“ALL town centres should have free parking in a dramatic intervention to help save the high street, a major report says today.
In a five-point strategy the Federation of Small Businesses also calls for urgent measures to halt thousands of ATM and bank branch closures that are crippling local firms and driving people away from town centres….”
“South West Water’s half-baked plan won’t cool nationalisation fever
Guardian: Nils Pratley Tuesday 4 Sept
Utilities company’s plan to give customers free shares equates to only £25 per household.
One can guess at how the thinking went in the boardroom at Pennon, owner of South West Water. The Labour party is threatening to nationalise the water industry, so let’s try to defuse some tension by giving customers free shares. We’ll call it “a new deal” and talk about “empowering” people.
Up to a point, one can understand the idea to do something eye-catching. The shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, has yet to explain how he would pay for his plans, or which of the many versions of public ownership he prefers (two big oversights), but he has definitely tapped into resentment with the current privatised model in England and Wales. Water companies know they are seen as greedy and unaccountable. It is why, as they unveiled their business plans for the next five-year regulatory period, many announced various “partnership” ideas that were nods to the nationalisation debate.
Pennon’s plan, however, looks half-baked. It apparently polled strongly, but one wonders if the researchers described a worked example. The company plans to offer customers a shareholding, or “shadow” shareholding, worth £20m, which sounds vaguely impressive until you realise it equates to £25 per household for the 800,000 households in the south-west. At Pennon’s current share price of 755p that means three-and-a-bit shares each, which would be hideously fiddly to administer.
As for the claim that customers will “be able to receive a share of the company profits as shareholders do”, punters should know that Pennon’s shares currently yield 5%. So the starting dividend income on a £25 holding would be about £1.25 a year, not always enough for half a pint of beer in a Cornish hostelry. Such tiny sums probably wouldn’t convert many waverers to the joys of privatisation. Pennon tends to be more open than most of its breed, but this looks like a gimmick that could easily backfire.
Rivals kept things simpler. Thames, whose financial engineering, pollution and leaks have done most to excite nationalisation fever, said its private owners would have to accept lower dividends while an extra £2bn is spent on infrastructure. Severn Trent said it would give 1% of profits to a “community fund”. Both approaches ignored soaraway boardroom pay, another source of complaint, but at least they are easier to understand than token shareholdings.”
Press release:
“Michael Gove is Wasting his time!
Conservative Councillors Undermine Government Environmental plans
The Woodbury Common “Area 12” development in East Devon is a classic example of members of the conservative party undermining the leadership and the will of the electorate. The proposed development of factories within an Area of Outstanding Natural beauty caused a local outcry. There were 198 objections to the plans and 4 people supported the application. When the development was put to the planning committee the council chamber was packed with objectors. The plans were passed with 6 people voting in favour and 5 against. The 6 supporters were all Tory Councillors who were not only out of step with the wishes of the electorate but also showed a total disregard for Michael Gove’s 25-year Environmental Plan.
Michael Gove is wasting his time! He is being undermined by his own Party and would be more effective working for an organisation with real environmental integrity such as The Wildlife Trust. He may be the most progressive and forward thinking Conservative Secretary for the Environment that we have had in decades. He recently stated “Outside the EU we are going to make sure that our environment is enhanced and protected. We believe in a greener Britain.”
If he hasn’t been a closet environmentalist all his life he has learned very quickly. He has listened to the much maligned “so called experts” and taken their ideas onboard. He isn’t afraid of speaking out either. When Donald Trump pulled the USA out of the Paris International Climate agreement most of the government were shuffling around looking at their shoes and scared to speak out in case they caused any offence. Michael however came out and condemned the move in his first speech after being returned to the cabinet. People have said that the new Tory “Green” policies that he is putting forward are just “vote bait” and that the conservatives are desperate to grab votes from the younger generation.
It is true that the younger generation in general tend to be greener than the traditional Tory voter, but they are also quite canny. It is not enough these days for a party to Talk the Talk, they will have to be seen to Walk the Walk if they are to get the youth vote. If the Tories don’t make good on their promises the next generation of voters will be even more disaffected about politics than the current ones. Plans for environmental initiatives like the bottle deposit scheme, banning single use plastics, and a switch to electric cars are very welcome, but until the legislation necessary to get them working is in place they are just a good idea and nothing more. Michael may have good intentions but after a year in the job the harsh reality is that he has changed very little.
