Levelling up, an example of Whitehall’s grip on spending. – Owl

Michael Gove’s department is handing back £1.9bn to the Treasury originally meant to tackle England’s housing crisis after struggling to find projects to spend it on.

Kiran Stacey www.theguardian.com 

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) has surrendered hundreds of millions of pounds budgeted for 2022-23, including £255m meant to fund new affordable housing and £245m meant to improve building safety.

Officials said the department was unable to spend the money, which accounts for about a third of its entire housing budget, thanks to rising interest rates and uncertainty in the housing market after the Covid-19 pandemic.

But experts warn the lack of investment is likely to exacerbate the housing crisis in England, where homebuilding is forecast to drop to its lowest level since the second world war.

Jack Shaw, a local government expert who uncovered the figures through a freedom of information request, said: “The government is experiencing significant challenges investing in housing because of a perfect storm in market conditions.

“But the decision to delay housing investment or withdraw it altogether as a result of lower than anticipated spending will mean fewer homes are built.”

Others blame bureaucratic inefficiency for the government failing to find the right schemes to spend the money on.

Lisa Nandy, the shadow housing secretary, said: “The Conservatives have simply given up trying to solve the housing crisis that they helped create.

“Not content with slashing housebuilding by scrapping housing targets, stalling on renters’ reform or rowing back on their promises to leaseholders, ministers are either too incompetent or too out-of-touch to consider it a priority to fix dangerous buildings or build new affordable homes in the middle of a housing crisis.”

Gove recently called Britain’s housing system “broken”, adding: “We desperately need more homes to bring ownership within reach of many more people.”

But his critics have accused him of exacerbating that crisis by dropping a mandatory target for councils to build 300,000 new homes a year, making it voluntary instead. That decision has been cited by several councils as a reason to pause or scale down their housing plans.

Analysis by the consultancy Lichfields has found new housebuilding is expected to drop to its lowest level in decades, while 580,000 extra people are likely to find themselves homeless, “sofa surfing” in the homes of friends or family.

Meanwhile mortgage costs continue to rise quickly. Earlier this week, two-year fixed mortgage rates rose to their highest levels since 2008.

Officials point to the funding allocated to schemes such as the Affordable Housing Programme as evidence that the government remains committed to increasing housing supply and helping more people get on the housing ladder.

A DLUHC spokesperson said: “Our target of delivering 300,000 homes a year remains and we are fully committed to funding and delivering our programmes that help us meet that target, including the £11.5bn affordable homes programme.”

But the figures released by the department show it is not spending its full allocation. In 2022/23, the department underspent on the affordable housing programme by over £600m. Of that, it has saved £363m in the hope of spending it this financial year and given a further £355m back to the Treasury.

It has also given back £245m meant for improving building safety after the Grenfell fire and £1.2bn in money allocated for Help to Buy.

The Help to Buy scheme, which George Osborne launched in 2013 as a way to help more young people get on the housing ladder, offers government loans to first time buyers.

Last year was the final year of its operation, but officials say demand for the loans proved much smaller than expected, in part because of the impact of the pandemic.

Officials say the government remains committed to spending the money on housing. But under Whitehall rules, anything that is being pushed back until the next spending review, which could come next year, has to be officially surrendered to the Treasury.

A spokesperson said: “These are multi-year funding programmes that are being spent flexibly – meaning some money can be moved into future years depending on demand and the wider economic climate.”

Experts however point out that once the money is back with the Treasury it is purely a decision for the chancellor over what to spend it on in the future. Jeremy Hunt is already under pressure to spend extra money to raise public sector pay and to offer voters tax cuts.

A recently updated sewage map by Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) has revealed that 20 beaches across Devon currently have pollution or sewage warnings in place. Beauty spots such as Exmouth, Sidmouth and Salcombe are to name but a few of the areas where warnings are in place as swimmers are urged to avoid entering the water.

Chloe Parkman www.devonlive.com

It comes after the region was hit by heavy downpours of rain. Devon Live previously reported that the main contributing factor to polluted beaches is urban runoff, which sees fertilizers, pesticides, oil, and untreated human and animal waste all entering waterways, such as rivers. They then eventually end up at our beaches.

The contaminated water largely remains on the surface. This can make it dangerous to enter the water. According to Surf Today, some experts even suggest waiting 72 hours before entering the sea again after it rains.

Swallowing water that could be contaminated with fecal matter could lead to gastroenteritis, hepatitis, giardiasis, skin rashes, amoebic dysentery, nose, ear, and throat problems, pink eye, and other respiratory illnesses. Symptoms to look out for include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cramps, inflamed stomach and intestines.

Below, Devon Live has listed all of the beaches which currently have a warning in place. The following information has been taken from the SAS interactive map.

Seaton – Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours. The Seaton Sewage Treatment Works discharges disinfected sewage into the River Axe Estuary two and a half kilometres from the bathing water.

Beer – Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours. Three sewer overflows surround Beer with one discharging from Beer car park, one discharging 600m North East and one slightly further to the South.

Sidmouth – Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours. Two sewer overflows are located at Sidmouth, one discharges through a long sea outfall some 600m out to sea while the other discharges into the River Sid, just under 400m to the east.

Budleigh Salterton – Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours. There are three sewer overflows in the area, one discharges directly onto the beach, another 400m east and another that discharges 1.3km away into the sea.

Sandy Bay – Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours.

Exmouth – Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours. There is a sewer overflow discharging through an outfall to the south east which may affect bathing water quality especially after heavy rainfall.

Dawlish Town – Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours and bathing not advised today due to the likelihood of reduced water quality. There are five sewer overflows covered by the Safer Seas Service here within 650m off the beach which can operate in heavy rainfall.

Teignmouth Holcombe – Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours. A sewer overflow discharges into the Holcombe Stream 40m upstream of the beach.

Meadfoot – Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours.

Beacon Cove – Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours. The water quality at this bathing water can be affected by nearby CSOs, particularly after heavy rainfall.

Paignton Preston Sands – Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours. There is a sewer overflow that discharges at the northern end of the beach from the Preston Green Attenuation Tank.

Goodrington – Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours. There is one sewer overflow discharging directly onto the beach in the middle of Goodrington while another discharges 500m upstream in the Goodrington Stream that then meets the sea towards the southern end of the beach.

St Marys Bay – Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours.

Dartmouth Castle and Sugary Cove – Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours.

Mill Bay – Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours.

Salcombe South Sands – Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours. A sewer overflow discharges to the Combe Stream directly behind the beach while another discharges some 450m away in the Salcombe Estuary.

Hope Cove – Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours. There are two sewer overflows which discharge into the sea here which can lead to a temporary drop in bathing water quality especially after heavy rainfall.

Thurlestone South – Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours. There is a stream flowing across the beach to the sea.

Mothecombe Beach – Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours and bathing not advised today due to the likelihood of reduced water quality. There are no sewer overflows directly on the beach at Mothecombe however a number of urban areas (Ermington, Ivybridge etc.) can discharge into the River Erme whose estuary Mothecombe is located in.

Combe Martin – A sewer overflow discharges into the Umber River some 30m upstream of the beach with two more discharging further upstream. Other discharges from the surrounding urban area may also affect water quality particularly after heavy rainfall.

