The number of people admitted to hospital with Covid soared by 22 per cent in one week as the new XEC variant continues to spread, new figures show.

Tom Bawden inews.co.uk

Some 4.55 people per 100,000 were hospitalised with the virus in the week to Sunday, 6 October, compared to 3.72 the week earlier, according to the latest data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

That compares to 2.0 per 100,000 in late August and 4.7 in late July.

The rise comes after cases rose sharply in October driven by the cooler weather, children going back to school and the new variant.

New infections typically take a week or two to cause a patient to be hospitalised as their health deteriorates.

On a more positive note, the UKHSA figures also showed that new Covid infections were stable in the same week, after rising for several weeks – although they remain at relatively high levels.

Rhinovirus infections – the main cause of the common cold – were also stable, again after sharp increases.

Flu cases, meanwhile, jumped by 27 per cent in the week but remain low for now – with scientists warning of further rises as winter approaches.

The new figures show the number of people with respiratory symptoms testing positive for Covid in hospitals was 13.4 per cent in the week to last Sunday – compared to 13.3 per cent the previous week.

Meanwhile, the so-called positivity rate for rhinovirus was 17.1 per cent and for flu it was 1.9 per cent.

Positivity rates among hospital patients with symptoms are typically much higher than infection rates in the general population – figures which are not available for the UK outside of winter. But scientists say they give a good indication of trends.

The new XEC variant is spreading so fast it looks set to become the UK’s dominant Covid strain this week, fuelling the current wave of the virus, experts predict.

XEC is thought to be significantly more contagious than the other variants and quickly grew to account for 21 per cent of UK infections on Saturday 28 September, according to the Gisaid Covid database.

The new figures also showed that the rate of Respiratory infections from the Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are soaring, albeit from a very low base.

The positivity rate for the virus more than doubled in the week to Sunday 6 October, from 0.7 per cent to 1.6 per cent – while hospital admissions jumped by 39 per cent to 0.39 per 100,000.

RSV is another common cause of coughs and colds that can occasionally be serious for infants and older people, where it can cause pneumonia and infant bronchiolitis.

Dr Jamie Lopez Bernal, consultant epidemiologist at UKHSA, said “Covid is continuing to circulate”.

“As winter approaches, we expect flu and RSV to increasingly circulate too, so if you’re eligible to get vaccinated against the three main winter threats – Covid-19, flu and RSV – now is the time to take them up and get winter strong,” he said.

He added: “Current information doesn’t suggest we should be more concerned about XEC but we are monitoring this closely. The most important thing to do is to get your vaccination as soon as possible if you’re eligible.

“If you are showing symptoms of flu or Covid-19 such as a high temperature, cough, and feeling tired and achy, try to limit your contact with others, especially those who are vulnerable.

Professor Lawrence Young, a virologist at Warwick University, told i: “It’s clear is that both Covid and flu infections are heading in the wrong direction. This is particularly worrying as we enter the winter months where infections are likely to get worse.

“This is even more reason for those who are eligible to get their Covid and flu jabs and for others to consider private vaccinations”.

Simon Williams, of Swansea University, added: “We can expect Covid, flu and RSV rates to rise over the coming weeks and months into winter – which will put extra strain on health services.”

“And although Covid doesn’t cause the kind of hospitalisations that it did earlier in the pandemic, it is we still putting another debilitating virus in the mix. Covid is a year-round virus but it does tend to spike during winter, in part because of the way we socialise indoors more.”

Dr Williams is also concerned about the low level of vaccine uptake for respiratory viruses in general, which, in the case of Covid, means that an estimated 70 per cent of the UK population over the age of 12 has not been vaccinated for at least two years – with the effects of the vaccine typically dropping sharply after three to six months, although they can continue to offer some protection for a year or more.

“Most concerning is the lower uptake of vaccines, for example the lower flu vaccine uptake among pregnant women. We need to emphasise the importance of boosters and flu jabs in eligible groups,” he said.

(or even a 15 mls tablespoon) – Owl

This is the question posed by Jo Bateman in response to this little piece of “Greenwash” on the Escape facebook page

Malcolm Green

 Hi. Are you aware that SWW are saying 97% of what they put in the sea is treated

Hello, sewage does not get dumped into the sea – I can appreciate that most people’s first experience of the wastewater network is through media portrayal, and this portrayal is often negative and can cause misconceptions.

Of the millions of litres of sewage that enters the network each day, over 97% of this is treated and we are working hard to lower the other 3%.

The network for this is vast and complex, with over 9000 miles of pipework and over 650 treatment works across the region, and part of this is an essential asset called a storm overflow.

These work as safety valves on the network and are used to prevent flooding into homes and businesses.

These are mostly used during heavy rainfall, and due to the size of the network, it can take many days for this rainfall to work its way through.

Blockages in the network can also see an increase in these, as it stops waste from being able to travel through the network and can cause issues elsewhere.

What is discharged from these overflows is mainly storm water, and any sewage is highly diluted.

You can see more how they work here – https://www.water.org.uk/protecting…/storm-overflows and what we are doing to lower their usage here – https://www.southwestwater.co.uk/waterfit – Kendall

Jo Bee

I think of it like this…

Suppose I filled a bath with 97 litres of water, then added 3 litres of raw sewage. Would you get in? Would Susan Davy?

Given the failings listed in this report Owl finds it hard to comprehend the mindset of a regulator who calmly grades water companies such as South west Water (SWW) as “average” (as in “average” in a bad lot). 

SWW features in the press report below as reporting the biggest increase (80%) in pollution incidents.

Here are some more examples of “average” SWW performance in critical measures.

