“On Monday 19 June (2.15), Devon County Council Health Scrutiny Committee will consider the NEW Devon Clinical Commissioning Group’s responses to 14 questions asked of the CCG by the Committee. If the Committee is not satisfied, it has the legal power to refer the CCG’s decisions to the Secretary of State for Health.

(http://democracy.devon.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=429&MId=2581&Ver=4)

Seaton and Honiton are the two hospitals which serve my constituents in the Seaton & Colyton Division. Both are slated to lose all their in-patient beds. I have sent the attached 6-page letter to the Chair of the Committee, Cllr Sara Randall Johnson, showing why the the CCG’s replies are inadequate, their decisions still demonstrably flawed, and the Committee should use its power to refer them.

I shall be speaking at the Committee, along with other representatives of the Seaton, Honiton and Axminster communities which are worst affected by these decisions. My main points are:

Plans to halve the numbers of community beds do not take into account that the numbers of older people in Devon will more than double in the next two decades.

East Devon needs more beds than other areas because it has the oldest population in Devon and this will continue to grow.

Community beds are crucial to older patients without transport and when they are distant many relatives will have huge difficulty visiting their loved ones.

Savings from the closures will be small. Both financial logic and CCG planning suggest that the real agenda is to close a number of hospitals.
The CCG’s consultation was flawed because it gave no option to keep Honiton’s beds, and the CCG ignored the stronger support for Seaton from people who responded.

The CCG’s reasons for choosing Sidmouth over Seaton are based on misleading use of evidence about population and age distributions.

The concentration of beds in Tiverton, Sidmouth and Exmouth will leave the eastern margins of East Devon entirely without. The CCG’s claim that this is ‘a more even geographic spread’ is entirely false.

The CCG ignored the fact that Seaton also serves the Axminster area, and has reneged on the commitment it gave when it recently closed Axminster Hospital’s beds, that beds would continue to be available in Seaton.
Communities in the Seaton, Axminster and Honiton are angry about the decision and expect the Health Scrutiny Committee to refer it to the Secretary of State.

We are holding a public meeting in Seaton on Wednesday 14th (7 pm, Marshlands Centre, Harbour Road) to plan the community presence at the Health Scrutiny Committee. I will issue a further press release on Thursday.

Martin Shaw
Independent East Devon Alliance County Councillor for Seaton & Colyton”

Posted by

East Devon Watch

Posted on

13 May 2017

Posted under

Accountability, DCC, Health and Social Care (local), Martin Shaw (Seaton), NHS (local), Seaton/ Colyford / Colyton

Seaton: “Hospital Beds Fight Shifts Back to County Council”

“Press statement by County Councillor Martin Shaw (Seaton & Colyton)

The battle to keep in-patient beds in Seaton Hospital should now return to Devon County Council’s Health Scrutiny Committee, according to Seaton and Colyton’s new County Councillor, Martin Shaw.

The Council has the power to refer the decision of the NEW Devon Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) to the Secretary of State for Health. In March, the Scrutiny Committee asked the CCG to answer 14 questions before the Council exercised this power. The CCG responded, but the answers will remain confidential until the June meeting of the new committee, whose members will be nominated at the Council’s Annual Meeting on May 25th.

Councillor Shaw says: ‘I have now seen the CCG’s answers but I am not allowed to reveal them publicly, which I think is deplorable. However I can state that, particularly in relation to the decision about Seaton, the CCG’s case remains flimsy and threadbare. I shall be raising this matter as soon as the new committee meets and I urge other interested parties in the Axe Valley to join me in making representations. I have had a preliminary talk with Axminster’s new County Councillor, Ian Hall, and I hope we can make a cross-party case for the whole local community on this issue. I am also talking to Honiton campaigners.’

Councillor Shaw made his announcement after an urgent appeal for £20,000 for the first stage of a judicial review of the decision, the preparation of a ‘letter of complaint’, failed to raise enough money to proceed. He said:

‘I was moved by the response in which about 70 donations have been made. Sadly, however, the total raised, while over £5,000, was still not sufficient to pay the solicitors to prepare the letter, for which would have charged £16,800. It might have been possible to raise the balance after the letter was sent, but within three weeks the action itself, requiring a fighting fund of many tens of thousands, would also have had to be launched. In the light of this response, there seemed no prospect of raising the further money in the time available. I therefore decided not to proceed with the action. I felt it was unfair to the donors to spend their money on something which could not be followed through. I have incurred some legal costs but most of the money will be returned, and I will be writing to donors.’

