GOONHILLY Earth Station will become home to Cornwall's first permanent planetarium, according to bosses at the site.

Work due to start on the visitor attraction at its base near Helston last year was stalled when a £6.5 million grant from the Government's Regional Growth Fund failed to materialise.

In 2011 ministers approved GES Ltd's bid in principle, with the funds due in January last year.

But GES Ltd now says it had built up people's expectations on the "back of broken promises".

In July, Helston's MP, Andrew George, asked Prime Minister David Cameron to cut through the red tape and investigate what was causing the delay. He said there has been no response despite assurances the project had government support.

GES Ltd director Ian Jones told the West Briton the bid had not been rejected and was still on the table, but he felt "let down" by the Government.

He said the fund was crucial to its plans for the visitor centre and planetarium, to upgrade its antennas and become a co-location centre for other businesses. It would create 150 local jobs.

He said: "We were hoping to open the visitor centre last Easter. We have designs and are waiting to get it off the ground. Goonhilly has an amazing reputation within the science world. It's similar to Concorde and the Red Arrows."

The firm, which controls Sky's satellites, also plans to exercise its exclusive right to buy the lease from BT.

Mr Jones added: "We feel frustrated that we haven't been able to do what we planned.

"We have doubled our business in the past four years and our turnover is now £600,000.

"It's absolutely what we are passionate about and we will make it happen, but we don't want to make promises and let people down."

He said without the government fund it would be paid for from GES's profits, becoming a "slow, laborious project".

Russell Peters, chairman of St Keverne Parish Council, was also disappointed and said the planned science park had "huge spin-off potential" for the area.

He added: "It was fantastic news 12 months ago but since then we've been asking 'when, when, when'?"

Mick Harvey, newly-appointed honorary vice-president of Cornwall Astronomy Society – replacing the late Sir Patrick Moore – said the planetarium would "open people's eyes to the universe and our world", adding: "With Cornwall's recent bad weather, people would actually get to see what's happening in the skies."

A "COURAGEOUS and determined" Truro amputee who has overcome adversity to help others has been named Inspirational Woman of the Year.

Leanne Grose, 32, was selected by a judging panel of members of Truro's Inspiring Women Network who praised her "courage, determination, strength of character, and positive mindset".

Her uncle Darren Grose, in nominating her, told how she had battled a rare form of bone cancer since her teens and remained positive during the past 15 years of treatment, including a leg amputation.

He wrote: "Despite the huge amount of pain Leanne has to cope with she has never allowed herself to be seen as a victim. She has maintained her positivity and used her experiences to produce an exercise DVD aimed at people in wheelchairs, written an autobiography which has been published and taken part in charity events, including parachuting, abseiling and cycling."

Since launching the DVD and writing the book, Just A Step, in 2009, she has married and given birth to the child she was told she would never have.

Despite continuing to battle the now dormant cancer in her leg and suffering acute pain, she plans to write a second book and run a new business, the Ultimate Chocolate Fountain Company.

The judges said: "She is so humble about her achievements. She is an amazingly confident woman who is full of life and energy that is so infectious. She has carved out a reputation as being a great inspirational speaker, wanting to help others who have to go through the same emotional and painful experiences.

Despite being warned by specialists that having a baby might threaten her health, Leanne decided the pregnancy was "meant to be".

Her daughter Lola-Rose is now 14 months old.

Ms Grose said: "It was a complete shock after being told I couldn't have children. I was warned having a baby could do more harm to my body, but Lola-Rose is such a little ball of energy, I love being a mum."

The award ceremony was held at Archbishop Benson School in Truro to mark International Women's Day.

Afterwards Leanne said: "I feel so happy. I've dedicated the award to my grandad, who passed away two years ago.

"He was so proud of everything that I've done."

Award project leader Nour Chakroun said: "We were simply looking for local women who can inspire others. Considering this is the first year, the response was amazing.

"The judges didn't have an easy task, as all the nominations were truly worthy."

The event raised £768 and included performances by Archbishop Benson's choir, Roseland Voices from the Roseland Community College, InspirAsian dancers and traditional Cornish dancers. The award will now be presented again next year.

A FORMER Camborne Redruth PCSO has been jailed for seven years for sleeping with women while on duty and for using the police database as a "dating agency".

Divorced father of two Peter Bunyan, 40, had affairs with four vulnerable women before and during his policing shifts and used the Criminal Information System to track down the phone numbers and addresses of women on his beat.

He was found guilty of eight counts of misconduct in public office, following a three-week trial at Taunton Crown Court.

