Dear All,
As the autumn weather very much arrives it is time for my latest update.
My week started last Saturday as I travelled up to Birmingham for the Conservative Party Conference, sadly having to drive due to a rail strike.
In an age of 24-hour news, social media and a plethora of sources of political information it is sometimes questioned whether the traditional gatherings still have a role. Yet they are the one time a year when party members, MPs, journalists and many interest groups come together to both debate the issues of the day and reflect on where the party stands on them.
In the run up to Party Conferences my office, like those of many other MPs, receives a significant number of invites from those arranging events at the conference, including charities, foreign ambassadors, lobbyists, campaign groups and media organisations. I also received emails from residents asking me to meet with 2 groups at the conference, both of which I did.
These updates have always operated under a no party-political point scoring rule, so I won’t cover the wider politics of conference season. Yet my week was an interesting chance to not only reflect on issues relevant to my Ministerial brief, but also some items directly relevant to our bay.
Conference started on Sunday, with a visit to one of the largest construction sites in the country, what will be HS2’s Curzon Street Station in the heart of Birmingham, on the agenda. This was my first visit to one of its 300 construction sites since being appointed as the Minister responsible for it.
The scale of the work now underway is significant, with 27,000 people now working on building this railway. Whilst some called for it to be “cancelled” this week, the project is now well beyond this point. You can already see where the lines will run along most of its route and the foundations of the bridge which will carry the train into Central Birmingham are being laid. Companies across our region are involved in the supply chain, even though the closest works are some distance away.
Whilst HS2 won’t directly serve our region, it’s very close proximity to Birmingham New Street (5 minute walk) does mean those making journeys from South Devon to Manchester or Nottingham may in future take the chance to change to the much faster line and save time on their overall journey.
Later in the evening I attended events arranged by the Gibraltar Government and the Royal British Legion. I also met with the British Heart Foundation to discuss their thoughts on how we tackle heart disease and undiagnosed high blood pressure (Top Left).
Monday morning saw an early start as I was live on BBC Radio Devon for an interview from the conference on the Breakfast Show. Safe to say there was plenty to talk about!
I also took the chance to catch up with the team from the People’s Postcode Lottery (Top Right). They have provided funding to a range of projects across our bay, from a few hundred pounds to many thousands. Following our chat, they have offered to host a workshop for local charities to outline how they can access their funding, which my team and I will arrange.
Monday also gave me a chance for a meeting with someone who I first met during his time at John Lewis, West Midlands Elected Mayor Andy Street (Bottom Left). Our focus was several projects he is promoting for rail in the region he covers, yet it is always interesting to discuss with him areas such as Town Centre Regeneration and benefit from his unique perspective and experience on how to drive such policy.
I also attended events with the Rail Industry and spoke at a fringe arranged by a group promoting regeneration in North Wales and Merseyside based on the rail network. Whilst they may be some distance away geographically, the challenges they face sound all too familiar.
Tuesday included attending an event with LBC, attended by legendary interviewer Nick Ferrari, alongside meetings with colleagues and a roundtable with the new Indian High Commissioner. The later of interest given India’s expansion and growth in areas like tech, where our bay’s photonics sector can offer significant expertise. Tuesday evening also brought an event with special significance, more info below.
On Wednesday I was in the main Conference Hall for the Prime Minister’s speech. At Conservative Party Conference the Leader’s speech is the last item on the agenda and brings the event to a close. Once the speech is over there are always many reporters for different media outlets waiting outside to interview MPs and members leaving. Within a few minutes I ended up speaking to ITV Westcountry, the Press Association, BBC Scotland and Birmingham Student Radio!
I spent yesterday with family, but today I was back in the bay for a day focussed on local issues. This started with a meeting at my East St office with Torquay United Supporters Club. It was good to reflect on both the fan led review and football issues more generally. This was followed by my weekly advice surgery for residents, with immigration and health issues being raised.
This afternoon I headed over to Shiphay Learning Academy to talk with their Upper School about my work and answer their questions. It is always good to be out speaking directly about my role, with the questions ranging from current political events to what lead me to stand for parliament.
My final event of the week was to attend and speak at the Commissioning Service for Torbay and Newton Abbot Street Pastors, held at St Paul’s, Preston this evening (Bottom Right). It was good to see those being commissioned as Prayer and Street Pastors, along with those receiving awards for 10 years of service. It was also great to see a special award for Trevor Staveley, recognising the pivotal role he played in the service for many years.
This week’s update is below and includes:
Council’s Housing Choices Consultation, Investment Zone Invite, £10m Temporary Homes Deal For Torbay, Summit Allocates £1.2m Support Funding, Date For Cost of Living Payment Confirmed, CCTV Investment To Address Town Centre Crime, Stabbing in Ellacombe, Hotel Investor Confirms Another Purchase, More Help To Heat Funding Confirmed, Covid Advice, Kev’s Column: Energy and finally……. 9-1 Win Gives Gulls Fans A Lift.
