THE decision to suspend birthing services at North Devon District Hospital from August 11 is unacceptable.

I understand there are staffing pressures, but suspending services should not have been an option.

Once again, Devon residents are being treated like second-class citizens.

The Secretary of State needs to step in and stop this. For an expectant mother living in Ilfracombe, the journey time to hospital has increased from about 20 minutes to more than an hour and a half.

Family and friends who want to support their loved ones at such an important time will also be affected. How can this be allowed?

Emergency meeting

My colleague, Jess Bailey, has called an emergency meeting at County Hall next week.

We have invited all district councillors from Torridge and North Devon to attend and speak if they wish. This will give us a chance to scrutinise the decision. Our residents deserve answers. The Chief Executive needs to explain why this has happened.

Who is responsible for this dangerous and unacceptable situation? Too often the buck is passed and no one is held to account. We need to make a stand.

All this comes at the busiest time of year in Devon, when our hospitals are already under increasing pressure. There are also concerns about the future of Torbay Hospital and local services, including the cardiology unit. Financial planners may see savings in centralising services, but local residents and patients will pay the price.

Education gap

At the same time, an academic report has highlighted how Devon is lagging behind in educational achievement.

Successive governments have failed to invest fairly in our young people. Other areas have received proportionately more funding, leaving Devon at an unfair disadvantage.

The debate often refers to a North-South divide, but it is clear there is a South West issue too.

The new Prime Minister has talked about prosperity and growth in every postcode. He has referred to both urban and rural areas, including the South West.

If he is to be true to his word, he need look no further than these two examples of how we are being left behind.

The Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) option for Devon has only increased concerns in rural communities.

The Government’s decision was based on the preferences of Devon’s two cities, Plymouth and Exeter, and appears to be too urban-focused.

Most of Devon is rural. People are proud of our cities, but we also understand that delivering services across a large rural area brings extra challenges and costs.

Carving Devon into four new unitary councils will not create savings and efficiencies. It will have the opposite effect. Rural Devon will end up paying more for less.

Hosepipe ban

The hosepipe ban was probably inevitable, and I have every confidence that most residents will do what they can to save water during this drought.

I also remember the incessant rain at the beginning of the year. In January alone, Devon recorded 170% of its average rainfall, and some places had 40 consecutive days of rain.

Climate change is not new. It has been with us for decades. Perhaps South West Water could explain what steps it has taken to manage these extremes.

After all, that is part of its job. We know residents have received a poor service, yet executive pay has continued to rise. Senior executives should not be rewarded for failure.

Something has to change, otherwise we will see further decline matched only by increasing bills.