The Big Delivery

Spent most of the day on a major delivery drive – get over a 1000 of the letters out into key areas. And the rest can be distributed tomorrow as we make our presence felt in the ward.

Crewe and Nantwich By-Election

In Parliament today, Labour Chief Whip Geoff Hoon moved the writ for the holding of the by-election in Crewe and Nantwich.

There was great debate as to whether this was showing undue haste, Gwyneth's funeral not yet having taken place.

In response, The Leader of the House of Commons (Ms Harriet Harman) is quoted in Hansard:
"I wish to raise two points in response to those that have been made. The first is about the wishes of the family and the second is about the conventions of the House.

"I shall read to the House a statement from the family in respect of the late Mrs. Gwyneth Dunwoody. They said:
“We fully support the decision to begin the process of electing a new MP for Crewe and Nantwich. Our mother proudly represented this constituency for 34 years, and would not want to see local people go without an MP. She worked tirelessly for local people and recognised there was always more to do. She would want that job of work to continue, as quickly as possible.”

"It is a long-standing convention of the House that, when a party loses a member, it decides when to move the writ, which triggers the process that leads to the ensuing by-election.
Crewe and Nantwich has had a doughty advocate for 34 years and it needs a new Member of Parliament. I therefore invite the House to support the motion."

Again to quote Hansard:
Question put and agreed to.

If it's good enough for the Dunwoody family, then it's good enough for me.

Speeding up into 20 mph zone

Have just received confirmation from officers at County Hall that the 20 mph signs won’t be ready until the end of May at the very earliest. Decide to run with the letter. Redraft it to take account of new developments and send off to Eddie.

Will go Into Clifton Hill to supervise the printing and folding of these. Now just need to get them out – but that can wait until the morning as we need to make all the arrangements for eve of poll deliveries, and for the setting-up and running of each Ward’s campaign HQ – the Committee Room.

More on 20 mph

I am handed a copy of the Lib Dem’s latest newsletter. It appears hasty and ill-conceived. Lots of typographical errors (although I know that I’m also prone in that area). Perhaps we’ve got them worried – I hope so.

In the leaflet, their candidate say that the 20 mph signs are due at the beginning of May. Can this be true? Or is it just wishful thinking? Urgently need to make enquiries at County Hall to try and confirm this.

Solar Power Play-off

Have you seen the ads? You know the ones from Friends of the Earth (FoE)

Germany has 200 times more solar power than England.

Why? Because German households and businesses get paid a renewable energy reward for the solar power they generate.

It's known as the 'feed-in tariff' and has helped make Germany a world leader in renewable energy. These are the kinds of solutions we need to tackle climate change.
Meanwhile Britain is near the bottom of the European renewable energy league table.
If Britain is serious about promoting renewable energy, it needs a 'feed-in tariff' or we'll be left on the bench watching the climate crisis worsen.

The Energy Bill is going through Parliament now - but it needs to be amended to include a renewable energy reward (New Clause 4).

Call on your MP to sign New Clause 4 to the Energy Bill

I've just been to the FoE website to press for change on climate and used the the on-line forms to send Ben Bradshaw the following message:

"The UK's record on renewable energy is a national disgrace. Germany has more than 200 times more solar power and ten times more wind power installed than the UK. Germany has a quarter of a million people employed in their renewables industry. We have only 7,000 in the UK. One of the reasons Germany is so far ahead is their adoption of a feed in tariff policy which pays consumers and businesses a long term, guaranteed, premium price for the renewable energy they generate. It is a renewable energy reward (sometimes also known as a feed-in tariff).

Please support New Clause 4 to the Energy Bill, to be debated in Parliament on 30th April. This would introduce a renewable energy reward into the UK. Failure to do so could delay the adoption of this transformative energy policy by three years. We are near the bottom of the EU renewable energy league table. No further delays are acceptable in adopting the policies which will deliver a dynamic low carbon economy."

Why not do the same. E-mail your MP and ask them to support the New Clause 4. Visit the FoE site here.

Well done, Exeter City FC?

Much as it pains me (I'm a Plymouth Argyle fan through and through), Exeter City FC are through to the play-offs.

With Torquay's defeat, Cambridge's win and City's late equaliser, its a local derby with Torquay at home on THURSDAY! Yes, election day!

So I've spent the afternoon dusting off the PA systems, and getting them up and running. Then, with 5 systems in use throughout the city, we can remind people to vote before joining the throngs heading for St James Park.

I guess queues will be seen in the St James ward - but I feel that they won't be outside the polling stations at St Sidwell's School and York House.

Thanks to the responsible students.

I return to the car via Howell Road and I am amazed by the difference. All bar one of the wheelie bins are where they should be - inside the properties' boundaries. Hurrah. My direct action has worked. Can I take this opportunity to say thank you to all the students responsible.

The same goes to the students in Culverland Road - most have followed the rules.

Perhaps they will be motivated to help the remaining offenders to free up the pavements.

Signs in Bury Meadow Park

Cut through Bury Meadow Park on my way to Boston Tea Party for large mocha and West Country Breakfast for brunch.

First visit to the park for a few days and delighted to see that the promised signs have been erected.

I must say they're bigger than I thought - from the .pdfs I had been sent in late March, I was expecting A4-ish signs to be attached to posts rather than the 2m high self-contained signs we have.

Delivering in Exwick

Cross the water this morning and I pay back some of the work West Exe members have done for me by delivering some targeted letters. Even though I'm working the apparently flat area of Exwick Road, there are numerous steps to climb. However, there are some stunning views across to the cathedral.

Still I makes me grateful for the gentle slopes of St James.

PCS Questionnaire

Have received a questionnaire from PCS - the Public and Commercial Services Union.

Worried about cuts for public services and campaigning for fair pay for its members, the PCS is asking candidates for their views on public services. These views will then be distributed locally to members proir to the election to help them make up their mionds when they cast their votes.

I publish my responses here as well.

Do you support PCS's campaign for fair pay for public services?
An unequivocal YES. The vast majority of public service worker are extremely dedicated to providing good public services to people who need them. In return for this dedication, they deserve a decent level of pay and conditions

I believe that public sector pay barely affects inflation as the inflation indices are compiled from goods and services that are almost entirely provided by the state sector, yet the effects of inflation are directly felt by public sector workers. So a below inflation wage settlements are actually a pay cut.

A National Agreement is essential for a fair and equitable way of dealing with salary scales. It is extremely inefficient to manage 200+ separate sets of negotiations. The outcome often brings resentment and dissatisfaction. Time and energies would be better spent on delivery successful public services.

In addition, a single National Agreement gives all Trade Union members a minimum standard of pay and conditions, irrespective of how well individual branches are organised. That is what the Trade union movement is about - Strength in Unity.…

As a member of BECTU (the theatre and broadcasting union), I was proud to stand with you and NUT/UCU colleagues at the recent rally at St James Park in support of your aims

Where do you stand on cutting civil and public service jobs?
Civil and public service staff are the front-line in delivering our policies to the public. Cuts over recent years has placed an undue burden on front-line staff and services have been stretched. Further cuts could have an adverse effect on the services delivered to the public.