[To add confusion Ofwat for the next couple of years will be reporting SWW-Bristol separately from the SWW-South West we are familiar with, following the amalgamation of Bristol water into SWW in Feb 2023.]

From the detail, SWW Bristol increased its water leakage despite being allowed enhancement expenditure for leakage reduction at the 2019 price review. 

The majority of non-compliant sewage treatment works (the number increased in the reporting period) were attributed to Anglian Water (13), Dŵr Cymru (12) and South West Water (12). The remaining eight companies all had less than five non-compliant works each.

Five companies have reported deteriorating performance on sewer collapses, including South West Water that had 65% more sewer collapses per 1,000 km of sewer in 2023-24 compared to 2022-23. 

Owl’s more detailed extracts from the report follows this press overall summary:   

Ofwat orders water companies to pay £158m back to customers

Adam Vaughan, Laurence Sleator www.thetimes.com 

Water companies will have to return £158 million to customers after their worst year for pollution incidents since 2020.

Water regulator Ofwat found that nine out of 11 water companies caused more pollution incidents than the year before. South West Water reported the biggest increase, up 80 per cent. United Utilities, which serves northwest England, saw a 71 per cent rise and Northumbrian Water was up by 65 per cent.

The performance across the water sector was so bad that a target for curbing water pollution now looks out of reach. Firms had committed to cutting their pollution incidents by 30 per cent by 2025. However, the dire record last year means that they have only achieved a 2 per cent reduction to date.

Water companies have previously blamed a wet year for a record number of sewage spills in England. However, Ofwat said wet weather was no excuse for pollution.

Helen Campbell, senior director for sector performance at Ofwat, said: “I hear that a lot from water companies. I hear a number of other excuses like it was too dry or it froze or our topography is different, we’ve got more valleys than other parts of the UK. My challenge back would be: that is known, and you need to manage your assets.” The Times’ Clean it Up campaign has been urging companies and regulators to tackle water pollution.

Only two companies, Hafren Dyfrdwy in Wales and Southern Water in England, reduced their pollution incidents. Hafren Dyfrdwy was the only one of 11 wastewater firms to meet its performance commitment set by Ofwat, recording 19.92 incidents per 10,000 kilometres of sewer against a pledge of 117.

By comparison, South West had promised to limit incidents to 22.40 per 10,000 kilometres of sewer but reported 111.24. The company is the furthest from meeting the 2025 goal to cut incidents.

Ofwat’s annual assessment of water companies’ overall performance breaks them down into three categories: leading, average and lagging behind.

For the second year in a row, not a single company achieved leading status. However, four companies moved from lagging to average: Thames Water, Yorkshire Water, South West Water (Bristol region) and South East Water. Southern Water, Anglian Water and Welsh Water remain lagging.

Steve Reed, the environment secretary, has written to the chief executives and chairmen of every water company, setting out the performance improvements he expects in the next year. “Our waterways should be a source of national pride, but years of pollution and underinvestment have left them in a perilous state,” he said.

The net £157.6 million penalty for underperformance across the sector is dominated by a £56.8 million charge for Thames Water, which Britain’s biggest water firm will have to return to customers through their water bills. Chris Weston, who was appointed chief executive of Thames Water in January, took a £195,000 bonus this year in addition to his £197,000 salary. Labour has promised to ban bonuses at egregiously polluting companies, and Ofwat is expected to begin consulting later this month on how the ban could be triggered.

Other big fines include £38.1 million for Anglian Water and £36 million for Yorkshire Water. However, four companies with better performance will be allowed to charge customers more. United Utilities will effectively gain £33.2 million, for example.

Today’s penalties compare to £177.6 million issued last year, which was later reduced to £114 million. The Times understands there is expected to be less movement in this year’s final figure.

Companies made some progress on leakage from pipes, which was down 6 per cent annually. But Ofwat has said more needs to be done. Almost a fifth of water is still lost from pipes before it reaches taps. Firms also made improvements on mains repairs and unplanned water outages.

Even the biggest penalty, of £56.8 million for Thames Water, will only equate to a couple of pounds off each customers’ bill. Most customers’ bills will fall by less than £10.

Experts said that the poor performance in other areas would concern households, who are being asked to shoulder an average £94 water bill increase by 2030 to pay for £88 billion of spending.

In Thames Water’s case, the regulator has suggested a £99 increase over five years — less than half of what the company has asked the regulator for. That means despite the missed targets, any discounts from Tuesday’s penalties will be more than cancelled out by the yearly growth in the price of water.

“Customers will rightly question why some companies should be trusted with more of their money for future investment, when they are struggling to deliver on their existing commitments,” said Mike Keil, chief executive of the Consumer Council for Water, a consumer watchdog.

A spokesman for Water UK said: “We know there is much more to do and companies are fully committed to boosting performance.” The industry body repeated its call for Ofwat to allow it to invest £105 billion by 2030 rather than £88 billion, before a final decision expected in December, but which could be delayed until January.

The fines are in addition to those imposed by an Ofwat investigation into failings at sewage treatment works, which has already lead to three firms being hit with a £168 million penalty.

Four performance measures where South West Water is particularly bad

Owl has extracted these four quotes from the Ofwat Water Company Performance Report 2023-24:

Water leakage

It is disappointing that four companies have reported an increase in leakage from 2022-23 to 2023-24; South West Water – South West region, Dŵr Cymru, Affinity Water and Northumbrian Water.

We are concerned that Anglian Water, South West Water – Bristol region and South East Water were all allowed enhancement expenditure for leakage reduction at the 2019 price review but have failed to meet the PCL again this year. 

Pollution

It is disappointing that nine of 11 companies have had an increase in pollution incidents between 2022 and 2023. The biggest increases were reported by South West Water (80%), United Utilities (71%) and Northumbrian Water (65%).