Council’s Housing Choices Consultation,
Earlier today Torbay Council published its latest consultation document on where it proposes building new homes in our bay.
Regular update readers may recall the first version of this consultation produced by Torbay Council earlier this year, which included sites like Paignton Rugby Club’s Ground which were never in serious contention. As I predicted at the time, a revised plan has now been produced which excludes many of the sites which had little or no prospect of being included in a serious plan for housing in our bay.
It is not an uncommon tactic to produce a first draft of something which includes lots of controversy, blame someone else (predictably the Government in this case), then try to claim sites have been “saved” later when unlikely proposals abandoned. Similarly, the headlines about Westminster wanting more, rather conflicts with this claim being based on their own calculations of a formula which the new PM is scrapping.
The new plan published by the Council is much closer to a likely plan for development, with both existing housing sites (Such as the former Dairy Site) and many brownfield sites listed, alongside some greenfield ones. Some of the brownfield sites seem to have fairly low numbers assigned, for example, the derelict site at Hatfield House, Hatfield Cross is only listed for 12 and the vacant New Look premises in Union St only 20, when the size and scale of this former retail site could see a good number of flats built. Yet this is simply detail when few would object to the principle of derelict Town Centre sites being used for much needed affordable homes, provided a leisure or retail frontage is retained on the ground floor in key locations.
I would therefore encourage update readers to take part in the consultation, especially as an online map allows comments to be “pinned” onto sites and to easily see what is proposed in your area. You can find the consultation by clicking
here.
Investment Zone Invite,
This week the Government formally invited Councils to formally bid for Investment Zones in their area.
As reported in previous updates I have been calling on Torbay Council to bid for investment zones to cover Torquay and Paignton Town Centres. This would help drive forward regeneration plans with time limited tax incentives and planning flexibilities.
Any Investment Zone bid would be for a specific area, selected locally, meaning any sensitive sites where development not appropriate, eg a neighbouring park or historical site, can be excluded.
Torbay’s bid will need to be submitted by next Friday.
£10m Temporary Homes Deal For Torbay,
Torbay Council are buying 37 homes to be used as temporary accommodation in a bid to help meet the needs of Torbay’s homeless families.
They will work with an investment firm who will source and acquire the properties on behalf of the council and refurbish them to meet Decent Homes and sustainable energy standards. The Council have borrowed £10m to fund the purchase and renovation costs. Rental income will be used to pay the loan repayment costs, management and repairs.
When renovated, the properties will be handed over to the Council so they can use them to assist people in urgent need of temporary accommodation who find themselves homeless. The properties will house families of various sizes and will be located throughout Torbay.
Because they are a temporary solution, they will provide many people with initial shelter while they seek homes of their own. It's estimated the homes will help more than 600 people a year. I am advised the first homes should be ready within the next three months and all of them should be handed over by the end of the March.
Torbay Council currently often source temporary homes on a spot purchase basis from a handful of providers, bed and breakfasts and other holiday-based accommodation. However, this is costly for the council difficult to manage and is not the best outcome for those housed in such locations.
Provided a fair price is paid for the homes concerned this is a welcome initiative.
Summit Allocates £1.2m Support Funding,
Earlier this year the then Chancellor announced a further £500m for the Household Support Fund to support families with the cost-of-living crisis.
The fund, which is distributed by county councils and unitary authorities, is set out to support those most in need due to rising living costs. The chancellor announced the scheme would be extended from October 2022 to March 2023 with the new funding bringing the total available to £1.5bn.
This week a local Cost of Living summit, heard that £1.2m of this has been allocated to the Bay as part of the Household Support Fund. This money will be apportioned in a variety of ways so as many households as possible are assisted during the coming months.
Money from the Household Support Fund will be spent on:
- Christmas holiday meal vouchers for children on free school meals
- Vouchers handed out through Children’s Hubs for pre-school aged children
- Warm Spaces in community settings
- Supporting food providers through the Torbay Food Alliance
- Support to low-income households who missed out on the £650 cost of living payment
- Support to people on pension credit
- the Welfare Support Scheme for those who need help paying fuel bills
- Vouchers given to community partners to distribute directly to residents
Torbay Council has also unveiled its Warm Spaces Charter which sets out what people can expect when they visit a warm space. For example, they won’t be asked why they are visiting, and their anonymity will be assured. It’s expected Warm Spaces will be situated in community venues throughout Torbay.
You can find more detail about support available with the cost of living on the Government website by clicking
here.
Date For Cost of Living Payment Confirmed,
Thousands of households across our bay will receive a £324 cost of living cash boost by the 23 November.