Many job cuts are proposed on the recommendation of unelected and unaccountable consultants. The money paid to these consultants could be better used by investing in people.

I believe that job cuts will impact on the delivery of services to the public, leading to a poorer service to the public. However, I must qualify this statement - sometimes the need for particular jobs reduces, and then redeployment or "natural wastage" (with no compulsory redundancies) should be used.

We must invest in our staff in the same way as we invest in infrastructure and equipment.

Where do you stand on privatising public services?
I am totally opposed to the general principle of privatising public services. I believe in people not profits. That is the reason why I am standing as the Labour and Co-operative candidate in the coming election.

Privatisation should be mutually exclusive with the delivery of public services. Public services need to benefit the end users of those services, not big business nor shareholders.

Replacement by the private sector almost invariably means inferior terms and conditions for staff, and the desire of the private company to make profits means a poorer service for the public.

I am proud of the fact that when I was last a councillor (on Blaby District Council in 1995-99) the Labour Group on the Council (NOC, but Labour-led) successfully fought off a plan to privatise the refuse collection service.

Costly accommodation

A report by accomodationforstudents.com lists Exeter as one of the top 10 most expensive places to live for students. ys a report. Research by Accomodation for Students shows that the average weekly rent for students in the city has risen to 26 per cent above the UK average and is now more expensive than Oxford. The organisation studied the student rental market for the last five years, and the results show that although the average rent is just over £57 per week, the city's is nearly £78, almost £40 more expensive than Crewe, which was listed as the cheapest. Alongside Exeter in the top 10 are London, Dublin, St Andrews and Surrey.

No harm in being wrong, sometimes

The following article is by Michael White from today's Guardian:

A voracious reader like Gordon Brown must be familiar with Keynes' wit as well as his wisdom. "When the facts change, I change my mind," the great economist once remarked. He also said: "There is no harm in being sometimes wrong - especially if one is promptly found out."

But which is it in the current mystery of the 10p tax rate? As everyone now knows, in last years's budget, Brown's 11th, the then-chancellor abolished a rate he had himself introduced. The Institute of Fiscal Studies predicted the move might hurt 3.5 million low-paid workers (it was actually 5.3 million), but were told they were wrong. So was Tony Blair, then prime minister.

Did Brown deceive MPs in 2007, or himself? David Cameron and George Osborne are sure they know. No 10 only listens when it faces defeat, says the Conservative leader. Last night his precocious sidekick said: "Gordon Brown has been found out. I have always believed he is a man who puts calculation before conviction." Lethal words if the Tories can make them stick.

Labour MPs whose anxieties were rebuffed by the Treasury in 2007 have since met constituents with pay slips proving the Treasury wrong, by £50 a year here, £200 there: a lot to people on the edge. "I don't think Gordon was telling lies, he might have believed it," says one.

"Gordon thought he'd done poverty and wouldn't listen to anyone telling him he hadn't," argues a more waspish colleague. Both have received "I'll never vote Labour again" letters from pensioners who cannot recoup lost cash.

Frank Field raised the standard of revolt. Brown was adamant against retreat until he heeded rebel threats and embraced Alistair Darling's more flexible position on Monday.

One politician's U-turn is another's sensible adjustment. Margaret Thatcher was brilliant at U-turns. When the miners called her bluff on pit closures in 1981, she overruled her energy secretary, capitulated and bided her time for a rematch. Most voters are less interested in the finer points of U-turns than politicians and pundits. If ministers get it right in the end, voters are not bothered how they got there. When backbench MPs bring governments to heel, voters should rejoice. So No 10 must endure media jeers and insist it is doing "the right thing in the long term". Admirable or rigid, its next big test is the vote on the 42-day pre-charge detention. It has been postponed.

I'm putting strong store on the thought "If ministers get it right in the end, voters are not bothered how they got there." We shall see on Thursday if voters think we got it right!

NUT Rally

Make my way to St James Park for the rally organised by Devon NUT. As well as reps from the Teachers union, there are speakers for UCU (Universities and Colleges Union) and PCS (Public and Civil Services). All are facing below inflation increases this year, despite that the fact that it is acknowledged that public service salaries do not fuel inflation. So what the teachers and others are being offered is in effect a pay cut.

A packed (standing room only) FlyBe lounge welcomes the speeches enthusiastically.

How to vote

Hugh tells me that he met a student that didn't know how to vote - a reoccurring issue with first-time voters. Have come across the publication "Step by Step Voting in England" issued by the Electoral Commission. It contains a step-by-step guide to the process accompanied by straight-forward diagrams. The Electoral Commission publish a range of very interesting and useful documents, including a 2-page handout entitled "It's easy to vote (England, Scotland and Wales)"

Student accommodation

Use our walk back from canvassing to talk to Hugh about student accommodation.

I've heard conflicting reports about whether private student flats are cheaper or dearer than halls on campus.

Hugh tells me that it all depends on which halls. They rage in price from around £60 to £130 per week. Some are self-catering single bed with washing facilities and shared bathrooms. But the University is favouring rooms with double beds, en-suite facilities and provision for self-catering. These of course have another life as conference rooms and bring in additional income out of term time. He also told me that the University has converted many of the former type of halls into the conference type.

Voter ID in student areas

This evening went into the student village that is Springfield, Culverland and Victoria Roads.

My colleague Hugh (himself a student) told me he knocked on one door and was answered by a young lady wearing nothing at all.

I wonder if this was perhaps the person spotted by George Hexter in New North Road as reported in the "E&E" letter, "Can you reveal the naked truth?"

Perhaps this incident will help me convince others that students really are worth talking too. Also it might also increase the numbers of people willing to help.

Taxing times.

Despite the media coverage, there has been a distinct lack of comment about the loss of the 10p starting rate of tax from the beginning of the fiscal year during my canvassing.

One or 2 of my team have had the odd comment, but my only encounter on the doorstep was more of an analysis of the likely effects of the cut. I am more likely to be faced with the anti-Iraq War comments and the continued dissatisfaction of Blair's term as PM.

Since the cut was announced by Gordon Brown in the 2007 Budget, I been following the views of Frank Field, the outspoken MP for Birkenhead, with interest.

His website carries an article that was published in Sunday's "News of the World".

He states that "No Labour MP wants to wreck the Budget. Most of us were overjoyed that Gordon Brown’s last Budget cut the middle rate of tax from 22p to 20p in the pound. What none of us agreed with was that the tax cuts should be paid for by the poorest workers. 5.3 million households are made worse off by the abolition of the 10p rate of tax."

He understands that it is not realistic to campaign to re-instate the 10p rate, such a move would wreck the Budget and the higher paid would be the biggest beneficiaries. They would gain both advantages of the 10p rate and the cut in the 22p rate. This would cost £7 billion and that kind of money simply isn’t available.

His plan is to press the Government to introduce a compensation package for those millions of workers who have begun to loose out. Such a package would not help the highest paid, but would direct every penny available for cash payments to lower paid workers.

