Every fortnight Kevin writes a "Kev's Column" for the Torbay Weekly and you can read the latest edition (Published on Thursday 6th April 2023) below:
Anti-Social Behaviour
It has been good to see the results of Op Loki, a targeted period of Police activity in Torquay Town Centre.
Increasing Police resources as part of local and national uplift programmes, along with Government funding via the safer streets programme (Which has funded items like increased CCTV coverage), gives an opportunity for this operation focussed on tackling issues such as anti-social behaviour and shoplifting, along with work to identify and deal with persistent offenders.
Alongside this work locally, the Government unveiled its new Anti-Social Behaviour Plan. It contained proposals to give local Councils further powers around dealing with empty & derelict properties, including removing the upper limit of fines for not complying with an order requiring an owner to fix or tidy a derelict building.
The Government’s plan includes a welcome commitment to repeal the outdated Vagrancy Act 1824. This will remove the criminalisation of destitution, whilst bringing in modern laws able to deal with the issue of organised begging gangs and inappropriate behaviour near sensitive locations like cashpoints.
Law enforcement on its own can only do so much in tackling these issues. It is therefore welcome the Government’s plan included a commitment to make more youth support available, including via 1-1 support. This pledge being made on the same day the Acorn Centre (Barton) was awarded £626k of national Youth Investment Funding gave a positive sign of what this could mean for our bay.
Asylum Accommodation
Last week the immigration minister updated MPs on work to end the use of hotels, including two in our bay, as accommodation for those who have claimed asylum in the UK.
Alongside work to increase asylum decision making and changes in the law to tackle the numbers crossing the channel, the Home Office will take forward the creation of four large accommodation sites. These will be in Essex, Lincolnshire, East Sussex and North Yorkshire. They are based on accommodation centres used elsewhere in Europe and will be used to house single adult men, the group which represents the majority of those currently housed in hotels.
This move is welcome as it will not only help end the use of hotels which are not designed to provide long-term accommodation, but reduce costs and assist with prompter decision making.
Happy Easter
Easter Weekend is not only a special time in the church calendar but marks the start of the tourism season which is so vital for our bay.
The sight of two large hotels on Paignton Seafront about to open, plus many young language students back in our bay, are positive signs for the months ahead.
I wish all Torbay Weekly readers a very Happy Easter.
Surgery Times
My next surgeries are on: Saturday 15th April 11am till 1pm at Paignton Library, Great Western Rd, Paignton TQ4 5AG and Friday 21st April 10am till 12Noon at Torquay Library, Lymington Road, Torquay TQ1 3DT.
Surgeries are for personal queries from residents they would like me to help them with. For an appointment you can either email me at [email protected] or leave a message on 01803 214989. There are also drop-in sessions at my office 5-7 East St, Torquay, TQ2 5SD between 10am & 1pm Monday to Friday where a member of my team will be available to help with any queries.
