts Huddersfield as its main town, said it could face a section 114 notice – signalling that it cannot balance its budget – in the 2024/25 financial year if the authority did not deliver required savings and minimise its expenditure this financial year.

It is understood several authorities are on the brink of issuing section 114 notices this year if the government does not release additional funding to stabilise the sector.

Hastings council, which has spent millions of pounds coping with a rise in demand for temporary accommodation, also signalled this month that it could be forced to issue a section 114 notice.

Last week, Derby City council’s leader, Baggy Shanker, described its finances as “absolutely dire” and its chief executive has called for urgent help.

A report by Kirklees council officers outlining the precarious financial position, due to be presented to councillors on 15 August, has warned that “the seriousness of the council’s financial position cannot be understated”.

The report says that the council has saved more than £250m since austerity measures were introduced in 2011 by the former chancellor George Osborne, and that it has continued to face “funding reductions and increasing demand pressures far greater than more affluent areas with lower levels of relative need”.

It added that the rising demand for services and cost of living crisis had also contributed to the council’s financial problems.

Kirklees council is the 13th biggest local authority in the UK in terms of population, with 430,000 people living in the area, according to the last census.

Councillor Paul Davies, the cabinet member for corporate services at Kirklees council, said: “Even though inflation has slowed marginally, prices are still increasing at a rate we haven’t seen for decades. Alongside additional demand for some of our most vital services and our need to protect our most vulnerable residents given the cost-of-living impact, we need to take action now to balance the budget.”

This year Woking council was forced to issue a section 114 notice after a risky investment strategy that left it with a £1.2bn deficit. The small local authority, in Surrey, purchased a slew of commercial assets, such as skyscrapers and hotels, but became overwhelmed by the sheer scale of its debt, which is forecast to hit £2.6bn.

Woking’s effective bankruptcy followed Thurrock, Croydon and Slough, where money was ploughed into seemingly lucrative commercial deals to try to plug gaping holes in budgets caused by central government funding policies.

A slew of other councils, including Kent, Hastings, Southampton, Guildford, and Bradford, have warned that they are also facing section 114 notices. After 13 years of slashed budgets and some poor commercial decisions, councils have more recently faced challenges with skyrocketing inflation, which has piled extra costs on local authorities to provide basic services.

In July, the Local Government Association (LGA), the membership body for local authorities, warned that councils were at risk of insolvency in the coming months due a £3bn funding black hole caused by inflationary pressures and an increase in the use of services.

The difficult financial position local authorities face has prompted them to continue cutting services this year, while also increasing council tax by the maximum amount possible, pushing further cost increases on to cash-strapped taxpayers.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has been approached for comment.

Is this a spreadsheet government that knows the price of everything but the value of nothing? – Owl

A Correspondent writes:

It seems that the UK Government has learned nothing from previous Covid fiascos, and are setting the UK up for another bad bout of the pandemic illness.

See: England to deny Covid and Flu jabs to under 65s amid fears for NHS this winter 

Although this appears at face value to be an acceptance of a recommendation from an independent body (the JCVI) allowing them an excuse, I would imagine that the Terms of Reference for the JCVI include some sort of value-for-money objective or a do-only-what-is necessary to avoid the NHS being overwhelmed guideline, thus giving the Government an excuse to save money rather than safeguard lives. Just because the most vulnerable and at-risk people get the COVID/Flue jab, does NOT mean that people who don’t get the jab but then develop the disease are not at risk of dying or having serious consequences to their health. And given the low cost of a vaccination jab vs. the high cost of COVID treatment when someone gets seriously ill and is hospitalised, and the significant economic  consequences when significant numbers are off work with Covid – I am surprised that there is not a decent business case to offer the vaccination to a wider group.

Will Simon Jupp vote for this on 23 October?

No chance, Members of Parliament are all “Honourable” (by definition), not a rogue amongst them. – Owl

“The Government should introduce legislation to make lying in the House of Commons a criminal offence. This would mean that all MPs, including Ministers, would face a serious penalty for knowingly making false statements in the House of Commons, as is the case in a court of law.”

petition.parliament.uk

Parliament will debate this petition on 23 October 2023.