Mr Field has tabled an amendment to the clause in the Budget Bill that gives the Government the retrospective authority to abolish the 10p rate. The amendment is nothing but simple. It denies the Government the power to abolish the 10p rate until it has published a compensatory package. The package has then to be approved by the Commons before the Budget’s 10p abolition. Here is a double lock to protect the low paid.

He feels that "lower paid workers not only object to paying for tax cuts, they rightly feel it is unfair. But they also feel devalued and hurt by the Government...The 10p cut strikes the heart of why many of us are in politics which is about helping those worse off."

Next week's vote on the Budget, and hopefully Frank Field's amendment will be an interesting time, coming as it does 4 days ahead of the elections.

The Telegraph notes that it is highly unusual for the backbench MPs of the governing party to defeat the Treasury over a key aspect of the Budget, especially something as important as income tax policy. it states "Frank Field’s proposed amendment to the Finance Bill either to reverse the 10p tax abolition or compensate the five million low-paid workers who will lose out promises to be one of those rare moments."

But while it is rare, there is a precedent for backbenchers forcing a major Budget change.
In 1977, Denis Healey’s Budget failed to uprate tax allowances in line with what was then rampant inflation. Supported by Nigel Lawson, the Tory finance spokesman, two Labour backbenchers, Jeff Rooker and Audrey Wise, forced through an amendment to the Finance Bill at 3am.

On the Today Programme on Radio 4 yesterday, Shadow Chancellor, George Osbourne, would neither confirm of deny whether the Tories would support the amendment.

So there is the real possibility of a Government defeat days before the local elections...will this help or hinder my chances?

Planning

Before going out canvassing, I attend the planning committee meeting as an observer.

They are discussing the outline planning application for the William Hurst Almshouses on Culverland Road.

This is a very difficult one to call.

The plans allow for the replacing the existing 12 units (which are in serious need of renovation) with 24 new purpose-built flats which would be much more suitable as homes.

Weighed against this are the existing art-deco style semi-detached buildings. They are not listed and are not in a conservation area, but are thought to have both architectural and historical merit.


The trustees inform the committee that they have found out that 2 of the 3 blocks are in fact copies - the originals being destroyed by German bombers during World War 2. This didn't come as any great surprise to me - there is a sign to that effect on the middle clock.



The councillors seem to set a great deal of store on the fact that 2 of the 3 blocks are facsimiles and the officers recommendation of refusal is rejected. A new proposal of accepting the application is passed 6 votes to nil, with 3 abstentions.

I hope that the architects working for the Exeter Municipal Charities take stock of some of the comments made at the meeting and when they submit their plans for the full planning application, their layout will be one that in the future will become as architecturally and historically significant as the buildings they are replacing.

DCC visit Hoopern Street

I understand that Hoopern street has had a visit by a man from Devon County Council to look at the state of the road surface - prompted largely, I'm led to believe, by the noises I've made.

It was pointed out to him that the road maintenance carried out followed his instructions (via the white paint markings placed around SOME of the potholes). He conceded that more needed to be done and made some assurances that he had instructed the workers to do any more patches needed that were exposed by car removal. He also confirmed that he thought the whole street needed surfacing.

He had no answer to the situation with the double yellow lines.

So things are moving, and I will update via the blog on any progress.

Oh and this is a damn fine photo I took of myself in Hoopern Street.

Bury Meadow Park gates

Passing the entrance to Bury Meadow Park on the corner of Elm Grove Road and Linden Vale after the Bellowhead gig last night, I noticed that the gates were unlocked. In fact, one of them was open and seemed at a very jaunty angle. On checking, it seemed to swing closed properly.

Informed Parks Department about this - they tell me that the gates have offset hinges, which is why they look odd.

Exeter City Council have a policy of open access to the parks, not least to prevent entrapment. So that's why the smaller gates were open. The larger ones are locked to prevent access by vehicles.

Bellowhead

End the layoff from campaign work with a visit to the Exeter Phoenix as a paying punter.

However, at least 2 of my electorate are working the Bellowhead gig and try my best to avoid talking about the forthcoming election. Succeed with them - but one of Rachel's colleagues tells me that she has just received the glossy Exeter Labour Party newsletter that we are having distributed by the "Exeter Times".

Bellowhead kick up a storm and have a wonderful time dancing around to the tunes. Superb musicians (all 11 of them) and fantastic arrangements (must look for that "Oxford Book of Disco Sea Shanties that Jon Boden mentioned). Most sublime moment of all - Benji Kirkpatrick's use of a wah-wah pedal on his bouzouki during "Unclothed Nocturnal Manuscript Crisis".

Flytipping in St James

There has been a huge furore as a response to the mess created prior to the weekend's bulky waste collection in Exwick.

As well as being mentioned in the local press, it appears to have made national headlines in places such as The Daily Mail.

If such incidents continue, the City Council have threaten to withdraw the service.

This prompted a letter to the "Express and Echo" by Sarah Harvey who states:

"Regarding the story Householders turn city estate into rubbish tip, Echo, April 15, I think there should be bulky waste collections more often and if it was easier to take our own rubbish to the tip or recycling centre, it would stop all the fly- tipping, etc. As it is, the problem of dumping is only going to get worse."

I responded with the following (unpublished) comments:

"I couldn't agree more with Ruth Brooks' call for more collections of bulky waste ("BULKY WASTE SHOULD BE COLLECTED OFTEN" E&E 18 April 2008).

As the Labour candidate for the St James Ward, I am proud of the Exeter Labour Party manifesto promise to "review the bulk-waste collection scheme, with the aim of a possible increase in the annual number of collections and their locations."

With this commitment in place, I hope that the experience of recent weeks in Exwick, and the fly-tipping along the railway banks adjoining Blackall Road in the St James area (as depicted in the accompanying photographs), will be things of the past."

Fortunately the rubbish on the tracks in the picture right is only on a siding rather than the through line to Exmouth. But it could only be a matter time...

Kinder Scout

As a walker of the wilds of Dartmoor, I am deeply indebted to the actions of Benny Rothman of the Lancashire branch of the socialist British Workers Sports Federation and around 500 others who turned up on Kinder Scout (then owned by the Duke of Devonshire and used to hold grouse) for the famous Mass Trespass on 24 April 1932.

Five unfortunates were jailed for between 2 and 6 months for their actions. Anger galvanised ramblers into further protests that would eventually change the law and lead to the creation of the Peak District National Park in 1951. (The Dartmoor National Park was also established in the same year.)

Present on that day was Ewan MacColl and it lead him to compose The Manchester Rambler whose chorus goes:
I'm a rambler, I'm a rambler from Manchester way,
I get all me pleasure the hard moorland way,
I may be a wage slave on Monday,
But I am a free man on Sunday.
I remember fondly singing tramping across Dartmoor on scouting expeditions in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Indeed it was one of the first folk songs I re-discovered (along with The Spinners singing MacColl's "Dirty Old Town" on late night - approx 10.30 - TV!) after being putting off all things "folk" by "country dancing" at primary school.

It was around the time of the Mass Trespass that MI5 began keeping a watch on Ewan's activities. According to files released to the National Archives, MI5 began inquiring closely into his activities, gathering reports of his stage shows and asking police in Manchester to regularly report back.

