August 31, 2012 in St James
There was an error in our last newsletter where it stated that Exeter City Council had made a grant for the Residents’ Association notice board in Prospect Park. This should have read Devonshire Place. It was Exeter University that funded the notice board in Prospect Park. We apologise to all parties concerned.
August 31, 2012 in St James
Residents contacted Keith Owen recently about the sign at the entrance to King Stephen Close, which had been kicked in by vandals. Also of concern was that an increasing number of vehicles were turning into the Close, finding it is a cul de sac, turning round and exiting.
Keith has arranged for a new sign to be put in place which will hopefully resolve this. Unfortunately it shows King Stephen as one word rather than two, which Keith is taking up with the council.
August 31, 2012 in Blog
Once they were seen as the natural party of government. Mainly by themselves, yes. But they were.
Now those days are long gone. Yes, we may have a Tory Prime Minister. But the Tories received a dismal 36% at the last General Election, barely a third of all votes cast. This is a smaller share than Labour got when they LOST to Mrs Thatcher in 1979. It gets worse. The Tories’ chances of winning a majority at the next election seem remote. And get this: they have not actually won a General Election since April 1992!
That’s right. If you were born on the day of the Tory Party’s last General Election victory (before Britpop, before texting or emails, only just after the collapse of the Soviet Union), you would now be old enough to have voted in the last General Election. And chances are, you didn’t vote for them.
It’s an abysmal record. What on Earth went wrong?
Well, a few things:
1) The Tories turned out to be rubbish at the things they were supposed to be good at.
Remember when the Tories were known as the party of law and order? Well, it turns out the crime actually tripled under the Thatcher/Major Government. And fell by over 40% during the last Labour Government. It’s now hard to describe the Conservatives as the law and order party while keeping a straight face.
2) They forgot that people care about things like schools and the NHS.
Yes, silly voters! Imagine caring about silly things like your friends and relatives’ health or your children’s education! But people do. And both these things declined under the Tories and improved under Labour.
3) Labour turned out to be pretty good in power.
Remember all those dire warnings about what Labour would be like in power? About hyperinflation, strikes and mass unemployment caused by the minimum wage? Well, surprise surprise: these mostly came from the Tories. And…er, they didn’t really happen did they? Instead we got a peace in Northern Ireland, a national minimum wage, much needed reforms on Lords reform, devolution and social issues. Not to mention the aforementioned improvements to the nation’s education and health.
Once the Tories were known as “the silly party.” The nickname is certainly apt. Perhaps it’s time that name was reintroduced?
Chris Hallam
August 29, 2012 in Campaigns, News
UPDATE: UNISON is organising a ‘No to Postcode Pay’ demonstration and rally in Exeter on 4th September. Speakers include South West TUC, UNISON South West and Ben Bradshaw MP.
A group of 20 NHS Trusts from across the South West of England have each committed £10,000 to form a consortium to ‘explore and develop’ regional alternatives to NHS terms and conditions, and – in particular – to the UK wide Agenda for Change agreement.
UNISON is asking people to sign an e-petition calling on the Government to stop the Trusts from cutting terms and conditions for NHS staff.
Does the SW Pay consortium affect me?
It affects everyone who lives and works in the South West or visits the South West region, and everyone working for South West NHS Trusts, as these changes will drive down pay, drive down terms and conditions, drive skilled health workers out of the region and drive down the South West local economy.
What changes are the consortium seeking?
Leaked documents from the consortium identify that it plans to explore ‘radical changes to the pay and conditions of the workforce’ through a number of measures which we estimate would overall cut pay for nurses and other healthcare staff by up to 15%. Other changes include:
- reducing holiday entitlements
- lengthening the working week
- removing payments for working outside normal hours
- Performance-Related Pay Progression
- across the-board reductions in basic pay
- cuts to sick pay
The consortium envisages a situation where “Trusts would be obliged to dismiss and re-engage staff to secure such changes”.
What would be the consequences of these plans?
UNISON believes that the activities of the consortium are both premature and draconian and that these plans will be bad for the NHS, bad for patients and bad for all NHS staff across the UK. Local pay hurts the local economy, compromises patient safety, seriously damages staff morale and creates instability in the workforce at a time when the NHS is going through unprecedented change.
Moreover they will:
- Be introducing regional pay by the back door i.e. a reduced income for those living within one region
- De-rail the national negotiations on terms and conditions
- Drive down pay, morale and performance for nurses and other healthcare staff in the South West
- Usher in a prolonged period of industrial unrest, legal challenge and disruption to healthcare services in affected areas
- Encourage Trusts in other regions to make similar go-it-alone proposals thereby ensuring nationwide distress
The plans threaten disaster for healthcare and the wider economy in the South West.
What do the unions want?
