Dear All,
After a damp day here in our bay it is time for my latest update.
My week started last Saturday with the return of Torbay Armed Forces Day after a Covid enforced break. It was good to see so many residents there to not only take part in the event, but most importantly of all to thank the veterans on parade. A bit more on this in the inset story below.
Sunday was Father’s Day, so after Church in the morning I headed to my Dad’s nursing home to spend the afternoon with him. This was followed by a session catching up on emails and writing my latest newspaper column at home.
Monday saw me catch the train up to London ahead of a busy couple of days in Westminster, the most significant part of which was Home Office Oral Questions (Top Left). Every 6 weeks the Ministers for each Department answer questions from MPs for an hour. The first 45 minutes of the session sees a series of questions from MPs on specific areas, followed by 15-minutes of Topical Questions. Topicals can be on any issue covered by the Department and there is no requirement for the MP asking a question to give notice of the question or the subject it will cover.
Monday’s session saw me answer questions on visa processing times, passports, the visit of an orchestra from Ukraine and asylum seekers being allowed to work. You can watch some of the answers I gave by clicking
here and
here. Following this session, I headed to Number 10 for a meeting about how we can support Ukrainian Tech, Science and Research work to continue given the impact of Russia’s attack on their country.
Tuesday saw me hold several ministerial meetings in the Home Office, virtually all conducted via video conferencing given the impact of the first day of industrial action on the railways. This was followed by a Tea Room Surgery for fellow MPs to raise immigration casework with me.
I was in the House of Commons on Wednesday for Prime Minister’s Questions, which was followed by a meeting of the Government Ministers working on the Commonwealth Games being held in Birmingham this summer. When the UK Bids for a large event like this the Government has to provide some key guarantees as hosts, this includes making visas available to those taking part (Unless specific exclusions such as criminal records apply to individuals) and ensuring a safe games. The Home Office has worked on these specific areas, alongside the organisers.
Given the rail strike yesterday, I headed back home late on Wednesday evening so I could work from our bay yesterday. This included a chance for a meeting with those looking to promote the UK as a tourism and retail destination which was useful for our bay as well. I also headed over to Tiverton for the by-election campaign. Whilst not the result I was hoping for I congratulate Richard Foord on his win and look forward to working with him as a fellow Devon MP.
Today was spent focused on our bay.
With issues relating to anti-social behaviour in our Town Centres being regularly raised, it was good to catch up with Pat and Gordon Cain who live in St Luke’s, about their thoughts on how these issues could be tackled and their thoughts on a possible summer campaign on these issues (Top Right).
Given all the recent issues with overrunning roadworks in our bay at Torwood Street and on the Torbay Road Rail Bridge, it was great to see the works on Meadfoot Road which finished on time recently (Bottom Left).
My final visit was to Cockington Village with Cllr Andrew Barrand to meet traders who are keen to see more links between the Harbourside and the Village which encourage tourists to visit. It is always good to be at the historic Forge at the heart of the village, with a chance to view some the historic tools which are still there (Bottom Right).
This week’s update is below and includes:
Council Tax Rebate Dates Accelerated, Your Bay Needs You!, Government Funding Backs Holiday Activities Support, Housing Pressures Highlighted, Burglary Down, Grass Cutting Update, Half Marathon, Scam Awareness, Torbay Road Compensation Call, Windsor Road Deferred, Contraception Services Survey, Neighbourhood Plan AGM, Kev’s Column: Devolution and finally…….Torquay Cyborg Passes Away.
Council Tax Rebate Dates Accelerated,
Earlier this year the Chancellor announced a £150 Council Tax rebate, funded by the Government, for those living in properties in Band A to D to help with the increased cost of living.
About 53,000 households across our bay stood to benefit from this, yet not all eligible households have yet been able to get it as Torbay Council had not fully opened up its application route for those who do not pay their Council Tax by Direct Debit. Torbay Council has now announced all residents who are eligible will be able to apply from next week.
This means those in the final two council tax bands, Band C and D properties, will be able to apply from next Monday (27 June) for their £150 rebate. The Council originally told people living in Band C households were originally told they could only apply from 4 July, while Band D residents were expected to wait until 25 July. The government has set a deadline of 30 September for all payments to go out.
So far, the council has processed £5m of rebates (around 33,000 households) with around 20,000 households still to apply. Households who pay their council tax by Direct Debit have been automatically receiving their rebate since early May.
Residents who do not pay by Direct Debit have to apply on the council’s website.
You can apply for your rebate by clicking
here.
The £150 non-repayable government rebate is to help with the rising energy bills. It is for eligible households in Council Tax bands A-D.
Your Bay Needs You!,
The most inspiring aspect of the last two years was seeing a new generation step forward to volunteer as we faced what was the deadliest threat to our community since the darkest days of World War 2.