You’ll be able to watch online on the UK Parliament YouTube channel.

Government responded

This response was given on 12 August 2021

The Government does not intend to introduce legislation of this nature. MPs must abide by the Code of Conduct and conduct in the Chamber is a matter for the Speaker.

Read the response in full

It is an important principle of the UK Parliament that Members of Parliament are accountable to those who elect them. It is absolutely right that all MPs are fully accountable to their constituents for what they say and do and this is ultimately reflected at the ballot box.

Freedom of speech in Parliament is an essential part of our democracy. It is a right that enables Parliament to function freely and fully, ensuring that MPs are able to speak their minds in debates, and to represent their constituents’ views without fear or favour. Parliamentary privilege, which includes freedom of speech and the right of both Houses of Parliament to regulate their own affairs, grants certain legal immunities to Members of both Houses to allow them to perform their duties without outside interference.

Once elected, MPs are expected to abide by the seven principles of public life which form the basis of ethical standards required of holders of public office. These are set out by the Committee on Standards in Public Life and are: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership. It is a requirement that any holder of public office must be truthful and must act and take decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias.

MPs are also subject to the House of Commons Code of Conduct and the Guide to the Rules relating to the Conduct of Members. The code includes a general duty on MPs to “act in the interests of the nation as a whole; and a special duty to their constituents”, alongside a requirement that MPs “act on all occasions in accordance with the public trust placed in them. They should always behave with probity and integrity, including in their use of public resources.” The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards is an independent officer of the House of Commons and is responsible for investigating allegations that MPs have breached the rules in the Code of Conduct. Further details about the role of the Commissioner for Standards are available on the Parliament website at: https://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/standards-and-financial-interests/parliamentary-commissioner-for-standards/

Conduct in the Chamber is beyond the remit of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards. This is because the House has determined that how Members conduct themselves in the Chamber, including their adherence to the principles of public life, is a matter for the Speaker, and Parliament is responsible for its own procedures.

Office of the Leader of the House of Commons

The council was planning to cut financial support to organisations helping people who were homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

www.bbc.co.uk

It said it provided the money despite not having “a statutory responsibility to do so” and needed to balance the books.

But a coalition of groups, including homeless charities, said cutting the budget could lead to the closure of five homeless hostel services.

Council leader John Hart made the announcement having listened to members of the public speak about the impact the proposed cuts could have on them and others at a special scrutiny meeting.

He said the council needed to “take stock and understand more fully the impact” of any proposal.

“We need to better understand the full impact of such a decision on all aspects of our public services, including the impact on our Team Devon District and City Council partners.

“Therefore, I am putting a pause on the decision, so that we can have a full and frank discussion with our eight district council leaders and officers.”

Mr Hart said he also wanted to involve other agencies, such as the police and public health.

As a result the council’s contracts with providers will now be extended until the end of March 2024.

In the meantime, the council said it would continue to talk to Devon’s district and city councils, to “agree a way forward that ensures ongoing homelessness support across the county”.

[But London recovers more quickly – Owl]

The National Institute for Economic and Social Research said a triple blow of Brexit, Covid and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine had badly affected the economy.

By Michael Race www.bbc.co.uk 

It added that the spending power of workers in many parts of the UK will remain below pre-pandemic levels until the end of 2024.

The BBC has contacted the Treasury for comment.

The amount of money made by the UK economy, its gross domestic product – or all the goods and services produced – is not forecast to return to 2019 levels until the second half of next year, Niesr forecast.

This weak “stuttering growth” over a five year period has widened the gap between the wealthier and poorer parts of the country, the think tank said.

In London, real wages are expected to be 7% higher by the end of next year than they were in 2019 – whereas in regions such as the West Midlands they are forecast to be 5% lower, its analysts said.

Despite pay increases, high inflation has forced up prices and the rising cost of living has left households throughout the UK feeling squeezed.

Niesr forecasts that inflation, the rate at which prices rise, will remain continually above the Bank of England’s 2% target until early 2025, meaning the cost of living will also continue to rise. Inflation is currently 7.9%.

It means that people’s wages, when taking inflation into account, would be below the level they were before the pandemic until the end of next year in “many UK regions”, the think tank said.

