Objection to a 100 acre quarry at Straitgate Farm on the edge of Ottery
Here’s my objection. Huge thanks to Cllr Roger Giles and Mark and Monica Mortimer, who provided much of the information required.
Officially confirmed as a candidate in the Devon County Council elections - Thurs 4 May!
I am now officially a candidate in the Devon County Council elections for the Otter Valley Ward!
The newly formed Otter Valley ward includes Ottery St Mary town, West Hill, Tipton St John, Alfington, Aylesbeare, Newton Poppleford, Colaton Raleigh and Otterton.
We will never allow Ottery Hospital’s building to be sold off - join the Red Line next Saturday!
The beds may have gone for now but the NHS doesn’t want to tell us its plans for Ottery St Mary Hospital’s building
The Secretary of State’s private company, NHS Property Services, now owns Ottery Hospital and 11 other community hospital buildings across Eastern Devon.
It is charging commercial rents to the local cash-strapped NHS, which is one of the three most financially challenged health trusts in the country.
Call for voters in East Devon to register in time for elections this May
Deadline to register is Thursday 13 April 2017
With local elections taking place in just a few weeks, voters in East Devon are being urged to make sure they are registered to vote and are able to take part on polling day, Thursday 4 May.
Devon Build for Bees competition!
Build an amazing bug hotel to help Devon pollinators and to win some great prizes!
There are three categories:
- Builds by schools / other education providers
- Builds by community groups
- Builds by individuals
Hear Professor Dieter Helm speak on natural capital and sustainable growth - Thurs 6 April
Professor Dieter Helm is speaking about natural capital and on valuing our planet and nature, at Exeter University, on 6 April.
If you would like to attend the details are below…..
Professor Dieter Helm CBE, Fellow in Economics at Oxford University and Chair of the Natural Capital Committee will be speaking at Exeter University on Thursday 6 April.
His recent books include Natural Capital: Valuing the Planet and Nature In the Balance.
The lecture will be held at 6.30pm (drinks at 6pm) on Thursday 6 April at Exeter University and will discuss why and how the environment should be at the core of economic planning.
To book a place please email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Further details at http://www.naturaldevon.org.uk/devons-natural-environment/devons-wildlife/natural-devons-annual-lecture/
My plans to protect nature is agreed by Devon County Council cabinet
Devon County Council’s cabinet has endorsed my motion which seeks to protect Devon’s nature from the risks of leaving the European Union.
It has recommended to full council next month that we support a coalition of green charities and a government environmental committee, calling on the government to apply at least the same level of protection in UK law as exists under EU law.
There are currently 122 sites across the county, covering 115,000 hectares that are protected under EU legislation - the Habitats and Birds Directives, including The Exe Estuary, Dawlish Warren, the Pebblebed Heaths, such as at Aylesbeare and Woodbury Commons, Braunton Burrows and large parts of Dartmoor, Exmoor and sections of Devon’s coast and coastal waters.
All are also designated Sites of Special Scientific interest and receive some protection under UK legislation.
Planning application to develop a quarry on the edge of Ottery goes live
The second planning application for a 100 acre quarry on the edge of Ottery has gone live.
The first one was withdrawn last year as the applicants were not confident of getting approval.
Devon County Council as the minerals authority will determine the planning application, which has been submitted by Aggregate Industries and includes the following:
Hospital bed cuts to be referred to Secretary of State for Health unless raft of assurances given
A decision to halve the remaining hospital beds in Eastern Devon will be referred to the Secretary of State for Health, unless a raft of assurances are provided.
A review of all community hospital bed closures across Devon since 2014, will also take place, including examining the role of social care.
I made the proposal at Devon County Council’s health and wellbeing scrutiny committee this afternoon and it was voted through by seven votes to five.
NHS England chief brings in new rules on ward bed closures
This should have been brought in years ago. If it was, we may have saved Ottery, Crediton and Axminster Hospitals…
Sidmouth wins out over Seaton in final decision on hospital bed closures
Sidmouth Hospital has unexpectedly won the battle to retain its beds.
This is good news for Sidmouth, but it comes at a price. Seaton Hospital will instead lose its beds, in the farcical choice NEW Devon CCG presented communities with, which resembled a dutch auction.
All beds at Whipton, Okehampton and Honiton Hospitals (except maternity) will go, as they were not even included within the consultation options.
Community was once again (it happened in 2015 with Ottery Hospital) pitted against community with choices of various options of hospitals being able to keep their beds.
Honiton councillor attempts to defend his silence over hospital bed closures
Yesterday’s front page of the Ottery/Honiton View From Series caught my eye - http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/Launch.aspx?PBID=03a901df-0b77-4e35-90e6-93ca8d117094
It features Honiton Conservative Devon County Councillor (and EDDC leader) Paul Diviani attempting to defend his silence over plans to close all Honiton Hospital’s beds.
A town campaign group - Save Hospital Services Honiton - has asked a series of questions of him, including why he voted down two of my proposals at health scrutiny, which would have helped Honiton Hospital’s case.
Devon’s health scrutiny committee debate bed cuts decision next Tuesday
Devon County Council’s health and wellbeing scrutiny committee will debate a decision to more than halve the remaining community hospital beds in Eastern Devon, next Tuesday (7 March).
The NEW Devon CCG will make its decision tomorrow at its board meeting.
At risk of losing all their beds are: Honiton, Sidmouth and Seaton Hospitals, with the CCG proposing a ‘preferred option’ to retain beds at Exmouth, Seaton and Tiverton.
Unbelievably, Honiton Hospital was deliberately left out of the options for consultation, despite there being a maternity unit and out of hours treatment centre based there.
Ottery and Sid Valley Foodbanks issue urgent appeal for donations
Items particularly needed in Ottery are:
Custard, coffee, rice, biscuits, meat, potatoes, soup, tomatoes and fruit juice
Boxes for donations are located in:
• Roberts, Broad Street;
• Ottery St Mary Parish Church;
• The United Reformed Church hall;
• West Hill church;
• Feniton Parish Church.
Pic: With Lois Swarbrick at Sid Valley Foodbank in 2015