Richard Foord, unlike Simon Jupp, seems to know where his constituents live! – Owl

Proposals from the Rail Delivery Group that would see many ticket offices closed in one of the biggest changes to the railway network in a generation have been criticised.

Lewis Clarke www.devonlive.com

The proposals would see 153 of South Western Railway’s 190 stations changed, so that staff move out of ticket offices and onto platforms. Similar proposals have also been put forward by GWR, which services Tiverton Parkway.

The changes, including the creation of a single team of colleagues at each station and the closure of all ticket offices, are being put to a three-week public consultation.

However, local Tiverton & Honiton MP Richard Foord has warned these changes could leave people feeling cut off and further isolated – particularly for those who are elderly, who struggle to access digital ticket services or who do not feel able to use ticket machines at stations.

Commenting, Lib Dem Tiverton & Honiton MP Richard Foord said: “Local ticket offices like those in Honiton, Feniton, and Axminster are key for many people to get tickets and to get help with their journey. Ticket offices play a crucial role in helping people travel – particularly older and more vulnerable customers.

“These proposed changes are deeply concerning, particularly for rural communities like ours. Some railway stations are already poorly served; Feniton station, for example, is only staffed in the morning.

“This very short ‘consultation’ seems more like a foreclosure notice – one which will leave our communities poorer. We must avoid the same digital exclusion on our railways that we are already seeing wrought by banks and big businesses.

“This is unacceptable. I will be making the case directly with South Western Railway about why these changes could make rail travel more difficult for some of those people who already lack confidence in travelling by train.

“I am grateful to constituents who have written to me to make their feelings known. They can be reassured – I will continue demand that SWR maintains the availability of ticket sales at local stations.”

The man hoping to become the next MP for Tiverton, Conservative, Ian Liddell-Grainger has accused train operator GWR of engaging in a ‘sham consultation’ with the decision to shut them already taken.

The current MP for Bridgwater & West Somerset says stations at Taunton and Bridgwater are among those affected.

“GWR wrote to me about this under the heading ‘changing how we sell tickets at stations’” he said.

“The wording should have read ‘raking in more money while giving even less of a toss about travellers’.

“Many people, particularly the elderly, do not have home computers and therefore cannot buy online. And when they arrive at a railway station they often need more than a ticket: they need information – information which only a manned ticket office can provide.

“GWR has already made a complete mess of its refurbishment of Taunton station which thousands of my constituents use. The old main entrance has now been virtually de-manned and I have had reports of many instances when the automatic barriers have failed to work and travellers have had to use an appalling audio link with the ticket office on the other side both to gain access and to obtain the information they need about their journey.

“Every time GWR makes changes of this nature it’s dressed up as ‘improving customer service’ yet for as long as I have been monitoring its activities customer service at Taunton has steadily declined. I no longer trust anything GWR tells me.

“I would urge every local rail user to object to these changes even though the ‘consultation’ GWR has launched is a total sham. I shall also be writing to GWR to inquire how many jobs will be lost once the ‘consultation’ is over and it proceeds with the ticket office closures it has clearly decided to impose.”

Actions of EDDC following the allegations and criminal charges against John Humphreys

At last, this evening, councillors will get the opportunity to discuss the report prepared by Verita on their inquiry.

This has tried to establish the actions of EDDC following the allegations and criminal charges against John Humphreys.

It does not seek to apportion blame or censure anyone, but to learn lessons.

The following are the main elements of the terms of reference for the investigation:

1. establish what information was known by EDDC councillors and officers about John Humphreys and any investigations into the allegations against him.
2. understand the EDDC decision-making processes in considering John Humphreys’ continued position as a councillor after his arrest. 
3. determine the extent to which the EDDC considered whether John Humphreys presented any safeguarding risks to children in the context of his party political and councillor roles.
4. examine what, if any, safeguarding measures were put into place following the 2016 arrest and assess the effectiveness of their implementation and monitoring. describe the process by which the EDDC bestowed the honour of Honorary Alderman on John Humphreys. 
5. determine whether the EDDC complied with its own policies and procedures in making this decision. 
6. review the decision-making processes deployed by EDDC following Mr Humphrey’s conviction to remove his honorary title and to review its actions in the handling of this matter.
7. determine whether any improvements could be made to EDCC’s safeguarding and governance arrangements in light of the findings of the investigation.
8. report on any other significant issues that arise in the course of the investigation that bear on its terms of reference.

The purpose of the meeting is to consider and discuss Verita’s report, findings and recommendations; and the supplementary report issued after information from the Police was received that appeared to cast doubt on the accuracy of the evidence gathered originally.

It has been reported that the Labour Group might seek an opportunity to table a vote of “no confidence” in the Chief Executive. 

Owl can understand their frustration but thinks this would be a distraction from the purpose in hand. It would stray far from the formal agenda.

It has taken a long time to get here

It is worth recalling the sequence of events leading up to the formal commissioning and publication of these reports. The following chronicle has drawn heavily on previous posts such as the report of the council debate in September 2022.

Back in April 2022 the council voted unanimously, with one abstention, to conduct an investigation into how Humphreys continued in his council roles, with access to children, and then became an honorary Alderman after his arrest. The Chief Executive, Mark Williams, was asked to advise how this could be done.

In June 2022 Mark Williams was reported as saying he was awaiting legal opinion. He followed “So my advice to cabinet is that I will bring a report in July. Pushing the timetable earlier is inappropriate and you may well end up making an erroneous decision.”…..“Rushing something as important as this is, in my opinion, inappropriate.”

Yet three months after this, and five months after the unanimous vote to proceed, the Council met again in September last year to vote on whether or not to conduct an investigation. By then, Mark Williams had decided to advise the council against taking any such action because, in his opinion, all that was to be known was known and such an exercise would be a waste of taxpayers money.  

We now have the reports and seem to have learned a surprising amount that is new.

This “foot dragging” led Cllr Jess Bailey to take the unusual step of raising a ”requisition order” to appoint, after research, a specific independent investigation organisation, Verita, to conduct one (referred to below as Option A).

(For a requisition order to be put to the vote it has to be supported by nine councillors.)

Her move prompted Mark Williams to come up with an alternative (Option B) which would involve commissioning a legal practice to undertake the investigation. However, his first recommendation to the council was to drop the notion of conducting an investigation, but if the council rejected this advice then it should consider his Option B as an alternative to Option A.

After debate, the council voted to conduct an independent investigation by 27 votes to 9 with 5 abstensions. There were quite a few apologies.

The council then turned its attention to the two options put before it.

During this, in what seemed a surprising move to Owl, the Chief Executive suggested more options such as conducting an external audit or even getting asking the Secretary of State to conduct a review through a process whereby the council reported itself for misconduct!

During discussion even more options emerged such as using Ofsted, the option recently adopted by Devon County Council. 

When put to the vote, Council members voted:

22 votes to choose Option A, zero votes for Option B with 18 abstentions.

So the option produced by the Chief Executive was completely rejected. 

At this point one is left with the overwhelming impression that the council had been badly let down by Mark Williams, Chief Executive.

In April 2022 Mark Williams had been asked to advise how an independent investigation could be conducted. This was the moment when he could have come up with the idea, that Devon County Council came up with, of using Ofsted, or indeed any of the other options he suddenly threw into the pot at the September meeting. But he didn’t, he left a void and failed to give any constructive advice other than an investigation is unnecessary and a waste of money until he produced his surprise options during the meeting in September.