Prof Adrian Pabst, deputy director for public policy at Niesr, said low-income households would be hit hardest, with real disposable incomes in this group falling by about 17% over the five years to 2024.

“For some of the poorest in society, coping with low or no real wage growth and persistent inflation has involved new debt to pay for permanently higher housing, energy and food costs,” Prof Pabst said.

Last week, the Bank of England put up interest rates for the 14th time in a row as it continued with its efforts to make borrowing more expensive, dampen demand and therefore slow inflation.

But not all economists agree the Bank should be raising rates when many households and business are struggling financially. Raising rates too aggressively could also push the economy into recession, which is defined typically as when it shrinks for two three-month periods – or quarters – in a row.

Niesr said it expected the UK to avoid going into a recession this year, but said there was a “60% risk” of one by the end of 2024.

A growing economy generally means there are more jobs, companies are more profitable, and pay packets grow. Higher wages and larger profits also generate more money for the government in taxes that can be spent on public services.

Prof Stephen Millard, deputy director for macroeconomic modelling and forecasting at Niesr, said the “supply shocks” of Brexit, Covid, the Ukraine war and rising interest rates had “badly affected the UK economy”.

“The need to address the UK’s poor growth performance remains the key challenge facing policy makers as we approach the next election,” he added.

The £5 million pound project includes knocking down the ‘ageing station complex’ in Exmouth’s North Street includes a disused magistrates court and a mothballed civil defence shelter.

Adam Manning www.exmouthjournal.co.uk

The site is currently occupied by officers but currently members of the public cannot enter without an appointment and Crime Commisioner Alison Hernandez says that “maintenance costs over the next 25 years have been estimated at more than £3m.”

The plans would see the 0.4 hectares of the site sold for redevelopment and a two-storey building built on 0.2 hectares of the site. 

The station will be the operational base for about 60 officers and staff including response officers, neighbourhood officers, Police Community Support Officers, and Special Constables and will include a new public enquiry front desk.

The Commissioner’s estates team is preparing to seek expressions of interest from contractors who may be interested in submitting a full tender for the project.

Commissioner Hernandez, who owns and manages the force estate said: “This project makes sense from every angle. Exmouth is Devon’s largest town and sees a huge increase in its population in the summer months. The teams based there, and the community they serve, deserve a station which is fit for the 21st Century, less harmful to the environment and cheaper to run.

“As with other police station building projects, I am insisting that a significant proportion of the public monies that we are investing in this project go to local people so that money benefits the local economy. The release of brownfield development land means additional housing can be provided in the town without greenfield sites being developed.”

She said improving public access to the force was a ‘non negotiable’ part of the project, adding: “When I carried out a public survey to determine which of the 58 possible locations the public would most like to see, a police enquiry office opened once again in Exmouth came eighth. People love the idea that they can walk into a station and talk to a real human being to report crime, receive advice on crime prevention and seek help for victims, so there is no way I am going to miss the opportunity to give this town back its front desk.”

Assistant Chief Constable Glen Mayhew, Force Lead for Local Policing said: “Our officers and staff are part of the local community, and this investment supports them to achieve this. They need a modern base to ensure that we deliver a local service that is effective and accessible to our communities. We are all looking forward to this development taking shape.”

Simon Jupp, MP for East Devon, said; “I am really pleased Exmouth’s new police station has taken another step forward with multi-million-pound investment planned in the town. The new state-of-the-art station will be open to the public with a dedicated front desk which I know is important to residents in East Devon. 

“After successfully campaigning to reopen Honiton police station to the public, I’m delighted to see progress across the district. Working with the Police & Crime Commissioner, I’m determined to improve visibility of the police and make our town centres and streets safer.”

A formal application is submitted to East Devon District Council.

Six English water companies will face legal action over allegations of underreporting pollution incidents and “unfairly overcharging” customers.

Danny Halpin www.independent.co.uk 

Severn Trent Water, Thames Water, United Utilities, Anglian Water, Yorkshire Water and Northumbrian Water could end up paying over £800m in compensation to more than 20 million customers if the cases are successful.

Professor Carolyn Roberts, an environmental and water consultant represented by Leigh Day Solicitors, alleges the water companies have broken competition laws by misleading the Environment Agency and the regulator Ofwat.