Anglian Water, South West Water, Southern Water and Thames Water have now failed to meet the performance commitment level for four consecutive years.

Sewage treatment works

Just over half of companies met the treatment works compliance performance commitment deadband in 2023,3 which is one more than in 2022. However, compliance is still lower than the peak in 2020, when 10 companies met the deadband. 

Across the sector, 57 wastewater and water treatment works were non-compliant with the relevant EA permit requirements in 2023. This is nine more than in 2022. The majority of non-compliant works were attributed to Anglian Water (13), Dŵr Cymru (12) and South West Water (12). The remaining eight companies all had less than five non-compliant works each.

Sewer collapse

Five companies have reported deteriorating performance, including South West Water that had 65% more sewer collapses per 1,000 km of sewer in 2023-24 compared to 2022-23. 

[Bristol Water’s regulated business was transferred to South West Water Limited on 1 February 2023, but the company will still report separately on performance in the pre-existing South West Water and Bristol Water areas against their performance commitments for the remainder of the 2020-25 price control period. This report shows South West Water – Bristol region performance and South West Water – South West region performance separately. ]

Right! – Owl

Tim Farron

Well…blimey! I think this could actually be the point when the Tory party ceases to be a movement contending for government. Lib Dems now have a very serious responsibility and opportunity to fill the gap.  This is our moment.

seatonmatters.org 

[7 October] I’ve just had to abandon a Covid/flu vaccination appointment at the Tesco car park after waiting an hour, since I’d have to wait another hour before being done. This is despite having an appointment. The core reason for the fiasco is that the NHS grossly underestimated the walk-in demand in the morning, so that people who had waited hours were ahead of the people with timed appointments (there was also a medical emergency which apparently slowed things a little).

All a striking contrast with the orderly vaccination process in Seaton hospital during the pandemic. The NHS obviously just doesn’t understand that 45 per cent of Seaton’s population are over 65 and therefore eligible. They’re trying to do vaccination on the cheap and they are not taking into account that people are rightly still very concerned about catching Covid.

Who will be next? There is no way of avoiding the inescapable fact that this is a seasonal site, remote from the town and exposed to the elements. Who, for example, would really have wanted to venture out last night in the howling wind and rain? – Owl

Mickeys Exmouth is being sold off and closing on October 9

After over three years of trading, Mickeys will be closing after the dinner service on Wednesday October 9.

Adam Manning www.exmouthjournal.co.uk

They say that the closure is planned and the preparation for a sale is subject to final details. Located at Sideshore, Exmouth Seafront Mickeys Beach and Café Patisserie Glacerie opened in April and May of 2021 in line with the reopening of hospitality following the lockdown of Covid-19.  

A further announcement will be made following the completion of the sale where the new owners will be announced.

Speaking about the closure, chef and owner Michael Caines said: “On behalf of all the team we would like to thank our customers and suppliers for your support, we have thoroughly enjoyed serving each and every one of you and making Mickeys and the Café a special place to meet by the sea.  

“I would also like to thank my team for their unwavering support and dedication, despite the challenging times we have had, I am proud of what we have been able to create. 

“We are however delighted to announce the sale of the business to another local business operator who shares a similar passion, for fun relaxed dining.”

A spokesman for Michael Caines said: “For those that have enjoyed Mickeys Beach Bar & Restaurant, head to the Pool House Restaurant at Lympstone Manor Hotel for casual and relaxed dining, overlooking the Exe Estuary and the Vineyard. ” 

Could this be termed a “clean sweep”? – Owl

A number of beaches and popular swimming spots across Devon have been hit with pollution alerts after the rainfall yesterday. The region was battered with heavy downpours and strong winds after the Met Office issued a yellow weather warning.

Molly Seaman www.devonlive.com 

Surfers Against Sewage (SAS), a charity and campaign group, has warned people to avoid 29 beaches across Devon today. There is sewage pollution at the large proportion of Devon beaches following the rain.

The sewage warnings come after Devon was battered by thunderstorms, rain, hail and strong winds yesterday. Exeter-based forecasters at the Met Office issued the warning while the Environment Agency warned of the possibility of flash floods.

An interactive map from SAS highlights the areas where sewage has been discharged into the sea and rivers. It is common after heavy rainfall as storm overflows are used to prevent drains becoming overwhelmed.

A sewage pollution alert means “storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours”. Meanwhile, a “pollution risk forecast” means there is potential for sewage to be in the area.

Sewage pollution alerts are in place at the following locations in Devon:

1. Firestone Bay
2. Plymouth Hoe East
3. Plymouth Hoe West
4. Mothercombe
5. Coastguards Beach Erme Estuary
6. Challaborough
7. Hope Cove
8. Salcombe South Sands
9. Mill Bay
10. Warfleet Creek Dart Estuary
11. Dartmouth Castle and Sugary Cove
12. Stoke Gabriel Dart Estuary
13. Steamer Quay Dart Estuary
14. St Marys Bay (Devon)
15. Paignton Preston Sands
16. Torre Abbey
17. Meadfoot
18. Teignmouth Holcombe
19. Dawlish Town
20. Exmouth
21. Sandy Bay
22. Budleigh Salterton
23. Sidmouth Town
24. Beer
25. Seaton (Devon)
26. Ilfracombe Hele
27. Woolacombe Village
28. Instow
29. Westward Ho!

SAS is calling for an end to sewage discharges into all bathing waters, and high-priority nature sites, by 2030. In 2023, there were 584,001 recorded discharges across England, Scotland and Wales – an 51 per cent increase on the previous year – with sewage released into waterways for a total of 12,966,322 hours.