We know the September 2022 debate was watched by one of the victims. He very courageously gave an introductory speech as a member of the public. Special arrangements had been made so that he could do this anonymously. He spoke about how his life had been wrecked, how important it was for his rehabilitation to be heard and how an investigation would help him.

Who already seem to have forgotten that he is MP for Exmouth 

• Holm Oak – remove lowest primary branch back to main trunk (dia. of cut 200mm), on SSW side, overhanging 2 Fore St Hill. Remove 3 lowest secondary branches (dia. of two cuts 75mm and remaining 50mm), on ESE side, overhanging 25 Fore St. Fairlynch Museum 27 Fore Street Budleigh Salterton EX9 6NPRef. No: 23/1418/TRE | Validated: Fri 30 Jun 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of dormer window to rear. 3 Berry Close Exmouth EX8 2PTRef. No: 23/1414/FUL | Validated: Fri 30 Jun 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Variation of condition no. 2 and 7 (replacement drawings), and removal of condition no 3 (archaeological work) and 4 (assessment of archaeological work) on plannaing permission ref: 23/0130/FUL Lavenders Branscombe Devon EX12 3BLRef. No: 23/1397/VAR | Validated: Fri 30 Jun 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Change of external materials 4 St Andrews Road Exmouth Devon EX8 1APRef. No: 23/1391/FUL | Validated: Wed 28 Jun 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Installation of an earth lined slurry store Orchard End Colyton EX24 6DTRef. No: 23/1390/FUL | Validated: Wed 28 Jun 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Demolition of existing house and outbuildings and erection of a two storey detached house with habitable loft and ancillary double garage and relocation of existing main site entrance Merrivale Exton Devon EX3 0PPRef. No: 23/1377/FUL | Validated: Tue 27 Jun 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Proposed 2 storey rear extension. Removal of existing mezzanine and associated structures, Removal of existing staircase, construction of new staircase. Internal walls removed to relocate kitchen and remove bathroom. Partial removal of rear wall to create access to new extension. Hard landscaping at rear to allow for new extension Brook Barn Maunders Hill Otterton EX9 7JDRef. No: 23/1385/LBC | Validated: Fri 30 Jun 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Proposed additional dormer window to roof Red Willows Branscombe Seaton EX12 3DLRef. No: 23/1382/FUL | Validated: Fri 30 Jun 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Erection of a roof over existing cow yard Higher Uphay Farm Membury Road Axminster EX13 7JGRef. No: 23/1384/FUL | Validated: Wed 28 Jun 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Erection of an agricultural fodder and straw storage building Higher Uphay Farm Membury Road Axminster EX13 7JGRef. No: 23/1383/FUL | Validated: Wed 28 Jun 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Repair works to old tracks, including resurfacing and provision of pull-in and turning areas. Heathayne Wood ColytonRef. No: 23/1374/AGR | Validated: Wed 28 Jun 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Erection of rural workers dwelling Spurtham Farm New Road Upottery Devon EX14 9QDRef. No: 23/1376/FUL | Validated: Tue 27 Jun 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Application to modify the S106 attached to planning consent 09/1820/MFUL (Residential development consisting of 133 dwellings to include 1 & 2 bedroom apartments and 2,3 & 4 bedroom houses. Including associated parking, highways, landscaping, open space and drainage works) to facilitate a mortgagee exclusion clause Land At Stowford Rise SidmouthRef. No: 23/1408/V106 | Validated: Tue 27 Jun 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Application for the modification of S106 agreement relating to outline permission 15/1291/MOUT (Construction of 10 no. dwellings (6 affordable, 4 open market) and associated works with all matters reserved) to allow changes to a) the approved ecological mitigation requirements, and b) the timing of the reserved matters viability assessment Land Adjacent The Fountain Head Berry Hill BranscombeRef. No: 23/1375/V106 | Validated: Tue 27 Jun 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Application to modify the S106 attached to planning consent 12/2452/MFUL (Erection of 18 dwellings, associated access and landscaping) to facilitate a mortgagee exclusion clause Land West Of Combe Hayes SidmouthRef. No: 23/1409/V106 | Validated: Tue 27 Jun 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Installation of earth lined slurry store Otter View Farm Luppitt Devon EX14 4TPRef. No: 23/1366/FUL | Validated: Thu 29 Jun 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• One non-illuminated board sign fixed to the existing boundary wall. Co-Operative Pioneer (Cws) The Underfleet Seaton EX12 2PQRef. No: 23/1372/ADV | Validated: Mon 26 Jun 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Replacement of old conservatory with new room. Knapp Cottage Lower Broad Oak Road West Hill Ottery St Mary EX11 1XHRef. No: 23/1369/FUL | Validated: Tue 27 Jun 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Variation of condition no. 12 on planning permission 22/1635/FUL to allow extended delivery hours. Former Co-op Store The Underfleet Seaton EX12 2PQRef. No: 23/1371/VAR | Validated: Mon 26 Jun 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Variation of condition 2 of planning permission 20/0630/VAR (construction of office building) to allow its use by businesses not associated with the landscaping business for a temporary period up to five years Dalwood Hill Nursery Burrow Knapp Way Dalwood Devon EX13 7ESRef. No: 23/1363/VAR | Validated: Mon 26 Jun 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Proposed internal and external renovations with two storey rear extension 16 Raddenstile Lane Exmouth EX8 2JHRef. No: 23/1359/FUL | Validated: Tue 27 Jun 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Proposed extensions at both ground and first floor levels on all elevations, raising and replacement of roof, demolition of single garage, construction of double garage and associated driveway (resubmission of 23/0457/FUL) Anchorage Barline Beer Devon EX12 3LRRef. No: 23/1370/FUL | Validated: Thu 29 Jun 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• To install wooden featheredge board corner fence along boundaries adjacent to Mount Pleasant Avenue and Swiss Close. [Retrospective] 13 Mount Pleasant Avenue Exmouth EX8 4QGRef. No: 23/1352/FUL | Validated: Fri 30 Jun 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Detached car port Bovetts Farm Sidbury EX10 0QNRef. No: 23/1345/FUL | Validated: Tue 27 Jun 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• T1: Oak tree – fell; T3: Strawberry tree – fell; T4: Bay tree – fell. 5 Cyprus Road Exmouth Devon EX8 2DZRef. No: 23/1354/TCA | Validated: Mon 26 Jun 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Planning permission for existing lawful development to establish the lawful use of land and buildings for a mix of uses classes E (g) class B2 and class B8 of the use classes identified within Town and Country Planning (use classes) regulations 2020. Sunnyfields Industrial Estate Yarcombe Honiton EX14 9NBRef. No: 23/1334/CPE | Validated: Tue 27 Jun 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Certificate of proposed lawfulness for a single storey rear extension127 Winslade Road Sidmouth Devon EX10 9EZRef. No: 23/1328/CPL | Validated: Mon 26 Jun 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Proposed 2 storey rear extension. Removal of existing mezzanine and associated structures, Removal of existing staircase, construction of new staircase. Internal walls removed to relocate kitchen. Partial removal of rear wall to create access to new extension. Hard landscaping at rear to allow for new extension Brook Barn Maunders Hill Otterton EX9 7JDRef. No: 23/1309/FUL | Validated: Fri 30 Jun 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Remove existing capping on chimney on south east gable elevation and install flue liner and new chimney pot and flue. Batts Cottage Gittisham Honiton EX14 3AJRef. No: 23/1280/LBC | Validated: Fri 30 Jun 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of 42 residential units (14 affordable), new vehicular accesses from Meeting Lane and Strawberry Lane, pedestrian access onto Meeting Lane, associated internal roadways, SUDS features and landscaping Land South Of Meeting Lane LympstoneRef. No: 23/1269/MFUL | Validated: Thu 29 Jun 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• To demolish the existing bungalow and attached garage and replaced with new two storey residential dwelling. Ladymeade High Street East Budleigh Devon EX9 7DURef. No: 23/1257/FUL | Validated: Mon 26 Jun 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of new two bedroom dwelling with garden room/store Little Knowle Court 32 Little Knowle Budleigh Salterton EX9 6QSRef. No: 23/1261/FUL | Validated: Tue 27 Jun 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• T1: Eucalyptus – pollard to previous pollarding points at approximately 2m above ground level, cut size approximately 400mm. G1: Group of Ash – prune back to the fence-line, cuts no greater than 75mm. 3 Henry Lewis Close Whimple EX5 2UURef. No: 23/1213/TCA | Validated: Wed 28 Jun 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Remodel of existing dwelling, including partial demolition. Construction of garage, shed, and widened driveway Southernhay Lower Broad Oak Road West Hill Ottery St Mary EX11 1XHRef. No: 23/1201/FUL | Validated: Wed 28 Jun 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Replacement Dwelling Oak Tree House Old Ebford Lane Ebford Devon EX3 0QRRef. No: 23/1185/FUL | Validated: Mon 26 Jun 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of single storey flat roof extension to north and east elevations Garden Cottage 18 Little Knowle Budleigh Salterton EX9 6QSRef. No: 23/1165/FUL | Validated: Tue 27 Jun 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Removal of condition No. 5 of planning permission ref: 22/2130/FUL to allow for additions and buildings within the curtilage. Oak Lodge Holcombe Lane Ottery St Mary EX11 1PQRef. No: 23/1141/VAR | Validated: Fri 30 Jun 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Repairs to southern chimney stack and rebuild northern chimney stack Church Cottage Farringdon EX5 2HYRef. No: 23/1109/LBC | Validated: Mon 26 Jun 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Formation of new access and associated development 21 Marpool Hill Exmouth EX8 2LJRef. No: 23/1100/FUL | Validated: Mon 26 Jun 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Demolition of existing restaurant and construction of a replacement restaurant (Use Class E(b)) with installation of 40 x solar panels on roof (retrospective application). Route 303 Yarcombe EX14 9NDRef. No: 23/1011/FUL | Validated: Fri 30 Jun 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision

Sewage alerts: Seaton, Beer and Budleigh, advisory at Ladram. 

Exmouth “under maintenance”

Rural England’s population of 9.7 million risk being left further behind after the next general election if the political system continues to ignore the systematic inequalities facing rural communities and businesses, warn leading rural organisations.

rsnonline.org.uk

The Rural Coalition, an alliance of thirteen national organisations who champion a living, working countryside, has set out an urgent appeal for all political parties to empower rural areas in election manifestos to improve the prospects and opportunities for rural businesses and communities.

With rural areas a key battleground at the next general election the Coalition urges politicians to address the needs and potential of rural areas and ensure they are treated fairly with the rest of the country.

The roadmap, ‘A better future for rural England: An opportunity for change’, sets out nine policy principles to address the structural inequalities and weaknesses facing rural areas and the people who live and work in rural England.

Rural areas have long faced the challenges of failing infrastructure, poor connectivity and unfair funding systems that do not take proper account of the additional rural costs associated with delivering essential services, including healthcare.

That is why the Rural Coalition is calling on the next Government to implement the Coalition’s vision for rural England, including:

• Produce a comprehensive rural strategy – create a cross-departmental strategy for rural England to deliver sustainable growth for communities and businesses.
• Ensure fairer funding – revise funding metrics used to allocate funds for public services to address the systemic gap between urban and rural public funding.
• Invest in rural infrastructure – upgrade capacity and resilience of the electricity grid; invest in reliable digital networks and create fit-for-purpose rural transport networks.
• Adapt and mitigate for climate change – launch a coordinated approach from government and agencies to address the challenges posed by climate change.
• Create a prosperous rural economy – invest in skills and retraining to increase economic diversity and attract new businesses.
• Rural proof the design of services – develop service plans that avoid a one-size-fits-all approach and ensure accessibility for rural communities and businesses.
• Deliver services locally – deliver services at as local a level as possible to ensure they meet local needs and are readily available to the community.
• Empower the voluntary and community sector – enhance support and funding for the voluntary and community sector to help deliver vital facilities and services.
• Devolve decision-making powers – devolve decision-making and responsibilities to the most local level, so services are tailored to rural needs.

Chair of the Rural Coalition, Margaret Clark, said: 

“Nearly 10 million people live in rural England, more than in Greater London. They should not be unfairly disadvantaged simply because of geography, but must have fair access to jobs, to housing and to basic services.

“Rural communities will play an important role in choosing who forms the next government. Addressing their needs and potential means a sea change in the way rural areas are perceived and treated. Achieving the economic and social growth envisaged will only prove possible with sustained effort across government to tackle the challenges of structural linequalities, fragile infrastructure and economic weaknesses which hold back rural areas.”

Who knew what and when; and did they act in a timely and appropriate manner that will withstand scrutiny in the daylight?

There is also confusion over police involvement:

Yesterday: The BBC initially claimed that they had been in contact with the police regarding the presenter who allegedly paid for sexually explicit pictures from a teenager.

In a statement, the force said: “The Met has received initial contact from the BBC in relation to this matter, but no formal referral or allegation has been made. We will require additional information before determining what further action should follow.”

Davie faces biggest storm of rocky stint as BBC boss

Tim Davie is facing possibly the biggest crisis of his crisis-strewn stint as the BBC’s director general after one of the corporation’s prominent male television presenters was suspended.

Jim Waterson www.theguardian.com

How Davie handles the crisis – and whether he survives it – could define his tenure at the helm of the broadcaster and shape the BBC’s future.

Running the BBC is like trying to steer an oil tanker through a narrow strait, while blindfolded, with the controls jammed. Add in the knowledge that there is always a giant storm somewhere on the horizon that will knock you off course for weeks and it is one of the most challenging management jobs in British media.

It requires a calm head, clear direction and a fair dose of luck. Yet Davie is still nursing his self-inflicted wounds over the Gary Lineker affair, when the director general attempted to assert his power by suspending the Match of the Day presenter for an apparent breach of the BBC’s impartiality guidelines, only to find himself forced to back down in the face of a strike by BBC presenters.

Since then, sources at the corporation suggest that he has been on the back foot, keen to avoid confrontation and major clashes over policy that could create a new scandal. Instead, thanks to the alleged actions of one presenter, he finds himself in the middle of his biggest mess yet after being battered by a storm that he did not see coming.