She claims they have been underreporting the number of sewage discharges, resulting in customers being “unfairly overcharged” for wastewater services, and that, had sewage discharge reporting been accurate, it would have lowered customer bills.

The first claim, brought on behalf of eight million people against Severn Trent Water, is estimated to be worth more than £330m.

Further claims will be brought against the other companies in what Leigh Day said is the first environmental collective action case of its kind.

Commenting on the lawsuits, Ms Roberts said: “Like many others across the country, I have viewed with horror the escalating number of stories in the media regarding the volume of sewage discharged into our waterways and on to our beaches.

“The population of the UK has a right to expect that our rivers, lakes and seas will generally be clean, except under exceptional circumstances,” she continued.

According to Ms Roberts, these water companies have dodged Ofwat penalties “because of the serial and serious underreporting at the heart of these claims” that has resulted in customers being overcharged for water services.

Anyone who has paid a water bill to one or more of these companies from April 2020 – or April 2017 for Severn Trent Water customers – may be entitled to compensation if the claims are successful.

Leigh Day is seeking money for customers on an opt-out basis, meaning people only have to come forward to claim their compensation if the case is successful.

It is bringing Severn Trent Water to the Competition Appeal Tribunal and will issue five further claims against the other water companies over the coming months.

If successful, solicitors expect any compensation to be paid by the relevant water company and its shareholders, not by raising customer bills.

Zoe Mernick-Levene, partner at Leigh Day, said: “These claims are hugely significant. Not only is compensation being sought for millions of customers who have and continue to pay higher water bills, but we hope that it will also send a message to water companies that they cannot unlawfully pollute waterways and mislead their regulators without consequence.

“Customers put their trust in water companies, believing that they are correctly reporting these spillages and appropriately treating the sewage so it can safely be returned to the environment,” she added.

“Instead, our client believes they are misleading their regulators and customers are overpaying while England’s waterways are suffering as a result.”

Water UK has been contacted for comment.

The Environment Agency issues “derogations” (free passes) to farmers to pollute rivers while Natural England cracks down on development to stop pollution in similar sensitive areas.

Recapitulation on “Bonkers” plans on barn conversions

Yesterday, Owl reported on the latest bizarre proposal, inspired by Michael Gove, to allow permitted development rights to apply to the conversion of agricultural barns to homes even in “Protected Landscapes”.

Given that a general presumption of permitted development to build a structure for “agricultural purposes” (with much larger footprint than a house requires) already applies to farms greater than 5 hectares (about 12 football fields). This will inevitably lead to uncontrolled peppering of barn-houses all over our countryside.

Housebuilders attack double standards as farmers pollute

Oliver Wright www.thetimes.co.uk

Farmers are being granted special licences to pollute rivers in areas where house building has been banned because of the danger of damaging rare ecosystems.

Over the past two years the Environment Agency has issued almost 500 derogations to farmers in so-called nitrate vulnerable zones.

But at the same time Natural England, another government environmental quango, has effectively banned new housing developments across 74 local authority areas due to similar pollution concerns.

Nitrate vulnerable zones are areas of the UK where rivers are at risk of pollution — in the form of excessive nitrogen and phosphorus from farm fertilisers, animal slurry and human sewage — which damages rivers by causing an overgrowth of algae that can kill off wildlife.

An analysis suggests that the additional nitrates discharge levels being granted to farmers by the Environment Agency is equivalent to the total annual nitrogen that would be produced by hundreds of thousands of new homes.

Under existing legal limits, farmers are allowed to discharge about 170kg of nitrogen per hectare. However, an agreement with the Environment Agency allows farm businesses within nitrate vulnerable zones to apply for an increase to 250kg per hectare. This is particularly used by dairy and cattle farmers as the manure produced is rich in nitrogen.

In the five years to 2022 the Environment Agency granted 99.4 per cent of the 1,191 applications it received for derogations.

Critics claim that the position taken by the Environment Agency is in marked contrast to that taken by Natural England, which has effectively banned housing across large parts of the country because of the risk to rivers.