Many younger people stepped forward to fill gaps in the ranks of volunteers who had to self-isolate from front line roles, whilst others supported new services aimed at helping those affected by the pandemic.
One new service was the Community Helpline established by the Torbay Community Development Trust. It helped thousands during the pandemic, but pressures on the cost of living and housing are seeing demand on it rising, with a need for new volunteers to help meet the demand.
Full training is provided and volunteers can work from home whilst answering calls. If you can help (or are in need of help) the helpline can be contacted on 01803 446 022.
Government Funding Backs Holiday Activities Support,
A free summer activity programme known as Healthy Holidays returns this July and August to help families over the school summer break,
Now in its second consecutive summer, the Government’s Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, known locally as Healthy Holidays offers eligible children and young people four weeks of free fun activities in a safe environment. Torbay’s Healthy Holidays programme is provided thanks to £550,000 of Government HAF funding being provided to Torbay Council who then use it to support leading local providers, in partnership with other local-activity based organisations.
Since the launch of the successful programme in April 2021, local children and young people have booked onto more than 3,400 available places and have enjoyed a wide range of activities, learnt new skills, grown in confidence, and made new friends.
Parents and carers whose primary and secondary school aged children are in receipt of benefits-related free school meals will be eligible to take advantage of the free programme.
Every child and young person who attends one of the sessions is also provided with a healthy meal.
Starting on Tuesday 26 July, this summer’s programme offers an exciting range of activities including, sports, surfing, zorbing, cycling, nature walks, crafting, forest school, cooking, creative writing, plus film and music workshops. Specific provisions are also available for children with SEND or additional needs, at no additional cost to parents or carers.
Activities are taking place around Torbay at locations including Watcombe Primary School, Upton St James School, the Acorn Centre and Torre Abbey in Torquay, Great Parks Community Centre, Torbay Leisure Centre, Paignton beach and Sacred Heart Primary School in Paignton, and Indigos Go Wild and Brixham College in Brixham.
To further assist families over the six week break, a £60 food voucher will be offered for each child in receipt of benefits-related free school meals. Eligible families will be receiving letters directly, with vouchers being issued by the child’s education setting.
Families whose children are in receipt of benefits-related free school meals who are interested in booking their children onto one of the sessions can do so via Torbay Council’s website. Just click
here to find the relevant page.
Housing Pressures Highlighted,
Pressure from Second Home Buying in our bay was highlighted this week by a national newspaper who listed Brixham (6) and Torquay (12) in a list of 20 second home hotspots.
The headline suggested the rate of second homes meant both towns were in danger of becoming “Ghost Towns”, a term sometimes used in relation to seaside villages where many shops and businesses close over winter due to their being few people living there all year round. Whilst this is not likely to be seen in our bay, demand for property has grown during the pandemic as many decided working from home presented an opportunity to live in a beautiful coastal area. In addition, some landlords have converted rental properties into temporary holiday lets. You can read the Daily Mirror’s article by clicking
here.
Tackling this issue and ensuring homes are available for key workers and families is a priority. Already Anthony Mangnall and I have successfully campaigned for an end to a bizarre loophole which allowed Second Home Owners to avoid paying Council Tax by declaring their properties as a holiday business (Without actively marketing or renting it for such a purpose). Yet there is a need to go further, alongside ensuring new homes are provided in our bay, especially on some of the sites in our Town Centres which are in urgent need of regeneration.
Burglary Down,
There was encouraging news on crime this week as South Devon and Dartmoor were revealed as the places where you're less likely to get burgled than anywhere else in England - apart from the Isles of Scilly.
Police burglary data gathered between 2017 and 2021, shows burglary rates in local communities. Whilst Torbay is the highest in Devon and Cornwall, the burglary rate in our bay is actually falling faster than anywhere else in Devon. Overall, Devon is just about the safest place to live in the UK in terms of burglary, with the exception of the Scottish highlands and islands, where rural isolation means a burglary is unlikely.
The new study analyses burglary data provided by police forces across the UK's 353 council districts between 2017 and 2021. With just 0.60 burglaries reported per 1,000 people last year, South Devon and Dartmoor has the least number of burglaries as a whole. See the full table below.
The statistics showed our bay as being 84th out of 351 UK council areas in terms of burglary rate, but with it falling faster than anywhere else in Devon, down by 13.39per cent over the period. You can read more on Devon Live by clicking
here.
A house break-in can not only see a homeowner lose items of financial value, but often many sentimental items as well, leaving a long-lasting effect which stays with families for decades afterwards. It is therefore encouraging to see the progress being made in reducing it across our bay.
Grass Cutting Update,
When out and about in the bay you might have noticed the grass has not been cut as frequently as they may anticipate.
This week Torbay Council and SWISCo outlined the reasons for this and what the next steps are, especially at a time of year when grass grows at its fastest rate.
SWISCo, a Torbay Council company, is responsible for cutting 1.4 million square metres of grass on highway verges and in parks and open spaces across Torbay. They are currently experiencing a high level of vacancies they have so far been unable to fill, although recruitment efforts are continuing offering key workers’ pay at the minimum wage rate, when many private sector employers in the bay are advertising frontline roles at higher pay rates may well explain their lack of applicants.
I am advised there are currently 10 vacancies within the whole Parks team. This has created a situation where the work of 4 grass cutting teams is being carried out by only 2 so they are having to operate at 50% capacity. Many of the staff within the Parks team do not hold driving licenses and therefore opportunities to redeploy existing staff to focus on grass cutting is limited as the operation of a mower requires a license.
Half Marathon,
The Torbay Half Marathon takes places this Sunday (26
th June).
To allow runners to take part safely, several road closures and parking restrictions will be in place from 7am until 12pm along Torquay, Paignton and Preston’s seafronts. So be prepared to allow extra time for travelling or look for an alternative route if making an important journey on Sunday
Good luck to everyone taking part.
Scam Awareness,
With more people falling victim to online thieves Citizens Advice (CA) have been running a Scams Awareness Campaign
They have information stands in both Paignton and Torquay Libraries until tomorrow (Saturday 25
th June).
The key points our local CA team are trying to get across are:
● With many people facing increased financial pressures, there is a high chance
that scammers will take advantage of this. For example, we’ve already seen
instances of scammers pretending to be energy companies offering “too good to be
true” deals and others sending out phishing emails offering fake government
rebates.
● Anyone can fall victim to a scam. People of all ages and backgrounds get
scammed. It’s important to be on your guard - if you’re not sure about something,
take your time and get advice.
● If you think someone might be trying to scam you, it’s important to act straight
away. If you need advice and support you can call the Citizens Advice consumer
service on 0808 223 1133 or visit
www.citizensadvice.org.uk. You should also report
scams or suspected scams to Action Fraud.
Torbay Road Compensation Call,
Recently the Leader and Deputy Leader of Torbay Council joined the calls I have been making for those affected the most by the overruns of Network Rail’s work on Torbay Road to be compensated.
I was pleased to hear of this support which is very welcome. Yet they could send a powerful message of support for the campaign by setting an example themselves and reversing their decision to refuse compensation for businesses on Torwood St affected by Torbay Council’s over running roadworks earlier this year. Doing what they are asking of Network Rail would be the best way of helping make the case for compensation from them.
Windsor Road Deferred,
Like other Ellacombe residents, over the last couple of weeks I had been planning for the start of resurfacing works on Windsor Road this week.
However just before they were due to start the signs advertising the works suddenly disappeared. I am advised this was due to the work being postponed at the last minute. It will be rescheduled for later this year.
Contraception Services Survey,
A survey is underway asking women in Torbay about contraception services.
By sharing your thoughts and views it will help local service providers to create a service which meets local needs. All responses will be anonymous and confidential.
You can share your thoughts via the Torbay Healthwatch website by clicking
here.
Neighbourhood Plan AGM,
The Torquay Neighbourhood Forum produced the Torquay Neighbourhood Plan which was approved at referendum in 2019.
Residents are being invited to join the forum for their AGM to find out about progress so far and how they intend to make the Torquay Neighbourhood Plan stronger to ensure all development will be managed positively for growth while maintaining and enhancing the area’s distinctive character and landscape.
The meeting is being held on Wednesday 29
th June at the Riviera International Centre (Burdett Room) from 7 – 8.30 pm. There will be guest speakers and an opportunity to view and hear updates on projects which are already coming forward such as Torquay Pavilion, the Strand and Harbourside and a forthcoming consultation on the pedestrianisation of Fleet Street.
Please Register Here To Attend
Kev’s Column: Devolution
Every fortnight I write a “Kev’s Column” for the Herald Express and you can read the latest edition by following the link below:
https://www.kevinjfoster.com/news/kevs-column-devolution
and finally…….Torquay Cyborg Passes Away.
Ending on a sadder note I was sorry to hear the news Peter Scott-Morgan had died.
Peter shot to fame 2 years ago when his quest to become the first Cyborg featured in a Channel 4 documentary. Faced with Motor Neurone Disease Peter decided to turn all his experience as a scientist into researching ways to use robotics and other technology to help him continue living his life, even in a “locked in” state.
Meeting him was always an inspirational experience as he showed how even in the face of the greatest challenge there was always hope. I can remember how he vividly described a new surgical procedure he had devised based on his research, which he then became the first person to receive. At one point I put him in touch with MOD Researchers investigating battlefield robots and advanced prosthetics as Peter wanted to research what capabilities they could bring.
Peter’s legacy is a greater understanding of how robotics and modern computer technology can assist those whose own bodies may no longer be able to function, paving the way for future researchers to build on his work. You can read more on the Metro website by clicking
here.
That is all for this week and enjoy your weekend.
Best Wishes,
Kevin