The BBC presenter – who has not been named by media outlets, partly out of concern for privacy law – was suspended by the broadcaster on Sunday. The presenter allegedly sent £35,000 to a young person over three years in return for explicit images and videos. The young person’s mother claims that her child was only 17 when they began communicating with the BBC presenter – raising the possibility that any pictures sent at that age could count as child sexual abuse images.

The issue for Davie is that the mother says she took her story to the media only after the BBC failed to act on a complaint that she sent directly to the corporation in mid-May. She suggested that the BBC was scared to suspend the high-profile presenter and gave her a number that did not work.

It is already inevitable that parliament and other organisations will launch investigations into the BBC’s handling of her complaint. They are likely to focus on why it took almost two months between the mother’s initial complaint and the presenter’s suspension when the Sun put the story on its front page.

Sources at the BBC suggest there was a substantial difference between the complaint filed in May and the more severe allegations put to the BBC by the Sun last week. But Davie, already struggling to convince staff that they can confidently blow the whistle on wrongdoing, will have to prove it was not fear of negative publicity that led to the change in the BBC’s approach.

The BBC’s governing board also lacks an experienced chair to provide support, after Richard Sharp resigned last month over his own scandal. In Sharp’s place is the interim chair, Prof Dame Elan Closs Stephens, a Welsh academic who has only been in the job for a fortnight and does not have the same political connections as her predecessor.

To make matters worse for Davie, the BBC’s annual report – containing details of pay deals for its biggest stars – is due on Tuesday, meaning that he will have to be subject to questioning from journalists and asked to justify the remuneration of many of the BBC’s biggest stars.

The failure to name the presenter means that public interest in the story will remain enormous. Politicians are demanding answers. Staff are wondering whether they were sufficiently protected at work. The BBC has plenty of experience of scandals, but even old hands are shocked by the allegations against the presenter. One veteran employee compared it to the crisis in 2004 over the BBC’s reporting on the Iraq war. “This is Hutton on crystal meth,” they said.

Maybe, possibly, sometime. – Owl

Guy Henderson, local democracy reporter www.radioexe.co.uk 

Holidaymakers pouring into Devon and Cornwall for summer breaks are putting local police services under mounting pressure.

The influx means increased pressure from car crashes, missing people and incidents around mental health issues. Now the government is to consider increasing police funding to help local forces cope.

The news has been welcomed by Devon and Cornwall’s police and crime commissioner Alison Hernandez, who was part of a westcountry delegation that put forward the case for funding.

She has campaigned for years for Devon and Cornwall Police to receive extra money because the force area has more visitors than any other outside London.

As well as joining the delegation, she submitted evidence to the home office as part of a project to develop a new funding formula for policing.

In an answer to a question by North Devon MP Selaine Saxby, policing minister Chris Philp said “rurality, sparsity and seasonality, particularly seasonal tourism” are likely to be considered as part of a consultation into a new funding formula.

The formula determines how much each police and crime commissioner receives for their respective forces from central government, with the rest of the budget made up from the policing ‘precept’ added to council tax bills.

The current formula provides no financial recognition of the number of visitors that forces must deal with. The government intends to consult on a new formula ‘in due course’.

Ms Hernandez said: “At this time of year the number of incidents that Devon and Cornwall Police must deal with increases substantially. These incidents are not only crime related but are linked to road traffic collisions, missing people and calls for help from people who are experiencing mental ill health.

“Devon and Cornwall’s rurality and sparsity add to the challenge of dealing with the visitor influx and it is fantastic that those in Westminster have heard our message. I will continue to make the case that Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly are worthy of additional central government investment so we can maintain the force area as one of the safest in England and Wales for our resident populations and those who choose to holiday in this wonderful part of the world.

“I look forward to taking part in the forthcoming consultation on this formula.”

Figures presented to the government in 2019 showed a 14 per cent increase in incidents between April and October in Devon and Cornwall, the largest increase amongst English and Welsh forces.

After years of political turmoil, it’s boom time for at least one British industry: Demand for political bodyguards is through the roof.

Annabelle Dickson, Dan Bloom www.politico.eu (Extract)

For the first time in modern history, the U.K. now has seven living former prime ministers, all of whom continue to receive extensive — and expensive — security protection.

With the ruling Conservatives on their fourth leader in as many years, and with the three most recently-departed — Theresa May, Boris Johnson and Liz Truss — visibly cashing in on the lucrative international speaking circuit for ex-prime ministers, some are raising questions about the mounting cost to U.K. taxpayers.

Because every time an ex-prime minister travels abroad — even to earn themselves a six-figure sum for speaking at an obscure business conference — U.K. taxpayers are likely picking up the security tab.

“It’s an industry, there is no other word for it,” Dai Davies, a former head of royal protection at the Met Police, said.

The number of living ex-prime ministers is only likely to grow in the years ahead.

If the opinion polls are correct, Rishi Sunak will likely be out of office following next year’s general election. And the youthful nature of the current cohort — Truss is 47, and Sunak just 43, while Johnson and David Cameron are both still under 60 — means taxpayers could be on the hook for decades to come.

But the collective security bill for protecting high-profile politicians and royals, shouldered by the Home Office, remains shrouded in secrecy……..

Five Devon beaches hit with pollution warnings

Chloe Parkman www.devonlive.com

People visiting a number of beaches across Devon are being urged to avoid entering the water due to the risk of pollution or sewage. A map by ocean activist organisation Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) shows that there are a small number of warnings in place across the county.

It comes after swimmers were warned against entering the water at 14 beach following heavy downpours this month. Devon Live previously reported that the main contributing factor to polluted beaches is urban runoff, which sees fertilizers, pesticides, oil, and untreated human and animal waste all entering waterways, such as rivers. They then eventually end up at our beaches.

The contaminated water largely remains on the surface. This can make it dangerous to enter the water. According to Surf Today, some experts even suggest waiting 72 hours before entering the sea again after it rains.

Swallowing water that could be contaminated with fecal matter could lead to gastroenteritis, hepatitis, giardiasis, skin rashes, amoebic dysentery, nose, ear, and throat problems, pink eye, and other respiratory illnesses. Symptoms to look out for include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cramps, inflamed stomach and intestines.

Below, Devon Live has listed all of the beaches which currently have a warning in place. The following information has been taken from the SAS interactive map.

Beer – Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours. Three sewer overflows surround Beer with one discharging from Beer car park, one discharging 600m North East and one slightly further to the South.

Ladram Bay – Bathing not advised today due to the likelihood of reduced water quality. There are no sewer overflows at Ladram Bay but a treated sewage works outfall discharges south west of the beach.

Torre Abbey – Bathing not advised today due to the likelihood of reduced water quality. There is a sewer overflow in the urban catchment directly behind the beach that discharges into the Torre Abbey stream.

Plymouth Hoe West – Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours. There is a sewer overflow that discharges south west of the beach and more are located in the surrounding area which support the city of Plymouth.

Plymouth Hoe East – Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours. There is a sewer overflow that discharges SW of the beach and a number more in the surrounding area that support the city of Plymouth.

Staff from NHS Devon who are working to tackle domestic abuse and sexual violence have triumphed in this year’s NHS parliamentary awards.

Three parties working together is welcome. – Owl

Adam Manning www.exmouthjournal.co.uk

The NHS Devon team was nominated by three local MPs – Ben Bradshaw, Simon Jupp and Richard Foord.

The award is in recognition of the work NHS Devon has done to improve how GPs and hospitals respond to people who have experienced domestic abuse or sexual violence.

