Good week/bad week: the Devon news roundup

By PRSD, on Sunday, November 30, 2008

posted by Cptn

Arch rivals come to the fore in Heavitree in this week’s Devon news roundup, with the Exeter art piece coming under fire for its costs. Odd, there seems no such indignation at the South West Water profits… and find out what the flipping Torbay police have been up to.

IT’S BEEN A GOOD WEEK FOR…
Clean thinking… Torridge District Council has faced up to nasty emissions by appointing a Clean Neighbourhoods Officer, who will have a go at dealing with doggie do-dos, litter, fly-tipping, grafitti and nuisance vehicles, with a ‘pro-active and high visibility presence’ as part of the council’s green team.

Flipping off… Torbay police are looking at plans to give out flip-flops to drunken ladies for their journey home after a night on the town, rather than have them teetering on their heels. “Sometimes people get drunk and you see them carrying footwear which is inappropriate,” Torbay Partnerships Inspector Adrian Leisk told the Herald Express. Flip-flops, not known to anyone at all (yet) as Slappers, because of the noise they make on those few steps before they trip you up, will have safe drinking guidelines on them, as something to read while you stare at your feet throwing up, presumably.

Making money like water… South West Water has announced a four per cent rise in profits in the first six months of the year, taking its profit up £136.8 million. A bitter pill to swallow (made worse by declining the glass of water, perhaps) for those faced with the hike to their annual water rates.

IT’S BEEN A BAD WEEK FOR…
Getting ill in the sticks… The Government’s Pharmacy White Paper could adversely hit rural GPs through their ability to dispense medicine, according to Adam Symons (whoever he is) in the North Devon Gazette. “Many GPs rely upon income from their dispensary services to help them deliver other services. I am concerned that where this income is lost, services and staffing may have to be reduced,” he said.

Adult education… Eighty-six year old Olive Clark from Seaton has hit out at the cuts, costs and changing focus of adult education. Olive, who recently passed her Spanish A’ Level, told the Mid-Devon Herald that prices have gone up, there’s an emphasis on exams and that there’s a concentration on younger people. “It was a bit like therapy and socially it is very good. Most of us are over 60 and we have been together for quite a long time,” she said.

Paper view… A paper mountain is building up as the collapse in worldwide paper prices has meant recycling businesses have been stockpiling paper rather than sell it as a loss. With prices as low as £18 for a tonne bale of cardboard (which is shipped to China for packaging for domestic goods), Mark Palmer, of recycling firm Quay Waste in Teigngrace told the Herald Express: “We are not even breaking even if we try and sell. That is why we are stockpiling.” And he has looked to his MP Richard Younger-Ross for assistance.

Arch enemies… Exeter City Council’s controversial glass and metal arch scheme for Heavitree came under extra fire when it was revealed that rather than the quoted £73,000, the true cost, according to the Express and Echo, is £172,000, to include all the extras that go in to provide an arty arch.

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