‘The appeal has had a positive effect, however, in that new evidence came to light which strengthens the case that the CCG acted wrongly in the way they made the Seaton decision. This will be used in representations to the County Council. I also urge voters to make the Seaton and Honiton hospital beds a priority with all candidates in the General Election, so that whoever is our MP makes the new Health Secretary aware of local anger about this issue.’ “

Posted by

East Devon Watch

Posted on

3 May 2017

Posted under

Accountability, Colyton, Councillor Helen Parr, Developers/ Development, EDDC, Local Plan, Planning System, Seaton/ Colyford / Colyton, Transparency, Voting

Comments

2 Comments

Express and Echo names EDDC Vice-Chair Helen Parr as councillor under police investigation at Colyton

Councillor Parr is standing for the DCC Seaton and Colyton seat at elections tomorrow.

“The vice-chairman of East Devon District Council is under investigation over an allegation she influenced plans to develop her area while failing to declare an interest.

Councillor Helen Parr will be speaking to police officers on a voluntary basis, the Express & Echo understands.

The investigation into the councillor for Coly Valley regards late changes to the East Devon Villages plan made after she was among those who spoke at the meeting of the East Devon District Council strategic planning committee on February 20.

Cllr Parr is a director of a company which owns land next to the former Ceramtec factory site in Colyton. The factory was due to be slated for housing until Cllr Parr spoke at the planning meeting and it was decided to recommend that it remains for employment.

She told the committee: “The main concern and why people are not at all happy about what is proposed in the document is that the built up area boundary line now has suddenly, after the consultation, gone out round the built section of the Ceramtec site.

“It is a very large site and will accommodate, if it went only to houses, about 80 houses. It would be a large development for Colyton which nobody, until now, had any inkling of, in that the built-up area boundary excluded this site.

“There is concern because the bottom line for Colyton is that we lost 80 jobs when this factory closed and we would like to retained as much as possible for employment land.

“I would ask the committee to agree or to propose that the wording should make it clear that on the preamble to the plan that on page 20 it includes words that show that this is protected as an employment site and it should be retained for employment use.”

The East Devon Alliance – a group of independent district councillors – has raised concerns about Cllr Parr’s conduct with Devon & Cornwall Police.

Members say she should have declared and interest and not spoken on the issue.

Cllr Parr and her husband are directors of J & FJ Baker & Company Limited, which owns land at Turlings Farm, next to the Ceramtec site.

East Devon Alliance Councillor Cathy Gardner, at last week’s East Devon District Council meeting, revealed that there was an ongoing police investigation into the council’s handling of the matter.

A spokesperson for Devon & Cornwall Police said it could not confirm or deny the scope of the police investigation. Cllr Parr was asked for comment, but said that due to purdah – rules brought in before an election – she could not say anything.

Last year J & FJ Baker & Company Limited bought land on the south side of Turlings Farm which connects the Ceramtec site to the farm that the Parrs own. They paid £1 for the strip of property.

Cllr Gardner said at last week’s meeting of East Devon District Council: “It may be proven that undue influence has distorted the content of the plan. If that does turn out to be the case, do you agree that it is the responsibility of this council to rectify the result of this influence – in order to ensure the residents of Colyton are not adversely affected and to do so before the plan goes to the (Planning) Inspector?”

In response, Cllr Paul Diviani, the council’s leader, said: “In terms of the village plan, I can’t see a reason why we should be inclined to second guess what an inspector or other authority or otherwise is going to do and in that respect I will reserve judgement as to when we actually do take action.”

An East Devon Alliance source told the Echo: “She is the vice-chairman of the council and has been the chairman of the planning committee for years, so she knows what she is doing, so we have got to pursue this.”

An East Devon District Council spokesman said: “Only the three statutory officers at the council together with one other officer were aware that there was a police investigation prior to the meeting of council on Wednesday and these officers have kept the matter confidential.

“Given that there is an active police investigation, and the sensitivities around purdah for both the county and General Election, it would be wholly inappropriate for the council to comment on the investigation at this time. The council also cannot comment on how Cllr Gardner became aware of the police investigation, and the chief executive and monitoring officer were surprised that she raised this matter at a public meeting.

“The process that has been followed for the village plan and the representations made/considered by officers and reported to the strategic planning committee, can be found on the East Devon District Council website.”

The East Devon Villages Plan – a blueprint for development in the area – is currently out for consultation”.