One report returned to the spymasters in London remarked that while MacColl had "exceptional ability as a singer and musical organiser", he was very clearly "a communist with very extreme views" who needed "special attention".

Anyway, all this is deviation away from the main thrust of the blog. Today's "Observer" carries the article "Ramblers ruin right-to-roam's landmark site".

The article suggests that it is ironic that the iconic birthplace of the rambling revolution in the battle for the 'right to roam' is falling victim to the ramblers themselves. There is such horrific erosion on Kinder Scout that conservationists are now fighting a desperate battle to save the paths on the peak.

The National Trust, which now owns the land, is launching an nationwide appeal to raise £1M to stop Kinder from simpling crumbling away. The government's environment advisory body, Natural England, has pledged £500,000 and the balance must be found by the Trust.

To halt the erosion, the area will be:

• resprayed with lime and fertiliser to reduce the acidity and give heather a chance to grow
• artificial water channels built by sheep farmers will be blocked up to prevent water washing away further peat
• cotton grass will be plug-planted to root the peat and keep it in place
• heather and grass seed will be sprayed over the area from a helicopter

The new Rose

The latest edition of the Rose

Wind farms

On the journey between Carmarthen and Cardigan today, my student chauffer Matt takes the scenic route "over the top".

As we reach the brow of one hill, we are greeted by the sight of 3 wind turbines.

I know there are concerns with their siting in rural areas but I am constantly moved when I discover them unexpectly like this. A much better view than pylons...

I have just received the minutes of the last PACT from PC Paul Willis. As he has told us to feel free to forward this e-mail to any person who would be interesyed in this process who you think is not on his mailing list, I have no hesitation in publishing the details here.

INTRODUCTION (PC PAUL WILLIS)
Paul Willis introduced members of the panel and himself and PCSO Giles. He also thanked those attending and thanked Sarah Giles for dealing with ward business in his absence.

UPDATE FROM LAST MEETING (PCSO SARAH GILES)
Drug dealing and related anti social behaviour centred around the phone kiosk in Powderham Crescent.

Removal of the phone box - The volume of drug related activity centred around the phone box warranted the use of Crack House Closure legislation. This plus the obvious strength of feeling from the residents was enough to convince BT to arrange for removal of the phone box. Exeter City Council shared the cost with BT and the phone box has now been removed. The area has seen an 86% reduction in reported incidents, none since the beginning of January.
Increase of Hi Visibility patrols – the area has been the focus of increased foot patrols by St James’ Neighbourhood Policing Team as well as PCSOs and officers from the city centre area. In addition to this police response units had been tasked with doing drive-throughs wherever possible.

Gating off alleyways – Plans are in place to gate off service alleyways behind houses fronting onto Powderham Crescent. These are regularly used by drug dealers and their customers to deal and take drugs. Exeter City Council have made a financial contribution.

Plain clothes officers – Uniformed police have been working alongside specialist officers to target addresses associated with drug dealing.

Ongoing monitoring of the situation – emphasis was put on the importance of remaining vigilant and reporting incidents. It was stressed that patrols would continue and that a reduction in incidents didn’t mean that Powderham Crescent would be left to fend for themselves.

Section 30 Dispersal Zone has been applied for. This will be a valuable tool in dispersing groups causing or contributing to anti social behaviour.

Comments from the floor
- Drug dealing had been going on for a long time in Powderham Crescent.
- The last meeting had raised awareness of the behaviour and appearance of drug dealers enabling a resident from another area to react appropriately and ring 999 when seeing similar activity in the Prison Lane area.
- The situation was considerably improved, thanks to police intervention.
- Were the Police able to anticipate where the drugs activity from Powderham would be displaced to?
- The issue of police response times to similar incidents elsewhere was brought up. Frustration with response times to calls was evident from some in the Longbrook Street area in particular.

Late Night Student Noise, Anti Social Behaviour and Criminal Damage
Consultation with University and Others – emphasis was made on a joint partnership approach involving University security, Community Patrollers, Police, Residents associations, Councillors and the students themselves. It was stressed that the university are taking the problems very seriously and will be appointing a Community Relations Officer as a single point of contact for residents.

Public Interest Weighting – status has been applied for and granted. This means that a simple fixed penalty will no longer have to be the way of dealing with some offences in the area, and a more serious court appearance can be used instead.

Targeted patrols – the police are aware that many of the problems with student behaviour (whether transient or static) occur mainly between midnight and 4am. Patrols are planned focusing on areas experiencing problems at the times of year and night when they are at there worst.

Comments from the floor
- Damage to cars is ongoing.
- The university’s less tolerant attitude had been noticed and a restorative justice approach seen in Powderham Crescent was very much appreciated by residents.
- Problems with reporting incidents and response times.
- PC Dalziel introduced the SHUSH campaign and a street based Meet and Greet for new students which would involve the residents as well as the university.
- Will the university take responsibility for the behaviour of students living in the new purpose-built accommodation blocks going up in the area?
- The issue of a list of accredited landlords and letting agencies and agreed standards of accommodation was raised.
- Can the reporting process be simplified?
- Parking problems in student areas.

Anti Social Behaviour (Including Racist) in Well Street, York Road and Longbrook Street
Targeted patrols – making use of city centre colleagues to provide additional patrols in the area.

Working alongside Licensing and Community Safety Team to tackle the problem of on-street drinkers and their behaviour. Where possible using older legislation enabling the police to identify heavy drinkers making it an offence for them to buy alcohol or to sell alcohol to them.

Joint approach – with the school, and businesses such as the Launderette and Seasons as well as residents in the area. Encouraging them to contact the police and reiterating the importance of doing so. This has meant a 29% reduction in incidents since the last meeting.

Section 30 Dispersal Zone – a new dispersal zone has been applied for that will cover an area bordered by York Road, Pennsylvania Road, Old Tiverton Road (as far as the junction with Prospect Park) and Powderham Crescent.

Comments from the floor
- Several comments were received that made it clear that some of the issues from drunken behaviour in the street were caused by the same predominantly student group as they made their way back home after a night out.
- Parking issues around the school at drop-off and pick-up times were commented on.
- Use of the small park on York Road for drug dealing was brought up.

NEW PRIORITIES (PC PAUL WILLIS)
It was decided that because of the progress that had been made with the drug dealing issues around the Powderham Crescent phone kiosk it could now come off the list of priorities as established at the previous PACT meeting. Residents were invited to put forward suggestions for a new third priority. Suggestions were as follows:

- Drug dealing and drink related ASB in Bury Meadow. Residents in the area commented on a noticeable increase in the frequency of incidents and the numbers of those involved. Signs making it clear that it was a designated No Alcohol zone were suggested. It was also felt that the many entrance points to the park contributed to the feeling of safety apparently felt by the dealers. The park’s role in a drugs circuit was also raised.

- Late night noise in Velwell Road, Bury Meadow, New North Road and Howell Road. Many of the residents in the area felt strongly that the Imperial generated many of the problems due to the sheer numbers of customers. Examples of parking problems caused by an overflow from the Imperial’s own car parks as well as drunken behaviour, using the street and gardens as a public toilet etc.