Michaels downfall will not come because of criticism from environmental groups as most of the conservationists I talk to agree with his proposals. He is in step with most current thinking on environmental protection and is happy to express his own ideas. The document “A Green Future: Our 25 Year Plan to Improve the Environment” contains enough positive ideology to satisfy most environmental campaigners. The document is elegantly designed, and its contents has been carefully thought out. It covers a huge range of subjects: sustainable land use, enhancing the beauty of landscapes, ways of reducing pollution and waste, fishing policy that ensures seas return to health and fish stocks are replenished, climate change, and new forests. The document even covers wildlife crime, poaching and illegal wildlife trade beyond our borders.
The problem that Michael has is that the document is a vision and not legislation. It is a collection of really good ideas, but it is not law. When there is a conflict between potential industrial development and the environment the ideals will get thrown into the river like toxic waste. If there is a chance for a profit to be made Tory councils will always find ways to get around even the most stringent protections. The “Green Future” is not seen as a moral compass for development it is just viewed as a bit of a nuisance.”
“Britain’s largest housebuilder Barratt Developments has shrugged off fears of a slowdown in the property market to post record profits.
The FTSE 100 giant made £836m in pre-tax profits in the year to June, a 7.9pc improvement on the previous year, after revenues grew 4.8pc to £4.9bn.
Barratt sold 17,579 houses in the year, up 1.1pc, at an average selling price of £289,000, a rise of 5pc.
While there are signs of a slowdown in the wider housing market, John Allan, chairman, said Barratt’s new builds were continuing to attract strong levels of interest from buyers.
He said: “Market conditions remain good with a wide availability of attractive mortgage finance, which, alongside Help to Buy, continues…”
Owl says: what did you expect from this government?
“The head of the Commons standards watchdog has resigned and accused parliament of “sacrificing transparency” by banning the identification of MPs who are under investigation.
Sir Kevin Barron announced yesterday that he would step down next month after eight years of chairing the standards and privileges committee. “I am proud of the changes made to the code of conduct over the years, including the recent introduction of a new system of investigation into bullying and sexual harassment,” he said. But he took a swipe at his fellow MPs, adding: “It is a shame that some of those changes had to come with the sacrifice of transparency.”
In July members voted in favour of plans to keep secret the details of all MPs under investigation. The change was part of reforms being pushed through in response to reports of sexual harassment and bullying at Westminster.
Sir Kevin fiercely opposed the motion, describing it at the time as a “step backwards in transparency”. Lay members of the committee said that the move was “a detrimental step in continuing to build the credibility of the reputation of the House”. Less than two hours after the vote passed, the parliamentary standards commissioner had removed the list of current inquiries from its website.
Since 2010 details of MPs under inquiry, as well as rulings, have automatically been published. The new rules mean that the commissioner will no longer automatically publish verdicts.
Sir Kevin said: “I feel that now is an ideal time for me to move on and focus on other projects.” He commended the work of the lay members of the committee.
Jeremy Corbyn was reported to the standards commissioner last month for allegedly failing to declare his contentious trip to Tunisia or reveal who paid for it. If the commissioner were to rule that he broke Commons rules on declaring an overseas trip, he would have to apologise to MPs. Under the new system, however, the public would not automatically know of the details of the investigation. A spokesperson for Mr Corbyn has said: “The cost of the trip did not meet the declaration threshold.”
Source: The Times (paywall)
Reactions to the decision:
Yesterday at East Devon District Council the Planning Committee agreed to an area on Woodbury Common to be allowed to become an extension to an Engineering works. The application will allow the engineering plant to become twice as large.
Tony Bennett chair of “Wild Woodbury” responded to the news
“Area 12” Factory Development for Heavy Industry on Woodbury Common – I would like to thank everyone who campaigned to get this proposal thrown out. Sadly, the council voted to accept the submission.
There was a fantastic turnout for the meeting and I think it is fair to say everyone left feeling let down, angry, and betrayed. The floodgates are now open. This will probably be biggest development (apart from mineral extraction) to have taken place on Woodbury Common since the Doomsday book was written! A golden opportunity has been missed.”