REPRODUCEABLE IMAGES:

UNFORTUNATELY SOME IMAGES IN THIS ARTICLE ARE NOT REPRODUCEABLE HERE – SEE LINK TO FULL ARTICLE AT END OF THIS POST WHICH IS REPEATED VERBATIM FROM THE DEVON-LIVE WEBSITE. FOR FULL STORY AND ALL EVIDENTIAL IMAGES SEE:

http://www.devonlive.com/east-devon-council-vice-chairman-to-speak-to-police-over-plan-changes/story-30310460-detail/story.html

Posted by

East Devon Watch

Posted on

23 Apr 2017

Posted under

Accountability, Axminster, DCC, Democracy, East Devon Alliance, Independent Councillors, Seaton/ Colyford / Colyton

Comments

1 Comment

Axminster and Seaton independent DCC council candidates: YouTube videos

Paul Hayward

Martin Shaw

Posted by

East Devon Watch

Posted on

19 Mar 2017

Posted under

Developers/ Development, Seaton/ Colyford / Colyton

Could Seaton Town Council or EDDC buy Seaton Heights?

Well, that’s what Teignmouth Town Council want to do with a large hotel which is about to come on the market. And Seaton Heights comes up for auction next week! There is previous experience: many of Weymouth’s hotels used to be council owned.

Or maybe it could be the first purchase for EDDC’s mooted housing company.

“Teignmouth town council are investigating the possibility of buying the Cliffden Hotel. The Cliffden is part of Vision Hotels, whose profits go towards supporting blind and partially sighted people across England, and employs dozens of people.

It is run by national charity Action for Blind People, profits raised go to supporting visually impaired people across England. But last year the charity confirmed it would stop running the three Vision Hotels, including the Cliffden.”

http://www.devonlive.com/teignmouth-town-council-could-by-2m-cliffden-hotel/story-30213861-detail/story.html

Or imagine the site for a Community Land Trust.

http://www.devonlive.com/teignmouth-town-council-could-by-2m-cliffden-hotel/story-30213861-detail/story.html

Posted by

East Devon Watch

Posted on

8 Mar 2017

Posted under

Accountability, Austerity cuts, Consultation, Health and Social Care (local), NHS (local), Seaton/ Colyford / Colyton

All Seaton and Colyton GPs slam bed closures

“Seaton and Colyton GPs condemn hospital bed closures

The GPs at Seaton and Colyton Medical Practice and Townsend House Surgery have expressed their dismay at the decision to axe all inpatient beds at Seaton Hospital.

They say the closure, as part of the latest round of health economies by New Devon CCG, is a cruel blow to the Axe Valley.

In a statement issued this week they told The Herald: “Since the earlier closure of Axminster, Seaton Hospital represents the only inpatient facility for residents of both towns.

“Coupled with the loss of Honiton Hospital, Sidmouth hospital has the only beds to cover the eastern part of Devon.

“Bed shortages this winter have seen The Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital running at crisis levels so this policy seems misplaced as a way of reducing costs.

“The future plans of care in the community, with carers covering the most vulnerable in their own houses, undervalues the level and complexity of care that is offered as an inpatient and ignores the fact that there is a current shortage of qualified staff.

“End of life patients who cannot be supported at home may now end up admitted miles away from family and friends.

“Sadly, quality of care is steadily being eroded, and it is our most vulnerable patients who will be affected most by this closure.

“Challenging the decision seems futile as the alternative will be closure of Sidmouth Hospital and similar arguments will apply.

“It is the decision to focus on bed closures that needs contesting.”

http://www.midweekherald.co.uk/news/seaton_and_colyton_gps_condemn_hospital_bed_closures_1_4921391

Posted by

East Devon Watch

Posted on

2 Mar 2017

Posted under

Austerity cuts, Honiton/ Gittisham, NHS (local), Seaton/ Colyford / Colyton

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1 Comment

Seaton and Honiton community hospitals to close

“Exeter and Seaton have been chosen as the areas in Devon which will lose their community hospitals, along with prior confirmed closures in Honiton and Okehampton.

It will see the number of community hospital beds in Eastern Devon – including Exeter, East and Mid Devon districts – reduce from 143 to 72, equating to a loss of 71 inpatient beds.

The decision was made this afternoon at a publicly held meeting of the governing body of NHS Northern, Eastern and Western Devon Clinical Commissioning Group (NEW Devon CCG) at Exeter Racecourse.

Members voted in favour of option B – 32 beds in Tiverton, 24 beds in Sidmouth and 16 beds in Exmouth. No confirmation was given over when the four community hospitals affected by the changes will lose their beds or the future of those buildings and its services. Instead reassurances were made by NEW Devon CGG that it would be doing everything it can to implement safely and effectively its decision, and it will now be working on its implementation plans.

