Euro's madam, that will do nicely!
We know that Exeter's houses are now the most expensive in Devon. For existing home owners this is a comforting fact, but while many enjoy appreciating assets there are questions to be asked:
In Exeter in the past five years, property has shot up in price:
| 1996:6.7% rise | 1997: 9.6% rise |
| 1998: 7.7% rise | 1999: 12.0% rise |
| 2000: 9.2% rise | 2001: 11.2% rise |
This means that houses in and around Exeter are at record high prices. These are the prices of houses sold in the main categories in the three months up to 1 February this year:
| EX1 (Exeter) | EX2 (Exeter) | EX3 (Topsham) | |
| Flat | £69,900 | £78,000 | £95,000 |
| Terraced | £111,000 | £116,000 | £143,000 |
| Semi-detached | £122,200 | £129,000 | £168,000 |
| Detached | £179,000 | £187,000 | £253,000 |
| EX4 (Exeter) | EX5 (Broadclyst) | EX6 (rural Dunchideock) | |
| Flat | £58,100 | £66,000 | £67,000 |
| Terraced | £85,000 | £97,000 | £89,300 |
| Semi-detached | £94,000 | £113,000 | £109,700 |
| Detached | £151,000 | £169,000 | £158,000 |
These high prices will almost certainly get higher because demand is increasing as Exeter becomes more affluent and attracts new businesses.
By the end of 2000, thirty five national organisations ranging from the Allied Dunbar finance company to the Transco gas utility firm have their regional or national headquarters in the city, according to Exeter council statistics. In 2001 alone a further six companies, including the Met Office and Wessex Trains, announced they were basing themselves in the city.
But although its economy and the wealth of many residents are growing, there is a substantial gap between household income and private housing costs. Around 68,000 of the city's 111,000 permanent residents are working. But of those 68,000 jobs, 88% are in the service sector compared to 76% nationally. A full 36% of the jobs are parttime, compared with 27% nationally. As a result, the average gross weekly income is just under £350.
The average Exeter home across the EX1 to EX6 range now costs well over £110,000. If a first time buyer went for a property at just 50% of that price - £55,000 - with a 10% deposit, the monthly repayment mortgage bill would be around £600 even at today's very low interest levels. Little wonder that the average age of the first time buyer is now around 30, up from 26 in 1993.
"As a result of these prices, people who would have been first time buyers are now renting instead to give them more time to save for a deposit" according to a spokesman for Fulfords estate agency. "It's very difficult for a first time buyer looking at a property within Exeter city boundaries if the household income, whether for a single person or a couple, is less than £30,000" he says.
The route until some years ago, of expanding the council housing sector, is no longer an option. Mainly as a result of the right-to-buy legislation, the council's housing stock has diminished from an all time high of 10,100 flats and houses to 5,950 today. The council administers what is left of its housing well - performance figures on rent collection, repairs and tenant satisfaction are amongst the highest in Britain.
But central government laws and financial controls means the answers to housing problems for "key workers" have to be found in housing associations and the private sector.
The EDCG does not support any particular course of action, but county and district local authorities and other groups like housing associations may want to consider a number of options to help ease problems for first time buyers and key workers.
These options can help some people, but they cannot solve the problem of expensive housing - if it is seen as a problem at all. Some say the longterm solution may only be found by building a much greater number of homes, with all the associated risks of destroying the green belt and existing villages. But that is a different debate.
Whatever views are held on new towns, there is no disputing that unless action is taken in the near future the big price rises will hit Exeter's younger residents. Do you have any experience of problems caused by high property prices? Do you have any views on how to tackle this issue? If so, please let us know.
Exeter's bid for government money to make the city more accessible for disadvantaged groups, reported hopefully in our December ExChecker, has failed. The £8m allocated by the government was clearly inadequate for the whole of England. This means that the proposed Sunday bus service to our main hospital at Wonford remains a non-starter, as do other bus services which local people wanted. This is because they failed to gain financial support from Whitehall. If any local funds can be found for some of the improvements, future ExCheckers will keep you informed.