The site known as area 12 was the processing and offices area for a large gravel and sand quarry which originally had been agreed back in 2003 to be returned to heathlands after a payment of £6.4M was paid to the landowners and operators in compensation for stopping mineral extraction and processing of materials due to the special status of the Pebblebed Heaths. However, following further temporary planning changes, it was later agreed that consideration would be allowed for Area 12 to be used for another purpose.
Most of the Existing Engineering buildings next to area 12 had been granted “stand alone” planning permission by the previous planning Authority in the early 1960s and 1970s, which preceded the area being designated an “Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty”
The Application yesterday was submitted by the landowners Clinton Devon Estates to allow the expansion of the Engineering plant because of the “exceptional justification” and “economic importance” of allowing their tenant to expand the operational facilities at their site.
The Councillors that voted for the proposal where, Colin Brown, Brain Bailey, Paul Carter, David Key, Jim Night, and Helen Parr (all Conservative Councillors)
The Councillors that voted against the development where Ben Ingram, Susie Bond, Geoff Jung, and David Barratt (all Independent Councillors) and Bruce de Saram (Conservative.)
In a bizarre twist to the debate Councillor Paul Carter seemed to be against the proposal saying it was against the Planning Authorities planning policy and approval to this application may allow developments in inappropriate locations be approved in the future, but then voted for the proposal!
The Committee was advised by officers that although the application was against local policy two important consultees, the RSPB and Natural England both supported the Application.
Natural England said in their written response:
“It is not likely to have a significant effect on the East Devon Pebblebed Heaths Special Area of Conservation (SAC), East Devon Heaths Special Protection Area (SPA) or East Devon Pebblebed Heaths Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).”
RSPB said in their response:
“Therefore, we feel that the alternative proposals proposed in the Ecological Appraisal Addendum (Richard Green Ecology, April 2018) are adequate to address the lost opportunity to restore the Blackhill Quarry application site.”
Further in Natural England’s response they requested an additional condition if the application was approved to “personalize” the application so the industrial site could only be used by the Blackhill Engineering or their parent company.
“However, given that the need is specific to Blackhill Engineering/Super Cat and is not a general need for development of industrial space in an otherwise un-spoilt and iconic part of the AONB Natural England recommend that, if you are minded to grant permission, you include a condition or planning obligation which ties the permission to occupancy by this company and requires decommissioning and restoration, as per the original minerals planning permission, should they vacate the site in the future.”
Therefore, this Outline Application which was approved yesterday allows Clinton Devon to submit a “Full Planning Application” for all the details of the Industrial expansion, but with a number of stringent conditions.
A substantial area (larger than Area 12) of managed woodland close to the development site will need to be cut down and returned to heathlands.
Also, that permission is specifically for the occupancy of Blackhill Engineering, if ever they vacated the site the area would be required to be decommissioned and restored as originally agreed by the mineral extraction license agreement.
However, this condition could not be applied to the existing Engineering units on the existing site.
Local residents are very disappointed with the decision taken yesterday by the Planning Committee and by the lack of support from Natural England and the RSPB, which seemed to have swayed the committee.
The Pebblebed Heaths are considered the “Crown Jewels” of this part of East Devon and over the years there have been many battles to preserve these heathlands. The use by the military, creating golf courses, new roads, quarrying, and intensive farming and forestry have all been a threat. It had been hoped with the changing attitudes and better environmental knowledge, National bodies such as Natural England and the RSPB would have supported local people in their endeavours to restrain the Industrial area from expanding on one of the most heavily protected locations in Europe.}
“Almost 1,000 elderly people a day are being admitted to hospital needlessly amid a crisis in social care, Age UK has found.
Analysis of NHS figures by the charity found that there were 341,074 avoidable emergency admissions for people aged 65 and over during the year to April 2017.
The number has risen by 107 per cent since 2003 for those aged 65 to 69, and by 119 per cent for older people aged 75-79.
Among the general population of England, the number has risen by 63 per cent.
The figures relate to admissions because of conditions such as ear, nose or throat infections, kidney and urinary tract infections, and angina, for which hospitalisation could potentially have been avoided had the person been better looked after.
Many older people rely on family and friends to help them in the absence of reliable social care, the charity warned.
One in three over-65s live alone, and one in ten have no children, and these figures are expected to rise as younger generations, who are less likely to have married or had children, reach retirement age.
Many of those who do have loved ones to care for them rely on elderly relatives who may have health problems of their own.
One case study highlighted by the charity involved a 67-year-old woman who has been a carer for 40 years, first for her parents and more recently for a younger sister who has Alzheimer’s disease.
In another case a 73-year-old woman has been the sole carer for her 75-year-old husband since he had a stroke and brain haemorrhage four years earlier. She cancelled previous at-home care because it was “unreliable and lacking in continuity”.
Its report also highlights the problem of older people stuck in hospital and unable to go home, putting more strain on the healthcare system.
Care not being in place was the main reason there were delays for older people leaving hospital in England last year, according to figures released by the NHS. …”
“Controversial plans to allow industrial units in a Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty have been narrowly approved.
The site at Blackhill Quarry, near Woodbury, housed quarry processing works but was due to be returned to its natural heathland state.
There were almost 200 objections, including the local parish council and ward member, to Clinton Devon Estates’ plans for 35,000 square feet of industrial space.
East Devon District Council’s Development Management Committee was told there were “exceptional circumstances” and the proposal would create 71 highly-skilled engineering jobs.”
…”The poorest fifth of families would have to set aside more than 40% of their total weekly income after housing costs to satisfy the requirements of the government’s Eatwell guide, the study finds. …
The study estimates that 47% of all UK households with children do not spend enough on food to meet the Eatwell cost targets, a proportion that rises to 60% for single parent families. Just 20% of households where the main earner is unemployed spends the recommended amount, it estimates.
The costs of healthy eating fall disproportionately on the poorest half of the population, for whom a healthy balanced diet would account for nearly a third of disposable income on average, the study finds. This compares with an average 12% of disposable income for the wealthiest half of households.
Households in the lowest two income deciles – earning less than £15,860 a year – would need to spend 42% of their income after rent, while those in the top 10% of incomes would need to spend just 6% of their disposable income, the researchers estimate. …”
… “Many have been left with no choice but to bring in a 4.5-day week for kids as they cannot staff classrooms properly.
The measures come as a Mirror investigation found schools are so strapped for cash many special needs pupils are not getting support as heads have had to axe teaching assistants, leading to fears of behavioural problems.
That is coupled with a lack of basic equipment, growing class sizes, no cash to repair leaky buildings, staff shortages and cancelled school trips.
At least 24 schools across the land, including 14 in Birmingham alone, have ditched lessons on Friday afternoons. And more than 200 other heads have warned they are considering doing the same. …
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/thousands-children-face-shorter-week-13193641
“The government is facing a legal challenge over its new planning policy, which campaigners say was illegally adopted because the government failed to assess its environmental impact.
The revised National Planning Policy Framework, published in July, informs local policies across England, from planning permission to town and country planning and land use. It has significant weight in development decisions, from the amount and location of built development to the way environmental impacts are assessed, and also deals with policies concerning air pollution, energy generation, water management and biodiversity.
A strategic environmental assessment (SEA) is required by EU law for public plans relating to land use and planning, among other things. It is required wherever policies are likely to have a significant impact on the environment. Friends of the Earth wants to force the government to undertake an SEA, consult the public and modify the framework based on those findings.
The NGO has filed a claim at the high court, saying the NPPF makes it “virtually impossible” for councils to refuse local fracking schemes, fails to rule out future coal developments, and introduces harsh new rules for wind energy schemes. It argues it is impossible to gauge the environmental impact of such policies without a strategic assessment. …”
“As well as the stripping-back of some of the most essential public services, one of the key effects of 10 years of austerity has been the crushing of countless other shared spaces: drop-in centres, libraries, Sure Starts.
Perhaps the most overlooked casualties have been the hundreds of youth centres and clubs that have closed since 2010. More than 600 such facilities in Britain have shut over the last six years, with the loss of 139,000 youth places and 3,650 staff.
In our major cities, anxiety about this organised neglect is focused on gangs and knife crime. In quieter parts of the country people’s worries are more basic – as in Gywnedd, north Wales, where recent plans to close all 39 of the county’s youth clubs were greeted with the unanswerable argument that “young people will have nowhere but the streets to socialise with each other in the evenings”.
The Government is offering various grants from the European Union (probably amongst our last ones) channeled through Local Enterprise Councils.
Here in the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership area ALL three types of grants are offering less money to the “more developed areas of Somerset” and more to the (presumably less developed areas of) ‘Transition’ areas of Devon.
So should Devon be putting less into the LEP than more well-off Somerset? Or is ut just that Hinkley C is sucking up all the dosh now?
“EUROPEAN SOCIAL FUND (ESF) INFO EVENT ON 12TH SEPTEMBER IN EXETER:
The session will particularly focus on the following live ESF calls for project proposals in the Heart of the South West:
Young Opportunities (OC16S18P1151) –
A £1.98 million (£0.98 million for the ‘More Developed’ area of Somerset and £1 million for the ‘Transition’ area of Devon, Plymouth and Torbay) ESF call for projects to support young people to access good quality careers and employment thereby avoiding Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) status in Heart of the South West LEP area.
Skills in Employment (OC16S18P1152) –
A £7 million (c. £2.33 million for the ‘More Developed’ area of Somerset and c. £4.67 million for the ‘transition’ area of Devon, Plymouth and Torbay) ESF call for projects offering employed individuals the opportunity to progress their skills, with a particular focus on intermediate / technical and higher-level skills (e.g. NVQ Level 3 and 4), as well as high demand skills at lower levels which enable growth (e.g. NVQ Level 2 qualifications within transformational / opportunity sectors).
Shaping Future Skills Provision (OC16S18P1153) –
A £1.15 million (£0.15 million for the ‘More Developed’ area of Somerset and £1 million for the ‘Transition’ area of Devon, Plymouth and Torbay) ESF call for projects to enhance the labour market relevance of skills provision in Heart of the South West LEP area
Local government workers throughout Devon are paying into a pension pot that invests in fracking:
https://www.devonlive.com/news/business/county-council-workers-pension-pot-1965648
And guess what – they just bought an expensive building!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-44725806
“The geographically largest local authority in the UK will be forced to defer non-essential spending, accelerate savings and cut back further on staff recruitment in order to tackle an urgent projected deficit.
In papers submitted to its Corporate Resources Committee this week, Highland Council—which serves a third of the land area of Scotland—revealed a plan to reduce expenditure in face of an expected overspend of £5.1m.
To make matters worse, the council’s reserves, at around £8m, are “well below the minimum level” recommended by Audit Scotland. Budget leader Cllr Alister Mackinnon stressed that it is vital this money isn’t depleted further by a year-end deficit.
“Services need to work within their budgets and the measures set out are designed to ensure that this happens,” she added. “I am confident however that we can deliver an improved situation by addressing the issues thoroughly now.
“We must remember that, although this is a serious issue which must be corrected urgently, this is 1% variance on our budget and it is common to expect a small deviation early in the financial year. We are not alone – all Scottish councils are facing financial problems.”
The local authority’s leader, Margaret Davidson, said the biggest area of concern is around children’s services, particularly looked-after children accommodated out of Highland. “A plan to bring some of the children back to the Highlands and to improve the outcomes for these children needs to be accelerated,” she urged. “We need to simultaneously be more efficient and make the best decisions for some of our most vulnerable children.” …”
“Almost 60% of public sector finance professionals have come under pressure to act unethically at least once in their career, a CIPFA survey has found.
The institute surveyed members and other public sector accountants about ethical matters over the summer.
The results, revealed exclusively in PF, found that 57% of the 487 respondents said they had been put under pressure or felt under pressure to act in a professionally unethical way.
Of those who felt under pressure, 8% said they had fully carried out an unethical action, and 28% had done so partially.
The three most commonly cited unethical actions were supporting excessively optimistic budgets and business cases, dodging policies, standing orders and other regulations, and unreasonably downplaying risks.
Line managers and chief finance officers, chief executives and other directors were the two most commonly cited source of pressure in all sectors.
For respondents in local government, the council’s political leadership provided a third source of pressure, while those in the NHS cited pressure from regulators. …”
Source: CIPFA
“Plans for a £20m underground visitor attraction on Dorset’s Jurassic Coast are due to be submitted at the end of this year, project directors have said.
The proposals, supported by Cornwall’s Eden Project, bring together previously shelved plans for an observatory and dinosaur-themed park on Portland.
The new scheme will make use of a stone mine on the peninsula which is due to close at the end of the year.
Directors say it will create 130 jobs and attract 320,000 visitors a year. …”
“The ‘crown jewels’ of property sold off by the Metropolitan Police have been revealed today as the force admits it has “run out of things to sell”.
Britain’s largest police force has been at “breaking point,” according to bosses at the Metropolitan Police Federation. They have sold off their headquarters at New Scotland Yard, police stations and hundreds of flats in its portfolio to make hundreds of millions in savings.
The sell-off has earned the Met £1bn in the past six years, but opponents said the force had “sold the crown jewels.”
Ken Marsh, chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, said: “We’ve sold the Crown Jewels, so to speak. We’ve run out of things to sell. This is really, really, worrying for society.
“At the end of the day they have all been sold so that we don’t have to cut police officers. That is shocking. The government talk a good talk, always praising us and saying how brilliant we are.
“But when it actually comes to it, you know, there’s officers around the country using food banks.”
Hundreds of flats and buildings have been bought from the force since 2012, with many owned by the force since the 19th Century, and New Scotland Yard went for £370m to investors from Abu Dhabi for luxury flats two years ago.… .
“… Excluding developments where planning consents were gained by a previous owner and the student accommodation projects, in 93% of Berkeley’s 57 London developments the company told local authorities that their affordable housing targets were unviable.
In one example, Land Registry data indicates Berkeley Group sold 71 homes in its Ebury Square development in Belgravia, central London, for a total of £358m.
The company told Westminster council that as the development was refurbishing an existing building that contained 60 units, only 11 additional homes would be generated. This meant, under Westminster planning rules, that Berkeley was obliged to build only one affordable home. But instead of building it on site, Berkeley made a payment to the council of £1.6m towards low-cost housing elsewhere in the borough.
Freedom of information disclosures show that Berkeley bought the Ebury Square site – a former police house – from the Metropolitan Police for £23.6m in 2009. The profit on this single development is thought to be in excess of £200m.
At Kew Bridge in west London, Hounslow council accepted that Berkeley could only build 20% of a 308-unit scheme as affordable – half the local authority’s affordable target.
Building those units, Berkeley stated in a planning agreement, would mean the scheme would be £24.6m in deficit. Berkeley told Hounslow that house sales would generate £132m. Berkeley did agree to make an extra payment to Hounslow capped at £8.3m in the event of the scheme performing well. Land Registry data suggest that the scheme generated close to £250m, with one apartment selling for £4.55m.
A spokesman for the company said: “Berkeley has a sustainable, successful business model that enables it to perform well throughout the economic cycle, as demonstrated by its results of recent years and creation of fantastic new communities and long term value. We are justly proud of our track record in building 10% of London’s much-needed private and affordable homes.
“Last year alone, Berkeley contributed more than £400m of subsidy for affordable housing and wider community and infrastructure projects, which has helped us be recognised as London and the south-east’s leading place-maker. Sales utilising Help to Buy are a very small part of Berkeley’s sales.” …
The statement that building Cranbrook town centre is now set fair because Exeter City Council refused one out-of-town shopping centre development close to the town recently is naive and misleading. That planning application could go to appeal and be won or, if lost, there are three further sites earmarked for similar developments in a cluster in the same area – the B and Q site, another site adjacent to B and Q and the current police HQ at Middlemoor.
….”More details about the proposed town centre for Cranbrook are also expected to be revealed in the plan as well.
Recently, Exeter City Council planners, contrary to the recommendation of officers, rejected plans for a retail park at the Moor Exchange at the east of Exeter.
Concerns had been raised about the impact that a new retail park at the East of Exeter would have had on the proposed Cranbrook Town Centre, with both East Devon New Community Partners, the Cranbrook developers, and East Devon District Council objecting to the scheme.
The town centre will be built on land next to Cranberry Farm, which will eventually be in the middle of the town. ”
http://www.midweekherald.co.uk/news/document-detailing-cranbrook-s-8-000-home-expansion-to-be-published-by-end-of-2018-1-5675758