The bed closures are expected to achieve savings of £200 to £300 per bed day, with the figure more likely to be at the lower end initially because of the reinvestment required to deliver the new model of care. …”

http://www.devonlive.com/exeter-seaton-honiton-and-okehampton-community-hospital-s-will-lose-their-beds/story-30175357-detail/story.html

Posted by

East Devon Watch

Posted on

27 Feb 2017

Posted under

Developers/ Development, Seaton/ Colyford / Colyton

Comments

1 Comment

Seaton Heights up for auction at £2.5 – £3 million next month

20 March 2017, lot 141

“Arguably the single most important, anticipated and iconic holiday village, hotel & spa development opportunity in the South West of England enjoying a lofty position overlooking Lyme Bay and the Jurassic Coast (a World Heritage Site) benefitting from planning consent for 38 semi-detached ‘deck homes’, a 12 bedroom hotel and associated facilities.

Mother Nature has been very kind to the site with its near perfect topography, outlook and orientation while on the ‘man-made’ front there could hardly be a better proximity to the local and regional road network. With Lyme Regis, Charmouth and West Bay to the east and Beer, Branscombe and Sidmouth to the west, the property could hardly be more centrally located on the highly prized and popular stretch of coastline that spans West Dorset and East Devon.

Simple development, as per the current approval in the form of a holiday home sales/lettings and hotel operation, may be on the minds of some but the potential for multi-week disposals and future service charge and ground rent opportunities will be not far from the radar of many.

Finally, there may be opportunities to increase the number of holiday homes and hotel rooms by virtue of the relatively generous use of space thus far, subject to all necessary consents being obtainable. Interested applicants are advised to make their own enquiries with the ‘East Team’ at the Local Planning Authority, the East Devon District Council: Tel: 01395 517475. Website: eastdevon.gov.uk.

Site Measurements

The whole site extends to 2.7 hectares (5.13 acres).

Planning

Planning Permission has been granted by East Devon District Council, under ref: 14/0677/MFUL dated 5 May 2015, for the construction of two storey 12 bedroom hotel; 38 units of holiday accommodation; central amenities building for restaurant/leisure club and associated parking and access, subject to conditions.

A copy of the Planning Consent and proposed plans are available via the Local Planning Authority’s website.

Freehold with Vacant Possession”

http://www.cliveemson.co.uk/properties/192/141/

Posted by

East Devon Watch

Posted on

6 Jan 2017

Posted under

Developers/ Development, Seaton/ Colyford / Colyton

Comments

1 Comment

Seaton Heights (Lyme Bay Leisure Ltd) director named in Guardian article

David Sullivan, a director of Lyme Bay Leisure Ltd (current or former owner of the Seaton Heights development (remember that?)

https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/08513325/officers
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-sullivan-4b19152a

was named in today’s Guardian in connection with a highly controversial development in Lewisham (where he was formerly a highly controversial council leader and mayor for more than 20 years) which could see local Millwall football club having to relocate more than 100 miles away:

“Millwall Football Club have admitted for the first time that they may be forced to leave their south London home and relocate to Kent should the seizure of their land go ahead. Lewisham council’s plan to compulsorily purchase areas around the Den and sell them on to a mysterious offshore developer with connections to the current Labour administration has already drawn both disbelief and mass protest. …

… Until now concerns over the Millwall land-grab have centred on the council’s historic relationship with the offshore developers Renewal. Renewal’s chief executive is a former Lewisham officer and colleague of the current Lewisham chief executive, Barry Quirk, an unelected official best known locally for being paid more pro rata than the prime minister for working a three day week. In another bizarre twist Renewal was also set up and originality part-owned by the previous Labour mayor of Lewisham, Dave Sullivan. Sullivan has stated he no longer has any part in the company, which is owned by two anonymous offshore trusts based in the Isle Of Man and the British Virgin Islands.”

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/jan/05/millwall-admit-council-scheme-leave-lewisham

Posted by

East Devon Watch

Posted on

15 Dec 2016

Posted under

Beer, Green Wedges, Rural communities, Seaton/ Colyford / Colyton, Villages BUAB

Green Wedges reinforced by planning decisions in eastern and western Seaton

EDDC’s refusal to allow ‘sprawling development in the countryside’, in refusing of the latest planning application for houses on the Seaton-Colyford Green Wedge, has been reinforced by an Inspector’s rejection of an appeal by a developer wanting to build on the western edge of Seaton.