The housing industry argues that water pollution from homes, which is treated in sewage plants, is a fraction of that from agriculture and that they are working to double standards. It says that every new home would produce 1.4kg a year or 62.5kg per hectare — a quarter of the level for agriculture.

A spokesman for the Home Builders Federation said that the discrepancy in approach between the two agencies was wrong. “It is frustrating that one government quango’s solution is to ban house building, despite its negligible contribution to the issue, whilst another signs off the use of thousands of tonnes of nutrient-rich fertiliser, the main cause of the issue,” they said.

“Everyone agrees action is needed, but the disproportionate move by Natural England is not improving our rivers and instead is exacerbating our housing crisis, preventing the provision of quality homes and costing jobs.”

Natural England was established in 2006 with a mandate to conserve, enhance and manage the natural environment. It has a statutory role to provide advice to local planning authorities on the impacts of development on the natural environment.

The Environment Agency is responsible for regulating water quality and improving standards in agriculture to tackle pollution.

The Times’s Clean It Up campaign has called on the government to maintain the “nutrient neutrality” rules laid out by Natural England. The campaign is also encouraging farmers to curb their pollution of rivers.

A government spokesman said: “The government remains committed to delivering housing in areas impacted by nutrient neutrality and is supporting local authorities and developers.

“We have already worked closely with farmers to reduce pollution and our Plan for Water committed to improving our farm regulations to make them clearer and more effective as we continue to work with the sector on this.”

From a Correspondent:

Owl, I would be grateful if you would publish this comment as an article as I feel that this is so important and the more who see it the better.

Barns in AONBs will also be included in this nonsensical proposition, and remember that two thirds of East Devon land is covered by AONBs.

We need social housing here, but how many farmers will convert barns for that purpose?

Another thought. Where do a majority of our bat population live? Barns of course.

I can see the bats in East Devon following the fate of those of “The Pound” in East Budleigh after Clinton Devon Estates allowed the demolition of a barn to create a house, and where the bats seem to have disappeared Despite the creation of a “mitigation” Bat House.

[And what is the next step after converting a barn on agricultural land? Build another barn of course! – Owl]