- Dangerous cycling along the Hoopern Valley cycle path. It was felt that the lane demarcation contributed to problems with cyclists often going too fast for a shared path. The need for clearer signage was raised.

- Litter and rubbish from student houses in Hoopern Street and its junction with Howell Road. It was pointed out that this issue can be added to the existing priority of student related issues.

- Pollarded trees in Blackall Road facilitating fly tipping. What could the police do about one of the more prolific offenders?

- Dangerous driving around St Sidwell’s school. The 20 mph zone will come into effect in the next few weeks and its effectiveness will be monitored.

- Parking issues around the school.

- Parking issues in Hoopern Street. Residents were concerned that there might be problems with access for emergency vehicles.

Residents were asked to vote on the above with Bury Meadow gaining almost unanimous support. Therefore the new list of priorities are as follows:

- Student related ASB, noise and criminal damage.

- Anti social behaviour in Well St, York Rd, Longbrook St. It was decided that Powderham Crescent would be included in this route.

- Bury meadow drugs dealing, drinking and associated anti social behaviour.

Next Meeting –
St Sidwell’s School, Wednesday 16th July 2008, 5.30pm for 6pm start

Stop the Drop

Travelling by train to South West Wales, the paper's are full of articles about the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE)'s "Stop the Drop" campaign to stamp out litter and fly-tipping. An example can be found in today's "Western Monrning News" but most of the national broadsheets carried similar articles.

Spearheaded by new CPRE President, Bill Bryson, Stop the Drop aims to solve litter and fly-tipping problems blighting our countryside, cities, towns and villages. Bryson is urging "good citizens", local authorities and landowners to join his personal crusade as the amount of litter dropped in the UK is now five times greater than it was in the 1960s.

Among the many interesting ideas is one that really stands out. The CPRE is to lobby the Government to introduce a nationwide deposit system for drinks containers, whereby households would be given money back for recycling their plastic and glass bottles. To this, I would add drinks cans.

At home, I recycle all these items anyway. However, there is a problem when I'm away from the house - I general throw them away (into a bin, that is). If there were recycling receptacles among the street furniture of towns, I would use them. The problem is that they are often "contaminated" with the wrong type of recyclable material. The deposit scheme would ensure that they ended up in the right place - and you would be "paid" to recycle!

The next problem is who would co-ordinate this scheme...

Success in the Antarctic

Just about the only telly we currently watch in this household is the BBC News at 10.

So I was pleased to see the report that approx 500 whales have been saved by the actions of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and Greenpeace.

Many thanks to the many activists aboard the Steve Irvin and Esperanza.

Food for thought

Just read George Monbiot's column in today's Guardian - "The Pleasures of the Flesh".

In it he states
"Never mind the economic crisis. Focus for a moment on a more urgent threat: the great food recession which is sweeping the world faster than the credit crunch...There is plenty of food. It is just not reaching human stomachs. Of the 2.13bn tonnes likely to be consumed this year, only 1.01bn, according to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), will feed people."

But this is not a rant about biofuels - 100m tonnes of food will be diverted this year to feed cars, but760m tonnes will be snatched from the mouths of humans to feed animals(9). In Monbiot's reading of the statistics, this could cover the global food deficit 14 times. His premise is "If you care about hunger, eat less meat."

Government figures give a total meat purchase figure of 1042g/person/week for 2006. This is 40% above the global average, though less than half the amount consumed in the United States.

We eat less beef and more chicken than we did 30 years ago, which means a smaller total impact. Beef cattle eat about 8kg of grain or meal for every kilogramme of flesh they produce; a kilogramme of chicken needs just 2kg of feed. Even so, our consumption rate is plainly unsustainable.

But what t level of meat-eating would be sustainable? On analysing the figures, Monbiot thinks that means 420g of meat per person per week, or about 40% of the UK’s average consumption.
For both environmental and humanitarian reasons, beef is out. Pigs and chickens feed more efficiently, but unless they are free range you encounter another ethical issue: the monstrous conditions in which they are kept.

The article offers a solution. Monbiot suggests that he would like to encourage people to start eating tilapia instead of meat. It’s a freshwater fish which can be raised entirely on vegetable matter and has the best conversion efficiency - about 1.6kg of feed for 1kg of meat - of any farmed animal (FAO "Livestock's Long Shadow" ). At present, this is about as close as we are likely to come to sustainable flesh-eating.

Monbiot concludes:
"Re-reading this article, I see that there is something surreal about it. While half the world wonders whether it will eat at all, I am pondering which of our endless choices we should take. Here the price of food barely registers. Our shops are better stocked than ever before. We perceive the global food crisis dimly, if at all. It is hard to understand how two such different food economies could occupy the same planet, until you realise that they feed off each other."

20 mph zone for St James

The Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) for the implementation of a 20mph zone within St James was sealed by Devon County Council on 10th March 2008.

Since then I have been actively seeking information on when we can expect signs to be erected.

At the St James Partners and Communities Together (PACT) meeting on 26 March 2008, PC Paul Willis reported that the signs were due in a few weeks.

Following questions from various residents I have been trying to get a firm commitment from officers at Devon County Council.

I heard today from Julie Fergusson that she has been:
"informed by...consultants Parsons Brinkerhoff that the signs are likely to be erected in the next few weeks."

There has been much debate on the effectiveness of these zones. I can do little better than publish this statement from the Campaign for Better Transport, which works to secure transport policies and programmes that improve people’s quality of life whilst reducing environmental impact.

20mph limits are essential for a modern city (7 April 2008)

Campaign for Better Transport called on the other Mayoral candidates to endorse the policy set out today by Ken Livingstone in favour of 20mph limits for all residential roads in London .
Richard Bourn, Campaign for Better Transport’s London Campaigner, said: "The candidates from the main political parties have all said they want to see more walking and cycling. In European cities with the highest levels of walking and cycling, 30kph (or 18mph) limits are the norm. Progressive transport policies and lower speed limits go together. If the Mayoral candidates are serious about promoting walking and cycling they must also sign up to lower speed limits.
"Lower speed limits are also essential for cutting casualties. Research by TRL for Transport for London found that fatal or serious injuries to road users were more than halved in areas where 20mph limits had been introduced. But the whole of London deserves safer streets: in 2006, 231 people were killed and 3,715 seriously injured on London’s roads . These figures are unacceptably high."

Delivering the message

Two hours after e-mailing the contents of the letter to Hoopern Street residents to Clifton Hill, they have been printed, folded and delivered.

A tradesman working in Hoopern Street asks me what I charge for mailshots! I tell him I do it for the pleasure...

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery

They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. If that is the case, then Exeter Labour Party is greatly appreciative of the flattery shown by the local Liberal-Democrats.

The recently received Election Special seems to copy wholesale the style of election address published by the local Labour Party over the past few years. However, it isn't only the style that is copied - it is also the content.

They appear to have edited out some details but they do give credit where its due in the choice of verbs

On cleaner cities they say they "supported the [Labour Party's] new measures to combat littering and dog fouling in the city."