The government announced this week households receiving DWP benefits will receive the second part of the £650 Cost of Living Payment from 8 November and continuing through to the 23 November.
Over 8 million families have already received the first Cost of Living Payment, worth £326, which was sent out from 14 July this year.
The second payment will automatically be paid into the bank accounts of those eligible in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland who receive a qualifying benefit, meaning they will not need to do anything to receive the money.
You can find out more on the Government website by clicking
here.
CCTV Investment To Address Town Centre Crime,
13 new CCTV cameras will soon be covering Torquay Town Centre as part of an ongoing crackdown on anti-social behaviour.
The extra investment into tackling anti-social behaviour (ASB) includes monitors and an additional member of staff to operate the equipment. The upgrade has been made possible thanks to a £1.1m grant from the Home Office’s Safer Streets Fund.
New areas which will now be covered by CCTV include Melville Street and Tor Hill Road and there will be extra cameras on Abbey Road, the Harbourside and Lower Union Lane. The cameras are currently monitored in person until 2am on weeknights, but the funding means this will be extended until 4am.
The new machinery will sit alongside the 260 existing cameras which watch the Bay’s streets, car parks, lifts and other public areas 24/7.
Stabbing in Ellacombe,
Any news of a stabbing in our bay is shocking, but even more so when it involves someone who is only 15 years old.
Last night an incident in Ellacombe saw a teenager end up in hospital and 2 other teenagers arrested. I have received a briefing on the incident and you can read more on the Greatest Hits Radio website by clicking
here.
Anyone with information which may assist police on this case is asked to contact them on 101 or via their
website quoting log 836 061022.
You can also pass information in relation to this incident anonymously to independent charity Crimestoppers online at
www.crimestoppers-uk.org or by phone 0800 555 111.
Hotel Investor Confirms Another Purchase,
This week the Fragrance Group purchased another hotel in our bay.
The Fragrance Group, which is already building two brand-new hotels overlooking Paignton Green, has bought the Marine Hotel, which looks out onto the seafront from a plot between Torbay Park and Adelphi Road. The purchase price has not been publicly confirmed, but it was advertised with a guide price of £1.5m.
I am advised, unlike the group’s previous local purchases, which have been demolished to be replaced by new developments, the Marine Hotel will remain as it is and continue to trade.
This latest investment is part of £150m being invested in our bay by this group. You can read more on Devon Live by clicking
here.
More Help To Heat Funding Confirmed,
Around 130,000 low-income households across England could see bills slashed by around £400 to £700 a year as their homes receive energy efficiency upgrades through the government’s latest Help to Heat funding.
Up to £1.5 billion is being made available through the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund and Home Upgrade Grant schemes, allowing social housing providers and local authorities to submit bids for funding to upgrade the properties of around 130,000 low-income and social households.
You can read more on the Government website by clicking
here.
Covid Advice,
It now seems a long time since my updates started each week with details on the latest situation with Covid-19, however it has not gone away.
This week local Public Health Chiefs issued advice as numbers have started to rise again and you can read it on Devon Live by clicking
here.
Getting your jabs is a key part of keeping Covid and the flu in check this winter. If you are aged over 65, a frontline healthcare worker or in a more vulnerable group, you can currently book in for your free flu and covid booster jabs. Details are available on the NHS website by clicking
here.
Those aged 50 to 65 will be able to book their free flu jab in a couple of weeks’ time. This is so the most at risk can be offered vaccination slots first.
I have also had some residents get in touch having received a nasty surprise in the post following getting their jab at the Riviera Centre in the form of a parking ticket. This followed issues with patients whose appointments went over 40 minutes not having their details entered into the system to avoid them being charged for parking.
This was raised by Wellswood Councillor James O’Dwyer with the Council. I understand measures have been put in place to stop this, plus if anyone who has received a fine whilst getting their jab contacts Parkwood Leisure they will review it.
Kev’s Column: Energy
Every fortnight Kevin writes a “Kev’s Column” for the Torbay Weekly and you can read the latest edition by following this link:
https://www.kevinjfoster.com/news/kevs-column-energy-0
and finally……. 9-1 Win Gives Gulls Fans A Lift.
Ending on a different note, the Lionesses gave all England football fans a lift earlier this year by ending a 56 year wait for a major trophy by winning the European Championship (Plus beating World Champions USA tonight).
This week it was the turn of Torquay United Women to give Gulls Fans, who recently endured a 6-0 away defeat at Wrexham, something to cheer about as they delivered a staggering 9-1 FA Cup win at Feniton Ladies!!!
Its great to see the team doing so well and you can read more on the Torbay Weekly website by clicking
here.
That is all for this week and enjoy your weekend.
Best Wishes,
Kevin