Devon county and Plymouth city councils are proposing to set up a one-day Devon Rover ticket running from April. This will enable passengers to travel anywhere in the county EXCEPT for the Torbay area, and they will be able to change buses where necessary ? all on one ticket. The adult cost would be £6 and there would be no peak-time travel restrictions.
The county council is also preparing a new bus information strategy which should make it easier to find out what times the buses run. For example, it is hoped that all parishes with a population of 750 or more should have at least one roadside timetable. The county has set up a Devon Bus Enquiry Line on 01392 382800 - although this does not cover bus services in the Plymouth and Torbay areas.
The national body to which we in the Exeter and District Consumer Group belong, has merged with another to become the National Consumer Federation, the NCF.
Partly as a result of Government pressure and partly from self-interest, the National Federation of Consumer Groups (NfCG) merged over the winter with the Consumer Congress, giving birth to the NCF. The new group's objectives remain the same - to strengthen the influence of consumers at grass roots level and to ensure the voice of consumers is heard before legislation and a wide range of regulations are cast in concrete.
The former NfCG had some 11 consumer groups amongst its membership, mostly from cities and towns. It also had many individual members often offering very specialised expertise in key subjects, and corporate members from commercial companies. Before the merger, the Consumer Congress had been a loosely knit collection of many types of organisations, charities and bodies all interested in consumers' views.
The first AGM and conference of the new NCF will be held later this year, by which time individual member groups such as ourselves will have been asked to vote for a new executive and new officers. One of the most valuable roles of the former NfCG was to consider from the consumer viewpoint, consultative papers issued by government departments and other bodies. This work will continue within the NCF Legislation and Consumer Affairs Committee.
The tantalisingly named Hot Issues Group will also continue to look at topics which emerge at short notice. More information on this will appear in Consumer News, the national newsletter posted directly to the homes of all EDCG members. We will also benefit from the appointment of a full-time development office, Libby Smith from East Anglia. She has been chosen to develop NCF's role and public profile, to raise funds, and to launch a major recruitment campaign to make the new organisation as effective as possible. Libby is a former journalist and broadcaster, who has had considerable management experience working with voluntary groups. We look forward to meeting her.
Our main article, by new member Graham Norwood, offers a perceptive view of the housing scene in Exeter - this has made me think.
At the same time we hear of difficulties with the emergency services gaining access to some areas because of parked vehicles. The city council has insisted on some new properties not having any parking arrangements. I wonder how this will work in practice and how will any transgressions be dealt with?
This led me on to think that if such rules can be enforced, then should this not be extended to all properties that do not have facilities to park off road? No doubt people living in such homes will think this harsh, the benefits to the environment could be great. It would reduce congestion and pollution, help sustain a much better public transport system, and encourage the development of local shops and community facilities. Do you have any views on this? If so, let's have them.
This is my penultimate letter to you. I have asked if you know of anyone - not necessarily a current member - who will be willing to take over. Please give it some thought and perhaps engage in some gentle arm twisting. It would be nice to have someone before September and if anyone is interested they can contact me on 01392 367649. They may like to attend a committee meeting as an observer. Finally, look out for our new posters which will be on display soon. We also have leaflets to give to interested parties. Please make use of them.
Graham Palmer, chairman of EDCG
The views of some 30 organisations in Exeter are being taken into account in a new s a eg dealing with crime and disorder in the city.
A recent public consultation document suggested ways of tackling problems grouped into six main themes - young people; drugs and drug-related crime; alcohol and alcohol related crime; prolific offenders; racist crimes; and anti-social behaviour. One more theme, domestic violence, is likely to be added after feedback by the Exeter organisations.
The introduction to the document says Exeter remains a very safe place to live and work in, and to visit. The last three years have seen a six per cent drop in crime overall. House burglaries are down 22% and drug offences down by nearly 12%. But criminal damage, generally to vehicles, is up 11 %.
The figures for anti-social behaviour are disappointing. There were 8,000 calls to the police reporting disorder during the year 2000/2001, an average of over 150 each week. There were also 1,500 calls made over the year to community patrollers. The report says anti-social behaviour has become synonymous with quality of life for many people, and often it is the most vulnerable who suffer most.