On a safer city they have "backed greater Community Patrol and Police cover [introduced by the Labour Party]."

We "support more affordable housing for rent [that Labour have spearheaded]."

They appear to have "welcomed [Labour's] increased investment in public transport."

They "backed [Labour's] new neighbourhood pilots" etc.

"Fully backed the [Labour government's] £5.1M decent homes etc."

"Supported the [Labour led Councils] enhancements etc."

"Want to build on the [Labour-led] council's success in promoting economic growth."

"Supported the [Labour-led council's] extra resources for local markets etc."

I could go on...and on.

Perhaps they read Labour's manifesto before they produced their election address?

It is not the Liberal Democrats who have a record to be proud of. It is the City of Exeter that has been Labour-led for the past years. Why change a winning team?

William Hurst Almshouses

The agenda and minutes for next week's Planning Committee meeting have been published on-line and Agenda Item #4 is the William Hurst Almshouses on Culverland Road.

The recommendation to be placed before the Committee is that outline planning permission on this site is refused.

Hoopern Street (continued)

More work on the Hoopern Street problem

A question for you all - is this the before or after photo?

It is indeed the photo I took following last week's repatching work in Hoopern Stree - the work that Devon County Council seemed so proud of.
"I don’t know if you have been to Hoopern Street in the last few days but all the potholes have been filled and there is no more programmed work to do." Really?

I prepare a letter to be delivered to all residents:
"Dear Hoopern Street Resident,

Like many of you all, I was pleased that Devon County Council had planned road maintenance works for your street last week.

The note I had from Andy Nethercott, Highways Superintendent of the East Area Highways Office promised patching work would alleviate problems with the present road surface

In the course of canvassing in Hoopern Street over the weekend, I saw for myself that the problems you have had with the road surface have not been solved. In many places, I could still see potholes. Indeed in some cases I proved that they could be easily damaged by a simple kick. What will happen to these as traffic continues to wear away the surface?

Many angry residents voiced their feelings on the matter, and told me that they felt let down by their Liberal Democrat councillors, both at City and County level. This from the party that promises to solve the problems of potholes.

I am keen to receive any other comments and views on the matter.

I have pledged to consult, to listen to act and to report back on any concerns. In this instance, I cannot guarantee what the outcome of my action will be as this is a matter for Devon County Council rather than Exeter City Council. However, I promise to let you know the outcome of my discussions.

If this is how Devon County Council treats the residents of Exeter whilst the city is still a District Council, what hope for the delivery of such services when Exeter is reduced to a nominal board under the plans recently announced by the leaders of the Liberal-Democrats and the Conservatives at County Hall over the past week?"

Democracy...for Zimbabwe

Here in the UK we can be sure that the democratic process will be free and fair. And that the results will be announced within hours of the ballot boxes closing.

However, that is not the case in many countries around the world.

Robert Mugabe's government in Zimbabwe has withheld the results of the national elections--and threatens to use violence and fraud to hold on to power.Mugabe has resisted international pressure--but South Africa's Thabo Mbeki, who has Mugabe's ear, might listen. A global outcry is needed to ensure that Mbeki knows his status as a global and regional leader is on the line: the world is turning to him to help bring justice for the people of Zimbabwe.This petition will be delivered through diplomatic channels, media--and an event on Wednesday, April 16, when Mbeki travels to the United Nations to chair a special meeting of the UN Security Council.

I've just signed the e-petition organised by Avaaz to be delivered to Robert Mugabe, Thabo Mbeki and other world leaders:

"We sign to support the democratic and human rights of the people of Zimbabwe. Election results must be released immediately, verified independently, and--if approved as legitimate--accepted by all parties. If a run-off is required, it should be monitored by international observers and be kept free of violence, fraud, and intimidation. World leaders, including South African President Thabo Mbeki, should do all they can to ensure a just result."

You too can add your voice - sign here.

Hoopern Street

Onto Hoopern Street. and it is immediately obvious that the recent patching works have done little to alleviate the problem. I had hoped to publish before and after photos but frankly they look just the same. The quality of the work looks bad, and many potholes still remain, especially at the top of the road near the student blocks. I am shown that potholes cannot stand a bit of poking with a foot - the surface comes away. What will happen to these after a few more weeks of traffic?

The residents must feel bitterly let down - I know that they had high hopes.

I speak to several people and their anger is boiling over. They ask "why did Devon County Council bother?" They tell story about the postman who would like to know when they are coming back to finish off the job. They despair that, despite being represented by 3 Lib-Dem Councillors, the party that points at potholes have left themelves with several more photo opportunities.

Politics....and students

Today, in the pouring rain, I meet many students in Danes Road.

Whilst talking to one, I ask her what issues are affecting her locally. She appears to be dumbstruck...as am I when one of her flatmates urges her to comment , especially as she is "studying politics"!

Text Art in the street

Park the car in Blackall Road - for the first time I notice the plaque next to the ticket machine.

The text reads:
"I don’t like text in art
but walking along
this road holding the
hand of a girl I loved
was the happiest I’ve
ever been".

There is no name, no date, no nothing. Just the plaque. I would love to know how this came to be there - any thoughts?

Set off to canvass with an extra spring in my step, a beaming smile and a warm glow inside - this thought will carry me through the rain.

Democracy in action

On 1st May this year, voters in St James have the chance to have their voice heard.

So a quick reminder for you all: 16 April is the deadline to ensure that your name is on the electoral register to be used for this election. If you name isn't on the register you will not be able to vote.

If you are in any doubt if your name is on the register, please check now...just because you receive a council tax bill doesn't mean that you are automatically on the register.

Copies of the register to be used at this election are available for public inspection at the Civic Centre, Paris Street and at the Reference Library, Castle Street.

If you do not currently appear on this register, you can register to vote by filling in form ER3 . Copies are available from the Civic Centre or you can download one here.

16 April is also the deadline to apply for either a postal vote or a proxy vote.

Further information on the electoral registration system available here.

Please, please take the time to vote - you voice is important and so is you vote. Use it wisely.

I hope that you believe I can make the difference to our community here in St James, and that you can put your trust in me.

Voter ID?

Interesting letter from George Bowring in today's "Express and Echo" - CAN YOU REVEAL ALL THE NAKED TRUTH?

"Was it a prank that went too far? Was it a lovers' quarrel? Was it an attempt at bravado? Was she in desperate need of a smoke? Or did she somehow lock herself out?Alas, I shall never know why at 10am on a freezing cold Sunday I saw a very naked young lady standing shivering in the doorway of the student flats in New North Road, Exeter.It did give me something to think about, though!"

Missed out on a canvassing opportunity there. Was she Labour (red from embarrassment)? or Tory (blue from the cold)?

The clock tower...explained

An article in today's "Express and Echo" updates us (but not the clock". A spokesman for the city council, which keep times at the Clock Tower, said: "We are aware of a fault on the clock and are working to put this right."

Obviously not around the clock, though.

County Hall plans for unitary status

I understand officers at County hall were as shocked to hear as I was of the Lib-Dem and Tory plans to reduce Exeter's role to little more than that of a parish council when they announced their proposals for a Unitary Devon.

