Elections due in May are expected to go ahead despite coronavirus, officials have said, amid warnings they are likely to be among the most logistically fraught and complicated the UK has witnessed.

[That’s the Devon County Council elections for us]

Peter Walker www.theguardian.com

Boris Johnson told MPs this week that while the plan was still for local and mayoral elections, some of which were postponed from last year, to happen on 6 May in England, this remained “under review”.

Officials stress that while the pandemic means all government plans are theoretically subject to change, the strong expectation is the polls will go ahead.

In England, as well as a double set of council elections, there will be ballots for the London mayor and assembly, for a series of other mayors, and for police and crime commissioners (PCCs).

Scotland and Wales are holding elections on the same day for their parliaments, and for PCCs in Wales. Each UK nation organises its own elections.

While Scotland’s government has left open the prospect of the Holyrood elections being staged over two to three days, to allow distancing and cleaning at polling stations, England is committed to its usual timetable.

Election officials are warning that while turnout at English local elections tends to be low, the practicalities could mount up, not least because of the sheer number of contests taking place, with some voters receiving up to seven polling cards.

With the government rejecting the idea of all-postal voting, polling staff will be protected by plastic screens. Voters will socially distance and be encouraged to bring their own pens. They will show polling cards rather than handing them over.

There are nonetheless worries about attracting enough volunteer election staff, many of whom tend to be older, and about finding venues, with schools and community halls potentially wary about hundreds of people tramping through their building.

With people able to apply for postal votes up to 11 working days before the election, there is also uncertainty of how many of these need to be produced – and thus how many people will turn out in person.

Peter Stanyon, the chief executive of the Association of Electoral Administrators, which represents election officials, said the situation was hugely complex.

He said: “I’m confident in my colleagues to do all they can to deliver a safe and secure election. If you’d asked me this a month ago, I’d have been more bullish. We are concerned, as key decisions and planning are happening now, without really knowing what the situation will be like in May.”

All the preparations will cost money. While the Cabinet Office says councils can provide for this out of Covid funding already granted, the Local Government Association says government “will need to meet any additional costs of holding these elections in these extraordinary circumstances”.

It also remains to be seen whether distancing rules might hamper campaigning, much depending on the speed of Covid vaccinations. If significant restrictions remain in place there is a worry it could favour incumbent candidates, as regular election practices such as handing out leaflets and knocking on doors would be impossible.

In Wales – where the elections will be the first to include 16- and 17-year-old voters – people are being encouraged to vote by post, and plans are in place to delay the poll if needed.

In Scotland, there have been isolated calls for the election to be postponed but Nicola Sturgeon, whose Scottish National party is at 58% in opinion polls, has said she can see “no reason at this stage” why they would not go ahead.

Neil Findlay, a Labour MSP who is quitting Holyrood at the election, said there were strong public health reasons to postpone the vote. “Can you think of any other place during this crisis where we’d be encouraging thousands of people to go into the same small spaces? That’s effectively what we’d be doing,” he said.

Remember that CPRE have, for a long time, challenged the statistical basis underpinning the 300,000 target.  – Owl

www.independent.co.uk 

The government is set to miss its housebuilding target by almost a decade after failing to invest in social housing, a new analysis has warned.

Boris Johnson has promised to increase housebuilding to 300,000 a year by the mid-2020s in a bid to tackle Britain’s housing shortage.

But at the rate of increase achieved before the coronavirus lockdown, the government will not reach its target until 2032 – eight years later than planned.

And housing experts have warned that a slowdown caused by the pandemic is likely to push numbers even further off course.

“The government wasn’t on track to meet its own targets even before the pandemic hit,” said Polly Neate, chief executive of the charity Shelter.

“Now with a potential slump in construction as a result of Covid, the chances of getting the homes we need built are looking even slimmer.

“With over a million households on the social housing waiting list, and many more facing economic turmoil and homelessness this year, we desperately need to get building. We can’t go back to business as usual with missed targets and pitiful numbers of social homes.”

In the 2019-2020 financial year before the coronavirus lockdown, the government managed to oversee the construction of 6,190 more homes than the year before.

But at that rate of increase, from the baseline of 220,600 homes built in 2019-20, the government will take eight years to meet the target.

This does not take into account further delays likely to be caused by the pandemic, which has seen high-profile construction projects facing delays and playing catch-up.

Assessing the government’s progress to the target last summer, the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee said prospects for meeting the goal were not promising.

The influential committee of MPs said the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government did not have the mechanisms in place to achieve the target of 300,000 new homes.

Shelter’s Ms Neate told The Independent that the only way to meet the target was for the government to invest in social housing so that the houses built would be genuinely affordable for people to live in.

The government has developed a “plan-led system” where local authorities draw up development plans, but has faced resistance from Tory backbenchers and councils, who are often resistant to new homes being built in their leafy areas.

Labour housing secretary Thangam Debbonaire, who commissioned the analysis, said: “This is yet more evidence of the Conservatives making promises they can’t deliver.

“The government’s irresponsible mismanagement of the Covid crisis will mean that housebuilding slows even further next year.

“Building more genuinely affordable, good quality houses will be key to our Covid recovery, but the government seems more keen on pursuing vanity projects than delivering on their promises.”

An MHCLG spokesperson said: “This analysis is crude and highly speculative, and ignores the government’s strong record on delivering houses across the country. We’ve delivered over 1.8 million new homes since 2010 – including 508,000 affordable homes – and over 243,000 additional homes last year, the most in over 30 years.  

“We are supporting local areas to enable the delivery of 300,000 homes a year by the mid-2020s and announced a £20 billion investment in housing as part of the spending review.”

Residents in East Devon are being urged to help populate a map which will show all the support and help people can get during difficult times. 

Daniel Wilkins​ www.exmouthjournal.co.uk 

After launching seven area-based maps, with the support of Recovery Devon, – including one in East Devon – Community interest Company If Everyone Cares is now looking to populate them with accessible services. 

They are looking for people to spread the word of the ‘Devon 7’. 

The ‘Devon 7’ are part of a growing network of maps that are connected to aDoddle.org, a unique national community resource for use at both a UK-wide and local level. 

The project will: 

• Pin-point local charities, community projects/groups & resources 
• Connect those who need help to those who provide it  
• Help anyone experiencing isolation to find local groups so they can connect with others  
• Signpost people who want to help – to projects that need their support  
• Enable charities to highlight their services and volunteering opportunities  
• Make it easy to find, connect, give, collaborate and support – FREE to use 24/7 

The maps also clearly show how up-to-date information is through their unique ‘Traffic Light’ system, and all charities and community-based organisations are invited to create a free profile to help raise awareness of how they help and the help they need. 

Jaki King, Founder of aDoddle and If Everyone Cares CIC, said: “There are so many reasons why bringing this information together is both common sense and vital for people and communities.  

“To make it work we not only need charities and community organisations to create their free profiles, which are easy to do, like a mini-website and give them an opportunity to tell the story of who they help, how they help, the difference they make and the help they need.” 

James Wooldridge from Recovery Devon said: “One of our aims is to nurture and grow a supportive Recovery Community across Devon and working with Jaki King and aDoddle provides a way to connect with like-minded groups and organisations.  

“Linking people with community resources will help many individuals discover their potential to contribute to society as well as providing community organisations with an opportunity to recruit volunteers.” 

See the devonlive article for charts and full tabulation of infection rates.

Daniel Clark www.devonlive.com

More than 5,000 new coronavirus cases have been confirmed across Devon and Cornwall in the previous seven days – with rises everywhere.

A total of 5,120 new cases new cases were confirmed across the two counties – the highest weekly total so far (although comparisons with the spring cannot be made due to lack of testing) – as the total for the two counties rises over 30,000.

Cases have risen in every single region of Devon and Cornwall – but despite the rises, Devon at upper tier level has the 3 lowest infection rate, while at lower tier level, all ten areas of Devon are in the bottom 15 of the 315 nationwide.

The figures cover the period by which infection caught over the Christmas period would appear in the cases statistics.

Government statistics show that 5,120 new cases have been confirmed across the region in the past seven days in both pillar 1 data from tests carried out by the NHS and pillar 2 data from commercial partners, compared to 3,287 new cases confirmed last week.

Of the 5,120 cases confirmed since January 1, 2,212 are in Cornwall, with 379 in East Devon, 405 in Exeter, 255 in Mid Devon, 147 in North Devon, 710 in Plymouth, 202 in the South Hams, 312 in Teignbridge, 310 in Torbay, 100 in Torridge and 88 in West Devon.

This compares to the 3,287 cases confirmed between December 26 and January 1, of which 1371 were in Cornwall, with 213 in East Devon, 252 in Exeter, 155 in Mid Devon, 122 in North Devon, 657 in Plymouth, 120 in the South Hams, 170 in Teignbridge, 112 in Torbay, 60 in Torridge and 55 in West Devon

By specimen date, cases are rising everywhere, although the rises in North Devon and West Devon are very slight.

Of the 3,243 cases with a specimen date between January 1 and 7, there were 1,043 in Cornwall, 291 in East Devon, 301 in Exeter, 180 in Mid Devon, 94 in North Devon, 570 in Plymouth, 169 in South Hams, 239 in Teignbridge, 236 in Torbay, 63 in Torridge and 59 in West Devon.

The latest positivity rates for tests carried out at 9.3% in Cornwall, 5.8% in East Devon, 8.9% in Exeter, 8.6% in Mid Devon, 4.5% in North Devon, 6.3% in Plymouth, 7.3% in the South Hams, 5.6% in Teignbridge, 4.1% in Torbay, 3.6% in Torridge and 4.7% in West Devon. Rates have risen everywhere but North Devon, West Devon and Plymouth.

As of Tuesday morning, there were 264 patients in hospital across Devon and Cornwall following a positive Covid-19 test, with 96 patients at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital (up from 82 as of Dec 30), 26 at the Nightingale (up from 21), 20 at Torbay Hospital (up from 13), 47 in Derriford Hospital in Plymouth (up from 34), 18 at North Devon District Hospital (down from 29), and 57 in Cornwall (up from 40), although not all patients are local given some have been transferred to the region from elsewhere.

There were 14 patients in Mechanical Ventilation beds, with six at Derriford Hospital, one at Torbay, two at the RD&E, two in North Devon, and three in Cornwall.

The figures show the amount of patients in hospital following a positive COVID-19 test who are currently occupying a bed.

But not every patient would necessarily have been admitted to hospital due to COVID-19, with a number of patients either contracting the virus inside the hospital, or being admitted for unrelated reasons but subsequently testing positive asymptotically when given routine tests.

In the last week, there have been 31 deaths within hospitals in Devon and Cornwall within 28 days of a positive Covid-19 death, with 15 in Exeter, six in North Devon, five in Plymouth, four in Cornwall and one in Torbay.

In terms of the latest MSOA cluster maps, that cover the period of specimen dates between December 28 and January 3, there are only five areas of Devon and Cornwall with between 0-2 cases – they are Looe & Polperro, Poppleford, Otterton & Woodbury, Shebbear, Cookworthy & Broadheath, Bere Alston, Buckland Monachorum & Yelverton, and the Isles of Scilly.

The MSOA areas in each region with the highest number of cases are Newquay West and Newquay East (68), Cranbrook, Broadclyst & Stoke Canon (36), St Thomas West (46), Cullompton (53), Roundswell & Landkey (20), Millbay & Stonehouse (37), South Brent & Cornwood (37), Starcross & Exminster (26), Chelston, Cockington & Livermead (24), Bideford South & East (19), and Tavistock (20)

In terms of infection rates per age range, everywhere except Exeter, Mid Devon and the South Hams have highest infection rates in the 20-39 age range, but in those three areas, it is in the over 80s.

It comes as Steve Brown, Director of Public Health Devon (Designate), has pleaded with residents to follow the new national lockdown restrictions.

He said: “While case numbers here in Devon are relatively low compared to many parts of the country, we are still seeing cases rise.

“The new strain of coronavirus is exceptionally good at spreading between people, which is why the government is imposing new national restrictions requiring everyone to stay at home as much as possible and to minimise their time with others, except those in their immediate household or bubble.

“Please, stay at home and only go out when you need to, and minimise your contact with other people. If you must be outside, please continue to follow social distancing rules, wear a face covering in public places, and wash your hands properly and regularly.”

The COVID-19 cases are identified by taking specimens from people and sending these specimens to laboratories around the UK to be tested. If the test is positive, this is a referred to as a lab-confirmed case.

Confirmed positive cases are matched to ONS geographical area codes using the home postcode of the person tested.

Cases received from laboratories by 12.30am are included in the counts published that day. While there may have been new cases of coronavirus confirmed or people having tested positive, those test results either yet to reach PHE for adding to the dataset or were not received in time for the latest daily figures to be published.

Another major decision from Super Wednesday, tis time from the cabinet.

East Devon District Council’s cabinet unanimously agreed to accept a revised, and better, offer on Cranbrook Town centre. 

Daniel Clark www.devonlive.com

Cranbrook will finally get the town centre it deserves after councillors agreed to accept a revised offer from developers for the future of the town.

East Devon District Council’s cabinet on Wednesday unanimously agreed to accept an updated offer from the East Devon New Community Partners (EDNCp) that could a significant number of new facilities open by the end of 2022.

The ‘hard-fought deal’ with developers will bring forward multi-million pound plans which includes land to provide a range of other community, leisure and business spaces and could include a leisure centre.

A Morrison’s supermarket, a range of shops, a youth centre, library and town council offices are also set to be in place by the end of next year, and the cabinet also agreed a way forward for a sports pavilion to be delivered at Ingrams through the developers working with Cranbrook Town Council.

The Cabinet decision means that the council will be investing heavily in Cranbrook’s future to the tune of millions of pounds as it can buy land to build areas of the town centre itself.

Councillors had twice rejected accepting the offer from the EDNCp, including once just before Christmas, but after further negotiations over the holiday period, further movement to make the offer for Cranbrook more acceptable had been made, including issues around viability, restrictions on offer food stores within the town being relaxed, and increasing the size of the town square.

Speaking at Wednesday night’s meeting, Cllr Kevin Blakey, one of the Cranbrook ward councillors, said that this plan was ‘taking its final drink in the last chance saloon’. He added: “I don’t want to labour the point but this is the moment to make a decision on the future of Cranbrook town centre.

“Do you accept it is as good as it is likely to get and the vast majority of Cranbrook find this acceptable? It’s not perfect, but acceptable, and if you do think the same way, then vote to allow the project to get under way.”

Cllr Dan Ledger, East Devon District Council’s portfolio holder for strategic planning, added that the negotiated agreement means that the council has options on the land, so as the town expands, there is a chance for the town centre to expand with it.

He added: “We have nailed the developers down to an actual timeline, so it is won’t be ‘pie in the sky’. An accord has been reached and I propose that we sign the memorandum of understanding.”

Cllr Paul Hayward, the council’s deputy leader, added: “I hope those populist twitter accounts hold their hands up and admit we are in a better place than we would have been. At the moment Cranbrook is a housing estate with a few amenities, now they will get a town centre fit for now and fit for the future. This has delivered a better deal for the people of Cranbrook.”

Cllr Paul Arnott, Leader of the council, added: “I am delighted that the people of Cranbrook now have the freedom to finish the sports pavilion under their own steam, and also that we have managed to get the best possible outcome for them for the future of the town centre.”

Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Ledger added: “I am really pleased that our determined negotiations on behalf of the public interest in Cranbrook have paid off. Historic lessons must be learned about a council leaving the roll-out of a new town to developers – as was decided many years ago.

“But we have now shown our commitment to win the very best possible outcome for local people in this situation, and I am proud that our administration stuck by its guns against much pressure to concede inferior terms four months ago.

“The people of Cranbrook will benefit from this decision for many generations to come.”

Artist impression of the plans for Cranbrook town centre

The decision has also been welcomed by the council’s Cranbrook members who have fought long and hard on behalf of their residents, with Cllrs Blakey, Kim Bloxham and Sam Hawkins saying: “This is great news for the residents of Cranbrook. We have been expecting a resolution on this for a very long time.

“We are really looking forward to seeing the detailed plans coming forward and hope that the first spade will be in the ground as soon as the permissions have been granted.

“We are also very pleased that the matter of building the sports pavilion is being passed to the Town Council. This will ensure that a building suited to the needs of the community can now be delivered in a timely manner.”

The next stage is for the developers to seek planning permission for the supermarket, the town square, a parade of shops and a childrens’ day nursery. Subject to permission being granted, the developers say that these facilities could be open by late 2022.

The town square, the town council facility, library and youth facilities will also be delivered much sooner than after the required trigger point of 3,450 homes built.

Around 350 new homes in the town centre area will be built, while land will be transferred at market value to the council which could be used for a leisure centre, a hotel and retail units.

Since building began at Cranbrook in 2012, a retail-led high street with shops was envisaged. However, with the rise of internet shopping and the decline of the high street, a great deal of work has been carried out by the council to understand the role of a 21st century town centre.

Artist impression of the plans for Cranbrook town centre

Over the last year, the council has been working with the Cranbrook consortium of developers, which includes two major house builders, to negotiate what the town needs and how it can be delivered.

Proposals were considered by two meetings of the strategic planning committee in October and December. Councillors rejected the developers’ deals on both occasions because they were concerned that they wouldn’t meet the needs of the town as it grew to the proposed 7,800 homes. Currently 2,200 homes have been completed.

Following further negotiation, a better deal came forward just before Christmas, councillors were told, and they unanimously voted to accept the new offer.

How well do the judgements of senior Tories on Donald Trump pass the test of time?

Oh, and also “…….remember Theresa May holding his hand in Washington, and promising a full state visit soon after he was elected, when he was openly demeaning her to anyone who listened?

Michael Gove grovelling to him in Trump Tower, Jacob Rees-Mogg saying he would definitely vote for him if he were American and Boris Johnson demanding he be given the Nobel Peace Prize. This despite the object of their flattery mocking their incompetence over Brexit and publicly claiming the NHS was broke and London had become a racist hellhole…..” www.mirror.co.uk

Does no-one learn lessons? – Owl

Extract from: Hospitals ‘will be overwhelmed’ by middle of January, Kat Lay, Health Editor ww.thetimes.co.uk [also been discussed on BBC radio]

“…Hospitals are seeking to move patients into care and nursing homes as their beds fill up, prompting fears among residents’ families that the move might seed coronavirus in those settings.

Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, said: “It’s literally leaving no stone unturned to maximise every single piece of capacity we’ve got in those areas under real pressure.”

However, Diane Mayhew, co-founder of Rights for Residents, said: “The irony is that the reason care and nursing homes have so many ‘empty beds’ is mainly due to the fact that they were wiped out in the first wave with Covid during which many residents lost their lives. It was well reported at the time that patients were being discharged from hospitals without tests.” She said that sending patients from hospitals to care homes was “a disaster waiting to happen”.

Homes are understood to be reluctant to take hospital patients because of increased insurance premiums. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “No care home should be forced to admit an existing or new resident if they do not feel they can provide the appropriate care.”

Councillors will have to get used to the new normal when “normality” returns post Covid – Owl

“There are moments, Jeeves, when one asks oneself, ‘Do trousers matter?’ ” Bertie Wooster ponders in PG Wodehouse’s The Code of the Woosters as he struggles to dress for the day. “The mood will pass, sir,” his thoughtful valet assures him.

Jonathan Ames, Legal Editor  www.thetimes.co.uk [extract]

…..In the latest disagreement a judge at an employment tribunal has given a ruling on whether trousers, or the length of them, matter for men.

In a ruling that would send shivers down the spine of Johnny Rose, the patriarch in Schitt’s Creek who cannot abide his son’s three-quarter length trousers — or “colostomy pants” — the judge decided that if female employees did not have to wear a full-length pair then neither should the men.

Judge Alan Johnson ruled that Boots, the high street retailer, discriminated against a male staff member when he was told that he could not wear three-quarter-length trousers in summer…….

Update on Help me hold the government to account for Covid-19 care home deaths

Thank you for your support this year. If it wasn’t for your donations, the case would not now be awaiting a trial date. I could not have pushed this case forward without sufficient funds and also the moral support. The comments left on this page show that some donors have also lost loved ones to COVID-19 and I know that Christmas will have been difficult. 

I’m determined to hold this government to account for some of its failings and we should know the court date soon. It’s likely to be in June, although earlier would of course be better.

Too many people have already died and many more are likely to lose their lives before this pandemic ends. Please stay safe and look out for an update soon.

Cathy

Just a refresher on what happens next, following the permission to proceed to a full Judicial Review:

The government and NHS have to file their detailed evidence by 22ndJanuary 2021 and we then have an opportunity to file evidence in reply. For the first time we will see what the Government’s reasoning was in making some of the disastrous decisions they took – for example the requirement to urgently discharge patients from hospital without COVID-19 tests in March this year.

We expect the trial to take place around April/May next year.

People aged under 30 are contracting coronavirus in the greatest numbers in parts of the Westcountry, the latest statistics show.

[From yesterday’s Western Morning News]

As the new variant of the disease spreads rapidly, figures have confirmed that the young are now falling victim to the disease.

Cornwall’s current overall infection rate is 301.7 people per hundred thousand – but the infection rate for 20 to 24-year-olds is 806.8, while for those aged 25 to 29 it’s 710.3 per hundred thousand.

Two more deaths of patients in the Westcountry, one in Devon and one in Cornwall were reported yesterday.

But weekly figures reveal better news for the two counties.

The number of deaths registered across Devon and Cornwall where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate has fallen to the lowest level for six weeks.

The figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) out yesterday relate to the week of December 19 to December 25, but registered up to January 2. They show that 27 of the 285 deaths registered in the two counties had Covid-19 mentioned on the death certificate.

The previous week saw 43 of the 402 deaths registered in the two counties had Covid-19 mentioned on the death certificate.

However experts caution that the reduction in the number of deaths may relate to a combination of factors as a result of the second lockdown, due to the time lag between infection and death, but also could be a result of registration delays over the Christmas holiday period.

And from Today’s paper:

…Meanwhile in the Westcountry, Plymouth’s director of public health Ruth Harrell has told councillors that the city appears to have so far avoided an outbreak of the new highly transmissible variant of Covid-19. 

Lee Mangar’s voice trembles with exhaustion and indignation. She has been looking after her increasingly frail father throughout the pandemic without any payments to cover her caring responsibilities.

Tom Wall www.theguardian.com 

“I am going to cry now … I just need everyone to know the absolute shoddy position Suffolk is putting vulnerable people like my dad in,” she says from her home in Ipswich. “I’m just lucky that I’ve got the determination to keep fighting, because there are a lot of people out there who can’t stand up for themselves.”

Her father, Harold, sold his house to fund a move into a specially adapted extension on Mangar’s house. But Suffolk county council stopped paying Mangar £844 a month to care for her father, who has Lewy body dementia, following the move.

Under the Care Act, people in need of care can use direct payments from their local authority to pay carers, including family members, to help them carry out everyday tasks. Mangar was being paid to help Harold with his personal care and meals – now she has to do it without any financial support.

“They deemed him to be a self-payer. But there is no money,” says Mangar, who gave up her job in a nursery to look after her dad. “We are living off my dad’s pension and borrowing from my mum, who’s in sheltered accommodation. We’re being impoverished.”

Mangar can barely afford to buy the essentials she needs to clean him – let alone treats such as his favourite takeaway meals or new clothes for herself. She says her father needs specialist wipes which cost £4.75 a pack. “I’ve run out and at the moment I haven’t got enough money to go and buy them. So today I had to use kitchen roll, which is no good.”

Their plight is far from unique. Freedom of information requests by the Guardian to 19 English councils facing a high demand for social care, reveal that more than 3,700 working-age adults with physical or learning disabilities and almost 8,500 people aged over 65 have had the monetary value of their care package reduced since March.

The responses also show that just over 1,200 working-age adults with disabilities and nearly 3,500 over-65s have had the number of hours of support provided by local authority-funded carers reduced. And among new applicants for support, less than half of the 255,000 requests for social care were accepted, with only 41% given funded care packages in the 19 authorities between March and September.

“The pandemic seems to be making a bad situation worse,” says Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK. “There’s no reason to suppose that these people’s needs have diminished during this health emergency, rather the reverse if anything, so in most cases they are being left to manage without all the care they require.”

The largest cuts were in bigger, more rural local authorities. Devon county council reduced the monetary value of 655 care packages for working-age adults and nearly 2,000 care packages for over-65s between March and September, more than any other council. Suffolk county council cut support for 571 working-age adults and 1,779 older people.

Staffordshire county council turned down the highest proportion of social care requests, with just under two-thirds of 16,443 people approaching the council for care assessments during the pandemic initially offered only advice, occupational therapy or directed to community groups. Northamptonshire county council – which declared itself effectively bankrupt in 2018 – had the next highest rate of rejection, with more than one-third of families and individuals refused long-term care packages, which can cover help with everyday tasks such as washing and cooking to trips to day centres.

Metropolitan authorities also rejected a large proportion of care requests and cut back on support throughout the pandemic. Liverpool turned down 31% of the near 3,500 requests for social care, while reducing the hours carers spend with 194 working-age adults and 223 elderly people in the city. Birmingham turned down a quarter of its 18,500 requests for social care and Solihull rejected 27%.

The pandemic has increased demands on already overloaded local social care services, which have been struggling to meet the growing needs of ageing populations. Requests for care have soared by over 100,000 since 2015. But austerity since 2010 has shrunk social care budgets by 10% and total real terms spending on social care is below 2009 levels.

Edel Harris, Mencap’s chief executive, says cash-strapped local authorities are clawing back vulnerable people’s support packages at a time when they need it most. “Many people with a learning disability have spent the pandemic trapped at home, losing vital life skills and suffering from increasing mental health problems,” she says. “Unpaid family carers have been left to pick up the pieces, but they are exhausted, stressed and in some cases completely broken.”

A survey in November by the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (Adass) found that nearly a quarter of English adult social care directors have no confidence in their budgets being sufficient to meet all of their statutory duties, with several councils warning that they could follow Northamptonshire’s footsteps without more government support. Stoke-on-Trent city council this month proposed cuts of £412,000 to disabled and older people’s day services as well as more than £1m worth of savings from adult social care services.

Covid-19 is accelerating these cuts. Minha Chaudhary (not her real name) was told in December that her council was reviewing the care package for her 25-year-old disabled daughter, Zahra, who needs round-the-clock support.

Until now, the funding enabled Zahra to take part in activities such as swimming, cycling and reflexology. Chaudhary, who lives in north-west England, fears the council’s review of Zahra’s care package will lead to cuts to her daughter’s support. “[The support planner] was really antagonistic,” says Chaudhary. “She was recommending that she would take some of the package away from us because we’ve not used it all. But we are in a pandemic and everywhere is shut.”

Chaudhary, who works part-time while her husband looks after their daughter, is taking legal advice. “I’m worried sick,” she says.

Belinda Schwehr, chief executive of specialist legal advice service CASCAIDr, which is supporting Chaudhary, says “This is the endgame for social care. We are getting to the point where anyone able to feed themselves will not get social care.”

In November, the chancellor Rishi Sunak announced new funding for the beleaguered social care sector, including an additional grant of £300m. Sunak also allowed councils to levy a 3% adult social care precept, which could, along with the grant, generate up to £1bn. But this still falls short of what many experts and charities say is needed to keep up with demand next year, let alone the additional costs generated by the pandemic.

“Once again, local authorities are faced with trying to meet the care needs of their populations with inadequate government funding, but it’s older and disabled people who are ultimately paying the price, as these FoI responses demonstrate,” says Abrahams.

Suffolk county council says it has increased the value of more packages than it has reduced since March. “Every authority has continued to adjust the number of care packages it provides to eligible residents throughout 2020, as we continue to react to a range of social changes including the effects of the coronavirus on our communities,” says Beccy Hopfensperger, Suffolk’s cabinet member for adult care.

Devon county council says care packages had been changed rather than cut, with the high numbers reflecting the size of the authority: “Between March and September, there have been changes to people’s care packages in response to coronavirus, and many have sought alternative ways to meet their care needs. The fall in value then is a reflection of such changes,” says a spokesperson. Solihull council says it responds to all requests but some people may not accept social care services, or may not be eligible.

Staffordshire county council insists a range of support is available in communities, with the council funding those most in need. It adds it carries out care assessments at first contact when support is less likely to be needed. Northamptonshire county council says it had not turned down anyone who is eligible for social care support. Liverpool city council says people are assessed for services according to need rather than budget. While Birmingham city council says it is not turning down requests and points out there are many reasons referrals do not result in social care provision.

The Department of Health says it has made £4.6bn available to councils to address pressures on local services, including social care: “We are committed to sustainable improvement of the adult social care system and will bring forward proposals this year.”

This cannot come soon enough for dedicated but burned-out carers like Mangar. She has little to look forward to this year: “There is no money for me to plan anything. I can’t have a break. My life is just getting up in the morning and caring for my dad … we have been treated very, very unjustly.”

A new facility has opened in Plymouth for people needing extra care before they return home from hospital during the pandemic.

BBC News www.bbc.co.uk 

The care hotel, which opened on Monday, aims to ease pressures on the city’s Derriford Hospital.

It is being run by Plymouth City Council and health provider, Livewell Southwest.

A similar set-up was used during the first lockdown last April.

The Hearts Together Hospital Hotel, which normally provides accommodation for patients, carers, relatives and healthcare workers, is being used for the care facility.

Geoff Baines, director of safety and quality at Livewell Southwest, said the service was proud to work with the council to “ensure we can support people during the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic”.

He added the hotel will help “to relieve some of the pressure on our hospitals by providing somewhere safe for people to move to from hospital when they are well enough but when they are not quite ready to go home without support”.

Two more life-saving drugs have been found that can cut deaths by a quarter in patients who are sickest with Covid.

Michelle Roberts www.bbc.co.uk

The anti-inflammatory medications, given via a drip, save an extra life for every 12 treated, say researchers who have carried out a trial in NHS intensive care units.

Supplies are already available across the UK so they can be used immediately to save hundreds of lives, say experts.

There are over 30,000 Covid patients in UK hospitals – 39% more than in April.

The UK government is working closely with the manufacturer, to ensure the drugs – tocilizumab and sarilumab – continue to be available to UK patients.

As well as saving more lives, the treatments speed up patients’ recovery and reduce the length of time that critically-ill patients need to spend in intensive care by about a week.

Both appear to work equally well and add to the benefit already found with a cheap steroid drug called dexamethasone.

Although the drugs are not cheap, costing around £750 to £1,000 per patient, on top of the £5 course of dexamethasone, the advantage of using them is clear – and less than the cost per day of an intensive care bed of around £2,000, say experts.

Lead researcher Prof Anthony Gordon, from Imperial College London, said: “For every 12 patients you treat with these drugs you would expect to save a life. It’s a big effect.”

In the REMAP-CAP trial carried out in six different countries, including the UK, with around 800 intensive care patients:

• Nearly 36% of intensive care Covid patients receiving standard care died
• The new drugs reduced that by a quarter, to 27%, when given to patients within 24 hours of them entering intensive care

Prof Stephen Powis, NHS national medical director, said: “The fact there is now another drug that can help to reduce mortality for patients with Covid-19 is hugely welcome news and another positive development in the continued fight against the virus.”

Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said: “The UK has proven time and time again it is at the very forefront of identifying and providing the most promising, innovative treatments for its patients.

“Today’s results are yet another landmark development in finding a way out of this pandemic and, when added to the armoury of vaccines and treatments already being rolled out, will play a significant role in defeating this virus.”

The drugs dampen down inflammation, which can go into overdrive in Covid patients and cause damage to the lungs and other organs.

Doctors are being advised to give them to any Covid patient who, despite receiving dexamethasone, is deteriorating and needs intensive care.

Tocilizumab and sarilumab have already been added to the government’s export restriction list, which bans companies from buying medicines meant for UK patients and selling them on for a higher price in another country.

The research findings have not yet been peer reviewed or published in a medical journal.

This scheme temporarily increases data allowances for mobile phone users on certain networks. This is so that children and young people can access remote education if their face-to-face education is disrupted.

get-help-with-tech.education.gov.uk 

Who can get help

Schools, trusts and local authorities can request mobile data increases for children and young people who:

• do not have fixed broadband at home
• cannot afford additional data for their devices
• are experiencing disruption to their face-to-face education

Children with access to a mobile phone on one of the following networks might be able to benefit:

• Three
• Smarty
• Virgin Mobile
• EE
• Tesco Mobile
• Sky Mobile

Other providers may join the scheme at a later stage.

When help is available

Schools, trusts and local authorities can request mobile data increases when schools report a closure or have pupils self-isolating.

They can also make requests for children who cannot attend school face-to-face because:

• they’re clinically extremely vulnerable
• restrictions prevent them from going to school

How to request a mobile data increase

For each request, we need to know:

• the name of the account holder
• the number of the mobile device
• the mobile network of that device (for example Three)

There’s an online guide to help gather mobile information.

Schools, trusts and local authorities need to submit mobile information through our online service. Each provider will vary in how quickly they process requests.

Once a network provider has processed a data increase, they’ll send a text message to the account holder. It’s also possible to check the status of requests through the online service.

Another option for increasing internet access

If increasing mobile data isn’t a suitable option for some children, schools can also request 4G wireless routers. Find out more about choosing help with internet access.

If you have questions

If you have any questions, email COVID.TECHNOLOGY@education.gov.uk using the subject line ‘Increasing data allowances’.

Snapshots from Exeter and Manchester highlight grim determination but also concerns about family life

Nicola Davis www.theguardian.com 

Sarah Blakesley, a businesswoman and mum, was having a difficult day. “It’s very hectic and very stressful,” she said. “I just want to get today over with, to be honest.”

The start of the third national lockdown was having an impact both on commercial and family life. “I run a cleaning company. Lots of clients are shutting down their offices. I may have to furlough workers.”

Blakesley, from Exeter in Devon, also has a 17-year-old who will not be going to college for the foreseeable future. “We don’t know what’s happening with college so that’s another worry. I wish we didn’t have to go through this again. I’m concerned about people’s mental health.”

Across the city people were working through tricky professional and family issues.

Sue Jones was in one of the city parks with her son and daughter, both of primary school age. She had to take a day off from her job in a food processing plant to look after them. “I couldn’t get childcare for them in time so had to phone in and ask for the day off. I feel so worn down by the idea of another lockdown.”

The Covid rates for Exeter are by no means as bad as other parts of the country – there were just under 200 new cases per 100,000 people in the seven days up to 31 December.

But most people seemed resigned to the idea that a UK-wide effort is needed. “We’ve got to have a national lockdown. It’s got out of control,” said Alan Taylor, who manages a hardware store in the city centre.

“The tiers clearly haven’t worked – people didn’t know what was going on. At least everyone knows the score now.”

Ben Mangan, the owner of the Eat on the Green restaurant near the cathedral, said he was disappointed at the lockdown. “But we could see it coming and I agree with it. The situation is so dire, the government had no choice. I think we need to all be in it together. It’s fair that there’s one rule for everyone.”

Steph Flisher was sticking a handwritten sign to the window of her dog grooming business informing customers that she was closing. “Safety has to take priority. We’ve all got to come together and get this sorted. The NHS needs us to do this.”

Faye Jennings-Mosquera is allowed to keep her zero-waste food and cleaning products store open. “I think the lockdown needs to happen,” she said. Her partner was at home looking after their two young children. “If we have got two months let’s just do it, let’s all wear masks and be respectful to each other.”

Around the corner at the food bank, teams of volunteers were working hard to prepare food packages, fearing there would be an increase in people unable to afford the groceries they need.

Cllr Philip Bialyk, the leader of Exeter city council, said he “reluctantly” accepted the need for the lockdown. He said deliveries to vulnerable people would be stepped up again and more financial support funnelled to community groups helping people at risk.

“There’s nothing more important than defeating the virus,” he said. “That has to be our main aim. We have to protect loved ones and ourselves. Nobody is safe.”

There were some doubters. Stan Henderson, a lorry driver, said he thought the tier system should have been persevered with. “We were doing OK in the west country,” he said.

But Exeter has had its problems. Just before Christmas the Royal Devon & Exeter NHS foundation trust went to Opel 4 status – the highest alert level – due to high levels of inpatients with Covid and a large number of staff absences. There are about 30 patients in its Nightingale hospital on the edge of the city.

David Strain, a senior clinical lecturer at the University of Exeter Medical School and the co-chair of the British Medical Association’s medical academic staff committee, backed tighter restrictions and warned there would be no quick return to normality.

“It is important to highlight that this vaccination programme will not allow the return to normal life in February, as the majority of adults on which the economy depends are not in the four priority groups. In four to six weeks’ time when the lockdown is reviewed, there is no guarantee that there will be a nationwide lifting of restrictions.”

Almost 250 miles north of Exeter in Longsight, Manchester, the mood was weary. Apart from three weeks in July, Greater Manchester has been in some sort of lockdown since March last year.

Eliot Riley felt the latest lockdown was “too little too late”. He was hoping to start a teaching job this week at a primary school assisting special educational needs pupils, but after the government’s announcement of tougher restrictions, the school said they did not need him.

“I feel like I can’t plan for anything now. I can’t save, and I can’t look forward to anything. Me and my girlfriend had the intention to buy a flat, but that doesn’t seem possible at all,” he said.

“We are both in our early 20s, and I feel the pandemic is robbing us of our life opportunities. This should be the most freeing time for us, instead I just feel very restricted.”

Saki Hussain, who works at Longsight market, remained optimistic. “There is a lot of difficulty, especially with our children now staying at home. But I hope one day, with God’s help, we will win against this disease.”

Jack Weaver, who owns a trophy and engraving shop, said: “You can’t blame Boris. He hasn’t done a good job as far as I am concerned, but I don’t think any of the leaders have. This virus is new and nobody knows how to deal with it. I’m just hoping these vaccines will work and they get them out as soon as possible.”

Jacob Rees-Mogg slammed for crossing coronavirus tiers to attend church

(extracts see link for full article)

Adam Aspinall www.mirror.co.uk 

Tory minister Jacob Rees-Mogg has been slammed for crossing coronavirus tiers – to attend a Latin mass.

The controversial Leader of the Commons was spotted ignoring his own Government’s guidance not to travel between tiers on Sunday.

He was seen attending St Mary’s catholic church in Glastonbury, Somerset, which is in Tier 4 and fifteen miles from his posh manor house home in West Harptree, which is in Tier 3.

While people are allowed to attend church in Tier 4 areas the Government’s own guidance is that people should not travel from one tier to another and keep social contact to a minimum.

Writer Liz Williams, 55, from Glastonbury was told Jacob Rees-Mogg visited town to attend the Latin mass conducted on Sunday.

She told The Mirror: “A number of people are very cross about this, while not as egregious as what Dominic Cummings did, he is still crossing from tier 3 to tier 4 just to go to mass, which we are told not to do.

“I think the anger in town is the fact that not only is this not essential, even though he may argue differently as a Christian, but that he is actually a member of the Government that is setting this policy.

“It just seems yet again like there is one rule for us and one rule for the rest of them.

“Look I am not a Christian, I am not a Tory, I am just a normal upstanding member of the community who is fed up of this hypocritical approach from the people that are setting these rules.”…….

……….A spokesman for Jacob Rees-Mogg told The Mirror: “The Leader of the House regularly attends the only old rite mass available in the Clifton diocese which meets his religious obligations.”

This account adds a bit more to Owl’s post yesterday:

Philippa Davies sidmouth.nub.news 

The site of the proposed housing and school at Thorne Farm

A proposed school and housing development in Ottery St Mary, on land that residents had voted to safeguard from housing, has been rejected by East Devon district councillors.

The application by Devon County Council was for a new school to replace Tipton St John Primary, which would be paid for through the sale of land to developers who would build 150 new homes, on a site at Thorne Farm.

The school’s buildings are dilapidated and vulnerable to flooding, and many councillors strongly supported the need for it to relocate.

But the accompanying new homes went completely against the policies laid out in the local Neighbourhood Plan, which specifically protects that site from housing.

During the meeting this afternoon (Wednesday, January 6), Tipton St John’s head teacher spoke out about the urgent need for better and safer buildings for the children, saying the school is ‘living on a wing and a prayer’ in terms of the ongoing flood risk.

But councillors, while expressing sympathy for his position, said the issue in question was not the urgency of need for a new school, but whether the development as a whole was acceptable within the current planning policy.

Cllr Philip Skinner summed up the feelings of many others when he said this was ‘a very, very difficult application.

He said the school is in ‘dire need of relocation’, but on the other hand, Ottery St Mary is being ‘swamped with housing’ and he was ‘not prepared to drive a coach and horses through planning policy’ in order to get the school in.

He said while he had very much wanted to support the application, ‘but I cannot put our policies to one side to fit this in’.

A majority of 11 councillors voted to refuse the application, with two in favour of supporting it, and two abstentions.

More detail on yesterday’s historic decision by EDDC planning committee, first from East Devon News, then extracts from the Pebblebed Trust Team describing the national significance of the project. 

Multi-million pound plans to restore the Otter Estuary at Budleigh Salterton to natural and historic flood plains have been unanimously approved. 

Daniel Clark eastdevonnews.co.uk 

East Devon District Council’s (EDDC) Planning Committee today voted in favour of the Lower Otter Restoration Project bid.

The £15million scheme will create 55 hectares of mudflats, saltmarsh and other valuable estuarine habitats, writes Local Democracy Reporter Daniel Clark.

The initiative, led by landowner Clinton Devon Estates and the Environment Agency, will see the Big Marsh and Little Marsh floodplains restored.

Breaches will also be created in the Little Bank, Big Bank and the River Otter Embankment to allow water to flow through.

The aim is to avoid the significant risk that a major flood or extreme tidal event could lead to catastrophic failure of the existing defences.

Mike Williams, from the Environment Agency, told councillors that its vision is for a nation ready for and resilient to coastal change – ‘today, tomorrow and the year 2100’.

He added that the Lower Otter Restoration Project plays a part in delivering this for East Devon.

Mr Williams said: “It is simply a matter of time before the embankments fail and lead to substantial flooding.

“This will cause great change, but this should be seen as an opportunity to be granted now while it remains possible.”

Dr Sam Bridgewater, head of wildlife and conservation at Clinton Devon Estates added: “We must adapt to climate change.

“There are two options; a managed transition, or the second which is unmanaged with none of the protections in place.

“We aim to adapt the Lower Otter Valley to the current and future challenges climate change will bring.

“This is among the biggest changes that East Devon has seen but the natural environment will be improved by the scheme.

“It is a bold initiative but the times demand it and we must confront climate challenges.”

Sam Scriven, head of conservation for the Jurassic Coast Trust, said: “It is rare for a major project like this to improve rather than harm the world heritage site.”

Local resident David Daniel added that although the scenery from his childhood would change dramatically, a man-made landscape will be lost but another one will be gained.

He added: “It is far better to pre-empt any event that manage change in a controlled way. The status quo is not sustainable.”

Budleigh Salterton ward members Councillors Alan Dent and Tom Wright both called for the scheme to be approved.

Cllr Dent said: “The concept of breaching the river embankment to restore an historic flood plain is imaginative, far-sighted, and generally welcome.

“I support this with certain caveats as assurance must be given that residents’ properties will be safe and secure in the future.

“This is a welcome long-term project that manages the risk of rising sea levels and the consequence of unmanaged flooding.”

Cllr Wright added: “Restoring the area and the environment before man intervened to create the artificial environment we have and will mitigate the damage.

“The project will deliver a significant area of quality tidal saltmarsh.”

The Lower Otter Estuary in Budleigh Salterton. Image: PACCo

Cllr Geoff Jung, EDDC portfolio holder for coast, country and environment, asked for the plans to be given the go-ahead and said: “You don’t mess with nature and in the end, nature wins.

“Nature will eventually take the area back, so if we allow nature to do its thing, we will lose the agricultural land, the footpaths, and allow salt water ingress into the old waste tip.

“This can springboard East Devon into being a leader in nature-based solutions to reduce flood and coastal erosion risk.”

Concerns were raised by residents about the risk of flooding.

Margaret Yerrell said the scheme will have unpredictable and irreversible changes.

Ian Smith added that it will bring the sea from more than 2km away to the edge of homes and was a ‘dangerous and unnecessarily overextended project’.

David Butler said that rushing to make a decision would lead to the risk of adverse outcomes.

But proposing approval, committee member Cllr Philip Skinner said: “This is such an important issue and we need to get this right.

“Usually we put up flood defences after we have had the flood, this is before it.”

Cllr David Key added: “This will rectify the issues of flooding for the area, and, if we do nothing, it will get worse.”

Cllr Olly Davey  said that, while the project will involve a massive change to the Otter Valley and be ‘frightening’ to some people, on the whole it will improve the existing situation.

He added: “I do understand the concerns and hope their fears are not founded, but I am satisfied as a can be that it is not going to lead to any increase in the risks to the residents.

“I will be sorry to lose some of the habitat that we have there along the Otter Valley, but quite looking forward to seeing how it will evolve, as doing nothing is not an option.”

South Farm Road will also be realigned and raised, a new road bridge and footbridge bridge provided, and a small car park would be created at its western end.

Existing footpaths will be realigned and a landfill site capped and planted with grassland and woodland.

A spit to the south will be allowed to evolve naturally, necessitating the removal of the southern part of the loop path known as Donkeys Turn.

Budleigh Salterton Cricket Club has already secured permission to relocate to a site off East Budleigh Road.

Councillors agreed with the recommendation of planning officers to give the scheme the green light.

This is subject to appropriately-worded conditions relating to archaeology, materials of a footbridge, access details and public rights of way, contamination, a construction management plan, groundwater levels, adequate car parking, the provision of a footpath, arboricultural and tree protection details.

Lower Otter Restoration Project approved by councillors! 

Text of e-mail from the Pebblebed Trust Team:

We are delighted to let you know that the landscape-scale project to address the impact of climate change and safeguard a much-loved amenity by returning the Otter estuary and the adjacent flood plain to a more natural condition, has been given unanimous approval by East Devon District Council planning committee today.

The £15 million Lower Otter Restoration Project will reconnect the Otter Estuary with its original floodplain for the first time since 1812. The managed realignment, proposed by landowner Clinton Devon Estates and the Environment Agency, is designed to avoid a catastrophic breach of embankments which were built over 200 years ago. 

In time, new saltmarsh and mudflats will restore a rare wetland habitat for many threatened and endangered species. This initiative supports the Government’s 25 year Environment Plan and the objectives set out by the Committee for Climate Change and the Pebblebed Team are excited to be part of such a significant project and look forward to managing a larger wetland reserve with many benefits for wildlife and people.

For the full story please read on our website at: www.pebblebedheaths.org.uk/lower-otter…/ and for more information on the project, please visit the LORP website: www.lowerotterrestorationproject.co.uk/

And from the Pebblebed website:

John Varley, Estates Director of Clinton Devon Estates, said: “This approval paves the way for a major landscape-scale project which has come about because of an exemplary public-private partnership which will benefit people, the environment and wildlife.

“It demonstrates that rural estates can play a key role in addressing the climate crisis, leading the way in respect of a number of national agendas including nature recovery, creating new habitats and delivering a net gain in biodiversity, on a landscape scale.

“As the eyes of the world will be on Britain as hosts the UN Climate Change Conference COP 26 in November, this project shows we are prepared to act now to address the challenges we all face.”

Dr Sam Bridgewater, Head of Wildlife and Conservation at Clinton Devon Estates, said: “The Estate is proud to be associated with this project. It is recognised nationally and internationally that coastal communities must adapt as sea levels rise and storm events become more frequent.

“It is our belief that the Lower Otter Restoration Project will provide a more sustainable and certain future for the threatened Otter valley. It will also deliver very significant benefits to people and wildlife in the long term.

“The granting of planning approval is a major step forward in helping us deliver this vision.  We have worked very closely with a wide range of stakeholders who have helped us reach this milestone and we are grateful for their input over the years.”

Mark Rice, Environment Manager for the Environment Agency, said: “Climate change is affecting the way we manage our coasts and estuaries and we must adapt to that change. The Lower Otter Restoration Project is an example of how we can do that. We aim to deliver long term benefits for people and wildlife by working in partnership and through more sustainable management of the Otter Estuary.”