The Exeter Community Safety Partnership who are responsible for the strategy are drawn from experts in the police and fire services, county and city councils, probation service, primary health care trust, and local businesses. Even outside of Exeter we are making more demands on our police. A small parish council was told last year: "No reported crimes in November, but there were four security alarm activations, three traffic incidents, two reports of missing persons, one report of found property, one report of harassment and one report of a nuisance telephone call". It all adds up to a lot of time and paperwork.
The new strategy for Exeter should be ready for implementation in April and will continue for three years.
Last September we asked your opinions on food labelling and what should be done to improve information on products.
The results showed that you believed labels had improved but you were still concerned about lack of information on the product's country of origin, the use of unexplained codes, and the widespread presence in drinks of additives which (even when labelled) meant little or nothing to lay people.
We sent your views to the top people involved in work on this issue. The results?
- From the new Department of Food and Rural Affairs - no reply.
- From Sir John Krebs, chairman of the Food Standards Agency: "A valuable contribution to development of our policy on food labelling. I am encouraged that the areas it identifies as still needing improvement are amongst those the Agency is targeting in its food labelling action plan - clearer labels, better country of origin labelling, logos. Thank you for keeping us informed".
- From the National Farmers Union, locally and nationally: "Most interesting... fair and honest labelling is one of our key policy objectives ... delighted that you share our aims".
- From the British Retail Consortium, representing the major supermarkets and other retailers: "An outdated legal framework ... now time for the EU to hold a fundamental review of labelling policy ... majority of consumers are quite indifferent to the origin of food and buy solely on quality and price ... We believe if clarity of the label is to be maintained, the law should apply only to information which is important to all consumers or which is crucial to food safety".
So where does this leave us?
There is no doubt that the Food Standards Agency takes better food labelling very seriously. It has adopted an action plan to tackle just the sort of issues our members raise. Progress is reported to the six-monthly meetings of its Food Labelling Forum and EDCG committee member Pat Heron attended to hear the latest reports.
On origin labelling, the Agency is pressing the EU for rules to require this on a wider range of foods and for clear rules on use of terms like "Produce Of..." The Agency recommends that manufacturers provide origin information whenever practicable. This is particularly helpful for primary products like meat and simple single-ingredient products like butter.
Consumers expected that meat labelled "British", "Scottish", "Welsh" and so on, to come from animals that had been born, reared and slaughtered there. If this was not the case and the animals had more complicated histories, the labels should make this clear.
Where a food item is labelled "produce of", the Agency recommends that this term should only be used where all the significant ingredients come from the identified country, and all of the main production processes associated with the food occur within that place or country.
On other legislative changes, the Agency is pressing for amendments to EU laws to remove all ingredient listing exemptions for major substances that can cause allergic reactions among consumers. It also wants to extend the ingredient listing rules to alcoholic drinks - something which the French are resisting, by the way!
Other changes include the EU to rule on nutrition labelling, better criteria for nutrition claims, and more practical approval of health claims.
So the Agency is certainly working hard to improve matters through Brussels, as the British Retail Consortium wants. But better labelling is dependent not only on legislation but also voluntary action by manufacturers and producers, and here the Agency also has initiatives in hand.
It believes many existing labels make it hard to find the necessary information, require the consumer to have near-perfect eyesight, and can occasionally require a science degree to be understood.
The Agency wants labels to contain:
Text on labels should be at least 8 point (ideally 10) and black on white or some other high-contrast to maximise clarity.
The Agency is also scrutinising marketing terms like "fresh" and "natural" and wants manufacturers to use only language clearly understood by consumers.
It is hoped that much of the Agency's work on voluntary labelling improvements, food assurance schemes and improving information in public eating places and for nonpackaged foods will reach fruition this summer.
We will report on developments as they happen.
Farmers dominated a recent Exeter debate on The Future of Food and Farming - but not in quite the way people expected. The debate, organised by Friends of the Earth and sponsored by the Western Morning News, was chaired by BBC South West environment correspondent Sam Smith. Speakers included Martin Haworth from the NFU, Mike Hart from the Small Farmers Alliance, Liana Stupples from the FoE, Jeanette Longfield from an eco-campaigning group called Sustain, and Dr Richard Harding from the Food Standards Agency.
Debate centred on six questions: .