I had to check the date - just to make sure that it wasn't a belated April Fool's Day joke. But no, they are serious.

How can Lib-Dems and Tories on the City Council (many of whom are dual Councillors and sit on both Exeter and Devon County Councils) be happy with these plans?

Pondering...

The enforced absence - and the 40min commute in either direction - has given me time to reflect on how things are going in the campaign.

Nagging me is the comment from the resident in West Avenue who viewed me rather cynically and posed the question "why should we vote for you if you only visit us and ask what local issues concern us at election time? I wouldn't want to run a business that way".

I am guessing that if he needs a plumber he doesn't wait until one knocks on his door - he knows where to look, the Internet, yellow pages, past recommendations, etc. I'm out there advertising my wares - my views - and hoping he will file them away for future use.

I was selected for the St James ward in September. Since then my team and I have been progressing through the ward with face-to-face doorstep canvassing as well contacting people by telephone.

In addition, there have been at least 2 A3 newsletters and a "seasons greetings" card from MP Ben Bradshaw - all with my contact details. I even set up a special e-mail address to receive comments - an address that has unfortunately been silent, and now discontinued.

Many households also received questionnaires around the New Year - and the responses have logged and many issues tackled.

So I'm sorry if we haven't contact that particular resident before now...I can't guarantee that we have called on him before but we have made ourselves known by other means. Maybe those have been quickly filed away in the recycling bin, along with the leaflets for takeaway pizzas, gardeners, and insurance quotation invitations.

So what should the nature of our - my - contact with the electorate be? To answer the critic in West Avenue...

I must not only triumph my successes and achievements; I need to explain failures and mistakes.

And residents must praise and celebrate the work of Exeter City Council rather than just criticise and carp.

Exeter City Council's work must touch every worker and resident on a weekly, if not daily basis, and most of that work is invisible. The rubbish gets cleared away... people only (rightly) complain when it isn't. Planning decisions go unnoticed ...unless that application directly affects them.

I promise that I will contact you all - and continue to contact you all - by a variety of means..regular newsletters, "meet in the street" events where I plan visit every street in the Ward regularly, informal house meetings, e-mail circulars, identified coordinators throughout the ward to help with the 2-way flow of information, this blog, as well as continued attendance at more formal meetings such as PACT, University Liaison, Residents Association and Neighbourhood Watch schemes. Perhaps you might even want to invite me to your party?

Let me know what other ways you feel might be suitable to ensure that I continue to consult, to act, to listen and to report back.

So to reaffirm my belief that I am entering a phase of co-operation with the residents of St James I restate my desire that I would like to think that the challenge facing not just St James’ but Exeter as a whole is we should deliver services not solely by meeting targets but by involving citizens as active partners and using their energies to improve their neighbourhoods.

Help me be a listening voice so that I can continue to consult, to act, to listen and to report back. Let me know what ways you would like to continue to be contacted about local issues and concerns.

Getting our message heard

I've responded to the request for thoughts on Gordon Brown's webcast with:

"As a professional sound engineer and candidate in Exeter using the slogan "Help me be a listening voice", I was appalled by the sound quality of the webchat. I had to have volume of both the YouTube clip and the computer set at full (both on YouTube site and the Labour site) to hear anything. This is not good enough. Please wear lavalier (body-worn) mics and do a good professional job next time.

This sort of thing is only a good and effective campaigning tool if we get our message heard."

Gordon Brown's webcast

Have just watched and (only just) heard the webcast with Gordon Brown. Be prepared for low level sound!

Although he wasn't asked my question directly, many queried the abolition of the 10% starting rate of tax.

His response was that increases in child benefit, child tax credits, raising the tax threshold for pensioners and dropping the basic rate from 22% to 20% would compensate for the loss.

The 10% band was first introduced by Gordon Brown in 1999, who promised at the time that it would result in nearly two million people seeing their income tax bills cut in half.

At time of the Budget announcement in March 2007, the Treasury denied that abolition of the 10% rate represented a policy U-turn and insisted that it had been an interim measure to protect the low paid before the arrival of targeted tax credits aimed at families with children and pensioners. It added that big increases in personal allowances would also leave pensioner households hundreds of pounds better off.

But I, like Arrabella Weir (who hosted the webchat), Frank Field and many others, remain sceptical.

Labour's Local Election Broadcast - 1

Just caught up with the first local election broadcast.

See it again on YouTube.

Have already e-mailed Gordon my question for the follow-up webcast.

"Coming up on canvassing, 'why are we abolishing the 10% tax band?', making those on low wages (under £15,000) worse off.

"Should we not be protecting the least well off in a time of difficulties, not the well off.

"It would be wonderful if we apologised, said we got it wrong, and will be re-introducing the band in May.

"There would be embarrassment in the house, but cheers in the country as a politician said 'sorry,we were wrong' ".

Have to wait to see if it is asked.

Today's "E&E" - Old Debenhams not right for theatre.

Travelling to London on the 08:49 have the pleasure of reading my letter about Debenham's being impractical for conversion into a theatre in today's "Express and Echo".

Must try and restrain my letter-writing antics, otherwise I'll begin to be thought of like T.A. Griffin.

Shared pathway on Hoopern Valley Way

I have received some comments and ideas from Zsolt Schuller of Cycle Exeter on initiatives that might be appropriate for the shared pathway through Hoopern Valley Way.

For starters, some of the "Please consider other path user signs" might be place at the entrances at either end of the route.

They may also consider removing out the segregation line, as the pathway doesn't appear to conform with Sustrans guidelines for shared pathways.

He also suggests working with PCSO's to give out the Road Code developed by St Peter's C of E School and bike bells on the route.

In addition, we must get cyclist to read and adhere to the Good Cycling Code issued by Sustrans.

Debenhams to be turned into 100 new flats

Today's "Express and Echo" has some plans for the old Debenhams building outlined on the front page.

The article states that plans have been submitted to Exeter City Council by Land Securities.In addition to proposed retail and catering outlets in the basement, and on the lower ground and ground floors, the tower block would feature some 100 flats on the upper floors. At least 25 of these new flats would be set aside as affordable housing.

If planning consent is given, work would start in early 2009, with the scheme planned for completion in early 2012.

Direct action on student bins

Bins being left out on the pavements outside students' houses (especially in Howell Road and Culverland Road) are a continued nuisance and an eyesore. I'm sure that it just a consequence of living in a shared house and no-one taking responsibility for it, rather than willful negligence.

I've taken some direct action and returned the bins to their rightful places within the boundaries of the properties, and delivered a letter explaining what I've done, the reasons why and the possible consequences of what may happen if this unthoughtful behaviour continues.

The letter reads:
05 April 2008
Dear Howell Road Student(s)
Re: Rubbish Bins

I hope you have had a good Easter vacation and are returning refreshed for the term/semester ahead.

As I have been working throughout the neighbourhood, I have noticed that you appear to store your rubbish bins on the pavement. This has aroused many comments from the neighbours and can cause inconveniences to people with prams and others with mobility problems, sight defects, and the like.

