Unable to find out very much information via Twitter, yesterday I contacted BT’s chief executive, Gavin Patterson. Head of customer resolution, Paul Gilhooley, replied within a few hours to say that an emergency team of engineers would visit the site. I am grateful for his email update yesterday evening: “As promised a quick update on the position of providing service to West Hill and Ottery St Mary. The damage to the Openreach infrastructure is significant but we have a plan to resolve. Openreach will have an operations team on site tomorrow and we will replace 2 [...]
After getting very little information by tweeting at the BT customer services team yesterday, this morning I wrote to chief executive, Gavin Patterson, expressing my concerns, especially the impact on elderly people living on their own. Head of customer Resolution, Phil Gilhooley, replied by lunchtime to confirm that a team of engineers were today visiting the site to work out how to restore power, and how to prioritise elderly and vulnerable people living in the area. He has not been able to give a fix date yet, however, has promised to keep me posted on progress. The email [...]
Many thanks to the scrutiny chairs, officers, procedures committee and Leader John Hart for huge support on this. The new rules will make things much fairer and will mean that the committees will truly be representative of local people. I understand that the system will be introduced immediately. See here for more details…. http://www.claire-wright.org/…/devon_county_councillors_poi…
There was a protest demonstration by parents who wanted to see the retention (quite understandably) of the school crossing patrol service. Two of the mums (one of whom was asking for her local school to be retained) addressed the council very eloquently at the beginning of the meeting and urged councillors to vote against the proposals. There were amendments proposed by my non-aligned group, the libdems and the labour group, all of which were aimed at retaining the school crossing patrol service, but these were voted down by the conservative majority. Now cash-strapped schools will be [...]
Here’s my response to the consultation, which I submitted last month - http://www.claire-wright.org/index.php/post/my_response_to_the_proposed_loss_of_fenitons_and_otterys_school_crossing_pa
There are currently NO public speaking rights at the four scrutiny committee meetings, which has led to bad feeling and heckling among members of the public attending health and wellbeing scrutiny committee meetings, at least. The health and wellbeing scrutiny committee meeting has had to examine some high profile and controversial decisions, in particular proposals to shut hospital beds (including at Ottery St Mary), which has caused much anxiety and anger in communities across Eastern and Northern Devon. I have always felt it was wrong that the NHS should have a lengthy time slot to put [...]
A former police chief is announcing today (Monday) that he will run for the office of Devon and Cornwall’s Police and Crime Commissioner, over fears that government austerity measures are putting at risk the most vulnerable members of area’s population. Bob Spencer, who served in Merseyside and Devon and Cornwall police forces for over 30 years, retired in 2009 as Acting Assistant Chief Constable for Devon and Cornwall. Bob’s campaign for the post of Police and Crime Commissioner is motivated by his deep concern over massive government cuts to both policing and adult social care budgets.[...]
Before I begin I have a small announcement to make. If you have got trouble paying your tax bill, don’t worry … I’ve had a word with George and said to just give him a call and he will do a deal with you. You might even get three per cent! So, despite the public outrage, Cameron and Osborne STILL think that a three per cent tax deal from Google after a six year investigation is a “major success!” What do we think about that?! And despite our government lobbying the EU to PROTECT tax havens, ministers still insist that this country is leading the way in clamping down on corporation [...]