“A lettuce purchased here in September 2022 lasted longer than prime minister Liz Truss.”

Blue Plaque Put Up At Supermarket Where The Lettuce That Beat Liz Truss Was Bought

A fake blue plaque has been installed outside the supermarket where the lettuce that famously defeated Liz Truss was bought.

Kevin Schofield www.huffingtonpost.co.uk 

The commemoration is yet more humiliation for the former prime minister, who only last 49 days in office.

It has been erected at a Tesco in Walthamstow, east London, and says: “A lettuce purchased here in September 2022 lasted longer than prime minister Liz Truss.”

The lettuce stunt was launched by the Daily Star as Truss battled to save her political career in the wake of the disastrous mini-Budget.

Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng’s package of unfunded tax cuts sent the financial markets into crisis, saw interest rates soar and the value of the pound plummet.

At one stage, the Bank of England even had to step in to prevent the British pensions industry from collapsing.

The Daily Star website set up a livestream, showing the lettuce with eyes and a blonde wig, to see if it would last longer than Truss did in No.10. The lettuce won.

Since leaving office, Truss has struggled to shake off the embarrassment of being defeated by the leafy vegetable.

In August, a banner depicting a lettuce and the message “I crashed the economy” slowly unfurled from the ceiling behind her as she spoke at a pro-Donald Trump event.

Once she noticed it, the former PM left the stage, and the following day wrote on X: “What happened last night was not funny. Far-left activists disrupted the event, which then had to be stopped for security reasons. This is done to intimidate people and suppress free speech.

“I won’t stand for it. Would we see the same reaction if the activists were far-right?”

Better-than-expected returns from East Devon District Council’s investments means it is predicting a budget surplus.

But not out of the woods – Owl

Bradley Gerrard www.exmouthjournal.co.uk

The local authority thinks it will earn just over £2.3 million in investment income in this financial year, compared to the £1.5 million anticipated when it set its budget.

The boost outweighs lower-than-expected income from planning fees so far this year, although the council believes there is “significant potential” for that to improve thanks partly to two major residential planning applications at Cranbrook.

The council had also saved money from its management of public toilets, but its £300,000 target hasn’t yet been met.

However, the investment income again counteracts this, meaning the authority is expecting a surplus of around £500,000 in its general fund.

In its housing budget, which is ring-fenced money, a small surplus of £77,000 is predicted, with higher returns from investment income helping again.

Furthermore, while there is a predicted underspend in its housing capital account – a specific pot of money for the likes of housing repairs – this will either be spent this year or rolled over to next.

Millions of pounds in extra funding to rectify years of under-investment in social housing in the district was approved in July, with the council’s leader then claiming previous efforts to tackle the issue hadn’t worked.

The full council agreed nearly £12 million of additional funding in the summer, mainly to help it cover the cost of increased requirements on social landlords to ensure properties meet high safety and quality standards.

Like many councils, this means East Devon’s housing-related costs are rising more quickly than its income, exacerbated by what several councillors and officers referred to as sustained under-investment.

PCC to wait on criminal investigation into chief constable

The police and crime commissioner for Devon and Cornwall says she’s expecting an update on a criminal investigation into the force’s chief constable in “the next month or so”.

Elliot Ball, Ben Woolvin www.bbc.co.uk

Will Kerr was suspended in July 2023 after an investigation was opened into “serious allegations of sexual offences” in Northern Ireland, which he denies.

Alison Hernandez said she had hoped to receive an update from the Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland (PPSNI) in September, but had now been told “they will get back to me in October or in a couple of months”.

Speaking on the investigation following Friday’s meeting of the Police and Crime Panel, Ms Hernandez said: “My timescale is that I will wait until the public prosecution service has decided whether there is a criminal charge or not.”

‘Still waiting’

She added: “If there is a criminal charge I may well not want to wait it out but if there is not a criminal charge I would be interested to what the misconduct element looks like and how long that may take.”

Ms Hernandez said she had written to the PPSNI and “I’m still waiting and I’m putting pressure on for a decision to be made because it’s not just affecting an individual’s life but the whole police force.”

In her attempt to move the investigation on, Ms Hernandez also said she had asked the chief inspector of His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary Fire and Police Services to write to the PPSNI.

“I really am now hopeful that it should be in the next month or so that I get an answer and that helps me make a decision about what I do next,” she said.

The PPSNI said the file it received in May had been significantly progressed but there was no specific timescale for a decision at this stage.

‘Not really acceptable’

Mr Kerr remains on full pay with an annual salary of £197,000, according to the latest accounts.

Councillor Philip Hackett said the Police and Crime Panel had been told in July that it would be informed of Mr Kerr’s position at the meeting on 4 October.

However in Friday’s meeting the panel was instead told the date had been “pushed [forward] another couple of months”.

He said: “It’s basically been punted into the long grass.

“It’s not really acceptable when resources are so tight.”

Several of England’s cleanest seaside swimming spots deteriorate in autumn and winter, an unpublished government report has found. This includes Summerleaze, Exmouth and Firestone Bay

Adam Vaughan www.thetimes.com 

Outside the bathing water season, which runs from the middle of May to September, there is no regular site monitoring for harmful bacteria.

However, campaigners have called for year-round testing because of the growing popularity of cold-water swimming, thanks to advances in wetsuits.

The Times can reveal that the Environment Agency (EA) ran a pilot project of winter water testing at several bathing sites. It found year-round testing was feasible despite challenges, and an internal EA document obtained by Greenpeace’s investigative unit, Unearthed, showed three of six beaches in Devon, Cornwall and Dorset became dirtier in winter.

