ALTHOUGH the economy is finally recovering, many of the cuts have yet to happen and will go on for longer because the Government's austerity policies killed our economic growth for three years from 2010.
The latest example is Devon County Council's confirmation it's to close all but 22 of our care homes for elderly, including Bodley House and Arthur Roberts House in Exeter.
This comes hot on the heels of announcements by Devon to close our day care centres, youth centres, children's homes, respite centres for the learning disabled and Exeter's women's refuge.
We also learned this week that the financial crisis facing the NHS, including our local hospital, the RD&E is worse than thought and will get much worse over the next two years if nothing is done. Many people who are not directly affected by these cuts or reductions in services are still finding prices, particularly housing costs, far outstripping their wages.
This is why a lot of people I talk to in Exeter, when they're told by Messrs Cameron, Clegg and Osborne that everything is just great, react with disbelief.
THE Express and Echo has reported in detail concerns about the safety record of a local coach company which has been stripped of its operating licence.
This made me think about the regular complaints you read in some of our national papers about the "health and safety culture" or "red tape". Of course sensible policy makers want to reduce unnecessary and burdensome regulation as much as possible. But one person's red tape or health and safety rule is another person's safe bus, factory, building site, hospital, school, office or other workplace.
Tolerating unsafe or poor practices by an organisation or employer is also very unfair on the responsible majority. It's worth remembering this next time we read headlines screaming about "health and safety gone mad".
IAM delighted that fellow Devon MP, Sarah Wollaston, has been elected to chair the powerful Commons Health Committee. Although she's a Conservative, the Totnes MP has been brave in criticising her own Government for the damage it's done to the NHS. Under reforms passed by the last Labour government, select committee members and chairs are now elected by backbench MPs rather than appointed by the whips. That's given them more independence and clout, which has helped them put the Government on the spot more effectively. Dr Wollaston won for her independence and because, as a GP, she knows her stuff. I wish her well in a vital job as the NHS moves up the political agenda over the next few months.
EXETER Cathedral is pressing ahead with plans to open up the city's historic Roman Baths. I've had a sneak preview of the plans and they're potentially very exciting. If progressed successfully and sensitively they will provide a major new international visitor attraction while preserving the appearance and character of the much loved area in front of the Cathedral.
