In today’s Observer Hilary Mantel answers famous admirers’ questions. One from David Hare, playright, asked:

Is Budleigh Salterton as enchanting as it seems to the casual visitor?

To which Hilary replies:

We are enchanting and enchanted. We are blessed by fresh air and sea foam. We have palm trees. We fish by moonlight. We live to the age of Methuselah – check out Fore Street any day. Our tones are clipped or hearty, our clothes quilted and khaki/sludge, but our souls are wearing silk. We are not at all smug. And it is just not true that we have a sign that says: “Budleigh welcomes you: no riff-raff.”

Wealthy areas, including the chancellor Rishi Sunak’s parliamentary seat, are avoiding lockdown despite having higher Covid-19 rates than poorer areas that are subject to restrictions, according to leaked emails between health officials.

Gabriel Pogrund and Tom Calver www.thetimes.co.uk

The government is under growing pressure to explain why it has placed large parts of the north and Midlands under local lockdowns while overlooking areas with similar infection rates. Asked why the northwest is “treated differently” from areas such as his own seat of Uxbridge and South Ruislip in west London, Boris Johnson said on Friday: “I appreciate … people want to see an iron consistency applied across the whole country.”

Matt Hancock, the health secretary, decides which areas to place in lockdown during weekly “gold” meetings with advisers. Yesterday, 50 councils were subject to measures such as bans on household mixing. However, there is no official Covid-19 infection rate that triggers a local lockdown.

On Thursday, Professor Dominic Harrison, the director of public health for Blackburn with Darwen, the largest borough in the wider Lancashire area, wrote to Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) officials, saying the measures were “avoidably increasing economic inequality”. He said: “There is now a different level of central control applied across local authorities, with some of the more economically challenged boroughs being placed into more restrictive control measures at an earlier point in their … case rate trajectory.

“This has the effect of exacerbating the economic inequality impacts of the virus in those areas. We urgently need consistency in the national strategy if the control system itself is not to add to inequality, giving an economic ‘double whammy’ to more challenged areas.”

His comments come amid a row between ministers and mayors over lockdown policy. Andy Preston, the Middlesbrough mayor, last week said he did “not accept” the latest measures and said local leaders could effectively “preserve jobs and wellbeing”. He has since U-turned.

Blackburn with Darwen is one of Britain’s poorest boroughs. Its Covid rate peaked at 212 weekly cases per 100,000 people. When officials first imposed lockdowns in the area in August, they intervened in wards where the weekly rate exceeded 60 new cases per 100,000. A similar benchmark has been used elsewhere.

However, Harrison produced figures last week to suggest that wealthier areas with similar or higher rates were avoiding lockdown. Richmondshire in North Yorkshire, which includes Sunak’s constituency and is one of the least deprived areas in Britain, has 73 new cases for every 100,000 people. Newark and Sherwood, represented by Robert Jenrick, the housing secretary, and Mark Spencer, the chief whip, stands at 84. Both areas have avoided lockdown.

In contrast, Wolverhampton, another poorer area, has 56 cases per 100,000 yet remains in lockdown. Chorley, at 72, Lancaster, at 66, and Oadby and Wigston, at 63, are also subject to lockdowns.

Several “red wall” seats that voted Tory at the last election have avoided lockdown, including Barrow-in-Furness (112) , Darlington (110) and Wakefield (73). Of all areas where infections exceed 70 but lockdown has been avoided, the majority are represented by Tory MPs.

Steve Reed, shadow housing secretary, said: “People living in the north and Midlands will be asking why they’re having to face restrictions when other parts of the country that have seen infections rise are not.” The DHSC said the incidence rate was only one criterion considered in deciding on lockdowns.

NO LOCKDOWN

Sheffield 110 cases per 100,000

Barrow-in-Furness 112

Darlington 110

Craven 109

Newark and Sherwood 84

IN LOCKDOWN

Chorley 73 cases per 100,000

Wyre 71

Lancaster 66

Oadby and Wigston 63

Wolverhampton 56

Coronavirus: can I be infected by touching surfaces?

Tony Allen-Mills and Andrew Gregory www.thetimes.co.uk

The surprises keep on coming in the fight against the coronavirus. One of the most frightening things the world thought it knew about Covid-19 is turning out to be not very scary at all. New research into the infectious potential of contaminated surfaces has forced a downgrading of early concerns that people might fall ill by touching a door knob or a light switch. “The surface issue has essentially gone away,” a leading American specialist in infectious diseases declared.

Monica Gandhi, a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, told the US science website Nautilus that there had been “a lot of fear” at the beginning of the pandemic about transmission of the virus if people touched their faces after contact with metal, plastic or other contaminated surfaces, collectively known to scientists as fomites.

Yet the evidence suggests that the virus on most surfaces is not strong enough to make people ill. “It’s not through surfaces,” she added. “It’s from being close to someone spewing virus from their nose and mouth, without in most cases knowing they are doing so.”

Her remarks followed recent research by Emanuel Goldman, a US microbiologist, who examined several well-publicised laboratory studies that had found traces of the coronavirus lingering on surfaces for hours and in some cases for days.

Hospitals, corporations and public agencies have collectively spent billions of pounds on “deep cleaning” decontamination routines that are estimated to have cost the hotel industry alone at least £7bn.

Yet Goldman concluded that tests in laboratories bore “little resemblance to real-life scenarios”. He found that the traces involved were not “viably” infectious and described the risk of transmission through inanimate surfaces as “very small”.

In a comment to The Lancet, Italian researchers reported that their attempts to grow the virus from samples recovered from surfaces in a coronavirus hospital ward in Pavia, northern Italy, had proved unsuccessful. “Our findings … would support Goldman’s point that the transmission through inanimate surfaces is less frequent than hitherto recognised,” the researchers concluded.

Most doctors still recommend regular handwashing as a sensible precaution, but it may no longer be necessary to sing Happy Birthday twice, as the World Health Organisation originally recommended.

Why are young women targets now?

The disease that ravaged care homes and turned the elderly into hermits for much of the spring has taken aim at different targets this autumn. Public Health England’s most recent statistics show that the 20-29 age group has had the most new cases since the end of June, followed closely by the 30-39 age group. In both those groups, more women are being infected than men.

In a significant reversal of the trend earlier this year, the number of women admitted to hospital aged 20-40 has been increasing faster than for men in that age range. It was a symbol of the shifting menace of the virus that the health crisis enveloping the White House appears to have begun after Hope Hicks, 31, one of Donald Trump’s top advisers, tested positive last week.

The elderly remain overwhelmingly the most vulnerable to serious disease and risk of death, and there have long been concerns about the virus’s disproportionate impact on black and minority ethnic Britons from underprivileged backgrounds. But scientists are not yet sure why younger women are increasingly at risk.

Is it all about young people partying?

Many experts believe that whatever the economic benefits of reopening restaurants and other social venues and encouraging summer holidays abroad, the resulting surge in social activity has had troubling effects on the transmission of the virus.

“This all fits a picture that, on average, younger, wealthier, white people had more social contacts over the summer,” said Dr Daniel Lawson, a senior lecturer in statistical science at Bristol University.

The latest government survey period “included the relaxation of restrictions in pubs and restaurants … the take-home message is that total numbers of social contacts still need to be limited to control the virus”.

Women have long been known to have immune systems that are more effective than men’s at fighting disease, but the role of gender differences in responses to the coronavirus is still being studied.

Several explanations of varying scientific value have been advanced, from women being more likely to work in crowded indoor locations such as hospitals and restaurants, to younger women tending to socialise and holiday together on a wider scale than men.

Angela Merkel, Germany’s chancellor, has blamed a recent surge in outbreaks on “private parties”, and other reports have attributed rising infection rates elsewhere in Europe to a loosening of social distancing restraints encouraged by alcohol-fuelled outings. Having spent much of the summer urging Britons to “eat out to help out”, the government has since imposed a 10pm curfew, which some experts believe will merely make people drink faster and earlier — “leading to more disinhibition and thereby less distancing”, said Professor Susan Michie of University College London.

What else don’t we know?

Only recently have we begun to realise that infection and transmission are just part of the coronavirus challenge. The phenomenon of “long Covid” — illness that will not go away — is believed to be affecting hundreds of thousands of Britons dubbed the “forgotten victims” of the pandemic. Ayesha Sodha, a 36-year-old businesswoman from Edinburgh, used to pole-dance for exercise, but, six months after she contracted the virus, she is still suffering insomnia, fatigue, headaches, brain fog, muscle pain and sensitivity to light. “We don’t know if there really is an end in sight,” Sodha said.

The biggest unknown of all remains the effectiveness of any vaccine. There may be a jab ready by the end of the year, but how long will it take to reach us and how long will it protect us? If the virus has taught us anything, it is that more surprises are in store.

A further 11 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in East Devon in the past week – with the number in Exeter rocketing by 107.

About Author Daniel Clark eastdevonnews.co.uk

The city accounts for 60 per cent of fresh positive results recorded in the Devon County Council area in the past seven days.

Figures published yesterday (Friday, October 3), show a total 381 new Covid-19 cases have been confirmed across Devon and Cornwall in the past week.

This is compared to 365 in the previous seven days.

The data comes from both ‘pillar one’ data, from NHS tests, and ‘pillar two’ data from commercial partners.

Numbers in the Devon County Council area – which does not include Plymouth or Torbay – nearly doubled from 96 to 178.

