Blog 36 BBC / Gaza / Jonathan Cook – Local Government Reorganisation – Livability – Council work – Wild life
Aug 30, 2025
Really, what should we expect if we allow public bodies to be run by political appointees? In the case of the BBC they were blatantly pro-Tory ones, but most members of the present cabinet are Labour Friends of Israel and beholden to that country – an obvious distortion of what should be a just foreign policy. BBC presenters are hopeless when dealing with Israeli government stooges who represent their country as victims of unprovoked aggression, forgetting that their country has been committing violence on Palestinians since 1948. Does the BBC offer any training in the history of Palestine? I recommend Jonathan Cook’s reports as an antidote to the BBC’s failures: https://open.substack.com/pub/jonathancook
Photo: Data on the North Devon Economy
North Devon held an Extraordinary Full Council meeting last Wednesday evening to discuss the latest developments in Local Government Reorganisation. I think all cllrs want to work closely with our neighbours, Torridge District Council – and the other rural areas around us – as we have so much in common. However, would we have enough income from council tax, business rates, etc., in terms of service provision – including Special Educational Needs, Adult Social Care and Waste & Recycling? The consultants who have been crunching numbers for us think a Northern Devon entity could be viable. We also want to keep local government as local as possible so that residents really are represented. It seems that the Labour government thinks that we cannot afford democracy. However, as Sam Chapman-Allen, chair of the District Councils’ Network, pointed out last week: ‘It’s astonishing that the government has undertaken no independent analysis before embarking on the biggest reorganisation of councils for 50 years. Mega councils, with populations of half a million people or more, could be imposed on areas when there’s no independent, up-to-date evidence to justify councils of this size, and many large councils created previously are struggling financially.” I was startled by the pie chart above as it does not appear to feature employment in agriculture, one of our most obvious economic activities.
As mentioned in last week’s blog, North Devon and Torridge councils are creating a combined Place Story to attract investment. Many cllrs think that ‘livability’ is one of our special attributes – a certain sweetness of life that we find here and cherish. I considered throwing out these sandals when the straps holding the buckles went but then decided on Make Do & Mend. I took them to Timpson’s in Barnstaple High Street. The very helpful chap there advised me that he could fix them if I brought him a length of elastic, explaining that I could buy this in the haberdashery section at Banbury’s, which I did. He told me that the repaired sandals would be ready the following afternoon. When I collected them and asked how much, the kind soul said – ‘oh, no charge’. I made a donation, instead, to one of the charities with collecting boxes on the counter. Thank you!
Photo: Treasures exhibition at the Museum of Barnstaple & North Devon (to 11 October)
My council work last week included reporting more potholes and finding many that I’ve already reported either marked for filling or actually repaired; helping a resident experiencing frustrating problems with the Community Transport service; helping another resident with concerns over a house being turned into Multi Occupancy and potential Anti-Social Behaviour; and looking into a planning application at the edge of one of the villages in my ward. I have also helped with invigilating the Treasures exhibition at the museum. I set myself a test: which one object would I recommend to the general public? Well, let me tease you: it’s a snail. In fact, a posse of snails. They are shiny – engraved in silver – and they have exotic companions, also engraved: an elephant, a leopard, parrots and even a gryphon (half lion / half eagle). Can you find them and if so how many snails can you see? You may need patience to find them all – but then that’s what snails symbolise.
Chiffchaffs often sing in our garden but this one flew onto our bedroom window sill and could not figure out how to leave. I opened the window wider and all was well. I wasn’t sure what it was but help was at hand from the super-knowledgeable folk at the North Devon Natural History Network and Devon Birds. A bat also arrived in our kitchen one evening but when I opened the front door it found its way out. Thank you for reading.