Winners were chosen from nine categories, announced at an awards ceremony in Westminster yesterday (5 July) – the NHS’s 75th birthday. The domestic abuse and sexual violence team at NHS Devon won the Excellence in Primary and Community Care category.

Jane Milligan, Chief Officer at NHS Devon, said: “I’m extremely proud that our local services have been recognised in this way by our local MPs.

“It highlights NHS Devon’s pioneering commitment to tackling domestic abuse and sexual violence and supporting people who are survivors.

“The team have been working incredibly hard to improve the way people can access support and services locally, reducing the risk and giving people the care and support they really need.”

Richard Foord, MP for Tiverton and Honiton, said: “The Excellence in Primary and Community Care award is so very well deserved. The Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence team at NHS Devon has rightly been recognised nationally for their work with partners to provide preventative, early help, support, and recovery services. The NHS Parliamentary Award is very prestigious, and I am delighted that the team has received the recognition they deserve.”

Simon Jupp, MP for East Devon, said: “I am delighted that NHS Devon are receiving national recognition for their crucial work supporting sexual and domestic abuse victims, pioneering a GP-oriented approach which should be considered for other parts of the UK. I’m especially thankful for their amazing efforts in East Devon. They are a credit to our fantastic NHS family.”

Ben Bradshaw, MP for Exeter, said: “I’m incredibly proud to see the team from NHS Devon recognised for their trailblazing work in this area. On the 75th birthday of the NHS, it is a timely reminder of the importance of supporting staff and volunteers so that they can continue to develop such innovative, life-changing ideas.”

Southern Water has said it needs to raise £550 million from its shareholders to shore up its finances.

Robert Lea www.thetimes.co.uk

The announcement came as a ratings agency pulled the plug on the supplier and sewerage group’s dividends by downgrading its £5.2 billion debt to just above junk bond status. Fitch Ratings said this was a “trigger event” under which Southern would be prevented from distributing dividends.

It is the latest scare in a sector in which Thames Water is at risk of falling into administration in a crisis that has cost the jobs of its chairman and chief executive. Thames, which needs to raise £1 billion from its shareholders, is due to give an update on its financial woes on Monday. Southern’s need for new money comes after a £1.1 billion rescue two years ago by Macquarie, the finance house.

Fitch said it was lowering its rating on Southern Water to BBB with a negative outlook from BBB+. It said it had acted as the group’s debts meant it may be unable to meet its investment commitments through to 2025. This risk had been exacerbated, it said, by weak cashflow and high interest rates.

Ofwat has declared that if water companies’ ratings fall to a certain level it will intervene to prevent the payment of dividends to shareholders.

Southern has one of the worst environmental records in the industry and is accused of sewage pollution incidents over many years, from the bathing and sailing waters of the Solent to oyster fields off the Kent coast.

The extreme dangers of setting light to aerosol cans have been highlighted after firefighters were called to a park in Devon following reports of a ‘massive explosion’ and fire. The incident took place yesterday evening, July 6, in a park near St Martin’s in Cranbrook.

Anita Merritt www.devonlive.com 

A local resident told on the town’s community Facebook page that they had seen ‘careless and thoughtless’ teenagers lighting aerosol cans and that it was lucky no one had been injured.

The post published yesterday read: “I am beyond shocked! I am a little bit shaken up that careless and thoughtless acts of a few kids could have easily taken someone’s life or injured someone badly.

“They set light to some aerosols in the big park near St Martin’s and it set fire to the play equipment which then created a massive explosion. Luckily, no one was close enough to be caught in the explosion.

“I called the fire brigade and it is all safe now. But somehow, someway, these kids need to know it’s not okay.

“I am not here to point fingers and blame the parents, but these kids need a lesson or they will end up killing someone and in jail. This has gone past the point of kids being kids!”

A spokesperson for Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said: “We were called at around 6.10pm and one crew from Middlemoor attended to extinguish a small fire involving wooden playground equipment with a portable water spray unit.

“We would like to remind everyone that products contained in aerosol cans are often extremely flammable. If the containers are subjected to higher temperatures they can explode, which can be extremely dangerous.

“They should not be left in sunlight or exposed to high temperatures. They should not be pierced or burned, even after use.”

When the next election is called, there will be plenty of time for Simon Jupp to introduce himself as a candidate to the electors in the new constituency of Honiton and Sidmouth.

Until the election is called his job is to devote all his efforts on behalf of his existing constituency which does not include Axminster.

Finding excuses to “appear” in places such as Axminster is a sign of weakness. – Owl

East Devon MP pays visit to Axminster Flamingo Pool

Josie Cohen www.midweekherald.co.uk

Simon Jupp, East Devon MP, paid a visit to the Flamingo Pool to meet with Water Babies and express his support for the Axminster-based charity, which has encountered serious financial issues.

Water Babies, situated in Clyst St Mary, has been a world leader in offering swimming activities since it began in 2002. Simon Jupp MP had the opportunity to discuss the work of the company with the Director of Water Babies, Natasha Khojasteh.

The East Devon MP was pleased by their worldwide success as well as their regional operations, which bring together parents and carers from throughout the community, whilst the Flamingo Pool is financially supported by paid use of its amenities.

Simon Jupp MP also outlined the issues that local community pools face, as well as his commitment to assisting them.

Prior to the Spring Budget, the East Devon MP pressed the central government to assist swimming facilities, particularly Topsham Swimming Pool and the Flamingo Pool, which faced serious financial issues.

Following this effort, the East Devon MP applauded the Chancellor’s announcement of a new £60 million fund to assist public swimming pools in England for 2023/24.

The MP commented, “I’m a big supporter of local swimming pools and lobbied the Chancellor to secure vital financial support for them in the Spring Budget… It was a pleasure to visit and see the wonderful work by Water Babies here in East Devon.”

These words of support will help raise awareness of the problems that local pools are facing and will hopefully help them recover and expand.

This is to be read in conjunction with post on Calls for EDDC Chief Exec to resign.

A council has asked for government help to mend fractious relationships with its staff following its handling of allegations against a councillor.

By Ewan Murrie and Brodie Owen www.bbc.co.uk

Former councillor John Humphreys was jailed for 21 years for sexually assaulting two boys in 2021.

East Devon District Council said in a letter seen by the BBC a “corrosive set of relationships” was impacting its ability to provide safeguarding.

The government said it would respond in due course to the request.

East Devon District Council (EDDC) has declined to comment.

Humphreys was first questioned in 2005 and arrested in 2016, but was the mayor of Exmouth from 2010 to 2012 and an East Devon District Councillor for 12 years until 2019.

In the letter to Communities Secretary Michael Gove, council leader Paul Arnott wrote a “historic case of paedophilia and the way it has been treated within the council” was affecting its ability to provide “proper safeguarding for all vulnerable residents”.

“The failure to resolve this issue properly is leading to a corrosive set of relationships between the controlling partnership of councillors and staff which is proving difficult to resolve,” the letter, dated 23 June, said.

It continued: “We are writing to you at this point because the LGA Conference is occurring early in July, and we would like to take the opportunity [to] meet up with your senior staff who will be present at the conference to discuss the proposals that councillors are making to redress the problems and move forward.”