The trade union side of the NHS Staff Council (which includes UNISON, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN); the British Medical Association (BMA); the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and the Royal College of Midwives) have called on the trusts in the consortium to make clear their position on the national Agenda for Change negotiations. They want the trusts to make a commitment that they would abide by national proposals to alter Agenda for Change if agreed by the NHS Staff Council and would not proceed with their plan to cut pay in the South West.
What is happening around regional pay at a national level?
Employers have worked up – at the request of the government – a set of proposals to alter the national ‘Agenda for Change’ agreement. Employers say these changes will allow better linkage of pay and performance and will assist trusts to manage their pay bill more effectively within the current financial constraints. These proposals are currently out for consultation with members, following which further discussions with employers are already scheduled for early autumn.
The TUC are running a national campaign against regional pay, ‘Pay Fair’. To find out more, visit the TUC website and follow @payfairnow on Twitter.
What can I do to help?
Find out more
- Join the facebook group to see latest news reports: www.facebook.com/ournhsourfuture
- Follow the campaign on Twitter: follow @UNISONOurNHS & @UNISONSW to find out what is happening
- Visit the UNISON website for more information on the South West Pay Cartel
Act
- Sign the e-petition: please sign the petition and encourage colleagues, members, friends and family to do the same
- Email your MP
- If you want to get more involved in the campaign email no2postcodepay@unison.co.uk or Chris Musgrave (Exeter Labour Trade Union Liaison Officer) exeter.labour@btconnect.com
Spread the word
- Speak to colleagues, friends and family about what is happening and the impact it will have on your working life.
- Use the hashtags #SWNHSPay and #stopthecartel on Twitter
- Chris Musgrave, Exeter Labour Trade Union Liaison Officer
August 14, 2012 in Blog
I originally joined the Labour Party as have always grown up with a strong sense of social justice. My parents were Labour Party members as far back as I can remember; my dad was a Labour Party Councillor and my mum continues to be an active member in Heavitiree ward. I joined when I was in my early twenties but left again after qualifying as a social worker.
However, after seeing first hand the inequalities that are emerging particularly within health and social services between the ‘haves and the have nots’ I feel I have to try to do something about the current situation. I have knowledge of people who are genuinely oppressed and scared because of what is happening under the Tory government. Their rhetoric regarding so called scroungers and the myth of benefits cheats, none of whom I have ever encountered in 10 years of adult social work is utterly incorrect and damaging to those who genuinely need our support. Those I work with within my current employment are less able to advocate for themselves and I am frightened for people who are vulnerable. This could be any of us in the future and I want to grow old in caring country with a good, non privitised NHS, a functional Welfare State and a well funded Social Care System.
This is why I joined and support the Labour Party and will be my continuing motivation.
Helen Duff
August 14, 2012 in Pinhoe
An important consultation event is being held to give residents a say in future developments in and around Pinhoe, and will give local people a chance to speak to local councillors, but also to Planning and Transport officers from Exeter City Council, Devon County Council and East Devon District Council. The event is to be held at Pinhoe Primary School on Wednesday 29th August from 3pm to 7pm.
There are a number of significant developments in the pipeline for the Pinhoe area. Planning permission has already been granted for building much-needed new homes in the Ibstock Quarry & Brickworks sites, and there are now consultations underway from Barratt Homes and Eagle One to build more homes in the Monkerton and Hill Barton area.
In the Exeter City Council’s Core Strategy, the Monkerton and Hill Barton area is allocated for the development of up to 2,500 new homes. Development in the area is guided by the Monkerton & Hill Barton Masterplan, which was consulted on and agreed in 2010. The Masterplan was designed as a supplement to the Core Strategy, and indicates how the site could be developed based on key principles. It is an important document guiding planning applications for the site, but it is not a definitive plan and planning applications may propose slightly different combinations of land use.
Meanwhile, in neighbouring East Devon, permission is being sought for several new developments on the edges of Pinhoe that would undoubtedly have an impact on our ward. At the June meeting of its Planning Committee, Exeter City Council objected to development at Pinn Court Farm on the basis that East Devon District Council had not adequately considered the traffic implications for Pinhoe village. We will certainly be lobbying Tory-controlled East Devon District Council to ensure that any future developments over the border make allowances for the added pressures on infrastructure in Pinhoe. You can keep up to date with these developments at http://planning.eastdevon.gov.uk/online-applications/
You can view the Core Strategy, Masterplan and planning applications at the Civic Centre, Paris Street, or online:
www.exeter.gov.uk/corestrategy www.exeter.gov.uk/monkerton www.exeter.gov.uk/planning
August 14, 2012 in Latest, News
People in Exeter are being asked to have their say on important changes to the way benefits are paid out, which are being forced in by this Tory/Lib Dem government.