Water quality at designated swimming spots is rated “excellent”, “good”, “sufficient” or “poor” in summer, depending on the levels of harmful bacteria found by weekly tests.

Exmouth fell from excellent in summer to poor in winter, an unsafe level for swimming, the EA project found. Summerleaze, in Bude, and Firestone Bay, near Plymouth, both dropped from excellent to sufficient. Two beaches stayed the same; one, Lyme Regis, improved from good to excellent.

Jo Bateman, a retired physiotherapist who is a wild swimmer in Exmouth, said: “I just think it’s shocking, but not a surprise. It’s totally unacceptable. People swim all year round, and many people use the water in winter here: kitesurfers, windsurfers, kayakers, rowers.”

Bateman, who is taking legal action against South West Water for a loss of amenity — being unable to swim — due to sewage spills, said monitoring of bathing waters should be extended to winter. “One hundred per cent, it’s essential. To say the bathing water quality is excellent, but it’s only for four months of the year, that’s disingenuous.”

Andy Tyerman, a local resident and member of the campaign group End Sewage Convoys and Poollution Exmouth, said: “We are obviously very disappointed that the results for Exmouth were so poor.” The EA is considering legal action against South West Water over sewage discharges at the town in August, when swimmers were told to stay out of the water.

During the bathing water season officials from the EA take weekly tests for two types of bacteria that cause sickness: intestinal enterococci and E. coli, which are found in faeces. Sewage, manure run-off from fields and birds can all be sources of the pollution. Four years of data are usually used to inform classifications.

At a meeting last month the agency showed little interest in taking water samples all year round, but the water regulator did commission a project that tested waters at the six beaches from last October to March this year.

The aims of the project were to see if winter testing was possible and to gauge how bacteria levels differ in winter, when heavier rain can wash more pollutants down rivers to coastal waters.

The deterioration in winter at Summerleaze, Exmouth and Firestone Bay — the latter designated a bathing water spot only last year — was blamed on greater pollution from rivers. At Exmouth, sewage incidents on the beach were also an issue.

Analysis of the types of bacteria at Firestone Bay indicated the source was roughly half human and half cattle — suggesting a mixture of sewage and agricultural pollution. At Summerleaze and Exmouth, farming appeared to have played a greater role.

Rougher seas in winter meant only 60 per cent of a possible maximum of 174 samples were successfully collected across the six sites. Officials said with extra resources catch-up testing could be done on safer days, allowing a dataset for winter to be produced that was comparable with summer’s.

“This story simply states what surfers and swimmers across the country already know — sewage ain’t seasonal,” Giles Bristow, chief executive of Surfers Against Sewage, said.

“We demand a water quality testing regime which is based on the reality of how the polluting water industry operates and how people actually use our rivers, lakes and seas. It’s 2024, not 1924.”

South West Water said it was aiming for year-round high water quality at all bathing sites. The company has started going beyond statutory requirements, taking daily samples at 14 swimming spots including Exmouth and Firestone Bay. Richard Price, managing director of waste water services, said: “Bathing water quality in our region remains a priority, and we fully support efforts to better understand conditions across the 157 bathing waters we serve.”

The EA noted that 90 per cent of bathing waters in summer met “good” or “excellent” standards. It is understood to have chosen the six beaches as representative of bathing waters across the country and commissioned the project to see how climate change was affecting beaches.

“During the bathing water season, we take more than 7,000 samples at 451 bathing waters to provide people with water quality information to make informed choices on when and where to swim. We will continue to work closely with the agriculture sector, water companies and local communities to ensure the highest standard of bathing waters for the public,” the agency said.

The Times’ Clean it Up campaign has been demanding great regulatory action and investment to improve the UK’s waters.

Cllr Ged Yardy (Lib Dem, Dartmouth and East Dart) told a full South Hams council meeting: “Their system for compensation is utterly disappointing.

“They are spending money on expensive lawyers to defend compensation cases when they should be just paying up.”

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

Diagram showing the supply to the Brixham and Kingswear tanks (Image courtesy: South West Water)

South West Water has come under fire again for the way it has responded to the cryptosporidium outbreak that hit South Devon earlier this year.

Thousands of homes in Kingswear and Brixham were told to boil their water before drinking it after the bug got into supplies from a small reservoir nearby. 

The disruption lasted for weeks, with South West Water (SWW) having to hand out tens of thousands of bottles of water to worried households. Dozens of people were made ill by the bug, and several were hospitalised.

The water company has been summoned to a ‘summit’ in the coming weeks to explain the outbreak and what is being done to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

Cllr Ged Yardy (Lib Dem, Dartmouth and East Dart) told a full South Hams council meeting: “Their system for compensation is utterly disappointing.

“They are spending money on expensive lawyers to defend compensation cases when they should be just paying up.”

And Cllr Jacqi Hodgson (Green, Dartington and Staverton) said the £3.2 billion SWW says it has paid in dividends to shareholders since 1990 could have been better spent on improving the company’s infrastructure.

And, she went on: “All of these public services that we have privatised will spend more on lawyers than on the common decency of paying compensation for what has gone wrong.”
 

‘They have an opportunity to address the housing crisis and have decided not to’

Devon County Council is being accused of betraying local families in desperate need of homes.

Guy Henderson – Local Democracy Reporter www.radioexe.co.uk

County Hall has announced that instead of ‘ring-fencing’ proceeds from doubling council tax on second homes and using it for housing projects, it will spend some of the money on fixing potholes instead.

The announcement sparked fury from South Hams district councillors, who wanted all the cash ploughed back into housing. The area has 4,000 second homes, and the £6.4 million raised is the highest of any district in Devon.