Earlier this week someone had correctly placed the bins back within the confines of your property. Following yesterday’s collection, I notice that they have again been left on the street. I have taken direct action by placing your bins back onto a suitable place on the property. I would suggest that it would be a kind and responsible action to continue to abide by the rules covering the placing of bins on the kerbside.

All collections begin at 6am, so please ensure waste is placed ready for collection by this time on the correct day. This must be after 6pm on the night before the collection and emptied bins should be taken back onto private property as soon as practicable after collection and certainly no later than the end of the collection day.

Storage containers must be stored on your own property and cannot be left on pavements, as this is unsightly and potentially dangerous to the partially sighted. Fixed penalties notices will be issued where this happens.

Your next refuse collection, on Schedule B, is Thursday, 10 April 2008 and then weekly

Your next recycling collection, on Schedule B, is Thursday, 10 April 2008 and then fortnightly

Continued abuse of the rules may be reported directly to Exeter City Council and you may become liable for a fine.

Please help us by respecting our – and your - neighbourhood.

Paul Bull
The Labour and Co-operative Party Candidate

Printed by Exeter Labour Party.
Promoted by Eddie Lopez on behalf of Paul Bull, all of 26b Clifton Hill, Exeter, EX1 2DJ.

You are welcome to contact me if you see any bins on the street when they shouldn't be.

Or you can contact the Refuse Collection service direct. Their contact details are:
Address:
Exeter City Council, Exton Road, Marsh Barton, Exeter, Devon EX2 8EQ.

Web:
www.exeter.gov.uk/refuse
Email:
refuse.collection@exeter.gov.uk

Tel: 01392 665010
Fax: 01392 437117

Student bins

On Monday evening, when out delivering leaflets to Velwell Road and surrounding area, there were still bins outside the student houses on Howell Road. By Tuesday, they were cleared to inside the property boundaries.

Now they're beginning to drift back after today's collections.

Tomorrow will target the culprits with direct action and a letter.

Note to self

Note to self - do not try to canvass support from a Green Candidate.

Ringing a bell in Longbrook Steet, I get to speak to the Green Candidate for Newtown. She pointed out "it will take a good bit of persuasion to convince me to vote Labour".

Not even my Red Green credentials could sway her.

The abandoned car has been removed

On my way to canvass Blackall Road and Longbrook Street, I see that the abandoned car in Hoopern Street is gone.

The signs are in place, and everything seems ready of next week's road maintenance works to be carried out

The fight is on

Nominations have closed and the list of candidates has been issued.

Opposition comes in the form of Tory, Lib-Dem, Green and UKIP

Homes not theatres

With the continuing calls for a theatre to be added to the plans for the old Debenhams building, I add my comments by e-mailing this letter to the Editor of the "Express and Echo".

Sir

How times change.

For 30 years I been trying to convince friends, family and others that the arts in general, and theatre in particular, are essential to a healthy and vibrant community. During that time I have been constantly asked why are the arts important?

In December and January, nearly 30,000 in and around Exeter seemed to confirm my career change from biology to theatre sound designer/engineer with their support for the Exeter Northcott.

And now there appears an almost weekly call for the old Debenhams building to be converted into a theatre and/or concert hall,

During my career, I have travelled the length and breadth of the country and have visited many, many theatres and concert halls throughout the UK.

I believe that the layout currently afforded by the building is unsuitable for conversion into an auditorium suitable for either drama or music. There is no economic way that the building could be converted in such a way to entice shows currently presented in Plymouth to be seen here in Exeter while at the same time retaining the iconic profile.

As much as I welcome the current calls for more performing arts venues (it could mean more work for me in my home town), the pressure for space in Exeter means that residents should be demanding more social housing, and I hope the plans outlined by Cllr John Shepherd ("Councillors made debenhams policy", E&E, 3 April 2008) for the remodelled Debenhams building may include provision for affordable homes for rent.

Yours

Paul Bull
Labour Candidate, St James Ward
(via e-mail)

Behind the times

Time hasn't stood still at the clock tower - it's just running behind by an hour.

For some reason the clock on the boundary of my Ward (the junction New North Road and Queen Street) is running an hour slow - it wasn't put forward the hour at the start of BST last weekend. And it still hasn't been altered.

Perhaps I should follow it up

Pothole in Howell Road

I have previously raised with Devon County Council's Area East Highways Management team the the possible serious nature of the dip in Howell Road at the junction with Hoopern Street.

I have now received a reply stating that they are due to inspect this sometime in June and that "any works required will be noted and repaired within Devon County Council's 7 day policy if a safety defect. "

I have pointed out that if a serious safety defect is discovered that requires urgent repair within 7 days in June, it probably requires urgent repair NOW.

I will post any updates.

Cyclists must show walkers courtesy

The "Express and Echo" have published my letter, inspired by tales of cyclists not showing due courtsey when using the shared pathway on Hoopern Valley Way.

CYCLISTS MUST SHOW WALKERS COURTESY
11:40 - 02 April 2008
I read with interest the letter from Helen Blackman, Consideration key to peace on the roads, Points of view, March 28, as there are many times when cyclists do not show due consideration to other road users, including that forgotten breed - the pedestrian.

There have been many occasions where cyclists charge down shared pathways, such as the steep hill thorough the Hoopern Valley Way, thinking that they have exclusive use of the side marked with the bike symbol. This is not the case.

Sustrans, which developed the National Cycle Network, ask for cyclists to observe the Good Cyclist Code which outlines how to cycle safely, without causing a nuisance to others at all times, but especially on such shared pathways.

Key to this code is the request that cyclists should be courteous and show respect for others. This involves giving way to pedestrians, being prepared to slow down or stop if necessary, and carrying a bell and actually using it.Sustrans also suggests that on such shared paths, cyclists should never travel much faster than a pedestrian.

Please, cyclists, show us pedestrians the courtesy you request of car drivers.

Paul Bull
Exeter(via e-mail)

The campaign is underway

I have received notification from Philip Bostock, Chief Executive and Returning Officer for Exeter City Council, that my nomination paper is valid, and so I am now "the Labour and Co-operative Party Candidate" for the St James Ward.

Nominations close at NOON at Friday 4th April, so I'll then know who is standing against me.

Promises...for the future

I've received an e-mail as a direct response to last night's delivery.

In it the correspondent suggests that "Listening is one thing - but you will forgive me I'm sure for feeling that listening is not enough".

I re-stated my plan "to consult, to listen, to act" and added the pledge "to report back".

I've now had more time to think about what form this feedback might take.

It will certainly include this blog, and maybe a website. E-mail discussion groups? Group mailings?

Most importantly, it will centre around face-to-face encounters.

Carol Griffiths, my Labour predecessor for St James, used to regularly tour the streets calling on residents. I will promise to re-instate these "Meet in the Street" sessions. In addition, I will set up House meeting (like Tupperware parties without the plastic boxes), finding local residents willing to host informal meetings in their homes. All this will be in addition to meeting with Residents Associations, Neighbourhood Watch Groups, etc.

Councillors must be expected to report back on why things cannot happen as well as triumph those things that they are proud of.