- Is there a future for livestock farmers in the UK? (the answer was Yes, but with the farming industry expected to improve the redmeat production quality)
- Is factory farming controlled by big business, ever compatible with a vibrant local economy? (again Yes, but with communities and farmers having to be proactive by championing activities like Farmers' Markets)
- How can we ensure a fair income for all farmers? (by increasing the proportion of food costs returned to farmers ? which would probably involve more expensive food in supermarkets)
- Is there a new role for farmers in sustainable management and landscape protection? (Yes, but farmers did not want to be reduced to mere country rangers ? although it was recognised they had a key role in environmental protection)
- How can we avoid future food scares and ensure access to good food for all? (Better regulators with real powers, and an end to supermarkets owning all elements of the production chain from the abattoir onwards, was the view of the debate's audience)
- Is free trade the answer to the current food and farming crisis? (No, because the yearlong demand for what is in reality seasonal food, is distorting both the food and farming industries)
In an audience of about 100, the 20 or so farmers were always predicted to have a big say following the foot and mouth. crisis, but their contributions were spectacularly critical of the National Farmers Union speaker. But there was a consensus that farming was critical to the future of the country and the southwest region; that "supermarket power" in the food chain was inevitable but was insufficiently regulated and challenged by government and consumers; and that fresh farm food would have to rise in price to pay for the diversity and quality we want and deserve.
Tuesday 24 September - please enter this date in your diary and try to keep it free.
It is the date of our AGM when we expect a fascinating talk from PROFESSOR EDWIN HASLAM of Sheffield University, who is a distinguished academic in the worlds of chemistry and food. More details in our next issue.
The Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (England) Regulations 2002 - that may sound bureaucratic but it is an important amendment to how meat hygiene is implemented in licensed red meat and poultry meat plants. It sets out standard procedures for carrying out certain microbiological tests on premises hygiene, including testing of surfaces to check the effectiveness of cleaning procedures with measureable standards by which to judge plant procedures. Large plants have to implement HACCP by this coming June, with small and medium sized plants having until next year to comply.
No standard procedures have been set for poultry plants but the Food Standards Agency and the British Poultry Council agree that poultry slaughter houses and "cutting plants' should also conduct microbiological tests to check on HACCP. Regulations for Official Veterinary Surgeons (OVS's) are to be amended to give them the responsibility for inspecting food businesses' documents and records, and monitoring how businesses comply with the HACCP protocol.
Although the official controls that are operated in licensed meat plants are under review, no formal proposals have been made about changes to the duties of OVS's or what levels of veterinary presence have to exist. As ever, many of the new regulations will need staff to ensure everyone understands all the procedures and guidelines. But who watches the watchers?
Press reports say 50 major retail groups in the UK are prepared to accept the new Euro currency in some or all of their stores. Does this dual currency approach stretch as far as Exeter?
A tour of our High Street and other central areas produced this interesting tally of 15 stores willing to accept the Euro now, with more expected to do so in the future.
Those taking the new currency now are:
| BHS | Body Shop |
| Burtons | City Whole Foods (two branches) |
| Clark's | Debenham |
| Dixons | Dorothy Perkins |
| Habitat | Marks and Spencer |
| PC World | Pinder and Tuckwell |
| Top Shop | Virgin |
As Exeter attracts many European visitors and students, shops with "Euros Welcome Here" stickers may attract more business. Other shops say they will rely on these visitors changing their cash to Sterling, or using credit cards. The dual currency will also help local people who bring back Euros from abroad, and who want to avoid the cost and time of changing them back to Sterling. The Euro is currently worth about 60p.
Classical music enthusiasts may already have noticed that Classic FM quotes the price of its magazine in Euros and Pounds.
With modern dental equipment, anaesthetics and skills, perhaps the most painful part of visiting the dentist is not being in the chair but paying the bill afterwards.
Fortunately for those of us who require a lot of work done, there is a maximum payment for NHS patients of just over £400.
But within this figure there is still scope for sizeable bills for fillings, checkups and cleaning. A rough rule of thumb is that you will probably pay about £1 for each minute you are in the dentists' chair.
We are well placed in Exeter (see below) because of our unusually high number of dentists taking NHS patients - private dental care, of course, involves much higher costs and ExChecker would like to hear from members with good and bad private dental experiences.
The Office of Fair Trading is investigating the cost of private dentistry, amid allegations that some call patients in for unnecessarily frequent checkups and a complaint by the Consumers' Association that some private dentists were charging six times the cost of equivalent service under the health service
If that has driven you to register with an NHS dentist, here are Exeter's. From time to time, some choose not to accept new patients for a short period and of course you must attend regularly to stay on a dentist's books:
| 1. Barnfield Dental Treatment, 12a Bamfield Hill, Exeter, Devon, EX1 1SR / 01392 274914 |
| 2. Community Dental Service, 3rd Floor, RD&E Hospital, Gladstone Road, Exeter, Devon, EX1 2ED / 01392 207544 |
| 3. Courtney-Stamp, 20 Southemhay East, Exeter, Devon, EX1 1 QD / 01392 273139 |
| 4. Denmark Road Dental Practice, 27 Denmark Road, Exeter, Devon, EX1 1 SW / 01392 273446 |
| 5. Exeter Dental Access Centre, 3rd Floor RD&E Hospital (Heavitree), Gladstone Road, Exeter, Devon, EX7 2ED / 01392 2075 |
| 6. Petrie Tucker & Partners Ltd, South Lawn Terrace, Heavitree, Exeter, Devon, EX1 2SN / 01392 424555 |
| 7. Skiff Skitt & Shepherd, 24 Princesshay, Exeter, Devon, EX1 1 LY / 01392 272350 |
| 8. Southernhav Dental Practice, 20 Southernhay East, Exeter, Devon, EX1 1QD / 01392 202242 |
| 9. The Spicer Road Dental Practice, 2 Spicer Road, Exeter, Devon, EX1 1 SX / 01392 272408 |
| 10. Dental 397, 397 Topsham Road, Exeter, Devon, EX2 6HD / 01392 879397 |
| 11. Matford Dental Clinic, Unit 5A Manaton Court, Manaton Close, Marsh Barton, Exeter, Devon, EXZ 8PF / 01392 206270 |
| 12. Mr M H Gregory, Glasshouse Lane, Countess Wear, Exeter, Devon, EX2 7BT / 01392 873888 |
| 13. Mr N Dee- Shapland, 384 Topsham Road, Countess Wear, Exeter, Devon, EX2 6HE / 01392 873899 |
| 14. Clock Tower Dentist, 10 New North Road, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4HF / 01392 272387 |
| 15. Exeter Orthodontic Practice, 1 Richmond Road, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4JA / 01392 251106 |
| 16. Exwick Dental Practice, 65 Exwick Road, Exeter, Devon,EX4 2BT / 01392 219875 |
| 17. Guildhall Dental Practice, 14 Waterbeer Street, Exeter, Devon, EX4 3EH / 01392 278843 |
| 18. Irish & King, 95 Pinhoe Road, Exeter, Devon, EX4 7HU / 01392 273472 |
| 19. Maden & Lucas, Pillar Chambers, North Street, Exeter, Devon, EX4 3QR / 01392 272413 |
| 20. McKinnel Howard, Williams, 402 Pinhoe Road, Exeter, Devon, EX4 8EH / 01392 467302 |
| 21. Mr A M Edwards, 65 Exwick Road, Exeter, Devon, EX4 2BT / 07860 953941 |
| 22. Mr Mira & Associates, 48 Cowidc Street, St Thomas, Exeter, Devon, EX41AP / 01392 210850 |
| 23_ Mr Moazzez, 150 Sidwell Street, Exeter, Devon, EX4 6RY, 01392 274720 |
| 24. The Independent Practice, Branscombe House, 17 York Road, Exeter, Devon, EX4 6BG l 01392 256205 |
| 25. The Sungerv, Hampton Place, 54 Longbrook Street, Exeter, Devon, EX4 6AH / 01392 202007 |
. . . and relies on EDCG members to fill its pages with information, reports on events and consumer gripes. If you have something to tell other group members please get in touch through exeter@ncf.info
If you wish to receive further editions of ExChecker by email instead of through the post (which means you will receive it earlier and save the EDCG money on postage!) please inform the editor on exeter@ncf.info