The government has decided to abolish the council tax benefit scheme that supports residents on a low income to pay their council tax bill. The responsibility for providing that support will transfer to local councils, beginning next April. The cut in government funding means Exeter will need to save over £1 million in the first year alone.
Everyone, apart from pensioners (who are protected by law), will have to pay something towards their council tax bill, with few exceptions.
Ian Martin, Lead Councillor for Business Transformation and Human Resources, said: “This cut in government funding means that we will have to make some difficult decisions about who gets financial help and how much they get.”
It is important that those who will be affected by the changes let the Council know what they think, but people who are not currently affected are also urged to take part in the consultation.
The questionnaire can be filled in online at www.exeter.gov.uk/ctsupport. Questionnaires need to be completed and returned to the Council by Monday 1 October.
August 14, 2012 in Pinhoe
We don’t need government ministers telling us how to “do our bit” in Exeter – it happens anyway. Here’s what happened when local Labour councillors, the Community Association, an energetic young leader, the Neighbourhood Police Team, youth workers and a local business came together to help their community.
At the recent Pinhoe Community Association Funday, Cllr Moira MacDonald and Cllr Simon Bowkett were approached by a local resident, Mr Eaton. He had been chatting to a young man (Pat) who is working as a support assistant for pupils with additional educational needs at a local school. This young man had been hearing about cuts to youth services in the area and wanted to do something to help Pinhoe’s young people. That brought to mind a conversation Cllr Bowkett had had a while back with Wendy, landlady of the Poltimore Arms. She had shown him the games room to the rear of her pub (complete with skittle alley, darts, juke box, and pool table) and wondered out loud whether the room couldn’t be used for a youth club as it has its own entrance, and could be kept separate from the main bar area. That sounded like a plan…. A quick bit of networking, and soon Pat and Wendy were talking. Cllr Macdonald set up a meeting with Louise Western from the local police – and they were keen to support a project. Meanwhile, County Councillor Saxon Spence was setting up a meeting with County youth service staff who have been looking at outreach sessions in the area over the summer.
Policies have been written, and some initial funding secured, and the new Youthzone night for young people will launch in September, giving Pinhoe’s young people a safe, fun space to meet, talk and feel part of their own community. The role of a politician is not to “make” things happen, but to facilitate and nurture the community initiative that is already there. As Pat and Wendy have shown, in Pinhoe we have “community” in spades!
August 14, 2012 in Campaigns, Pinhoe, Top Story
Superfast broadband is coming to Devon! Devon and Somerset County Councils in partnership with other councils and BDUK are bringing in faster broadband. They have got government money to do it. But there’s a big hitch. At the moment BT have no plans to upgrade Pinhoe’s broadband exchange. As it stands, no resident or business connected to the Pinhoe exchange can hope to see superfast broadband. Simon, Saxon and Moira are doing what they can to make a case for Pinhoe, but it really needs a big push from everyone in Pinhoe as well.
If improved the superfast broadband would benefit you personally, or boost your business, so please visit the survey website. If hundreds of Pinhoe people do the survey and register their interest, it will raise Pinhoe’s profile. Our exchange needs to be upgraded. You can find the survey and registration website at http://www.connectingdevonandsomerset.co.uk/
August 14, 2012 in Whipton Barton
From 20 June -19 July Devon County Council consulted on the proposed enlargement of Ellen Tinkham School from 110 to 131 places with effect from 5 November 2012. No objections were received so the County Council has now issued a Public Notice, which gives people another opportunity to make any comments or objections to the proposal.
The Public Notice, complete proposal and further information are available online at https://engagespace.co.uk/devon.
You can respond online or by emailing: schoolconsultations@devon.gov.uk
You can also write to: FREEPOST RSSR-UKYT-ZTYA, Strategic Planning, Children’s Services, Room AB3, Devon County Council, County Hall, Topsham Road, Exeter, EX2 4QW.
The deadline for responses is 20th September.
August 14, 2012 in Whipton Barton
As we reported earlier this year, Exeter Royal Academy for Deaf Education are hoping to move from their current location on Topsham Road to a new home on the site of the old St Lukes school, on the Ringswell Avenue campus. These plans have moved a step closer after the outline planning application was granted approval by councillors on the City Council’s planning committee.
Planning committee members were reassured that entrance to the new site will be from Bramley Avenue, after concerns about existing traffic problems on Ringswell Avenue. Outline planning approval establishes the principle of the development – a further planning application for the final design will need to be submitted at a later stage. We will keep local residents informed about progress on this site.
August 14, 2012 in Top Story, Whipton Barton
UPDATE 3: Application 12/0472/01 will be going before the planning committee on Monday 3rd December 2012. View the meeting agenda and reports.