An independent report, yet to be published, into how EDDC handled child sex abuse allegations against Humphreys is understood to be at the centre of the row.

The letter also stated the Local Government Association (LGA) and the Centre for Governance and Scrutiny have both already been involved with trying to ease tensions at the council.

Councillors ask in the letter that government officials are involved with overseeing an “improvement journey” aimed at bringing the cabinet and senior managers together as a “unified team” that can “move forward as one body”.

It was co-signed by councillors Paul Hayward, Eileen Wragg, Eleanor Rylance and Sam Hawkins.

But it did not take any formal or informal action against Humphreys – it said the employee was restricted from alerting his colleagues about the case because of police confidentiality rules.

After his arrest for child sex abuse in 2016, Humphreys continued to mix with children while serving as a councillor until May 2019, before being made an alderman later that year.

While his political career progressed, the police investigation into the former Exmouth mayor’s crimes remained active behind the scenes.

He was sentenced to 21 years in jail in August 2021 after being found guilty of sexually abusing two boys before he was a councillor.

A government spokesperson confirmed the letter had been received and said the secretary of state would consider a response to the council and “respond in due course”.

The government has lost its legal challenge to block Boris Johnson’s unredacted WhatsApps, notebooks and diaries from being handed over to the official Covid inquiry, after a ruling by the high court.

Aubrey Allegretti www.theguardian.com 

Ministers launched a judicial review last week, with lawyers for the Cabinet Office arguing it should get to decide what material was “unambiguously irrelevant” to the inquiry.

But the inquiry’s lead counsel said the idea that the Cabinet Office could decide which documents were relevant “would emasculate this and future inquiries”.

Johnson’s lawyer supported the inquiry, and warned there was a “real danger” of undermining public confidence in the process if the Cabinet Office was successful.

High court judges handed down their decision on Thursday, six days after the hearing where the legal arguments were heard.

There are calls for a council chief executive to resign following a report into the council’s handling of serious allegations against a councillor.

By Ewan Murrie & Johnny O’Shea www.bbc.co.uk

The report said it was unable to find “reliable evidence” the CEO of East Devon District Council knew about an investigation into John Humphreys.

But the Labour group said the report “proves” Mark Williams was “guilty of serious failings” and should resign.

Mr Williams has been contacted for comment.

Humphreys, a former Mayor of Exmouth and EDDC councillor for 12 years, was convicted in 2021 of three counts of serious sexual assault and seven of indecent assault against two boys in the 1990s and 2000s. He was jailed for 21 years.

In 2021, John Humphreys was jailed for 21 years after sexually abusing two boys

The independent report by Verita investigated a line from the minutes of a Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) meeting in March 2016, suggesting Mr Williams had been “alerted to the situation”.

This was new evidence presented by Devon and Cornwall Police in March, causing the initial Verita report to be delayed while it investigated.

Verita said in its report this record “appeared to contradict” evidence which Mr Williams and the former monitoring officer of East Devon District Council had provided at an earlier stage in the investigation.

Humphreys was an alderman by East Devon District Council while under criminal investigation

Mr Williams told Verita he had never seen the minutes and had not been told about the criminal investigation at that time.

The report said it could not corroborate the statement from the minutes and concluded “it does not constitute sufficiently reliable evidence that the CEO of EDDC was aware of the Humphreys’ situation”.

Had Mr Williams been aware he would have had a duty to inform the safeguarding lead, which was not done.

Devon and Cornwall Police gave this statement to the BBC: “The appropriate and agreed route for sharing sensitive information with relevant partners is through the LADO process.

“Once a partner agency has been informed of a risk, it is for them to assess and manage the impact of that risk internally as they see fit.”

The Labour group of councillors on EDDC has written to Mr Williams having seen the report, calling for him to resign with immediate effect.

Dan Wilson, the leader of the Labour group, said “the report is completely damning” and the failure to inform the safeguarding lead was “unforgiveable”.

He said: “I certainly hope that no children were harmed in the three-year period between the information coming out and his conviction. The problem is that it could have.”

He added: “Because safeguarding weren’t informed, he could have gone into schools, colleges, he could have been in situations with vulnerable children and as we now know, that would have been extremely dangerous.

“Any harm that was avoided is down to luck when it should have been down to competence.”

‘Historic debate’

The Labour group leader told the BBC he would be tabling a vote of no confidence in the chief executive at a council meeting next week unless a resignation was forthcoming before then.

Humphreys was able to continue mixing with children while serving as an EDDC councillor until 2019 and stayed on Exmouth Town Council until he was jailed.

He was nominated for the award of Honorary Alderman which he received from EDDC on 18 December 2019.

It was rescinded weeks after his conviction.

Independent EDDC councillor Jess Bailey said: “There was a situation where a former councillor was awarded a civic honour whilst he was under a criminal investigation, and he went into that trial with that honour as an apparent badge of respectability and I think residents deserve to understand how that happened.”

The reports are on the agenda for discussion at an extraordinary meeting of the council on Tuesday.

In June it emerged the council had asked for government help to mend fractious relationships with its staff following its handling of the Humphreys case.

The leader of the council, Liberal Democrat Paul Arnott, said the extraordinary meeting “will be an historic debate for East Devon”.

He said: “I must not predetermine it, but members’ comments to me already suggest that councillors will seek to clarify senior officer statements about who knew what when, and to understand the reason for the inertia in a process we began in April 2022 which has taken until July 2023 to make the next step. Why?”

He urged everyone involved to remember the victims of Humphreys’ crimes, including one from East Devon, saying “members and officers alike owe him the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth”.

The Conservative group said its thoughts were with the victims of the “despicable crimes” and it had “nothing further to add until the report can be debated at full council next week”.

East Devon District Council said it had no comment to make at this time.

An opportunity missed, perhaps deliberately – Owl

On Tuesday local MPs debated levelling up in the South West under the chair of Ian Liddell-Grainger MP (Bridgwater and West Somerset) (Con) with Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Levelling Up Dehenna Davison in attendance.

Possibly because there are so few opposition MPs in the region, Richard Foord (LibDem) and Luke Pollard (Labour/Co-op) only managed to squeeze in a few words, and  the debate was dominated by Tory partisan attempts at point scoring.

The Chair set the  tone. The result was a disappointment. 

The debate was dominated by the minister, and Tory MPs like Simon Jupp, reeling off  lists of all the investments made recently, that most of us would regard as essential infrastructure projects.

For example, Jupp: “Devon, Cornwall, Dorset and Somerset have secured £231 million from the levelling-up fund so far.” 

Schoolboy point scoring

Here are schoolboy examples of point scoring:

Richard Foord 

I am grateful to the Minister for giving way. The Cullompton relief road has been part of the Mid Devon District Council levelling-up bid on two occasions. In both the first round and the second round, the bid was unsuccessful. How does the Minister recommend that Mid Devon District Council should pursue the relief road?

Dehenna Davison 

I am grateful to the hon. Member for mentioning the Cullompton relief road, but I am afraid he has been pipped to the post, as my hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Simon Jupp) has raised the issue with me on multiple occasions, to the point that it is probably one of my favourite relief roads. I hear about it weekly. [Jupp is a PPS in her ministry]

Debate descends into farce

At one point the debate descended into farce skipping from Broadband, to blame shaming South West Water, to potholes and Belgian weak beer. What has this got to do with levelling up?