On Tuesday, Judge Graham Hume Jones told Bunyan he had taken advantage of his profession, and jailed him for seven years – four years for his affairs and three years for the passing of information gained from the police database.

He was also given a three-year sentence for the wrongful use of a computer and 18 months for sexual texting, both to be served concurrently.

The judge said: "You took advantage of your professional relationships and having heard that evidence I am satisfied that you targeted vulnerable women to indulge your own sexual appetite.

"You conducted these relationships while on duty and you should have been available to take calls.

"There was evidence that you deliberately chose to neglect calls on your radio.

"You also indulged in sexual texting while on duty, indicating that your attention was focused on your sexual appetite than on your public duty."

He added: "Misconduct by a member of the police force is very serious, whether they be a police officer or a PCSO. They are in a position of privacy and power and the public trust has to be upheld."

Michael Melvill-Shreeve, for the defence, said that Bunyan was apologetic and remorseful.

He added: "He is utterly ashamed and utterly humiliated. He is apologetic for what he has done to himself, his family and to Devon and Cornwall Police."

Bunyan, who was married at the time, was suspended by Devon and Cornwall Police in 2011 and an investigation was launched into his conduct.

He is expected to be dismissed.

Rachel Cerfontyne, from the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), said: "This man completely abused the position of trust he was in and is a disgrace to the police service.

A spokesman for Devon and Cornwall Police said: "The public have a right to expect exemplary behaviour from all members of the police service who are there to protect them.

"The sentence shows the very serious nature of the charges that the accused faced and the force will always investigate any allegations of this nature thoroughly."

Three Westcountry NHS trusts have been placed in the top 20 out of 146 hospitals nationwide, based on a new index to measure the quality of service.

The survey results come in contrast to the results of a staff survey last week, which yielded mixed results in the region and prompted claims that workers felt undervalued and overworked.

South Devon Healthcare NHS Trust, which runs Torbay Hospital, came tenth in the Quality Index league table, which ranks hospitals based on "what patients said was most important to them".

Northern Devon NHS Trust, which is responsible for North Devon District Hospital, was ranked at 11, with the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital Trust at 14.

The Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust came towards mid table, at 61, followed by Plymouth Hospitals Trust, which runs Derriford, further down in 88th position.

Jac Kelly, chief executive of Northern Devon NHS trust, said: "We are delighted that the excellent standard and quality of care that our trust provides corresponds directly to what is most important to patients.

"Our staff are incredibly dedicated and the fact that their hard work has been recognised nationally is testament to their ongoing commitment and expertise."

The research came after a poll by ComRes showed that nearly one quarter (23%) of people said the most important factor in deciding which hospital to choose for an operation was the number of patients who said they had a good experience of care.

One fifth of respondents placed greatest importance on how long they would have to wait for an operation.

The Quality Index report is the first overall assessment of NHS hospital quality in England and is an attempt to create a meaningful and simple to understand indicator of quality.

It was published by MHP Health Mandate, a specialist health policy and communications consultancy, and ranked trusts on 10 different indicators such as risk of getting an infection, the rate of recent written patient complaints and the chance of an operation being cancelled at short notice.

It also measured how many patients said they got better, the number who had a good experience of care, as well as waiting times, the risk of being harmed, the level of involvement in decisions and whether facilities would be shared with the opposite sex.

In addition to the overall index, a separate "condition-specific" indicator was also produced, using lung cancer treatment as a prototype for potential future measures in many other areas.

The Royal Cornwall Hospital came second only to Guy's in London under this with the Royal Devon and Exeter also scoring highly at 13, with Derriford in 79th place.

The Quality Index report also made 14 recommendations on how the quality ratings should be developed and used to improve the quality of care delivered by hospitals in the NHS.

The late arrival of spring could hit wild creatures which hibernate such as bats and hedgehogs, conservationists have warned.

The cold weather has led to a significant drop in sightings of early spring wildlife compared with last year, according to reports received from the public by the Woodland Trust's Nature's Calendar recording scheme.

Sightings of the common seven-spot ladybird and the peacock butterfly have been notably sparse in the North of England and in Scotland compared with 2012, and records of tree budburst are lagging behind other years, the Woodland Trust said.

There are also few records of blackbirds building nests in the Midlands and the North, and frog tadpoles have mostly only been spotted in the South West, according to the scheme which allows the public to submit sightings of nature to help monitor the changing seasons.

Last year the mild weather between January and March led to some exceptionally early sightings of wildlife, but this year's continuing cold conditions have delayed the emergence of many creatures and plants.