UPDATE 2: The Planning Committee of 1st October 2012 resolved that Planning Application 12/0666/02 (approval of reserved matters for application 10/1840/01, granted 7th October 2011) be approved, subject to conditions. View the approved scheme and minutes.
UPDATE 1: Application 12/0666/02 will be going before the planning committee on Monday 1st October 2012. View the meeting agenda and reports.
At the beginning of July two well-attended consultation events were held to give local residents an opportunity to view current planning applications for the Monkerton and Hill Barton Site, and to discuss the applications with Planning and Highways officers from the City and County Council. It was really good to see so many residents at the event and to hear from you about your hopes and concerns for future development in the area. We are now able to confirm that the two Hill Barton planning applications expected to go to Planning Committee in July have been deferred and will not now come before the Committee until 3rd September at the earliest. There is still plenty of time to submit comments on these planning applications:
Email: ldf@exeter.gov.uk
Write to: Forward Planning, Exeter City Council, Civic Centre, Paris Street, Exeter, EX1 1NN
If you would like to see the applications again, or weren’t able to attend one of the consultation events, you can view planning applications at the Customer Service Centre at the Civic Centre, or online via the Planning Application Search tool (www.exeter.gov.uk/planning).
Current planning applications for the Hill Barton area are:
12/0472/01: Land to north, west & south of Met office, off Hill Barton Road, EX2 (Outline planning application for a mixed use scheme of up to 750 dwellings, a local centre and public open space).
12/0666/02: Land off Hill Barton Road, EX1 (Approval of reserved matters following granted application 10/1840/01 for 133 dwellings with associated public open space and amenity space).
12/0954/02: Land south of Met Office, FitzRoy Road, EX1 (Hotel and restaurant; approval of reserved matters following granted application 11/1619/01).
August 14, 2012 in Whipton Barton
Residents who use Polsloe Bridge railway station will have noticed the refurbishments which were undertaken recently.
Cllr Tony Wardle said, “This work was long overdue and badly needed. I’m really pleased to see it has finally taken place.”
August 14, 2012 in Whipton Barton
City Councillors Rosie Denham, Pete Edwards and Tony Wardle have approved a ward grant of £300 for a student volunteering project to support residents at Bodley House, which provides residential care to elderly patients coming out of hospital.
If you know of a group or project in Whipton that you think could benefit from a grant of up to £300, please get in touch with one of your local councillors.
August 8, 2012 in Latest, News
UPDATE: The deadline for this consultation has been extended from 14th September to Friday 28th September.
Exeter City Council is preparing a new document to form part of the Council’s Local Plan and wants to hear your views. A consultation has been launched which runs until Friday 14th September.
The ‘Site Allocations and Development Management Document’ will:
The document will sit alongside the 2012 adopted Core Strategy as part of the Council’s Local Plan. The proposals allocate different sites across the city to different uses, including areas of employment and housing land, district centres, new railway stations and roads, public open spaces, sports facilities, wildlife sites and valley parks.
Visit the City Council website to see the proposals and download the response forms. The deadline for comments is Friday 14th September.
You can also view the consultation documents at the following locations:
| Location | Address | Times |
|---|---|---|
City Council Customer Service Centre |
Civic Centre, Paris Street |
Monday-Friday 8.30am-5.00pm
|
Exeter Central Library |
Castle Street, City Centre |
Normal opening hours |
Pinhoe Branch Library |
Main Road, Pinhoe |
Normal opening hours |
St Thomas Library |
Church Road, St Thomas |
Normal opening hours |
Topsham Branch Library |
Nelson Close, Topsham |
Normal opening hours |
Do you agree or disagree with the proposals? What changes would you like to see? Are there any other sites that you think should be included? Let the Council know your views.
Please send all response forms or other correspondence to:
Forward Planning
Exeter City Council
Civic Centre
Paris Street
Exeter
EX1 1NN
If you require any further information or wish to discuss this consultation please contact Jill Day, Forward Planning Officer, on 01392 265615 or email ldf@exeter.gov.uk.
August 6, 2012 in St James
A meeting of county and city councillors is to be held shortly to review the effects of the recent traffic changes in the city centre. These have resulted in increased traffic in the St James ward, particularly in York Road and Longbrook Street. The group of councillors will look to see what steps can be taken to mitigate some of the adverse consequences of the changes.
St James City Councillor Keith Owen, who is a on the Member Transport Working Group, said: ‘This meeting follows on from a recent public meeting at which St James residents listed a number of problems and areas where
they felt improvements could be made. The people most affected by the extra traffic are best placed to tell councillors and highways officers what should be done.’In the meantime, some good news is that a number of new trees will be planted in York Road in the autumn, which will improve the street scene.
© 2013 Exeter Labour Party. Promoted by Dom Collins on behalf of Exeter Labour Party 26b Clifton Hill Exeter EX1 2DJ.