[Worth noting that BBC Spotlight chose to highlight, out of context, the “confected outrage” from these two Tory MPs diverting the blame for the state of pollution away from years of government inaction onto the water companies.]

Liddell-Grainger

[Following on from comments on broadband roll out]…The same goes for the management of what turns out to be the worst water company in the United Kingdom. Never mind Thames Water, we have South West Water. It overpays its top team, dumps sewage in rivers, fails to invest in new reservoirs, yet wants to be treated like a paragon of virtue. It sells services in Bristol and Bournemouth as well as in Devon and Cornwall. They are up to their necks in it.

Richard Foord 

Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

Mr Liddell-Grainger 

No. Anyway, I received a jolly little email from the PR chief, which I would like to share. I will read, if I may, the first paragraph of the email I got yesterday, addressed to “Dear Mr Liddell-Grainger”, which was spelled correctly.

“I wanted to get in touch in advance of your levelling-up debate. May I congratulate you on securing this important debate? If you are planning to attend this debate on Tuesday I would be grateful if you or your team could confirm this.”

That is a water company supplying millions of people with water, yet is not sure I am turning up for my own debate. What hope have the rivers and fish of Somerset and Devon got, with people like that? If I may, I would also like to bring in potholes, the bane of all our lives.

Anthony Mangnall 

rose—

Mr Liddell-Grainger

I will give way with pleasure.

Anthony Mangnall 

I apologise for having two bites of the cherry, but since my hon. Friend has raised South West Water, does he not agree with me that, if it is failing to clean up our waterways or expand our storm overflows, and is not following the laws that we have passed in this place, namely around dividend payments, we have to ask the question, what is the point of this place, if the company is not going to follow those laws? We have to ask it not to take Parliament into contempt when it comes to enacting the stringent laws that we have passed to ensure that it cleans up our waterways.

Mr Liddell-Grainger 

I am very grateful for that extremely serious intervention. My hon. Friend is quite right; it is beyond the pale. South West Water is a disgrace at every level. We are rightly trying to hold its feet to the fire. It has to be brought to account. If necessary, we have to get representatives here to ensure they understand just what a shambles and disgrace the company is. It is damaging the environment, damaging confidence and damaging people’s water. It is failing at every level. My hon. Friend gave an extremely good example of how it is holding this place, us, and the elected representatives of the people of the United Kingdom in contempt. That is wrong.

But back to potholes! Potholes are the bane of all our lives. Minister, I know they do not come under the remit of levelling up, but would it not be sensible if they did? Somerset has more roads than Belgium, and who knows where Belgium is? Weak beer and people in strange hats. Minister, we need to look at giving money to pothole improvement, in Somerset and Devon, as both counties desperately need it, which is important.

Here is the Ministers final statement. Vacuous platitudes about cream teas and tourism – Owl

Dehenna Davison 

As it stands, the two are separate strands, as the hon. Member will know. At level 3 devolution, there is the opportunity to access an investment fund, which is a fantastic way to fund local infrastructure projects and the like. It is up to local areas to decide what level of devolution they wish to pursue, and we are in talks with Devon, Plymouth and Torbay to explore opportunities there. As for round 3 of the levelling-up fund, we are dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s, so it would be inappropriate for me to make any announcements today, but I assure Members that we will provide full detail in due course and very soon. I hope that provides the clarity that the hon. Member seeks.

I am not suggesting that levelling up is a quick fix that will happen overnight, but our levelling-up plans, underpinned by 12 ambitious missions, are set to be achieved by 2030. For that to happen, they require serious cross-Government and cross-society efforts. The first mission, for instance, has a target for pay, employment and productivity to grow everywhere, which is vital for the south-west, where average productivity lags the national average.

As I have outlined, our plans will lead to more devolution in more places across England; rebalanced spending across regions in areas such as research and development, arts and culture, and housing; investment in infrastructure and skills to grow the economy; and, crucially, a renewed focus on regeneration, supporting community initiatives and community safety.

To many, the south-west is the region of cream teas, the world’s best cider and buildings made from the famous Bath stone. It is unquestionably a beautiful part of the world, and it is no wonder so many people choose to take holidays and make trips to the south-west. In fact, the south-west attracts more visitors than anywhere else in the UK bar London—but I reckon you guys can catch up if we work hard enough!

Relying on tourism to drive the economy is a double-edged sword, especially in the south-west. While it creates plenty of jobs, many are low-paid, and while it supports countless businesses, that can price local families out of their area. For example, a full-time worker earns an average of £33.40 less per week than the UK average and more than a third of local people do not have a level 3 qualification. The unfortunate reality is that for all the region’s incredible natural beauty, it is also home to significant pockets of deprivation and disadvantage. One in 10 of England’s most deprived neighbourhoods is in the south-west. I have always firmly believed that prospects should never be determined by postcode.

The challenges in the south-west are clear, but so too are the opportunities. The region is home to world-class universities, highly skilled workers and cutting-edge small and medium-sized enterprises. Bristol and Bath are centres of advanced manufacturing and engineering, aerospace and creative industries, Plymouth is a growing centre of expertise in maritime autonomy, and in Torbay, high-potential opportunities in photonics and microelectronics have been identified.

In my Department, we recognise the potential of supporting local projects and are investing—I hope hon. Members are ready for me to rattle off my list— £131 million in them through round 1 of the levelling-up fund. From creating a new training academy for health and social care in Bridgwater, which my hon. Friend the Member for Bridgwater and West Somerset referenced, to supporting the University of Gloucestershire to bring empty buildings back into use, we are supporting projects that are delivering on local priorities. We are investing a further £198.6 million across nine towns in the region through the towns fund, and an injection of £96.2 million is going to the south-west through the getting building fund. Those are just some examples of the diverse opportunities and incredible local projects that we are funding.

As I have said, we need to empower local leaders and communities, which is why we are carrying out an ambitious package of devolution—the biggest transfer of power away from Westminster to local government in modern times. I am delighted that Devon, Plymouth and Torbay, and Cornwall, are in the first wave, giving local leaders the tools they need to deliver for their communities, such as increased control over transport and infrastructure.

On transport, my hon. Friend the Member for Bridgwater and West Somerset raised the issue of potholes, that vital scourge on our society. I am pleased to say that there is an £8 billion pothole fund announced by the Government, which I hope he and his community can draw upon.

I am conscious of time, but let me again mention round 2 of the levelling-up fund, which will provide £186.6 million of funding across the south-west. The UK shared prosperity fund, which is worth more than £2.6 billion in total, is living up to the Government’s commitment to match EU structural fund receipts in each nation of the UK and in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. As I said, round 3 of the levelling-up fund will be announced very soon. I am pleased that we will be providing further funding in that way.

Levelling up is not just a slogan or a tagline; it is the central mission and commitment of this Government. We have defined the problem and drawn up a long-term plan based on measurable missions. Our focus now is on delivery. Work is under way. Funding has been allocated. Devolution deals are being negotiated. The whole of Government is being mobilised towards this goal. Decisions on transport, culture and healthcare are all being viewed through the prism of levelling up. That is no small task, but the size of the prize is clear, and I look forward to continuing to work with all hon. Members present to make levelling up a reality in the south-west.

Motion lapsed (Standing Order No. 10(6)).

So the upshot is they waffled their way out of time. – Owl