“What the county council is doing is a betrayal of the people of Devon,” said Cllr David Hancock (Lib Dem, South Brent). “They have an opportunity to address what they have declared as a housing crisis, and they have decided not to.”

But South Hams’ full council dropped a call for the extra money raised in the district to be kept there, after hearing that they could drive a better bargain by being more flexible.

Members were voting on a motion brought by Cllr Nicky Hopwood (Con., Woolwell), who said the county council should repair road from its existing budget rather than spending council tax funds.

“I would never have voted for 200 per cent council tax if I thought for one moment that Devon would not ringfence it for affordable housing,” she said. 

She said she was ‘bitterly disappointed’, and went on: “We didn’t raise the council tax to give it to the whole of Devon. We raised it to give it to the South Hams.

“If we can’t keep that money in the South Hams, what’s the point of charging it?”

Council leader Julian Brazil (Lib Dem, Stokenham), who also sits on the county council, said while it would be wrong to demand that the money stay in the South Hams, it was right to say it should stay in the housing budget.

He went on: “This is about the county, having declared a housing crisis, betraying the people of Devon by saying they are going to spend money putting a sticking plaster over potholes in the roads.

“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to invest tens of millions of pounds into housing we desperately need.

“Our communities are being hollowed out. They are becoming retirement homes for people from up-country.”

Cllr Jonathan Hawkins (Con, Dartmouth and East Dart) said while communities benefit from money brought in by second home owners, there were streets in Dartmouth and Kingswear which had just one local family living in them all year round.

Families were moving out and relocating to Torbay and Newton Abbot, where they could afford homes.

“It is really soul-destroying,” he said.

Buildings at North Devon District Hospital over 50 years old

Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey will hear about North Devon District Hospital’s ageing operating theatre and critical care infrastructure  when he visits next week.

Alison Stephenson, local democracy reporter www.radioexe.co.uk 

Because of its remoteness, North Devon Liberal Democrat MP Ian Roome wants the Barnstaple hospital to be made a special case as the government undertakes its review into planned upgrades formerly announced by the Conservatives.

A number of Lib Dem MPs in Devon have joined a petition by Cornish MP Ben Maguire demanding the government reconsiders the review and allows the works to go ahead. They include Steve Darling (Torbay) and Caroline Voaden (South Devon).  Torbay Hospital and a new women’s and children’s hospital at Treliske in Cornwall are also on the list as is Derriford’s new urgent and emergency care facility.

The New Hospital Programme (NHP) was expected to be backed with £20 billion of funding but health secretary Wes Streeting says the plan is “not deliverable”.

MPs are now concerned that the hospitals in review – ones without business case approval for their main build phase – could be cancelled.

Mr Roome, a former mental health nurse, said former Tory health minister Lord Markham visited North Devon District Hospital (NDDH) last summer and promised spades would be in the ground by February this year.

“We have not seen a penny. It’s all been about business cases and consultants,” he said. “It is absolutely imperative that the government’s review into the New Hospital Programme at NDDH focuses on urgent needs in the area. The decision to scrap these plans would be catastrophic.”

He has invited Mr Davey to visit on Wednesday.

“The NDDH has a high level of on-site infrastructure risk and, given that it’s the most remote mainland hospital in England, the effects of losing this funding could be devastating, forcing people to travel long distances to access essential care,” said Mr Roome.

He said the hospital provided a 24/7 emergency service and is a designated trauma unit, meaning it could “stabilise the most severe conditions” before patients are transferred to more specialised hospitals at Bristol, Plymouth of London.

“The thing is if you lose a hospital in London, there is another 10 minutes away. That is not the case here in North Devon. Patients in Lynton and Lynmouth face a two hour trip to get to Exeter.

“Our hospital is over-capacity as it is, and the theatre and intensive care unit are over 50 years old.”

At a board meeting of the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust this week, chief executive Sam Higginson said the trust is continuing to make the case for NDDH “very strongly” with the government.

He said they are concerned “if there was a failure there what the implications of that might be for patients” given risks faced with the ageing theatre and critical care infrastructure.

“I, and the chair, have both written to the secretary of state for health to make that case yet again and invited him to come and visit us in Barnstaple to see for himself.” he said.

“We think we will see some outcome from the review around about budget time (Wednesday 30 October) and we will convene as a board to decide the next steps once we are clear what the future holds

“The most important thing for me is that we end up in a position where we have safe and appropriate infrastructure.”

In a letter to MPs in constituencies affected by the review, Mr Streeting said the previous government failed to hold a spending review in their last few years of office, which allowed the Conservatives to suugest £20 billion of investment for hospitals which hadn’t been accounted for.

Conservative MP for South West Devon Rebecca Smith has launched her own petition to save the urgent and emergency care facility at Derriford.

She said: “I welcome the fact that the government is still considering this essential scheme. The capacity challenges at Derriford Hospital are in plain sight. Its health workers operate in an extremely challenging environment. Every day my inbox is filled with emails from constituents who are left waiting for treatment at Derriford Hospital.”
 

Work to replace four toilet blocks in Exmouth, Budleigh Salterton, Seaton and Honiton is set to begin soon.

Adam Manning www.exmouthjournal.co.uk

Construction is expected to last around two to three months at each site. The scheduled start dates (weather permitting) are as follows: 

·     Exmouth (Foxholes): Monday, 7th October 

·     Budleigh Salterton (East End, Lime Kiln): Monday, 21st October 

·     Seaton (West Walk): Monday, 4th November 

·     Honiton (Lace Walk): Monday, 18th November 

Initial works will involve site set-up and essential surveys, with major groundworks commencing at the Exmouth site near the beginning of November with other sites following shortly thereafter. 