The Woodland Trust raised concerns that the late arrival of spring would hit species which hibernate because they would not emerge in the cold conditions, and may not have sufficient fat reserves to survive until warmer weather.

And those that do emerge will find little in the way of food, such as insects, the trust's conservation adviser, Kay Haw, said.

"Species that may suffer are those that hibernate. Dormice and hedgehogs spend most of their time before hibernation fattening themselves up so they can survive this dormant period. However, if they do not have enough fat reserves, perhaps because of a lack of food or an extended period of hibernation due to a long cold winter, they can die. Bats are a similar story, and, even if they did come out, there would be virtually no insect food around because it is just too cold for most invertebrates at the moment."

Nature's Calendar contains records dating back to the 17th century and allows people to record signs of the seasons such as when tree buds emerge and birds showing nesting behaviour in spring.

Ms Haw urged: "In order for the trust to better understand the impact of long-term climate change on some of the UK's most-loved native species, we need more people to record their spring sightings on our Nature's Calendar website."

To submit sightings or to find out more about the project, people can visit www.naturescalendar.org.uk

He has vowed to fight for tougher moves to wean farmers off support, as part of a massive overhaul of Europe's costly Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

After late-night talks in Brussels, Mr Paterson insisted that the future CAP must centre on reducing EU support for the market – and making agriculture more competitive, rather than being propped up by taxpayers.

He said he had successfully resisted bids from some European farm ministers to extend the use of support for the market in a modernised CAP and added: "I'm pressing for further progress towards an open market that makes farmers less dependent on subsidies."

Last week, after a first vote on CAP reform by MEPs, lobby groups warned of a return to the "bad old days" of costly food mountains and lakes of unwanted wine and milk, unless the direct link between subsidies to farmers and production was broken. But after two days of talks between agriculture ministers, the stage is set for marathon joint negotiations, steered by the current Irish EU presidency, in the hope of a final deal in June.

Mr Paterson made clear he would continue fighting to de-couple the link between farm subsidies and food production – something that happened in this country eight years ago.

The biggest complaint about the CAP for decades was the way it encouraged food production regardless of demand, because of a system of open-ended subsidies which simply generated warehouses full of rotting "intervention" produce.

Successive reforms have effectively ended the situation – but the UK and a group of other countries say more must be done to make the sector self-supporting and competitive.

But they were outvoted overnight when a majority of ministers agreed that the share of CAP cash subsidies linked to production should actually increase.

Mr Paterson said the UK, which had done most to de-couple payments, would fight a move which would allow up to 12% of subsidies from the farm budget to continue to be coupled payments.

But he welcomed an agreement that national authorities, such as the devolved UK governments, should have more control to shape proposed CAP "greening" measures to regional needs.

The beer industry and campaign groups have been warning the Government that the beer duty escalator – which has added 2% to the price of a pint since it was introduced by Labour in 2008 – was forcing pubs out of business.

In his Budget, the Chancellor yesterday announced the beer escalator will be scrapped – preventing a 3p rise this year – and went further by cutting beer duty 1p from Sunday evening.

But neither move will apply to cider, which will face inflation-busting tax rises that will see 2p added to a pint of the drink synonymous with the region. There is no exemption for wines and spirits.

Beer campaigners hailed the measures, claiming the move would save 5,000 pubs and could actually increase the amount of money the Treasury raises by £5 million because fewer pubs go bust.

Cider makers, key to the economy of Devon and Somerset in particular, accused ministers of showing "favouritism" and called for the exemption to be extended.

Brewers, publicans and businessmen in the region hailed the move to scrap the Government's beer duty escalator as a "victory".

John Lawton, owner of the Teignworthy Brewery, in Devon, joined a Whitehall delegation to protest against the measure last month.

Mr Lawton estimates up to "two to three" pubs each week in Devon and Cornwall have been forced to shut, a claim highlighted by the recent closure of Dartmoor's historic Drewe Arms.

Yesterday he said the reverse would help "stem the flow", adding: "It is a victory and gives light at the end of the tunnel for pubs and brewers.

"Everybody around the world wants to copy what we have got in terms of a pub culture – if we lose it or it becomes uneconomic things will never be the same." James Staughton, managing director of Cornwall's St Austell Brewery, said: "This will make George Osborne the toast of Britain's pubs. It will come as a very welcome relief for all those who enjoy a pint and for landlords who have been working so hard to maintain their businesses and retain jobs whilst buffeted by the economic downturn and previous duty increases."

But Andrew Quinlan, founder of Glastonbury, Somerset-based Orchard Pig, said cider makers had been hit by an "awful" harvest last year.

He said: "Cider is being taxed for growth, innovation and job creation. It almost appears that, in theory, beer is being rewarded for the opposite. Again its the beer market that gets the favouritism in a tough market place."

Paul Bartlett, chairman of the National Association of Cider Makers, said he was "disappointed", adding: "Cider makers will recognise the benefit for a hard-pressed pub industry from this move.

"As vibrant pubs have a drinks offer much broader than just beer, the abolition of the escalator for all alcohol would have gone further."

The Treasury said cider duties remain the lowest – and the duty on an average pint of cider is less than half the duty on a pint of beer of similar strength.

Cider makers pointed out this is because of the extra investment and time required to grow orchards and produce apples.

Dairy farmers must be paid more if the industry is to survive, according to the Dairy Coalition.

It has told dairy buyers, processors, retailers and the food service sector they must pay farmers better returns to secure a sustainable supply.

The coalition was formed during the dairy crisis last summer and comprises the National Farmers' Union (NFU) heading seven other industry organisations. They met yesterday to discuss dairy market issues and future strategy.

The group has called for urgent and meaningful farm-gate price rises from April 1, to ensure a realistic market price, saying challenges of poor weather, infertility and feed shortages mean that farmers can only respond to demand for more milk if they are paid a proper price.

NFU dairy board chairman Mansel Raymond said world dairy auction statistics showed significant price rises, with all products up 14.8% on the previous month, demonstrating that global demand was strong and supplies tight. "Yet the average UK farm gate milk payment for January was exactly 30p per litre," he said. "For UK dairy production to have a sustainable future, the only way these prices can go is up."

A vaccine to curb the spread of tuberculosis in cows that is ruining Westcountry farming could take more than the ten years previously forecast to come to fruition, a minister has signalled.

In January, EU health commissioner Tonio Borg wrote to ministers saying the prospect of licensing a cattle vaccine was highly unlikely before 2023. But when probed by MPs at a Commons hearing, British Farming Minister David Heath said getting EU member states unaffected by the disease to sign off could mean the process takes even longer.

Critics of the Government's plan to cull badgers to tackle bovine TB have long demanded vaccination be deployed instead. But Mr Heath, a Somerset MP, said it would be "foolish" to assume countries on the continent would give their blessing easily. He told MPs on Tuesday: "I can't give any guarantee that other member states that are not in the same situation as the UK and Ireland are going to want to accommodate us."

At the rural affairs Select Committee yesterday, chairman Anne McIntosh MP said the government previously claimed a cattle vaccine would be available by 2012 – and that 2023 was "wildly out of kilter with what the public has been led to believe".

Neil Parish, Conservative MP for Tiverton and Honiton, said the revelation underlined that there is no "magic bullet" to tackle the disease.

He added: "How can Defra manage the perception of this – that this is not just around the corner?"

Mr Heath said he would "love" a vaccine to be available earlier, but added: "We have always said it would be a very long process and what Commissioner Borg has done in his letter is confirm that."

In Cornwall last year, TB surged by 18%, while in Devon it leapt by 8%, with a total of 8,549 animals slaughtered in the two counties as a result.

The South West Coast Path Association has announced a £250,000 investment for improvements to coastal paths despite their fundraiser having not yet taken place.

The association has already met the goal set for its 40th Anniversary Great South West Walk which was due to take place in two events on April 3 and April 16.

The funds were planned for use in over 50 improvements to more than 630 miles of South West coastal paths.

The £250,000 target was reached after supporting bodies and companies put forward their money in support of the planned event.

John Slater, commercial partnerships director at South West Coast Path Association, said: "We're extremely grateful to a range of organisations that have helped us secure our target of £250,000 which means every penny raised will take us above and beyond our original goal."

Forty of the 56 legs of the planned walk have received sponsorship and the organisation has raised expectations and will aim for £300,000.

Mr Slater added: "Amidst stories of cliff falls and rumours about parts of the path being closed, we want to ensure that our message is heard far and wide – that the South West Coast Path is open and that with funds raised from this event it will be here for many more years for people to enjoy."

Those wishing to sign up in advance to the walk or find out more should contact the South West Coast Path Association on 01752 896327.

Buildings of the past are helping to shape the way for economic growth of the future, according to a new report.

The English Heritage publication, Constructive Conservation – Sustainable Growth for Historic Places, has revealed how repaired historic buildings in the South West are contributing to economic growth across the region.

Success stories in the Westcountry include the Marine Parade Shelters in Lyme Regis and Clinton Devon Estates in East Devon where business is flourishing since the buildings were adapted to give them a more successful financial future.

Veryan Heal, acting planning and conservation director in the South West for English Heritage, said: "Buildings of the past can serve the future well, as demonstrated by the job creation and business growth at the businesses throughout the region. Repair and adaptation of our existing building stock is inherently sustainable and these historic buildings demonstrate heritage is clearly not a barrier to growth."

All 36 featured buildings and structures in the country were intended to show how historic buildings can contribute to job creation, business growth and economic prosperity.

They were all conservation-led projects where a constructive approach to managing change has helped historic buildings be kept in use.

The conservation strategy involved working with owners and developers to enhance the site, whilst maintaining its historical importance.

In East Devon, a new Rolle Estate Office at the Clinton Devon Estates helped revitalise a degraded part of the Grade I park and restore lost landscape elements, including historic tree clumps and estate railings.

The design of the new building was intended to respond to the historic setting, incorporate local materials and achieve high levels of sustainability.

Lord Clinton, of Clinton Devon Estates, said: "By locating the Rolle Estate Office here at Bicton, we have re-established the strong historic link between the Estate and its original centre of operations. Not only has it provided us with a geographically central and environmentally friendly base from which to run all the Estate's activities, it has also enabled the restoration of the beautiful parkland in which it is located."

In West Dorset, improvements to the historic Lyme Regis Marine Parade Shelters helped renew the waterfront area, together with the building of new shelters and two new community rooms.

The project has also improved the physical and visual links between the town, harbour and surrounding areas.

English Heritage offered each project technical and practical advice to ensure the historic significance was understood and brought out while economic viability was ensured.

A joint trading standards service to be established by Devon County Council and Somerset County Council looks set to save both local authorities hundreds of thousands of pounds.

The partnership, approved by councillors this week, will see the councils create a shared service that aims to cut costs and improve efficiency. Staff and offices from both authorities will combine to provide this new service that's similar to other local councils in the country that have successfully implemented it.

Councillor Roger Croad, Devon County Council cabinet member, said: "With increasing pressure on budgets we must make sure we work hard to get the best value from our spending and find more efficient and cost effective ways of providing services.

"By collaborating with our neighbours in Somerset to create a joint trading standards service we can deliver substantial savings without significantly impacting on the front-line services delivered."

The councils are anticipating savings of up to 15% by April 2015 and a possible 20% by the third-year and expect there to be no disruption to staff or relocation of offices.

David Hall, deputy leader of Somerset County Council, said: "It is important we continue to explore different ways of working that improve services and deliver value to the council tax payer.

"We are working together so that we are flexible and adaptable in the future whilst ensuring service levels are kept high."

The plans are set for final approval at the next meeting of Somerset County Council's full council on April 20.

Devon will make history as the first stage of the Tour of Britain to host a summit finish when Britain's premier cycle race returns to the county in September to celebrate its tenth anniversary.

The organisers of the Tour, and Devon County Council, yesterday announced that Devon will host Stage Six from Sidmouth to Haytor in Dartmoor National Park on Friday, September 20. It will be the first time a stage has finished with a SKODA King of the Mountains climb in the modern era of the race.

It will be the seventh consecutive year that the Tour will have visited the county.

This year's Devon stage will start on the Jurassic Coast in Sidmouth and will cover around 85 miles (137 km) of the county before finishing with a testing climb at Haytor.

The route will also see 96 of the world's top cyclists race through Honiton, Tiverton, Exeter, Moretonhampstead, and Bovey Tracey before reaching its challenging climax.

Hugh Roberts, chief executive of the Tour organisers SweetSpot Group, said: "The 2013 Tour is a special occasion marking ten years of the race, and it is fitting that we will see the drama of a mountain top finish for the first time.

"Devon always provides a picturesque setting for exciting and tough racing. We always receive tremendous support from the crowds in Devon and have seen spectator numbers growing on the climbs on Dartmoor over the past few years, so this stage will provide a unique atmosphere."

Last year's Tour saw more than 220,000 spectators line the route from Barnstaple to Dartmouth. They roared on Devon rider Jonathan Tiernan-Locke who was wearing the leader's gold jersey in the county on his way to becoming the first Briton to win the race overall.

The Tour last raced through Sidmouth in 2010 and Haytor featured as a King of the Mountains climb in 2011 when Tiernan-Locke dominated the climbs and went on to win the leading climber's jersey.

Among the teams which have been revealed to be competing in this year's Tour are Team Sky, Omega Pharma-Quick-Step, Garmin-Sharp, Vaconsoleil DCM, Cannondale and Orica GreenEDGE.

At the national launch of the 2013 Tour in Covent Garden, London, yesterday it was also revealed that the race would start in Peebles, Scotland, on Sunday, September 15, and finish in Whitehall after ten laps of the capital on Sunday, September. 22

Councils now employ a "whole cadre of officers whose job it is to say how bad it is on a particular local authority", the minister told a Parliamentary Press Gallery lunch.

Last year, Mr Pickles said an average 1.7% cut to council "spending power" represented a "bargain", despite unions warning of libraries and day care centres closing.

Plymouth City Council has been among the biggest critics of the cuts, with one councillor claiming Mr Pickles "seems determined to bring a return to Dickensian Britain".

Councils have indicated that the £80 million of savings that Devon and Cornwall's four upper-tier councils will have to find over two years is an underestimate.

Mr Pickles told journalists that council funding in England – made up principally of council tax and central government grant – was unlike most other countries, and the coalition Government is reforming the system so authorities enjoy the spoils of growing business rates they helped boost.

"The worse you do the more you get," he said of the traditional funding system. "If you show any initiative then we take grant away from you. If you screw up on a big scale we give you more grant. It's the reason the repatriation of business rates is so important.

"We have a whole cadre now of officers whose job it is to say how bad it is on a particular local authority."

Recalling Monty Python's Flying Circus, he told journalists: "Do you remember the 'four Yorkshiremen' sketch?

"If you can imagine that replaced by three chief executives. They would come into my office and say 'my authority is full of deprivation and we need a bigger grant'.

"The next one would say 'deprivation, deprivation, I call it a luxury. My population is murdered in its beds every night'.

"'Beds, beds, I call that a luxury – my population can't afford to live where we are – we just bring them in for visitors'."

As well as allowing councils to keep more business rates, rather than hand cash back to Whitehall, he pointed to local referendums on council tax hikes that meant "sooner or later local authorities are going to have to sit down with their local population and say this is what we want to do and this is how much we want to charge for it".

The South West faces a doubling of electricity bills as Government incentives to produce clean energy drive up the price of burning fossil fuels.

Pensioner groups say a disproportionate number of people in the region are elderly and in fuel poverty and predict that large rises will add an "extra burden" and cause serious hardship.

Campaigners against wind farms say a new green tax on polluting energy from gas and coal-fired power stations will make turbines far more profitable for investors at the expense of consumers.

And renewable energy experts in the South West admit the prospect of rising bills as part of increased investment is a "tough" point to sell – but warn that relying on imported energy leaves us exposed to even more dramatic hikes in the future.

Merlin Hyman, chief executive of industry body RegenSW, said "most people" in the industry expect energy prices to "double in the next few years".

"At the moment when we pay our bill we are not paying for the fact that our electricity is polluting the world," he added. "We are dependent on imported power from fossil fuel and investing in renewable energy will put up bills but they will go up less than if we didn't," he added.

"It is a tough point to sell and get across but if you think about it, it is common sense, because fossil fuels are a limited resource."

Anti-wind power group the Renewable Energy Foundation, has highlighted a briefing document on the wind industry written for investors as evidence of a bonanza from the new tax.

In the face of concerted opposition to the proliferation of wind turbines in the region, Mr Hyman has cautioned it was important to remember that the proposed disincentive to polluters would not affect small scale wind farms – below around 5megawatts (MW) – or new projects after implementation in 2014.

He said the new regime would see a Government "contract for difference" which would guarantee the price paid to generators.

Nevertheless the REF says financiers are looking to invest up to £260 million in a new energy fund, Greencoat UK Wind, which is planning to buy stakes in six existing big wind farms around the UK.

The Government, through the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), has committed £50million to the Greencoat fund to underpin the scheme.

A BIS spokesman said it was investing "to help catalyse the additional private sector capital required" to increase investment in renewable energy.

Richard Nourse, managing partner at Greencoat Capital, which will manage the fund, said Greencoat UK Wind offers investors the prospect of a "6% dividend yield" expected to increase in line with inflation.

Dr John Constable, director of the Renewable Energy Foundation, a charity which has highlighted the cost of wind farms, said: "Wind power is already over-subsidised, so it is simply astonishing that government should calmly and, one suspects, incompetently spread another generous layer of jam on the revenue of existing wind farms."

Conservative MP Geoffrey Cox, whose Torridge and West Devon constituency has seen dozens of campaigns spring up against turbines, said the Government had failed to "get the balance" right.

"What we need is a good diverse mix of energy – what we have got is an extremely rash move towards technologies such as wind which are discredited and outdated," he added. "We are not going to replace coal-fired power stations with wind – what we should have done is take sensible decisions to start constructing nuclear power, which the UK simply cannot do without."

Age UK estimates that there are approximately 3.5 million people aged over 60 in fuel poverty in the UK, around half of all fuel poor households.

Colin Fletcher, chief executive in Devon, said the end of the state-funded efficiency drive, Warm Front, and large rises in bills over five years meant "increasing concern for older people".

"The issue is larger for the South West, with a higher proportion of older people than many other areas of the UK," he added. "Further rises will be a huge burden on older people and will cause serious hardship for many."

One person died yesterday after a train travelling from Exeter to Paddington hit a car on a level crossing.

The incident happened on the crossing near Athelney in Somerset, which is on the line between Taunton and Castle Cary.

British Transport Police said there were no reports of any passengers on the train being injured in the crash.

The incident caused disruption to rail services, and operator First Great Western was using a limited bus replacement service between Taunton and Westbury.

A spokesman for British Transport Police said: "The train has not been derailed and there are no reports of any injuries to anyone on board.

The car, virtually unrecognisable as a vehicle, was lifted onto a railway low loader and moved yesterday afternoon. Earlier it had been trapped under the front of the train and all rail services were halted.

A BTP spokesman said: "There was one person in the car who has been pronounced dead at the scene. An investigation is under way to establish the full circumstances leading up to the incident."

Witnesses said the barriers at the level crossing were lowered when the car drove on to the track.

A spokesman for Network Rail said there were 45 people on board – 37 passengers and eight train crew. RMT transport union general secretary Bob Crow said: "This latest, shocking fatality will once again shine the spotlight on safety issues at level crossings. RMT has been campaigning for many years to speed up the phasing-out of level crossings which are a 19th century solution in an age of high-speed railways.

"Wherever road and track come together... it is a lethal combination and the time has come to get serious about addressing this issue – cost should not override safety."

Council tax bills wrongly showing, in some cases, a freeze-busting 17% increase have been posted to tens of thousands of homes in Devon.

The blunder by two Tory-controlled district councils Torridge and Mid Devon, this week saw more than 60,000 bills posted out.

The mistake has prompted calls for the resignation of those alleged to be responsible.

Des Hannon, the Liberal Democrat opposition leader at Devon County Council, who received one of the incorrect demands at his home in Tiverton, said Mid Devon's cabinet member for finance, Neal Davey, should resign

Mr Hannon, who is set to stand against Mr Davey in the upcoming county council election, claimed the postage costs of the Mid Devon batch alone was estimated to be more than £12,000

That is claimed to be a figure which could have kept a tourist information centre open for three years or prevented a move to limit sandbags.

"I find it absolutely unbelievable that nobody spotted it," he added.

"Council tax bills are the single most important responsibility and it is the most obvious example of when someone should resign.

"They have said Tiverton Town Council had a whacking great 17% rise in their precept when they actually set their budget at zero per cent."

Torridge council confirmed that out of 30,553 bills sent out only 803 were correct, leaving 29,750 wrong.

It said the incorrect amounts differed between different parishes but in most cases bills were £2 to £5 out.

The cost of resending the bills is as yet uncalculated, the authority said.

It add that steps were being taken to re-issue the bills as soon as possible.

Head of paid service Jenny Wallace said there would now be a "full internal investigation".

Council leader Barry Parsons added: "On behalf of Torridge District Council I would like to sincerely apologise for any confusion or concern that this may cause.

Mid Devon council said it had sent out a mailshot of 33,365 incorrect bills, although it said they were only up to £5 higher than they should have been.

The problem related to the share of the overall bill or precept demanded by the town and parish councils.

Conservative cabinet member for finance Neal Davey said the error was made by an officer and was "regrettable".

Mr Davey declined to comment on calls for his resignation but said moves to implement the new council tax support scheme, which is replacing council tax benefit, had caused the error.

"The council has apologised for the mistake which is regrettable and it is taking prompt action to rectify the situation," he added.

Wednesday's Budget sent a clear message to the world: Britain is on the right track. A third of the deficit has been cut, borrowing is falling and a million and a quarter private sector jobs have been created. And it also sent a clear message to people in the South West – Conservatives will always help you if you work hard and want to get on.

Last year, I came down to Plymouth and visited Morrisons to do some shopping. Many of the people I met there didn't expect the Government to wave a magic wand: they remembered the state that Labour left our economy in.

But they did want us to make sure our priorities were right: that we backed them as they put in the hours to build a better life for themselves and their children. So we've announced an Aspiration Budget that does just that.

Aspiration starts by allowing people who work hard to keep more of their own money instead of giving it to the Government in tax. That's why we've raised the personal allowance once again. From next April, you won't pay any income tax on the first £10,000 you earn. That's a tax cut for 2.1 million people in the South West and as a result individuals will pay £700 less than they did in 2010. This says loud and clear, you work hard for your money and we want you to keep more of it.

But aspiration isn't just about the tax you pay – it's about being able to afford to get by after you've put in the hours every week. Times are very tight. I know families are sitting at the kitchen table trying to work out how to stretch their wage packet to cover the bills.

So with this Budget we've done everything possible to help with the cost of living. We've frozen fuel duty, meaning you won't spend as much of your salary just getting to work – leaving the average motorist with £170 more in their pocket. Up to three and a half million motorists in the South West are set to benefit from this.

If you're a working family, we're going to pay 20 per cent of your childcare bills, so your wages aren't swallowed by nurseries and childminders. And we're taking a penny off a pint, making it just that little bit cheaper to relax at the weekend.

Building an Aspiration Nation also means something else: having enough good, decent jobs to go round. That's why we're giving business a further boost by slashing corporation tax to 20 per cent by 2015 – the lowest in the G20 group of major world economies. And we're also cutting the National Insurance bill of every business by a huge £2,000. That means they will be able to hire four people on minimum wage, without any increase in their bill. This Government is backing business and pulling out all the stops to get people into work.

We're also creating jobs by building the infrastructure that the region needs. We're building the Kingskerswell Bypass, widening the A30 around Temple and we recently unveiled a new flood prevention scheme in Truro. £173 million has in turn been made available in discounted borrowing for councils to spend on infrastructure projects.

And for most people, aspiration means one more thing: owning a home of their own. So this Budget puts forward £3.5 billion to help more in our country realise that dream, giving people equity loans of up to 20 per cent to help them buy newly built houses.

Make no mistake, we're in tough economic times. There remain no easy answers and we need to go on taking difficult decisions to clear up Labour's mess.

But we're doing everything we can to make life easier for people across the South West who work hard and want to get on. The mum at Morrisons in Plymouth who's trying to balance her weekly shop with the cost of childcare. The shop owner in Penzance who wants to take on new staff but needs that extra bit of help to make it happen. The teenager in Exeter who's left college and wants more than anything to get a job and pay their way.

These are the people – and everyone like them – who this Budget is for.

High levels of second-home ownership cause huge resentment across Devon and Cornwall, with critics blaming part-time residents for forcing up house prices and undermining local services.

George Osborne's Budget on Wednesday unveiled state loans for deposits and mortgage guarantees to help hundreds of thousands of first-time buyers and "second steppers".

But yesterday morning, the Chancellor repeatedly ducked questions on whether the scheme could be used by purchasers looking for a second home.

Housing Minister Mark Prisk later insisted it was "not the case" wealthy householders could use the scheme to buy a second home.

But Labour claimed in the Commons yesterday that page 39 of the Budget "red book" states the scheme is open to existing homeowners.

There are around 26,000 holiday homes across Devon and Cornwall. Liberal Democrat councillor Alex Folkes, who has campaigned to restrict second home ownership in Cornwall, said: "Liberal Democrats have worked hard in Cornwall to close the loopholes that give unfair advantages to second home owners.

"Cornwall cannot afford for Mr Osborne to undo all this hard work and so we need him to be clear that his new scheme will not subsidise second homes."

Stephen Gilbert, Liberal Democrat MP for St Austell and Newquay, hopes to raise a question in the Commons today.

He said: "It's very welcome that Government is doing more to stimulate house building and promote home ownership, but this help must be directed only at those who are struggling to get on the housing ladder and not those who seek a second home.

"We should be supporting aspiration from those who are priced out of the market or struggling to save for a deposit, not helping those who already have homes expand their housing empire."

Ed Balls, Labour's Shadow Chancellor, said: "Not only is George Osborne pressing ahead with a tax cut for millionaires it now seems that his mortgage scheme will help people to buy a subsidised second home worth up to £600,000."

But Mr Prisk said: "You would first have to divest your existing property prior to being able to proceed with any Help-to-Buy sale. This is about family homes. It is not about second homes. We do have details in there about making sure there is a legal declaration through a solicitor before someone can take on a purchase that they have got rid of their exiting property."