In dismissing the appeal, over plans to build 3 houses in the garden of Pembroke House, Beer Road, the Inspector says:

‘The effect of the proposal would also be to consolidate built development along Beer Road and extend the sporadic line of dwellings into the countryside. The proposal would harmfully erode the positive contribution it currently makes to greening the settlement edge. Therefore … the development would result in harmful encroachment of urban sprawl from the settlement into the open countryside.’

The appeal decision is also good news for residents concerned to protect the field adjacent to the site from development. The inspector notes:

‘a large paddock between this property and the appeal site reveals views to the coast and surrounding landscape. This paddock represents a definite visual break, marking the point where the character of the lane changes from urban into open countryside.’

Posted by

East Devon Watch

Posted on

13 Dec 2016

Posted under

Developers/ Development, EDDC, Green Wedges, Seaton/ Colyford / Colyton

Third refusal for development on Seaton/Colyford Green Wedge

To be followed by a third appeal?

Click to access obj.pdf

Posted by

East Devon Watch

Posted on

4 Dec 2016

Posted under

Accountability, Austerity cuts, Axminster, Budleigh Salterton, Health and Social Care (local), Honiton/ Gittisham, NHS (local), Seaton/ Colyford / Colyton, Sidmouth/ Sidford/ Sidbury, Woodbury

Comments

1 Comment

More “Future [lack of care] Care” roadshows – probably your last chance to give your views

Seaton
Friday 16 December 2016
Town Hall, 09.30 – 11.30

Sidmouth
Friday 16 December 2016
Kennaway House, 14.30 – 16.30

Exmouth
Monday 19 December 2016
All Saints Church Hall, 09.30 – 11.30

Woodbury
Wednesday 21 December 2016,
Village Hall, 09.30 – 11.30

Budleigh Salterton
Wednesday 21 December 2016
Public Hall, 13.30 – 15.30

Honiton
Thursday 22 December
The Beehive, 14.00 – 16.00

Axminster
Friday 23 December 2016
Guildhall, 13.30 – 15.30

Posted by

East Devon Watch

Posted on

11 Nov 2016

Posted under

Developers/ Development, Environment (local), Seaton/ Colyford / Colyton

Comments

1 Comment

Very rare grey long-eared bat confirmed in East Devon

Owl wonders where these fellow creatures are roosting and if there are any developments planned nearby. How will we know if ecologists won’t say where they are? It would be very awkward if they forage on the Seaton Wetlands, flying over the green wedge, which developers are still trying to build on.

“Exeter-based company Acorn Ecology shared photographs of a grey long-eared bat, of which there are less than 3,000 in the country. Staff carried out biometric tests on droppings below the roosting mammals to confirm it was the rare species and not the more common brown long-eared bat.

Colin Bonfield, senior ecologist, said: “The bat appears to be using the building as an occasional day roost and a regular night roost and is probably associated with a larger colony somewhere in the locality.

“The South West is a stronghold for bat species and 17 species have been recorded in Devon. In my opinion, the presence of grey long-eared bats in Devon is highly linked to lower levels of light pollution as long-eared bats are one of several light averse species present in Devon.

“Other very important factors include currently favourable agricultural practises, suitably diverse foraging habitat and the presence of suitably managed woodlands and the presence of old buildings and structures that provide suitable roosts.”

The company carries out ecological surveys and impact assessments in support of planning applications. It could not disclose the exact location of the bats.”

http://www.midweekherald.co.uk/news/rare_bat_discovered_roosting_in_east_devon_1_4772609

Posted by

East Devon Watch

Posted on

8 Nov 2016

Posted under

Beer, Coastal communities, Environment (local), Hinkley C, Seaton/ Colyford / Colyton

Chalk cliffs disappearing at high speed compared to past

East Devon’s chalk cliffs are between Seaton and Beer – perhaps time to look at a different kind of beach management plan.

Study reveals huge acceleration in erosion of England’s white cliffs

“Researchers analysed rocks from Beachy Head and Seaford Head in East Sussex and discovered that the cliff erosion rate over most of the past 7,000 years was just two-six centimetres a year. But the erosion rate over the past 150 years has been much higher at 22-32cm a year. …

… Hurst and his colleagues now aim to apply the technique to other parts of the UK coastline, including the stretch at Hinkley Point, the site of a large new nuclear power station.“

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/nov/07/study-reveals-huge-acceleration-in-erosion-of-englands-white-cliffs

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