All investment works are scheduled for completion by early 2025, with the Exmouth site expected to be finished in December and the Honiton site by February. 

Temporary toilet facilities will be provided at Exmouth, Budleigh Salterton, and Seaton throughout the works, but no temporary facilities will be available at Lace Walk, Honiton, due to levels of usage and access to other public toilets in locality.

The works will provide modern fit-for-purpose facilities, improved accessibility and generally a more pleasant user experience.

This project follows the 2021 Public Toilet Review consultation. Read more: East Devon Council extend closing date for public toilets.

A new toilet block was proposed at Ham East in Sidmouth, but the planning application was refused.

Temporary toilets will be provided at all phase one sites except Lace Walk, Honiton. Accessible toilets will also be available, and no radar key will be required. 

The new toilets will cost 40p to use, and showers will be installed at all seafront locations. 

The work is part of an East Devon District Council (EDDC) public toilet investment programme majority funded by the council with top-up funding from national government towards new adult changing places facilities at the Exmouth, Budleigh Salterton and Seaton sites.

For more information, visit the EDDC website.

Five thousand Devon potholes have been fixed in just six months using a device known as a ‘dragon patcher’.

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

Devon’s Dragon Patchers flying through pothole repairs (image courtesy: Devon County Council)

The machines, which emits flames, are being used across the county’s vast road network to tackle the huge number of damaged surfaces.

Since April, more than 33,000 square metres of material have been laid to fix potholes and road damage across 5,250 patches.

The success of the dragon patchers appears to be because the heat of their flames helps the repair material bond effectively to the existing road surface.

Cllr Jerry Brook (Conservative, Chudleigh and Teign Valley) told the county council’s corporate infrastructure and regulatory services scrutiny committee he had been “criss-crossing” Devon recently and had seen a clear improvements on the roads.

“There has been an enormous amount of work and therefore improvement to our network in quite a short space of time,” he said.

“Some places are diabolical still and they may never get done, but I want to say congratulations to the team as there has been quite considerable improvement.”

The committee’s chair, Frank Letch (Liberal Democrat, Crediton), added: “I would reiterate that in my area too.”

In the first four months of this financial year, more than 24,000 potholes were recorded – a 54 per cent increase on the same period last year.

The council’s highways department was helped by an extra £12 million in funding.

More than £7 million of this has been put towards capital funding, which has allowed the council to double the number of patching teams from two to four.
 

Paul Arnott 

A couple of weeks ago East Devon held a double celebration at its Blackdown House HQ, meant to happen in June but postponed due to the sudden calling of the general election. In one part of the afternoon, I was privileged on behalf of the people of East Devon to co-sign the Veteran’s Charter with Major Mark Latham RM. This had been the idea of Cllr Vicky Johns from Ottery St Mary, who comes from a forces’ family

The charter commits your council to redouble its efforts on behalf of the nearly eight thousand ex forces personnel and reservists who live in the East Devon district. Most thrive, but for many there are challenges around both jobs and housing when they leave their service, as well as lifelong medical conditions. As a council we already do try and help with steering them in the right direction. Signing the charter now weaves this commitment into the fabric of everything we do.

The other part of the afternoon involved marking the 50th anniversary of East Devon District Council itself, which arose from a massive reorganisation of local government back in 1974. It was great to welcome back at least one councillor who’d been first elected back then which unusually made me feel very young.

The timing of it was ironic, because at this very moment local government where we live is undertaking another, slightly odd change. I am mindful that for most readers this is an epic yawn, so I’ll try to be brief. Essentially, if you live in East Devon and think about your council tax bill, that’ll help.

In very approximate terms, if you pay £2,300 Council Tax per year, roughly £80 is for your parish or town council, £100 for Fire and Rescue, about £160 for East Devon District, £260 for the Police, and by far the largest share, £1,700 to Devon County Council.

That huge chunk to the County Council covers big ticket items such as Adult and Young People’s Social Care, Highways (Potholes!!), Education, Libraries and local economic strategy to worry about. All of which is horribly underfunded from central government.

But as of last week, the government signed off on Devon County Council together with Torbay Council (both “unitary” authorities) forming a “Combined County Authority” (CCA). Technically, this makes no difference to the bodies listed two paragraphs back, but it becomes a joint endeavour which can draw down greater infrastructure funding from central government, plan more strategically with Homes England, and have a bigger say in the region’s transport arrangements, amongst other things.

It’s all early days at the moment, and there is a measure of genuine surprise in the two major cities in Devon, both Labour-led, that the new government has rushed to rubber-stamp what was very much a Conservative idea. Plymouth in particular had pulled out of the CCA idea but it looks now very much that, having forlornly courted an unwilling Cornwall to join up with them, their own party is pushing them back into the CCA.

One clear advantage is that it staves off the potty idea of a Mayor for a totally unitary Devon. But with County Council elections looming in May, it’s all to play for on who will actually end up rolling all this out.

Civic Voice highlights the need for stronger community involvement and housing affordability measures

http://www.civicvoice.org.uk 

Civic Voice, the national charity for civic societies, has today submitted its response to the Government’s consultation on the National Planning Policy Framework, which was published on 30 July 2024. Engaging with civic societies and community groups across across the country, Civic Voice collected input through surveys, briefings, webinars, and discussions, ensuring that the views of local communities were heard.

In total, seven events were held, attended by 202 individuals, with an additional 405 responses through an online survey and 366 detailed email submissions from individuals, civic societies and other community organisations. These contributions helped shape Civic Voice’s comprehensive response to the Government’s proposals.

Key points from Civic Voice’s response include

Housing Affordability: Civic Voice emphasises that simply increasing housing targets will not automatically result in more homes being built or lower house prices. Without targeted reforms, the private sector may continue to prioritise high-end developments, leaving the urgent need for affordable and social housing unmet. Civic Voice calls for stronger public sector involvement, empowering local authorities and housing associations to meet community needs.

Community Involvement: Civic Voice urges the Government to strengthen Statements of Community Involvement, ensuring that local communities have a meaningful role in shaping major planning decisions. Public engagement must be an ongoing process at every stage of development to rebuild trust and ensure local voices are not just heard, but acted upon.

Strategic Planning: Civic Voice supports enhanced strategic planning at sub-regional levels, potentially overseen by combined authorities, to address complex housing and infrastructure issues. Local housing markets should be assessed by regional bodies, with findings used to guide public investment programmes.

Net Zero and VAT Reform: Civic Voice highlights the urgent need for planning policy to support the Government’s net zero ambitions. Building new homes must go hand in hand with sustainability goals, ensuring developments are energy-efficient and contribute to carbon reduction targets. To this end, Civic Voice calls for reform to the VAT system to incentivise retrofitting and refurbishment of existing homes. Lowering VAT on these projects would encourage greener building practices, support the transition to net zero, and reduce carbon emissions, helping to make homes more energy efficient.  

Ian Harvey, Executive Director of Civic Voice: “The current housing crisis isn’t just about numbers—it’s about ensuring that the homes being built are genuinely affordable and meet the needs of the people who need them. If we allow the large housebuilders to continue to dominate, the problem will be prolonged, leaving the urgent need for affordable and social housing unmet. We cannot solve the affordable housing crisis without stronger public sector leadership and viewing communities as partners in these national challenges. Communities should be at the centre of decision-making, not sidelined. Using local knowledge and input can speed up decision-making. The future of planning must put local voices first, through local plans ensuring the developments we build meet local needs and contribute to our net zero ambitions.”

Next Steps

Civic Voice looks forward to continued dialogue with Ministers and officials on the NPPF consultation, as well as on future planning reform proposals. We remain committed to ensuring that local communities have a real say in shaping the future of their areas and will continue to advocate for greater housing affordability and strategic planning measures., including latest announcements on brownfield passports, and retrofttting.

To read Civic Voice’s full response, click this link. 

More than 8,000 people in the over-80s in Honiton and Sidmouth risk losing Winter Fuel Payments.

Bobby Angelov www.sidmouthherald.co.uk

The latest official statistics reveal that these pensioners, previously benefiting from £300 each to stay warm, are set to lose this support unless they qualify for other benefits.

The cuts affect those who previously received pension credit.

The Liberal Democrats have voiced concerns over the government’s decision, urging ministers to “protect vulnerable pensioners”.

In total, 25,921 pensioners in Honiton and Sidmouth risk losing support due to the cuts.

The Liberal Democrat MP for Honiton and Sidmouth, Richard Foord, said: “Thousands of people in Mid- and East Devon are desperately worried about how they will make ends meet this winter.

“Vulnerable older pensioners shouldn’t be racked with worry; these figures are deeply worrying.

“I have heard countless stories from those who now say they will have to choose between staying warm or putting food on the table as a result of this Government’s decision.

“Cutting these payments for thousands who are barely getting by, is the wrong decision.

“It is not too late for the Government to change course, reverse these proposals and protect vulnerable pensioners in Devon this winter.”

Nationally, Age UK has previously stated that 2.5 million pensioners will “be in serious trouble” this winter due to the cutting of the payments.

The Liberal Democrats have called on the Government to “reverse these proposals and protect vulnerable pensioners” this winter.

The winter fuel payment is a tax-free payment designed to help elderly people cover their heating costs.

The Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer was met with boos at his party conference over the winter fuel cuts (Image: PA)

Following the Chancellor’s announcement in July, winter fuel payments – previously eligible for all pensioners – will now be limited to those who receive pension credit.

The policy has proved to be controversial as the Labour leadership lost a conference vote on winter fuel payments at the Labour conference.

The opening of a new supermarket in a Devon new town will be the beginning of a “vibrant and much used town centre”, a local councillor says.

www.bbc.co.uk

Morrisons has confirmed it was “working hard” to open the store between Badger Way and Tilllhouse Road in Cranbrook, near Exeter, in early 2025 or sooner.

East Devon District Councillor for Cranbrook and town council member Kevin Blakey said that, despite the long delays, he believed the opening was “worth the wait”.

He said the new supermarket would allow people to shop locally, rather than having travel to Ottery St Mary and Exeter.

The council said work for the new town centre, which began in October 2022, was set to includes shops, a nursery, residential apartments, a market square and the supermarket.

Mr Blakey said the design and the layout “looked good” and, come the new year, it would be a “massive improvement for many” nearby.

He said: “Some people have argued that it has just been a vast housing estate, and there is an argument for that; but the economics come into play here, which is the money doesn’t appear out of nowhere.

“It comes from development, the infrastructure around Cranbrook and any other developments that come from selling houses.

“[For] retailers, there has to be enough people resident here to make it worthwhile opening”

Mr Blakey said he believed the supermarket would be the biggest part of the town centre and, economically, the most important, helping, with other shop units, to let the town benefit from an increased footfall.

He said: “It is the beginnings of what we are pretty certain will be a vibrant and much used town centre; not just for the people who live in Cranbrook, but for those in the surrounding villages which, perhaps… do not even have a village shop anymore.”

He added the whole development was created based on it being “the first town in Devon for 500 years, adding it was “never going to be built overnight”.

Morrisons said: “We are looking forward to welcoming customers and we’re working hard to open the store very early next year, or sooner, if regulations permit us to do so.”