• Construction of two bedroom holiday unit Land South Of Blind Lane (builders Storage Triangular Plot) AylesbeareRef. No: 23/1644/FUL | Validated: Thu 27 Jul 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Reserved matters planning application pursuant to outline planning approval 21/3315/OUT for the details of layout, scale, appearance and landscaping of the site for the construction of a dwellinghouse 9 Meadow Avenue Seaton Devon EX12 2AURef. No: 23/1643/RES | Validated: Fri 28 Jul 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Certificate of Lawful Development for the construction of a single-storey rear extension to replace an existing conservatory.Gables Courtlands Lane Exmouth Devon EX8 3NURef. No: 23/1634/CPL | Validated: Wed 26 Jul 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Removal of existing garage, construction of new garage in alternative location 123 Sidford Road Sidmouth Devon EX10 9PBRef. No: 23/1633/FUL | Validated: Wed 26 Jul 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Outline application for Class E development within two sites (Phase 2A & 2B) to the west of Coastguard Road, Honiton (all matters reserved) Coastguard Road Ltd Devonshire Road Heathpark Industrial Estate Honiton EX14 1SDRef. No: 23/1632/OUT | Validated: Wed 26 Jul 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• T64, Lime: Remove section of deadwood. T1, Lime: Crown lift to comply with the Highways Acts 1980 over the road and footpath. Crown lift remaining branches to 2.5 metres above ground level. Woodbury War Memorial Greenway Woodbury Devon EX5 1LPRef. No: 23/1625/TCA | Validated: Tue 25 Jul 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Permission in principle for the demolition of an existing garden room and the construction of a single dwelling and associated access Camboree House Exton Lane Exton Exeter EX3 0PNRef. No: 23/1621/PIP | Validated: Tue 25 Jul 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Double-storey rear extension in lieu of a single storey conservatory 1 Parkview Cottages Clyst St Mary Exeter EX5 1BDRef. No: 23/1610/FUL | Validated: Mon 24 Jul 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• T1: Oak – reduce the two exposed hyper extended lateral branches to the west by three (3) metres with a maximum cut diameter of 110mm. Reduce the sides of the rest of the crown by two (2) metres by targeting hyper extended branches with a maximum cut diameter of 80mm. 1 Marley Park Brampford Speke Devon EX5 5DXRef. No: 23/1613/TRE | Validated: Mon 24 Jul 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• T1 – Birch Canopy suggested to be crown reduced by approximately 3 metres, ensuring suitable roadside clearance according to the Highways Act 1980. These works are proposed as a normal part of the ongoing care and maintenance of this tree. Allhallows Court Northcote Lane Honiton Devon EX14 1NPRef. No: 23/1620/TCA | Validated: Mon 24 Jul 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Replacement side extension & associated minor internal alterations. 54 Manor Crescent Honiton Devon EX14 2DFRef. No: 23/1618/FUL | Validated: Mon 24 Jul 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Proposed extension to front of garage and conversion of remaining garage space to bedroom. 66 Granary Lane Budleigh Salterton Devon EX9 6ESRef. No: 23/1608/FUL | Validated: Tue 25 Jul 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Roofing over open yard area. Blackhayes Farm Stockland Honiton EX14 9DYRef. No: 23/1612/FUL | Validated: Tue 25 Jul 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Demolition of existing garage and Dutch barn; erection of replacement garage; and change of use of land to residential Fairwater Farm Hawkchurch Axminster EX13 5XBRef. No: 23/1606/FUL | Validated: Thu 27 Jul 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• New farm access to replace existing sub standard access The Meade Sanctuary Lane Woodbury Exeter EX5 1EXRef. No: 23/1599/FUL | Validated: Tue 25 Jul 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Certificate of proposed lawfulness for a loft conversion with rear dormerTerra Nova Higher Brook Meadow Sidford Devon EX10 9SSRef. No: 23/1604/CPL | Validated: Tue 25 Jul 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Variation of Condition 1 (approved plans) and Condition 2 (Approved materials – type, colour, finish and pattern of laying brickwork..) on application 23/0889/FUL (Single storey front flat roof extension). The extension has changed from a brick finish to dark grey cedral cladding, door and windows. The rooflight is no longer flat, but vaulted. 26 Durham Close Exmouth EX8 5QURef. No: 23/1596/VAR | Validated: Wed 26 Jul 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Lawful development for existing use of dwelling in breach of agricultural occupancy condition. Four Valleys Colyton Devon EX24 6DURef. No: 23/1590/CPE | Validated: Wed 26 Jul 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Covered silage building Newcott Farm Yarcombe Devon EX14 9NDRef. No: 23/1571/FUL | Validated: Mon 24 Jul 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Covered silage building Newcott Farm Yarcombe Devon EX14 9NDRef. No: 23/1570/FUL | Validated: Mon 24 Jul 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Full refurbishment of existing property, loft conversion with addition of dormer window, re-roofing existing property and raised roof over loft conversion. Addition of solar panels, air source heat pump, woodburner flue and timber cladding. (Resubmission of 22/1453/FUL) Roselea Dalwood EX13 7DZRef. No: 23/1553/FUL | Validated: Mon 24 Jul 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• To build a new driveway onto Burgmann’s Hill from Two Jays and Cranham, replacing the current vehicle access into the two properties. The existing Cranham drive would be blocked up and a new bank and hedge grown in its place. Two Jays Burgmanns Hill Lympstone Devon EX8 5HNRef. No: 23/1563/FUL | Validated: Wed 26 Jul 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Variation of condition 2 (approved plans) of application 21/2913/FUL, to include 16 solar panels to front elevation and to increase existing ridge height to go along with proposed staircase. Woodland Lodge Bystock Exmouth EX8 5EDRef. No: 23/1547/VAR | Validated: Wed 26 Jul 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of single storey rear extension. 