No pay rise, low ‘pay rise’ and affordability of housing

Here’s a quick run down of some Devon stories that have caught our eye in the last while

Police officers in Devon and Cornwall shouldn’t expect a pay rise says the area’s Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez in an interview that has been branded as ‘factually inaccurate’.

Alison, who has insisted on Council Tax rises in the past, seemed to say that Police Officers didn’t deserve a pay rise because the region is a “beautiful environment in which to live within”, she said in a BBC Radio interview.

Read the article about her radio interview on Plymouth Live.

Meanwhile, the Devon population swells with up to 1 million more people during summer without any extra funds for policing. A situation exacerbated post lockdowns – Alison didn’t mention this.

NHS Pay

Still on pay, the NHS has been offered a 3 per cent pay increase – a pay decrease in real terms. On the PRSD, Ryan Hall highlights the call for a decent pay rise, alongside crisis in retention of staff.

But it’s not like the Conservative government doesn’t have the money, billions have been spent on the much-derided test and trace system, VIP fast-tracked contracts. And this from the Good Law Project.

Blood sports

Two blood sports events happened in Exeter this week, or rather, two anti blood sport events. Campaigners called for an end to fox hunting on National Trust land, and terriermen were convicted of unlawfully interfering with a badger sett.

Housing crisis in Devon

Carl Eve on the Plymouth Herald gives a run down of the housing crisis in the South West. In places houses cost 17 times the average wage – so it’s more a question of affordability than supply. Meanwhile, Salcombe plans to ban second home owners.

Building works

But new builds cause new problems. Or rather the same old problem over and over again. The latest has seen a Devon councillor highlighting building works which have runover and ongoing transport problems in Exeter.

top image: Photo by Praveesh Palakeel on Unsplash

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