One-hundred-and-seven of these have been in Exeter.

East Devon’s weekly total of 11 new cases is the same number as the previous seven days.

Plymouth saw a drop from 74 to 36 cases.

Torbay’s cases rose from 18 to 39, with this partially linked to a care home outbreak.

There were eight new cases in Mid Devon, 13 in North Devon, nine in the South Hams, 20 in Teignbridge, five in Torridge, and four in West Devon.

Cases in Cornwall have dropped from 179 to 132.

Exeter ‘clusters’

Five coronavirus ‘clusters’ – of three or more cases – have been identified in Exeter.

These are in the Pennsylvania and University (52 cases), St Leonard’s (four), central (five), St James Park and Hoopern (nine) and Middlemoor and Sowton (seven) areas.

The city’s increase has been linked to a rise in cases among university students.

It is understood that at least 60 households within the city are self-isolating and following public health advice.

There is no evidence at this stage of the virus spreading into the wider community, say public health chiefs.

With demand for tests is rising, the University of Exeter has invited the national Test and Trace scheme to set up a temporary centre on the Streatham campus dedicated to students and staff.

Asked whether there were any discussions around a ‘local lockdown’ for Exeter, a Devon County Council spokesman said: “A decision of a magnitude of a city-wide lockdown would be made at a national level.  At the moment, case numbers are not there.”

East Devon total hits 305

An overall total of 305 Covid-19 cases have now been confirmed in East Devon and 460 in Exeter.

The Plymouth total is 948 cases, Torbay 377, Teignbridge 272, Mid Devon 249, and North Devon 168.

There have been 151 in the South Hams, 87 in West Devon, and 76 in Torridge.

Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly have had 1,397 confirmed cases.

‘District areas still low’

Devon’s deputy director for public health Steve Brown said: “The latest numbers show another rise in the number of tests carried out in Devon, and we are hearing fewer reports of delay or having to travel distances to attend a test.

“Overall, the county is still comparably very low down the table for the number of confirmed coronavirus cases.

“We have the immediate increase in cases in Exeter for which there is no evidence of spread within the community, but confirmed cases in our seven other district areas are still low.

“Testing resources in the main are keeping up with demand in Devon, and I ask anyone who is showing symptoms – the high temperature, new and continuous cough, or change in their sense of taste or smell – to self-isolate immediately and book a test.”

Specimen dates

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

Confirmed positive cases are matched to Office for National Statistics geographical area codes using the home postcode of the person tested.

Of the 381 new cases confirmed in Devon and Cornwall, 280 have a specimen date between September 25 and October 1.

Ten of these were in East Devon and 72 in Exeter.

The majority of the other 101 cases occurred between September 21 and 24, although some date back to the start of the month.

As the Tory party conference begins. Good news for the Prime Minister from party members.

Their verdict on Boris Johnson: not quite as useless as Gavin Williamson! – Owl

www.conservativehome.com 

• It’s not unprecedented for a Conservative Prime Minister to fall into negative territory in our monthly Cabinet League Table.  In April last year, Theresa May set a new record of scoring the lowest rating it has ever recorded – at -74. Compared to that, Boris Johnson’s -10.3 this month looks tame.
• Nonetheless, it’s a rotten springboard from which to vault into Party Conference as it begins today.  As we wrote yesterday, it reflects weariness with curbs, frustration with what seem to be fluctuating and arbitrary rules, a sense that Ministers at the top of Government are divided – and a certain frustration with the Prime Minister himself.
• Liz Truss up to second in the table, from 62 per cent to 70 per cent.  Dominic Raab and Michael Gove’s scores are both down but, with Steve Barclay and Truss, they are the only Cabinet Ministers to clear 50 per cent.  As recently as last December, the entire Cabinet was in the black, with 18 of its members above that 50 per cent rating.
• Matt Hancock joins Gavin Williamson, Robert Jenrick and Johnson in negative territory. Amanda Milling clambers out of it (just about).  On a happier note, Douglas Ross more than doubles his rating from 26 per cent to 61 per cent: his aggression and energy in Scotland are getting noticed.
• And finally: the Prime Minister has been low, though not nearly by this much, in the table before – shortly before he resigned as Foreign Secretary.  He bounced back then, and could do so again.  Once again, we make the point that this is much the same panel as gave him a 93 per cent rating after the last election.

• Single storey rear extension 3 Inner Broomfield London Road Rockbeare Exeter EX5 2EBRef. No: 20/2071/FUL | Validated: Fri 25 Sep 2020 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Single storey rear extension 8 Lipscomb Avenue Exmouth Devon EX8 2FLRef. No: 20/2067/FUL | Validated: Fri 25 Sep 2020 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Certificate of lawfulness for the construction of dormer window to rear to allow loft conversion 6 Rewe Barton Farm Cottages Rewe Exeter EX5 4EURef. No: 20/2065/CPL | Validated: Fri 25 Sep 2020 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Alterations to shop front to form a new entrance doorway on the corner of the building and to incorporate some of the external covered area into the interior of the building 55 Parade Exmouth EX8 1RDRef. No: 20/2060/FUL | Validated: Thu 24 Sep 2020 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Sycamore (T1) – Remove dead wood over 50mm in dia. Large diameter dead wood to be “truncated” at approx. 50cm in length, Remove crossing branch in contact with one of the main stems at approximately 3 m AGL. Land Adjoining West Hayes Eastfield West HillRef. No: 20/2066/TRE | Validated: Fri 25 Sep 2020 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of two single storey extensions (partially retrospective) Proposed ground floor ensuite to Bedroom 4 This part of the works have been completed under permitted development. The works were commenced September 2014 and completed September 2015. Fairfield Exmouth Road Exton Exeter EX3 0PZRef. No: 20/2061/FUL | Validated: Thu 24 Sep 2020 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Proposed 2 storey side extension 5 Silverton Rise Feniton Honiton Devon EX14 3FDRef. No: 20/2063/FUL | Validated: Thu 24 Sep 2020 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Fell 6 x Ash trees and 1 x Oak tree. Plant replacement trees. The Coast House Rousdon Lyme Regis DT7 3XRRef. No: 20/2059/TCA | Validated: Fri 25 Sep 2020 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Prior notification under Part 3, class R for the flexible change of use from agricultural use to a class D2 (Assembly and Leisure) Use New Sowdens Farm Brampford Speke Exeter EX5 5HJRef. No: 20/2055/PDR | Validated: Thu 24 Sep 2020 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Lined slurry lagoon. Collyhead Farm Venn Ottery Ottery St Mary EX11 1RYRef. No: 20/2045/AGR | Validated: Wed 23 Sep 2020 | Status: Awaiting decision

• Removal of condition 2 of planning permission 09/1906/FUL (Change of use of redundant barn to holiday cottage) to allow the building to be used as an unrestricted dwelling Apple Barrel Barn Orchard Cottage Dunkeswell AbbeyRef. No: 20/2054/VAR | Validated: Thu 24 Sep 2020 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Variation of condition 3 of permission 18/1425/FUL (Retention of garage as built, and change of use to create holiday accommodation) to allow building to be used as an unrestricted dwelling April Rise Crewkerne Road Axminster EX13 5SXRef. No: 20/2043/VAR | Validated: Wed 23 Sep 2020 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Reserved matters application (access, appearance, landscaping, layout, scale) pursuant to the outline planning permission ref: 09/1107/MOUT for the construction of a new 3 storey Research and Development Building within the Science Park Centre Phase 1 at Babbage Way on Exeter Science Park (Area Code 01) to include associated external works and landscaping together with additional details to satisfy conditions 1, 2, 5, 12, 16, 23, 26, 27, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 35, 37, 38, 39 on the outline planning permission ref: 09/1107/MOUT Grow Out Building Babbage Way Exeter Science Park Exeter EX5 2FNRef. No: 20/2031/MRES | Validated: Tue 22 Sep 2020 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Area 1 (as marked on attached plan) – Fell 7 semi mature and mature conifer trees (leylandii, spruce and Lawson cypress). Bramblings Brampford Speke Exeter EX5 5DWRef. No: 20/2032/TCA | Validated: Wed 23 Sep 2020 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Certificate of lawfulness for the siting of caravan Broadway View Farringdon Exeter EX5 2HURef. No: 20/2034/CPL | Validated: Tue 22 Sep 2020 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Single-storey rear extension. 16 Newlands Avenue Exmouth EX8 4AXRef. No: 20/2037/FUL | Validated: Tue 22 Sep 2020 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Change of use of agricultural building to a flexible use under Class R of the Town and Country Planning (GPD0 Order (England) 2015 Holbrook Farm Clyst Honiton Exeter EX5 2HRRef. No: 20/2030/PDR | Validated: Tue 22 Sep 2020 | Status: Decided
• Construction of single storey rear extension The Croft Venn Ottery Ottery St Mary EX11 1SARef. No: 20/2039/FUL | Validated: Tue 22 Sep 2020 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Prior approval for proposed change of use of agricultural building to form 1 no. larger dwelling house and 1 no. smaller dwelling house (class C3 use) and associated development under Class Q (a) and (b). Barn At Wishes Broadhembury Honiton EX14 3LNRef. No: 20/2041/PDQ | Validated: Tue 22 Sep 2020 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Replace render with hung slate on side western elevation (amendments to approval 20/0112/LBC) The Old Clink 38 Fore Street Budleigh Salterton EX9 6NJRef. No: 20/2036/LBC | Validated: Fri 25 Sep 2020 | Status: Awaiting decision