63 Yonder Street Ottery St Mary Devon EX11 1HFRef. No: 23/1545/FUL | Validated: Tue 25 Jul 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Outline application for the erection of up to 16 dwellings (all matters reserved for future consideration except for access) Land Adjacent To Elbury View BroadclystRef. No: 23/1537/MOUT | Validated: Mon 24 Jul 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Undertake repairs to the interior and exterior of building, including windows, walls, ceilings and floorboards. To remove 20thC extension from south elevation, reconfigure ground floor kitchen, larder & lean-to. To provide new ground floor back door with carved surround. To replace ground floor kitchen door with window. To remove & replace existing spiral staircase. Addition of underfloor heating to the ground floor. To relocate 2no. bathrooms & provide 1no. new bathroom on the first floor. Addition of 2 no. rooflights to utility extension, and 2no. on first floor south elevation. Cummins Farm Stockland Honiton EX14 9EZRef. No: 23/1531/LBC | Validated: Thu 27 Jul 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of detached plant building, and air source heat pump to be installed Cummins Farm Stockland Honiton EX14 9EZRef. No: 23/1530/FUL | Validated: Thu 27 Jul 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Phased demolition of an existing police station.Police Station North Street Exmouth Devon EX8 1JZRef. No: 23/1525/DEM | Validated: Mon 24 Jul 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Installation of a Chopstix unit Devon Cliffs Holiday Centre Sandy Bay Exmouth Devon EX8 5BTRef. No: 23/1492/FUL | Validated: Wed 26 Jul 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Extension of balcony, additional roller shutter doors and associated internal modification Unit 20A Flightway Dunkeswell Business Park Dunkeswell Devon EX14 4RDRef. No: 23/1494/FUL | Validated: Tue 25 Jul 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Change of use of land to residential garden. Parmiters Combpyne Axminster EX13 8TERef. No: 23/1477/FUL | Validated: Fri 28 Jul 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of replacement outbuilding (retrospective) 2 Gordon Terrace Dolphin Road Beer Devon EX12 3ENRef. No: 23/1392/FUL | Validated: Thu 27 Jul 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• W1, Willow : pollard AS1, Aspen : crown reduction AS2, Aspen : crown reduction Oaks, O2 to O6 : crown reduction, crown lifting and thinning. Danson House Marsh Green Devon EX5 2ESRef. No: 23/1396/TRE | Validated: Wed 26 Jul 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Restoration and refurbishment of redundant agricultural barns and conversion to holiday let residential accommodation including removal of adjacent open steel barn Cleverhayes Farm Cotleigh Honiton Devon EX14 9HQRef. No: 23/1373/FUL | Validated: Mon 24 Jul 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Retention of building for mixed use comprising garaging and hobby workshop use ancillary to the residential use of Lake Cottage and horticultural storage use ancillary to the use of the land. Lake Cottage Combe Raleigh EX14 4UJRef. No: 23/1349/FUL | Validated: Mon 24 Jul 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Erection of agricultural building Land Adjacent Longmeadow BroadclystRef. No: 23/1335/FUL | Validated: Tue 25 Jul 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Outline planning permission for residential development of 20 no. dwellings with some matters reserved including access Land Adjacent To Hillcrest AwliscombeRef. No: 23/1276/MOUT | Validated: Tue 25 Jul 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Change of use of agricultural land(use class) to recreational area (use class). Land West Of Hillcrest AwliscombeRef. No: 23/1271/FUL | Validated: Tue 25 Jul 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Proposal for the refurbishment of dilapidated outbuildings for use as workshops Perriton Barn Talaton Road Whimple Devon EX5 2QYRef. No: 23/1163/FUL | Validated: Tue 25 Jul 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Proposal for the refurbishment of dilapidated outbuildings for use as workshops Perriton Barn Talaton Road Whimple Devon EX5 2QYRef. No: 23/1164/LBC | Validated: Tue 25 Jul 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Small landscaped area at front of property be made into a driveway for second vehicle (retrospective application). 61 Hutchings Drive Tithebarn Exeter EX1 3UQRef. No: 23/1160/FUL | Validated: Tue 25 Jul 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• To remove original front wall, repair left hand pier, excavate grass area, pave area and build a new 9″ wall. Install new drainage and kerb to the public highway. 46 St Johns Road Exmouth EX8 4BYRef. No: 23/1027/FUL | Validated: Mon 24 Jul 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Replace 9no. windows on roadside south west elevation and 1no. window on side south east elevation; re-roof side extension and rebuild chimney with pot Irelands Clyst Hydon Devon EX15 2NFRef. No: 23/0829/LBC | Validated: Mon 24 Jul 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision