Monthly Archives: June 2016

Since Friday events have moved so fast I haven’t even written a blog as each time I think of an angle it gets superseded by another major news story!

Parents have launched a petition, which already has attracted hundreds of signatures, in a bid to save Tipton St John Primary School ... http://www.viewnews.co.uk/petition-sae-tipton-st-john-primary-school/

The environment isn’t the only reason I will be voting IN tomorrow. There are many others, including to retain legislation that protects workers, human rights and a belief that we are better off together than apart.

Europe isn’t perfect by any means but I don’t trust the conservative government to protect either workers or threatened species or landscapes. Parts of East Devon and Dartmoor (pictured) are protected by the Habitats Directive, which our government has tried unsuccessfully to scrap.

Being in Europe means that there is a powerful check on a government that knows the price of everything but the value of nothing.

Here’s an article I wrote for the Express and Echo earlier this year on the subjecthttp://www.exeterexpressandecho.co.uk/comment-8203-eu-helps-protect-environment-devon/story-28897976-detail/story.html

I have been working with the headteacher, Colin Butler and others to try and resolve this issue for the past couple of years but unfortunately government ministers refused a funding application under the priority school bid process, despite its serious flooding problems.

I have every sympathy with Colin Butler, the diocese and the governors, they are in an impossible position.

Parents are also understandably very upset about the situation and I will be supporting them in whatever way I can.  Echo story here -

http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co.uk/devon-village-set-to-lose-its-primary-school-amid-flood-worries/story-29416613-detail/story.html

Pic. Children helping with the school’s flood clear up earlier this year….

The team parachuted in by NHS England to reduce a massive health service debt in Devon has narrowed down its focus for cuts, it emerged yesterday.

The controversial issue of NHS Property Services “acquiring” NHS community hospitals from the local NHS is NOT on the public agenda for Monday’s meeting after all.

I have widely advertised that the subject will be debated on Monday so I hope that as many of you get this message as possible.

Instead, members will receive a private briefing about the subject during the morning session. I am not clear why a matter of such public interest is being debated in private, but I very much hope that the subject will be able to be able to be scrutinised in public at a meeting in the near future.

It was fortunate for Mr Swire that I was in the process of moving house and without internet for two weeks which meant I couldn’t respond fully to his blog posts that I fundamentally take issue with, relating mainly to Ottery St Mary Hospital and his government’s property management company, which is set to acquire 12 community hospitals in Eastern Devon, later this year.

A Devon environmentalist businessman will measure the financial and ecological value of trees in the grounds and gardens of the Houses of Parliament tomorrow (Tuesday).