• Demolition of existing store & rebuild as new management office. The Town Mill Rosemary Lane Colyton EX24 6LSRef. No: 20/2011/FUL | Validated: Fri 25 Sep 2020 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of side dormer window to allow loft conversion 51 Littleham Road Exmouth EX8 2QLRef. No: 20/2025/FUL | Validated: Wed 23 Sep 2020 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of two storey side extension. Collyforches House Yarcombe Honiton EX14 9EBRef. No: 20/2026/FUL | Validated: Mon 21 Sep 2020 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of single storey side/rear extension, rear/side garage extension, extension of existing balcony and replacement balustrade, alterations to front window, raising of front roof gable, replacement and new cladding (revision to 20/1642/FUL) Pebble Reach (formerly Bali Hai) Southdown Road Beer Seaton EX12 3AERef. No: 20/2016/FUL | Validated: Mon 21 Sep 2020 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Retrospective application for the construction of an earth banked slurry lagoon. Heathstock Farm Heathstock Stockland Honiton EX14 9EURef. No: 20/2009/FUL | Validated: Fri 25 Sep 2020 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Concrete yard renewal. Stopgate Farm Yarcombe Honiton EX14 9NBRef. No: 20/2020/FUL | Validated: Fri 25 Sep 2020 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Provision of cladding to walls of the house and render to chimney. 7 Hickory Close Honiton EX14 2UNRef. No: 20/2010/FUL | Validated: Tue 22 Sep 2020 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Replacement of two existing buildings that are no longer structually sound or safe due to their age with two new buildings Myrtle Farm Chardstock Axminster EX13 7DDRef. No: 20/2013/AGR | Validated: Wed 23 Sep 2020 | Status: Decided
• Construction of car port on existing parking area Honey Cottage Honey Lane Woodbury Salterton Exeter EX5 1EJRef. No: 20/2000/FUL | Validated: Thu 24 Sep 2020 | Status: Awaiting decision
• To establish the Proposed Lawful Development/Use, Siting of Caravan within residential Curtilage of Dwelling House Lower Abbey Farm Abbey Lane Axminster EX13 8TSRef. No: 20/2001/CPL | Validated: Mon 21 Sep 2020 | Status: Awaiting decision

• Convert barn into 4 dwellings Old Park Farm Lyme Road Axminster EX13 5TJRef. No: 20/1992/FUL | Validated: Fri 25 Sep 2020 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Replace 2no. french windows on front (south) elevation and 1no. french window on side (west) elevation Fairlynch Museum 27 Fore Street Budleigh Salterton EX9 6NPRef. No: 20/1971/LBC | Validated: Tue 22 Sep 2020 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Single poplar tree inside the front boundary line. Request to pollard it back to its previous knuckles, approx 40% reduction. No formal paperwork from a survey but retaining wall is bowing and pavement is starting to lift on the road side of the tree. With this in mind the customer would like to have the tree pollarded similar to the last time approx 8-10 years ago 69A Salterton Road Exmouth EX8 2ENRef. No: 20/1961/TRE | Validated: Thu 24 Sep 2020 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Proposed demolition of rear extension and construction of single and two storey rear/side extensions, raised terrace with steps and associated landscaping; alterations to the existing house including windows replacement and creation of new opening to kitchen, removal of current porch doors and replacement with windows Hillside Farm Harcombe Lyme Regis DT7 3RNRef. No: 20/1939/LBC | Validated: Tue 22 Sep 2020 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Proposed demolition of rear extension and construction of single and two storey rear/side extensions, raised terrace with steps and associated landscaping Hillside Farm Harcombe Lyme Regis DT7 3RNRef. No: 20/1938/FUL | Validated: Tue 22 Sep 2020 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Install 2no. door barriers internally; install 1no. door barrier externally; install 1 barrier across the steps from the rear garden; install 5no. air brick covers and install 1no. full-port-non-return valve (NRV) Rose Cottage Longmeadow Road Lympstone Exmouth EX8 5LERef. No: 20/1876/LBC | Validated: Fri 25 Sep 2020 | Status: Awaiting decision
• T1 Ash Fell The Old Mill Uplyme Lyme Regis DT7 3UARef. No: 20/1873/TRE | Validated: Wed 23 Sep 2020 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of single storey side extension Hilldene Clyst St Mary Exeter EX5 1AERef. No: 20/1829/FUL | Validated: Thu 24 Sep 2020 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Change of use and subdivision of Barns 1 and 2 and part of Barn 3 from agricultural use to form 10no. storage and distribution units (Use Class B8), including external alterations to provide a roller shutter door and a by-pass door to each unit, provision of infill cladding to the existing hit & miss boarding to the external walls and provision of a gravel finish to the existing earth hardstanding to form Yard 1 and Yard 2 to be used for additional external storage associated with the units (retrospective) Barns At Higher Hawkerland Farm Sidmouth Road Aylesbeare Exeter EX5 2JWRef. No: 20/1582/FUL | Validated: Wed 23 Sep 2020 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Replace existing passageway roof and install 3no. rooflights; construct wall at end of passageway and insert 1no. window on north elevation; removal of partition walls in utility and construct new partition wall and door opening to create wet room; create level floor across the passageway; install double doors in existing opening between dining and lounge to create bedroom Jasmine Cottage The Strand Lympstone Exmouth EX8 5JRRef. No: 20/1531/LBC | Validated: Fri 25 Sep 2020 | Status: Awaiting decision

• Extension to existing external area to visitor centre to include change of use of part of existing car park; raising of site levels to provide level access path; creation of play and interpretation features (to include 3 metre high earth mound) and seating areas; creation of footpath link to north Seaton Jurassic The Underfleet Seaton EX12 2WDRef. No: 20/1399/FUL | Validated: Mon 21 Sep 2020 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Demolition of existing bungalow and erection of replacement dwelling and ancillary garden room. Bracken Heath Crewkerne Road Axminster EX13 5SXRef. No: 20/0487/FUL | Validated: Mon 21 Sep 2020 | Status: Awaiting decision

A high-tech Irish company is coming to Exeter to regenerate the aviation industry following the collapse of Flybe earlier this year.

www.radioexe.co.uk

Dublin Aerospace Group is creating Exeter Aerospace at the former Flybe Maintenance Services area at Exeter Airport.

Conor McCarthy, chairman and CEO of Dublin Aerospace Group said: “We are thrilled to have made Exeter the home of our first UK MRO (Maintenance Repair and Overhaul) centre. The availability of the hangars and workshops there, combined with a phenomenal pool of local aviation and engineering talent, makes this a hugely attractive location for us.”

Dublin Aerospace’s facility in Dublin specialises in Boeing 737, Airbus A320, and A330 families. Exeter Aerospace will complement this range by specialising in the Embraer 170/190 Regional Jets, Bombardier Dash 8/Q400, and ATR 72 Turboprop families in Exeter.

“Already, we have acquired all of the tooling and equipment we require for these aircraft types and have taken possession of the modern and purpose-built Exeter Hangars and Workshops. We are now in the process of applying for UK CAA and EASA (EU Aviation Safety Authority) approvals for Exeter Aerospace and have already commenced hiring our initial group of aerospace engineers and technicians,” said McCarthy.

In time Exeter Aerospace plans six aircraft overhaul bays as well as support shops and test facilities. The company is now recruiting to fill 100 roles and over the next three to four years wants to have over 250 aviation professionals working at Exeter Aerospace. It will work with Exeter College on apprenticeships too.

An investigation into the strains on the test and trace programme strengthens the case for a minister to take charge.

www.thetimes.co.uk

Three weeks ago the health secretary Matt Hancock said that the problems in the test and trace programme would be fixed within a fortnight. Two weeks ago he said they would be fixed “within weeks”. Yet here we are at the start of October and the problems are unfixed. An investigation by an undercover Times reporter who spent last week working at a large testing centre near Stoke reveals a system in trouble. Faced with a backlog of unprocessed tests at laboratories, the government has introduced strict new daily limits on testing. As a result, on one day this week a facility that just weeks ago was testing up to 500 people a day had tested only 100 by 5pm, a few hours before it closed. Staff were being told to turn away those with symptoms or who had been referred by their GPs unless they had made a booking online.

It does not seem likely that these problems will be resolved in anything like the timescale suggested by Mr Hancock. A new so-called Lighthouse laboratory near Loughborough, which is supposed to provide capacity for 50,000 more tests a day by the end of the year, was meant to come on stream at the end of last month. That has now been delayed by at least a month. Another lab in Newport, due to come on stream in August, has been delayed until November. The government insists the backlog reflects unexpectedly high demand for tests, though why a surge in demand as schools and universities reopened was not anticipated is not clear. A bigger problem appears to be a shortage of laboratory staff as students employed over the summer return to university. Again, it is hard to understand why this was not foreseen.

That is not to deny the impressive progress that has been made in building up Britain’s testing capacity over the past six months. From what was effectively a standing start in April, just under 265,000 tests were carried out on Thursday. That’s more per head of the population than almost any other country. Official data shows that NHS Test and Trace now has capacity for 1.8 million swab tests a week across five Lighthouse labs and NHS-run facilities. The government’s target is to hit 500,000 tests a day by the end of this month.

The problem is that too often this capacity is in the wrong places, or not available to those who need it, while the results themselves are taking too long to arrive. Many people are still having to travel long distances to take tests, if they can book one at all.

A Times data analysis which sought to book a test using 50 nearby postcodes every hour for 48 hours found that appointments were only available 17 per cent of the time. The result is that some people may be forced to isolate unnecessarily, while others who may be infected are continuing to spread the virus and their contacts are going untraced. Perhaps most troublingly, the promised weekly testing of NHS staff in hotspot areas is still not being delivered. That risks further disruption of non-Covid healthcare, longer waiting lists and increased deaths from other causes.

These latest disclosures only strengthen the case for Boris Johnson to appoint a minister with specific responsibility for the pandemic response. Too often the government’s reaction appears to be driven by the need to hit arbitrary political targets rather than a strategy to ensure tests are available where and when they are most needed. The pressures are likely only to intensify over the winter. Indeed the roll-out of a vaccine, should one materialise, will pose an even greater logistical challenge. Mr Hancock already has his hands full dealing with the NHS and tackling the crisis in social care. This challenge is too important to be left to an unelected figure such as Baroness Harding of Winscombe, the chief of NHS Test and Trace, who is also overseeing a Whitehall reorganisation. There is no greater priority facing the country. That requires a minister able to give it their full attention.

www.nao.org.uk

Today’s report [2 October] from the National Audit Office (NAO) finds that, despite the Department for Transport’s long stated aim to increase bus use, passenger numbers have fallen. The Department will need greater clarity on what it wants to achieve and how it will measure success, if its forthcoming national strategy for improving bus services is to succeed.

Between 2010-11 and 2018-19 the number of bus journeys fell in 65 of 88 English local transport authorities outside London and by 10% overall.¹ The COVID-19 pandemic led to a drastic reduction in bus travel across the country and created uncertainties about future travel habits. However, bus travel will likely remain the primary and essential mode of transport for many, especially the most disadvantaged.

The Department considers that good quality bus services support local economies, help ease congestion, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and better connect communities. In September 2019, it announced that it would develop the first National Bus Strategy for England and in February 2020 committed £5 billion over the next five years to promote buses, walking and cycling. Progress with the strategy has been delayed due to COVID-19. However, the Department told the NAO that during the pandemic it had been able to work with local authorities and operators to understand areas of critical need and target support.

In 2019 central and local government subsidies and support made up around 24% of bus operators’ revenue income from bus services. However, increasing congestion means bus operators need to put on more buses to maintain frequency, which, when combined with falls in paying passengers, puts pressure on operator profit. The Department pays a subsidy to operators to keep services running and fares down, but between 2010-11 and 2018-19, estimated operator revenue fell by 11% and bus fares increased by 18% on average.

Between 2010-11 and 2018-19, 72 local authorities reduced spending on those bus services which operators would otherwise see as not commercially viable (supported services) and which often serve rural and disadvantaged bus passengers. Of these, 42 reduced funding by over 50%. The Department does not know how passengers have been affected by the loss of supported bus services.

New powers for local authorities to partner with operators and improve services have made little difference as the wider funding pressures on local authorities have increased. The 2017 Bus Services Act (the Act) aimed to strengthen operator-local authority partnership working and gave authorities the power to take control of services under a franchising arrangement.² However, since 2010-11, local authorities have reduced spending on local transport by around 40%, which is likely to have had an impact on their ability to work in partnership with local bus operators. It was not until April 2020 that the first partnership using the Act was agreed,³ and no local authority has yet agreed a franchising arrangement – the Greater Manchester Combined Authority has made the most progress.

The Department does not know if it is getting the best value from its short-term capital funding to local authorities and bus operators. Some funds are bus-specific, for example to support investment in zero emission vehicles or bus infrastructure. The Department’s evaluations show that it has funded schemes that have delivered valuable improvements, although some schemes go wider than bus improvements. However, local authorities told the NAO that the resources needed to bid and account for this funding can be too great. The Department is concerned about local authorities with potentially viable projects that are not accessing funding, because they do not have the resources.

“Despite the Department for Transport’s long-stated aim to increase bus use, passenger numbers have fallen since 2010. The Department has funded some valuable local enhancements to bus services but these do not constitute systemic improvement.”

“To meet the needs of local people, especially those in rural and disadvantaged communities, the Department’s future bus strategy should match the funding provided to its objectives, and better enable local authorities and operators to work together.”,

Gareth Davies, head of the NAO

1. Government deregulated the local bus market in 1986. Today, more than 500 companies operate bus routes, ranging from small, family-run businesses to multi-national firms.
2. Local partnerships are designed to help authorities work with operators to decide which arrangements will advance local bus services. Franchising is a more ambitious approach, involving local authorities taking on some of the financial risks and rewards of running local bus services, and allowing them to set route frequencies and running hours of bus services.
3. It was not until April 2020 that the first Enhanced Bus Partnership using the 2017 Act was agreed between Hertfordshire County Council and over 20 local bus operators

The Ottery St Mary Writers’ Group were delighted at the excellent response they had received to their Creative Writing Competition. They received over 300 entries which came from all over Britain.  After considerable reflection, the judges thought that Helen Gaen’s poem skilfully tackled the distressing subject of dementia with a touch of humour. She was awarded first prize in the poetry category.

Helen is a former civil servant and editor. She is currently working on her own collection of poems and short stories, alongside  a children’s novel. She has previously has some of her work published in the small press. Helen is a young, very active retiree, who loves reading, the cinema, walking and swimming.

First Prize winner- Memory Tricks by Helen Gaen

Ministers have set out more details of Boris Johnson’s much-scrutinised election promise to build 40 new hospitals in England, revealing that the bulk of the projects involve rebuilding or consolidation, and that only four have been started.

Denis Campbell www.theguardian.com 

The scheme comes with a promised spending package of £3.7bn. However, NHS Providers, which represents hospital trusts, said the real cost of building 40 new hospitals would be more like £20bn.

The plan for 40 hospitals to be built by 2030, first made by the health secretary, Matt Hancock, at last year’s Conservative party conference, and repeated many times by Johnson during the subsequent election campaign, was criticised at the time for being based more on aspiration than definite plans.

Experts said that the initial programme involved the bulk of money going to just six sites, with a much smaller pot of £100m set aside for seed funding among 34 hospitals, with few signs of how much money would be available overall.

The details set out on Friday by the health department list 40 projects due to be completed by 2030 under the government’s health infrastructure plan, with eight other sites invited to bid for funding.

Of the 40, 26 form part of the second phase of the infrastructure plan, due to take place between 2025 and 2030. Six more are planned under the first stage, by 2025. Of the other eight, four are already being built, and four more are awaiting final approval.

Additionally, more than half the projects are not new hospitals as such, but comprise rebuilding projects on existing sites, consolidations of other hospitals, or extra units.

The four already being built are in Sandwell in the West Midlands, north Cumbria, Liverpool and Brighton. Those awaiting approval are in London, Morpeth in Northumberland, Manchester and Nottingham.

Johnson said: “The dedication and tireless efforts of our nurses, doctors and all healthcare workers have kept the NHS open throughout this pandemic. But no matter what this virus throws at us we are determined to build back better and deliver the biggest hospital building programme in a generation.”

Saffron Cordery, deputy chief executive of NHS Providers, welcomed the announcement but warned that the 40 new hospitals would cost about £20bn, most of which would need to be found in the next few years: “Building a new, average mid-sized hospital costs around £500m, so this [£3.7bn] is just an initial downpayment.”

She added: “If the government wants these hospitals built in the time it is specifying, trusts will need the rest of the capital allocated as soon as possible.”

The announcement also lacked “any meaningful investment in our mental health estate”, she said.

Cordery said: “Any additional funding to address long-neglected infrastructure and facilities to ensure safe, high-quality care is welcome and a number of trusts have well-developed plans to get this important work under way.”

The shadow mental health minister, Rosena Allin-Khan, said the announcement was “a missed opportunity and extremely disappointing”.

She said: “It is an insult that mental health – which represents one-quarter of all health needs – has again lost out. The government must take mental health seriously and provide the resources and facilities it needs.”

Nigel Edwards, the chief executive of the Nuffield Trust health thinktank, said the £3.7bn reflected the “feast after famine” approach that recent governments had taken to NHS capital funding – the money it uses to build and modernise facilities and buy equipment such as scanners and IT – and which had made planning new projects difficult.

“This funding does not make up for the fact that the health service has not had a proper strategic view of capital investment for many years,” he said.

The Royal College of Nursing also warned that, however significant any spending on hospitals, this would not make up for a shortage of nursing staff. Donna Kinnair, its general secretary, said: “Whether hospitals are rebuilt or wholly new, they will struggle to provide safe patient care without enough nurses. Unfair salaries are pushing nursing staff out of jobs they love when England’s NHS is already missing tens of thousands.”

Care homes across Devon are facing increasing numbers of empty rooms as families are reluctant to place relatives within them.

Daniel Clark www.devonlive.com 

Cllr Andrew Leadbetter, cabinet member for Adult Social Care, said at Thursday’s full council meeting there have not been any unplanned care home closures across Devon as a result of the pandemic, but concerns have been raised nationally around this potential.

He said that to support care homes in Devon, a number of elements have been put in place, including weekly monitoring via the care homes capacity tracker, voids being funded with PPE costs and additional staff costs covered, and funding to support client isolation costs for 14 days post placement.

Cllr Leadbetter confirmed that the policy across Devon for hospital discharges into care homes was that testing takes place, and the result is known prior to discharge, with care homes to receive funding to be able to put in place arrangement to support 14 days of isolation within care homes for new placements, if needed.

But we added: “What we are seeing in Devon is a rising numbers of voids as individuals and families are reluctant to place them into care homes.”

He had been asked to report by Cllr Martin Shaw on the Covid situation, especially outbreaks in care homes, and the measures taken, and in his report, Cllr Leadbetter said that Devon is one of the areas of the country so far least impacted by COVID-19 related cases and fatalities.

“Even relative to its low level of community-based transmission of COVID-19, Devon has experienced significantly fewer outbreaks and fatalities in its care homes than is typical elsewhere,” he added.

He continued: “National testing challenges continue, but work locally is taking place to support care homes, and the national testing strategy is that all care home staff (including bank and agency staff), including those without symptoms, should be tested every week.

“We are taking part in a Department of Health and Social Care COVID-19 testing pilot within Extra Care Housing (ECH) and Supported Living (SL) to inform future national testing requirements and testing strategy for people living in ECH and SL, of which there are 324 properties in Devon.

“People living in these properties, their homes, have a range of needs including mental health needs, physical disability needs, learning disability or autism needs. They also have a greater level of independence than people in care homes and subsequently can play a more active role in the community and therefore have different infection risks to manage, this can be challenging for those who have more risky behaviours and for the staff that support them.”

Cllr Leadbetter added: “To support care homes in Devon we have put a number of elements in place. These include weekly monitoring via the care homes capacity tracker enable is to have oversight of risks to business continuity and viability, and for those identified with 15 per cent voids to receive weekly phone calls providing the opportunity for care homes to raise concerns including viability concerns.

“There has been £3.9m additional and targeted funding to care homes, a £10.5m Infection Control Fund for Devon of £950 per bed and a second additional payment from unallocated funds, and funding to support client isolation costs for 14 days post placement.

“It is policy across Devon that testing takes place, and the result is known prior to discharge. Care homes receive funding to be able to put in place arrangement to support 14 days of isolation within care homes for new placements.”

Earlier this year, he Devon STP health and care organisations worked jointly in the recruitment, training and deployment of staff, which result in 209 extra people, who were employed in front-line healthcare assistant roles across the Devon STP health and care organisations

The majority were recruited into permanent roles, with 74 people employed in permanent care worker roles with adult social care providers, including 49 in domiciliary care and 25 in residential care in Devon County Council’s geographical area, with 17 people were employed on a temporary basis in Social Care Reablement and the Durrant Care Hotel, via Temp Solutions.

A new STP Proud to Care campaign in Autumn/Winter 2020 will attract new people to important health and care vacancies in Devon. The aim is to support winter pressures, to support recruitment in anticipation of a local or national resurgence of COVID-19, to fill vacant posts, to support hospital discharge and encourage people to remain independent at home, where possible, and residential homes, and to benefit from government’s Plan for Jobs including the Kickstart Scheme, apprenticeships (including nursing apprenticeships) and traineeships at a time of high unemployment.

Providing infection control guidance is followed, care homes can continue with their own visiting policies.

But Cllr Leadbetter added: “However, this situation is subject to an ongoing dynamic risk assessment and may change in the future, at which point care settings will be notified. Our priority is to ensure that everyone is as safe as possible, should we see an increase in local coronavirus cases.”

The total number of new coronavirus cases confirmed in the last seven days across Devon has risen – but with falls in Plymouth and Cornwall.

Daniel Clark www.devonlive.com 

Government statistics show that 381 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 365 new cases confirmed last week.

The number of new cases confirmed in Cornwall has fallen, going from 179 to 132 in the latest seven days, while Plymouth has seen cases more than half, dropping from 74 to 36.

But in Torbay, cases have more than doubled, from 18 to 39 – partially linked to an outbreak at a care home. And in the Devon County Council area, they have nearly doubled, from 96 to 178, although 60 per cent of those cases are in Exeter, primarily linked to the University.

Of the 381 new cases, 132 were in Cornwall, with 11 in East Devon, 107 in Exeter, 8 in Mid Devon, 13 in North Devon, 36 in Plymouth, 9 in the South Hams, 20 in Teignbridge, 39 in Torbay, 5 in Torridge, and 4 in West Devon.

Cases in Cornwall, the South Hams, Plymouth have fallen compared to the previous week, with East Devon remaining the same

Of the 381 new cases confirmed, 280 of the cases have a specimen date of between September 25 and October 1, with the majority of the other 101 cases dated occurring between September 21 and 24, although some dated back to the start of the month.

Of the 303 of the cases had a specimen date of between September 25 and October 1, 91 of Cornwall cases occurred in that period, with 10 in East Devon, 72 in Exeter, 5 in Mid Devon, 12 in North Devon, 17 in the South Hams, 14 in Teignbridge, 31 in Plymouth, 32 in Torbay, 2 in Torridge, and 4 in West Devon.

By specimen date, the most recent case in Teignbridge is October 1, for Cornwall, Exeter, North Devon, Mid Devon, Plymouth, the South Hams, Torbay and West Devon is September 30, is September 29 for East Devon, and September 28 for Torridge.

While the number of cases in Devon have significantly risen, more than half of the cases are linked to students at the University of Exeter.

It is understood that at least 60 households within the City are self-isolating and following public health advice, and there is no evidence at this stage of the virus spreading into the wider community, say Public Health teams.

But as demand for tests is rising at the University, they have invited the national Test and Trace scheme to set up a temporary Testing Centre on the Streatham campus dedicated to Exeter students and staff, which will enable them to focus their Halo resources on some targeted testing, and to develop a process to enable staff family testing.

Of the cases with a specimen date of between September 22 to 28, there are currently 33 clusters where three of more cases have been confirmed in a Middle Super Output Area – seven in Devon, five in Torbay, five in Plymouth, and 16 in Cornwall.

There is a cluster of three cases in Ivybridge in the South Hams and four in Roundswell and Landkey in North Devon, with five clusters in Exeter – St Leonard’s with four, Central Exeter with five, St James Park and Hoopern with nine, Middlemoor and Sowton with seven, and 52 in Pennsylvania and University.

In Torbay, Shiphay & the Willows, Babbacombe & Plainmoor, Upton & Hele, Chelston, Cockington & Livermead and Clifton & Maidenway all have clusters of three.

In Plymouth, Mutley and Plymstock Elburton have a cluster of three, Honicknowle & Manadon four, Plymstock Hooe & Oreston five, and Keyham seven.

In Cornwall, there is a cluster of three in Newquay East and Penzance North, Penzance Quay, Bodmin North, Illogan & Portreath and St Columb Minor & Porth of four, Redruth North and St Agnes & Mount Hawke of five, Redruth South six, Camborne South of seven, Lanreath, Pelynt & Polraun of nine, Camborne West and Roche & Goss Moor of 11, Camborne East of 14, Kingsand, Antony & Maryfield of 16, and Pool & Illogan Highway of 26.

And while there has been a rise in cases across the region from previous figures, the number of people in hospital with coronavirus has continued to remain relatively low compared to the rest of the country, and has even fallen in the South West.

In the South West, there are currently 33 people in hospital and two on ventilation, compared to 34 and three respectively last Friday. There has not been a hospital death since September 20, and were only three deaths in the South West in hospital in September.

A person walks passed a COVID-19 test centre sign at a new walk-through testing centre (Image: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire)

The R Rate for the South West is now being estimated as between 1.1 and 1.4, the same figures as last week, with the ONS survey estimating that 0.08 per cent of the population in the South West would test positive at any one time, up from 0.07 per cent as of last week.

NHS 111 data for both Devon and Cornwall has fallen significantly in the past seven days, with the figures down 50 per cent on last Friday.

In total, Torridge has had 76 positive cases, West Devon 87, with 151 in the South Hams, 168 in North Devon, 249 in Mid Devon, 272 in Teignbridge, 305 in East Devon, 377 in Torbay, 460 in Exeter, 948 in Plymouth and 1397 in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

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.

The latest available figures show that 10,900 tests (Pillar 2) were carried out in Devon during the week ending 25 September, a significant rise on the 7,600 test carried out during the previous week.

Steve Brown, the Deputy Director for Public Health Devon, said: “The latest numbers show another rise in the number of tests carried out in Devon, and we are hearing fewer reports of delay or having to travel distances to attend a test.

“Overall, the county is still comparably very low down the table for the number of confirmed coronavirus cases. We have the immediate increase in cases in Exeter for which there is no evidence of spread within the community, but confirmed cases in our seven other District areas are still low,

“Testing resources in the main are keeping up with demand in Devon, and I ask anyone who is showing symptoms – the high temperature, new and continuous cough, or change in their sense of taste or smell – to self-isolate immediately and book a test.”

Patients needing a scan to diagnose conditions such as cancer will be able to get them on the high street under new plans being considered by the NHS.

Ryan Merrifield www.mirror.co.uk 

Health Service chiefs are drawing up plans for a reported 160 one-stop shops to provide routine checks and increase the likelihood of early diagnosis for cancer, heart disease and dementia.

They want to “radically overhaul” the way X-rays, MRI and CT scans are delivered with the innovative new set ups.

The hubs could also provide people with blood tests six days a week, lung function tests and endoscopy, without the need to go to hospital.

Bigger centres could offer mammograms, eye services, scans for pregnant women, hearing tests and gynaecological services.

CT scanning capacity would double in five years, while an extra 6,000 specialist imaging staff would be hired, reports the Sun.

The newspaper also reports figures for sick people facing long waits for diagnostic tests rose 20-fold in lockdown.

By June, there were 580,000 waiting, compared with just 30,000 in February.

In a report presented to NHS England, former cancer tsar Professor Sir Mike Richards set out how the hubs could work, particularly while the Covid-19 pandemic continues.

His study said patients may prefer to be treated away from hospitals “in a Covid-19 minimal hub”, with the centres set up on the high street or retail parks.

Children’s investigations could also be carried out in the community hubs as long as there was proper staff training, including blood tests, ultrasound, X-rays and heart monitoring.

Investigations for patients presenting with blood in the urine or who need tests for prostate cancer could also be undertaken in the hubs, the report said.

Staff working at the centres could be called upon to support the delivery of some tests (such as mobile X-rays) in patients’ homes or in care homes.

Sir Mike was commissioned by NHS chief executive Sir Simon Stevens to review diagnostic services as part of the NHS Long Term Plan.

The report said emergency diagnostic services in hospitals should be separated from planned services wherever possible to increase efficiency.

It added: “Acute diagnostic services (for A&E and inpatient care) should be improved so that patients who require CT scanning or ultrasound from A&E can be imaged without delay.

“Inpatients needing CT or MRI should be able to be scanned on the day of request.”

The study said that before the pandemic, “the need for radical improvement in diagnostic services was already clear-cut”, amid rising demand.

Diagnostic services in the NHS were already “reaching a tipping point”, with fewer people seen within NHS targets and more work being outsourced to private firms.

The study said: “The Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated the pre-existing problems in diagnostics.

“The risk of infection to and from patients attending for diagnostic tests has slowed throughput in all aspects of diagnostics, but particularly in CT scanning and endoscopy.

“This is due to the need to deep clean equipment and facilities if a patient’s Covid-19 status is positive or unknown.

“The backlog of patients waiting more than six weeks for diagnostics has increased very significantly since the start of the pandemic and now needs to be tackled as quickly as possible.”

The report said that, to help this problem, community diagnostic hubs “should be rapidly established to provide Covid-19 minimal, highly productive elective diagnostic centres for cancer, cardiac, respiratory and other conditions”.

And it says CT scanning capacity should be expanded by 100% over the next five years “to meet increasing demand and to match other developed countries”.

Meanwhile, hospitals with an A&E should have access to a minimum of two CT scanners so patients known to be Covid-19 negative can be kept separate from those who are Covid-19 uncertain or Covid-19 positive.

This would help clear the screening backlog, while further demand is expected to come from patients recovering from Covid-19 with respiratory and cardiac problems.

To support the key plan, Sir Mike calls for a “major expansion” in the workforce, with an extra 2,000 radiologists and 4,000 radiographers as well as other support staff.

Sir Mike said: “The pandemic has brought into sharper focus the need to overhaul the way our diagnostic services are delivered.

“While these changes will take time and investment in facilities and more staff, it is the right moment to seize the opportunities to assist recovery and renewal of the NHS.

“Not only will these changes make services more accessible and convenient for patients but they will help improve outcomes for patients with cancer and other serious conditions.”

Covid-19 testing in care homes in England could be de-prioritised to save scarce laboratory capacity for the NHS, public health officials fear.

Robert Booth www.theguardian.com 

The prioritisation of testing capacity to speed up results from hospitals has been raised in meetings between the NHS and local authorities, sources said. Delays in hospital testing are reportedly slowing down patient discharge and have caused some elective surgery to be postponed.

“There are moves afoot to keep testing capacity for the NHS,” one local health official said after meetings with NHS colleagues. “It has been mooted in our area that the NHS has to come first and it is having real difficulties.”

In an email seen by the Guardian, another senior local official urged colleagues to help head off a “concerning” proposal to prioritise NHS testing above care homes. They warned any reduction in care home testing could delay the identification of outbreaks. Concern about a potential move to switch test capacity away from care homes is said to have been raised by several local authorities in England.

Dido Harding, the head of the NHS test-and-trace programme and the newly created National Institute for Health Protection, set out her testing priorities two weeks ago. She told MPs the first priority for testing was hospital patients, followed by care home workers, care home residents and then NHS staff.

The Department of Health and Social Care denied any change was on the horizon. A spokesperson said: “There has been no change to our prioritisation of tests for care homes and there are no plans to change this in the future.”

It said the government was issuing more than 120,000 tests a day to care homes, prioritising outbreak areas.

However, concerns over the availability of testing in the NHS are growing. In a letter seen by the Guardian, one health authority warned that a shortage of reagent chemicals used to process tests meant some results were taking three days to come back in some hospital settings putting patient safety at risk.

Jeremy Hunt, the Commons health select committee chairman, said on Thursday that community testing – the type relied on by care homes – should be deployed to support the NHS.

“Some of those hospitals are trying really hard to test all their staff using their own laboratories, but to do that on a weekly basis they need support from NHS test and trace, they need additional reagents,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

“What we really need is for the government to say, ‘You need to make this happen at least in areas where there is high prevalence and we will help you if you can’t do it yourself’.”

By the end of this month, the NHS is aiming to increase in-house testing capacity to 100,000 a day while NHS test and trace community testing is due to expand to 500,000 a day. In the week to 23 September, about 260,000 tests of all kinds were processed daily, latest figures show.

Care homes have been clamouring for more rapid testing for staff who are supposed to be tested weekly, but in thousands of cases the results are taking more than a week to come back. This leaves residents at risk of infection by potentially asymptomatic care workers and means more care workers having to self-isolate unnecessarily.

Portsmouth council this week complained it was not receiving a result for 30% of care home tests. The leader of the council, Gerald Vernon-Jackson, said it was an “impossible situation” for care managers.

Such is the concern at the national system that Care England, which represents the care home chains providers, is trialling private testing with the potential to deliver results in 45 minutes from nostril swabs. The hope is that it could be used before staff begin their shifts and enable the return of family visitors.

The devices are provided by VMD, a Leicester-based company, whose director, Anoop Maini, cautioned that trials were at an early stage.

The machines, obtained from a Californian supplier, operate using a direct test of virus genetic material (RNA) similar to the PCR tests relied on by care homes, Maini said. He wants to make the equipment widely available this winter.

From a Correspondent:

AN EMOTIVE ISSUE

There is, no doubt, that such vast developmental proposals by Burrington Estates for live, work and leisure facilities at Winslade Park, Clyst St Mary will arouse impassioned feelings within this small, rural community. This is an opportunity to create a revered, innovative development that could be admired not only in the South West but nationwide – but there are serious elements attached to this development that are causing ‘a stumbling block’ and creating barriers restricting the development from moving forward.

Although there is much support from the community for sustainable employment numbers, for the renovation of the historic buildings, the introduction of cafes, bars, retail outlets and services, the reinstatement of the outdoor and indoor sports, leisure and fitness facilities and the swimming pool for use by the community – there are other plans for building on protected green fields (Zone A), on flood plain areas (Zone B & J) and incongruous three-storey 40 -apartment container-shipping design models (Zone D) overlooking existing residential areas and an historic Manor House, that are proving inappropriate and insupportable. This has resulted in 155 objections to the original submission and continuing growing numbers of objections (well over 200) to the recent amendments.

Local public trust was lost after Burringtons made major changes to the original planning application after the Public Consultation, which left residents with a sense of betrayal that what Burringtons had shown them differed so markedly to what they submitted to East Devon Planners. Their revised proposals contained elements that were detrimental to many in the community (e.g. replacing 14 traditional homes in Zone D with a three-storey 40 apartment block)!

The National Planning Policy Framework states that the planning system should be genuinely plan-led and should provide a positive vision for the future and a framework for addressing housing needs and other economic, social and environmental priorities. Local district development planning sets out the local authority’s policies relating to the development and use of land in their area and neighbourhood planning is where communities aspire to meet the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations within their communities. Therefore, it is very difficult for this community to accept proposals that do not conform to national, district and neighbourhood planning.

So it is no surprise that by planning unsustainable employment, creating an immense development which will pressurise existing oversubscribed infrastructure (particularly highways), building  on protected green fields and flood risk areas and designing obtrusive structures – all of which are contrary to countless policies in national, local and neighbourhood plans for the protection of communities on what is potentially one of the most  fantastic development sites in this area  – that this will result in differences of opinion!

Since April/May 2020, when the application was submitted, there have only been very few supporters (single digit numbers) for this development – but in the last 24/48 hrs there has suddenly been an influx of supporters which begs the question – who are they and why are they in support at this late stage after 5 months?

These last- minute supporters now include the Development Manager and the Management Accountant of Burrington Estates, the Group Managing Director and another Associate of the Coreus Group (the Construction Group for the Winslade Park proposed development), two former Exeter Chiefs rugby players (one who transferred to Burrington Estates Group as the Group Relationships Director, whose job is to encourage business  space uptake at Winslade Park) and other associated firms and personalities directly involved on this site. They appear to have collectively been summoned to support this application in a last-ditch attempt for Burringtons to gain some credibility. Many of their supporting posts appeared late yesterday on EDDC’s website as though they were all in the same room connected to the planning portal?

Burringtons will, no doubt, argue that many of the 200 objections from residents were in template-letter formats produced enmasse. The crucial and important difference is that each and every resident (some of whom felt their lives and homes would be impacted detrimentally by these proposals) asked for assistance to be able to submit an objection, the vast majority live in this village, added their names and addresses to their objection in an effort to achieve quality not quantity in the village that they have made their home.

Are Burrington Estates getting so desperate for support that they are now employing questionable tactics?

Struggling Sidmouth businesses are being urged to contact the East Devon MP.

We now know, thanks to certain secret diaries, that our previous MP, Sir Hugo Swire, was bosom pals with “Dave” (Cameron) and had ready access to the PM’s private phone – yet Owl cannot think of anything that Hugo did for East Devon. 

We also now know that the character Sasha Swire calls “Jumping Jupp Flash” who succeeded him, spent a large part of Tuesday in ear- bending distance of Bojo. Yet all he is promising to do is “to stay in touch” with Sidmouth businesses. Everyone in Sidmouth happy with that? – Owl  

Beth Sharp www.sidmouthherald.co.uk

Simon Jupp said he is doing all he can to stay in touch with the town’s businesses and asked residents in the town to continue to support Sidmouth, by shopping locally.

It comes after Sidmouth resident Dennis Barrington, 77, raised concerns over the number of businesses closing down on the town’s high street.

Speaking to the Herald, Mr Barrington said: “I was brought up in Sidmouth and have spent most of my life in Sidmouth and am most concerned about what is happening to this lovely little town.

“Something drastic needs to be done to stop the businesses closing down.

“Sidmouth used to be the most prosperous town in East Devon, nobody ever had to go to Exeter for anything because you could get it here.

“A cut in business rates is most essential, we have a newly elected MP, most people don’t know his name.

“He is the one that should be doing something about this…

“We now need incentives and something to kickstart the Sidmouth economy.

“I feel very sorry for young people, they have to have a future. I’ve argued until I’m blue in the face about online shopping.

“I’m most against these big online companies are ruining the high street, if we keep going like this, we will kill all our local trade.

“Sidmouth is becoming a cultural desert which will be tragic – we have some marvellous businesses, shops and people. If we don’t wake up now it will be too late.”

Mr Jupp said: “As a fellow Sidmouth resident, we all want to ensure our fantastic shops and high street get through the pandemic.

“The Government scrapped business rates for shops back in March and responded with extra funding to concerns I raised about access to business grants which helped open up support to more businesses across East Devon.

“I’ve held regular discussions with Sidmouth Chamber of Commerce and Sidmouth Town Council who are brilliant advocates for our town and I regularly visit local businesses too.

“I’d urge businesses who are struggling to get in touch with me and I’ll continue to raise their concerns directly with the government.

“Crucially, we must all play our part and continue to support our local shops to help secure jobs and protect our high streets.”

…..“Conservative backbenchers are increasingly mutinous over the reforms, with one rebel calling it symptomatic of a “wider lack of engagement” that No 10 is not allowing MPs to vote on it.

Next Thursday dozens of rebels will be able to speak during a debate on the algorithm. About 50 Conservative MPs are part of a Whatsapp group that opposes the housing targets.”….

Do they include “jumping Jupp Flash”? – His voting record and choice as the “safe” option to act a Bojo’s minder ensuring an “unencumbered” visit on Tuesday to Exeter (where the Prime Minister failed to make any announcement about funding in the Great South West), suggest not. – Owl

George Grylls | George Greenwood www.thetimes.co.uk 

Housebuilding will more than double in the Cotswolds and almost triple in Cumbria under the government’s planning reforms, analysis has revealed.

In August ministers published details of an algorithm — described by one Tory MP as a “mutant” — that calculates which parts of the country are earmarked for development as part of a government drive to build 300,000 homes a year.

The countryside charity CPRE found that the plans would lead to vast construction projects in rural areas, whereas cities and towns outside London would escape the boom.

In Cumbria, home to the Lake District, housebuilding would increase by 178 per cent, and in the Cotswolds there would be 148 per cent more development. Rural parts of Hampshire, Leicestershire and Gloucestershire also face huge rises in construction, and areas such as Richmondshire in North Yorkshire would be hit by a tenfold increase. Richmondshire includes part of the Yorkshire Dales.

However, cities outside London would be asked to build fewer houses. Development is set to shrink by 37 per cent in Greater Manchester and 15 per cent in Birmingham.

Crispin Truman, chief executive of CPRE, said that “governing by algorithm” did not work. He added: “Our analysis has shown the government’s far-reaching and untested changes to local planning could lead to the worst of all possible worlds — gobbling up our countryside without delivering the affordable homes our rural communities are crying out for.”

Conservative backbenchers are increasingly mutinous over the reforms, with one rebel calling it symptomatic of a “wider lack of engagement” that No 10 is not allowing MPs to vote on it.

Next Thursday dozens of rebels will be able to speak during a debate on the algorithm. About 50 Conservative MPs are part of a Whatsapp group that opposes the housing targets.

Last month Andrew Griffith, the MP for Arundel & South Downs, called it a “mutant algorithm cooked up in the wet market of Whitehall”. This week Harriett Baldwin, MP for West Worcestershire, said the government was “concreting down rather than levelling up”.

Boris Johnson said the government was giving young people the chance of home ownership “for the first time in a generation” and that the construction would avoid “desecrating our beautiful countryside”.

Analysis by The Times found that seats in the traditional Tory shires faced a huge rise in development. The Cotswolds constituency would have an extra 739 homes a year. Arundel & South Downs would receive 4,510 homes over ten years — the equivalent of a small town. London would be hit hardest, with a fivefold rise in Sir Keir Starmer’s seat of Holborn & St Pancras.

Outside the capital housebuilding in urban areas would go into reverse, with a reduction of 260 homes a year in Manchester Central.

John Fuller, chairman of the District Councils’ Network, said that councillors were “enraged” by the targets. “We’ve got to have a formula — but, please God, not this one,” he said.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said that ministers would “reflect on the feedback received” from a public consultation, which closed yesterday.

A spokesperson said: “Local housing need proposals provide a guide for councils on how many homes may be needed in their area. Councils will still need to consider local circumstances to decide how many homes should be delivered.”

John Hoban, who missed key defects, criticises council over cuts to building control service

Robert Booth www.theguardian.com 

The building inspector who missed key defects in the disastrous refurbishment of Grenfell Tower has told the public inquiry into the fire he was “truly heartbroken” for the victims during a tearful speech in which he also pointed the finger at his former employer, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

John Hoban, a senior building control surveyor at the council which owned the high-rise in west London, sobbed as he described his pain at the deaths of 72 people after the 2017 fire that was fuelled by the cladding system it was his job to inspect.

But he expressed anger at his former employer, condemning the deep austerity cuts that he said led to 10 building inspectors with 230 years of experience between them being replaced with a single new graduate at about the time the refurbishment was taking place. “I don’t believe that was the correct way to run a department,” he said.

After two days of evidence in which Hoban admitted not checking drawings properly, failing to read the specification and not understanding the combustibility of proposed materials, he said he was heartbroken “for those that lost their lives that night, particularly the children, the brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, fathers, mothers, grandfathers, grandmothers”.

He also addressed the survivors and the bereaved, some watching the socially distanced proceedings online, saying he knew their lives would never be the same.

Hoban earlier described being overwhelmed by a workload of up to 130 projects at a time and told the inquiry that the culture of the department at the Conservative-controlled council was such that he did not feel he could say no to work.

He said he would come into the office on weekends to “keep on top of my work”, adding: “I used to go to bed with a notebook thinking about jobs, and some nights I wasn’t sleeping at all.”

Hoban said the cuts to staff between 2013 and 2017, which the inquiry heard were signed off by council leaders, were not the correct way to run a department. His remarks represent a push back against the council’s statement to the inquiry in January in which it apologised unreservedly for failings in its building control service. That was taken by some survivors and bereaved as an attempt to limit the blame assigned to the council.

During his evidence, Hoban pointed to the expertise of the design team and fire engineers who were employed as reasons he felt comfortable with what they were doing. Richard Millett QC, counsel to the inquiry, repeatedly reminded Hoban it was his responsibility as a building inspector to check their work. He asked Hoban: “Are you saying because Grenfell had a team of experienced professionals, you were less ruthless and rigorous than you would have been had they not been there?” Hoban denied he was “relying” on them, but said: “I can only do so much in a day, Mr Millett, and I have to prioritise my work, I have to make judgments.”

In his final tearful remarks, Hoban tried to set the failures that led to Grenfell in the context of wider deregulation of building standards.

He said: “If we had a regulatory body like we had with the Greater London council and the regulations and building act and bylaws we had at the time, and a support network of experts that administered the regulations, I don’t think we would be … here talking about people that lost their lives and all these buildings with flammable cladding and the stress and uncertainty that leaves with people living in those buildings now.”

The inquiry continues on Monday.

Owl was intrigued by the cryptic reference to “3 River development” from yesterday’s report on the latest “goings on” in Mid Devon. Here are the details.

Council’s development company 3 Rivers “a haemorrhage” to taxpayer funds

Lewis Clarke www.devonlive.com

Mid Devon District Council’s (MDDC) development company 3Rivers Development Ltd (3RDL) “will not be getting a green light to go forward” after questions were asked about its performance.

Leader of the Council, Councillor Bob Deed (Cadbury, Independent), blasted 3RDL following questions from a member of the public and a response from Deputy Chief Executive, Andrew Jarratt at the Full Council meeting held on Wednesday, July 1.

The discussion was held openly, prior to a private meeting held on Thursday, July 2, with councillors and 3RDL directors.

In a letter to the Council read at Democratic Period, Tiverton resident, Roger Davey questioned the current 3RDL construction behind Tiverton Town Hall. It was previous reported that the site, which is currently being transformed into 39 flats and houses, will overspend by around £757,000.

Mr Davey, a founder of the Angel Project, which aimed to turn the land into public recreational use, also pointed out that previous developers who attempted to develop the area Russell Harrison and McCarthy and Stone, had abandoned their schemes, as they could see “no profit.”

“Was a proper cost-profit analysis carried out by an independent consultancy, i.e., not the council or its architects?” he asked.

“Given that 3RDL was set up by the Council largely as a result of a report by a finance director to develop this and other sites and has not and is unlikely to make a profit, is it not time to liquidate 3RDL, go back to the drawing board and consult with groups like the Angel Project to try to salvage from this disaster a better scheme which improves the area and enhances the riverside?”

Mr Davey added that the estimated overspend was a “gross under-estimate.”

He added: “I believe that a £1,250,000 overspend is more realistic given the fact that despite nearly three years since start of work on this site, all of the groundworks are still not complete. What does the Council intend to do as a matter of urgency, to stop the haemorrhage of our, the council taxpayers money?”

He added: “Given that most of the discussions around 3RDL and this scheme have been held in secret, to, I believe, save embarrassment of the Council and some of the top-level management rather than any commercial considerations, when will the Council hold a proper open meeting to discuss this fiasco and the implications for services in the future given the debt that will be incurred?”

Deputy Chief Executive, Andrew Jarratt responded, and explained the process, and why Mid Devon had decided to develop the site themselves.

He said: “After a national advert to find an architect capable to deliver an exemplar scheme to fit such a prominent site in Tiverton, the Council instructed Randall Simmonds LLP (professional construction consultants) to provide a budget cost sum analysis for the scheme. This value was very close to the final tendered price received by 3RDL after entering into a negotiated contract with the current contractor.

“As many of you are aware, this scheme, designed by Mikhail Riches, a London based architect, has already won a national design award, Housing Design.

“This scheme was carefully selected by the Council in order to see the delivery of a project that would be of a very high design and build quality, maximising the site’s location and vistas and would help to add increased footfall to that area of the town centre. For clarification, 3RDL has already returned significant sums to the Council over the past two years and delivered its only completed scheme to date, on time and at its budgeted level of profit. I can confirm that the Council will continue to provide regular and diligent oversight on all current and future projects.”

Mr Jarratt said the Council was aware of a potential loss on development behind Tiverton Town Hall, but that it was working with its development company, in order to be assured that the project is completed without further budgetary implications of time delay.

“Clearly, the whole commercial property market has been significantly impacted by Covid19, but it is encouraging to see a return to “business as normal” for most areas of the construction industry,” Mr Jarratt added.

“The Council continues to work with its development company and maintains an ongoing level of support for its operations. It has recently commissioned some external reports into the ongoing governance and financial viability of the company and has made a number of recommendations that will be implemented at the earliest possible opportunity. If lessons need to be learned from this one specific development, rest assured we will learn from them and then move forwards.”

However, Leader of the Council, Bob Deed said it was time to “lift the veil” on the “considerable mystery around the performance of 3RDL and the oversight of the company by the responsible officers at the Council.”

He said: “You have heard in Mr Jarrett’s response that 3RDL has already returned significant sums to the Council over the past two years and delivered its only completed scheme to date on time at its level of profit.

“This is opaque speak in that, not one penny has been returned to the Council by 3RDL over the past two years, every penny of interest due from 3RDL to the Council has had to be lent by the Council to 3RDL and remains outstanding within its total loan figure due to the Council.

“With regard to the completed scheme, although 3RDL should have paid the profit on that scheme of around £100,000 to the Council, in fact, that sum was not repaid as it should have been, but was retained by 3RDL, effectively reducing their borrowing requirement by that amount.

“Also as part of the response, it has been said that a number of recommendations emanate from recent commissioned reports on the ongoing governance and financial viability of 3RDL will be implemented at the earliest possible opportunity.

“It is the view of myself, supported by the Cabinet, that where practicable, all of the recommendations, not just a number, will be implemented. In terms of the ongoing performance of 3RDL, we would trust that these recommendations will be implemented at the earliest possible opportunity as until they are, the company will not be getting a green light to go forward.”

His statement was criticised by Leader of the Conservative Party on MDDC, Councillor Bob Evans (Lower Culm, Conservative).

“I wasn’t aware that there was then an opportunity to make a speech,” he said. “That was public question time, not an opportunity for the leader of this Council to make another speech on a subject that has been the detail of many meetings in the last few weeks, and will be subject of future meetings.

“I think there is a right time and a right place, and I don’t think that was it.” 

However, Councillor Ashley Wilces (Independent, Cullompton North) criticised Council’s leadership for not being getting a handle on the situation earlier.

He said: “This administration has said many times that it wants to be open and transparent in its affairs, but I would say there remains significant room for improvement, especially in relation to the matters of 3RDL. To that end, I commend the Leader, for stating the questions publicly, rather than take to them to a private meeting.

“Transparency should always be the starting point and not secrecy. Will you commit to taking action to ensure that all future reports are presented to Council, in such a way that only information that is considered to be exempt from publication is withheld from the public, and not the entire context of those reports?

“Will you also commit to ensuring that the minutes of confidential meetings comply with the Local Government Act in that they provide the public with sufficient information as to know what business was transacted in private without releasing confidential information?”

Cllr Deed responded saying: “I can assure all members I will be in discussion with the monitoring officer to discuss how all future reports presented to Council can be more fulsome and transparent. It will mean discussions, whatever subject, can be held in Part I, and that Part II discussions can be held to the absolute minimum.

“The lack of open discussion at public meetings has lead to frustration on the part of both members and the public, and that feeds false rumours which cannot be of benefit to this Council or to the public’s perception in the way that this Council operates. I can assure members that my discussions with the monitoring officer will also cover the extent of minutes of confidential meetings and their compliance with the Local Government Act.”

Cllr Wilces continued to express his dismay following audit reports detailing governance issues with the running of 3RDL.

Addressing the Leader, he continued: “Such reports do not go into the detail of how and why these issues came about, nor who is responsible for them. This should not be taken to mean there has not been any mistakes made, nor deliberate act or omissions that gave rise to these issues.

“As yet, we don’t know why or how these things happened, because nobody has elected to provide that information, and so we’re obliged to carry out that further piece of work if we are to do our jobs properly.

“In doing so, we must be mindful that the actions of others have also had a deleterious effect on governance, such as the delegation of shareholder responsibility to the Chief Executive, by the previous Cabinet.

“I have also heard criticism that you have contributed the problem by not acting as swiftly as you might have once you became aware of these issues.”

“Ouch,” Cllr Deed responded.

“I would have thought that question would have come from the Conservative group, but never mind, it’s part of my own group.” 

Cllr Deed then explained what had happened during his time as Leader in regards to 3RDL to “set the record straight.”

He said: “On May 23 2019, the day after I was appointed as your Leader, I sat in the Chief Executive’s office and one of the topics discussed as you would expect, was 3RDL. I did request at that meeting that I wished to be told of any problems before the end of May 2019, and any such disclosures would be dealt with as appropriate on a non-blame basis. I could give no guarantees on how I would respond if problems came to light subsequently.

“Over the next five months, I regularly requested that an external report be commissioned in order that we might have an assessment of any remedial action which may be necessary to take in respect of 3RDL.

“Members, you will be aware, that over the previous 12 months, both the chair of Audit, Cllr Evans, myself, and many other members have had concern about the potential conflict of interest by individual directors. These conversations came to nothing until November 2019. At that point, it was admitted that it was thought it was only me, Cllr Bob Deed, was interested in finding out about 3RDL, and by definition, I did not have the support of my Cabinet.

“In November 2019, Anthony Collins Solicitors were commissioned to write the report that I wanted, except that when this was produced in December 2019, the report only addressed a question in relation to winding up 3RDL. That narrow commission did not reflect what I had been asking for in the previous six months.

“Anthony Collins Solicitors were then commissioned to review 3RDL in light of my constant request, i.e., what would the recommendation regarding the company to support continuing with 3RDL with the existing directors, continuing 3RDL with a new board of directors, winding down the company – that is to say, completing existing projects but not starting any new projects – and winding up the company.

“Members, you have seen the report of Anthony Collins Solicitors, which was produced in February 2020, and at their recommendation, a further report was commissioned from Bishop Flemming, which was received in May 2020.

“Unlike my previous life in the City of London in international banking, where matters such as 3RDL would have been dealt with within 13 days, in the local authority world it takes 13 months and counting.

“Tomorrow, you are all invited to discuss with the three existing directors of 3RDL, the company’s performance since its inception. I trust we can put this matter to bed as soon as possible and allow 3RDL to continue along the path that was originally envisaged for it.

“If members feel frustrated, and members of the public feel frustrated, your collective frustration is less than mine.”

He added that the 3RDL “debacle” was non-political.

“I don’t see any future in it becoming a political issue. With the support of my Cabinet, I have been trying to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. Without six months of delay, 3RDL would now be up and running, and we would all know how they were going to perform going forward.

“Unfortunately, not only has the delay held up 3RDL activity, but COVID-19 has not assisted. I am very sorry for that, but I will not accept any liability for this unconscionable delay.”