Every fortnight Kevin writes a "Kev's Column" for the Herald Express and you can read the edition published on Wednesday 16th May 2018 below:
Community Café
One of the best parts of my role is getting out in the community and seeing the work a range of unsung heroes do to make a difference.
On Saturday I met the team behind the new Community Café in Stoodley Meadow, Torquay. The former changing rooms have been given an amazing makeover and look superb in their new role. This is all thanks to a dedicated team who have worked on the project, plus several businesses and individuals who have contributed towards it.
I was delighted to be asked to formally “push the shutter up” to mark their first day of trading and wish them every success with this venture.
Parental Bereavement Leave
A Private Member’s Bill to create a system of statutory parental bereavement leave has cleared its final stages in the House of Commons.
Losing a child or suffering a stillbirth is one of the hardest things anyone can face in life. The vast majority of employers are very understanding about the need their staff will have for time off if this happens to them, yet a small minority are not. The new law creates a statutory entitlement to two weeks paid leave after the death of a child, along with provisions for the taxpayer to provide support for a statutory level of payment to assist in covering the costs for employers.
I was pleased to be in parliament to support this bill and it will make a difference to those facing the darkest of times in our bay.
Press Regulation
As digital media continues to threaten the very survival of the print media, with many newspapers cutting jobs, parliament again returned to the subject of press regulation.
Some national press journalists behaved appallingly in the past, yet their actions in hacking phones was already a criminal offence, for which some served prison sentences. The latest parliamentary debates included attempts to bring in a piece of law where newspapers, such as the Herald Express, could be forced to pay legal costs even if they won a libel case, yet a news website, blog or TV station in the same position would not.
Those who publish incorrect information should be held to account and a simplified system is being put in place to ensure people can get justice. Yet rules to specifically penalise those who print on paper, rather than publish online, will only see the presses stop forever as more newspapers close.
£50m Fund For Grammar Schools
Last week the Government launched the Selective Schools Expansion Fund to help create more places at existing Grammar Schools.
To access this £50m of funding Selective Schools will be required to widen their intake of disadvantaged pupils and work with non-selective schools to help improve outcomes for pupils across their local area.
A Memorandum of Understanding has already been agreed with the Grammar School Heads’ Association setting out its members’ commitment to deliver these objectives. This agreement reflects work being done here in the bay by our three Grammar Schools, not least the strong link between Torquay Boys Grammar School and Torquay Academy which has helped the later thrive in recent years.
I hope our bay will receive some of this new funding to ensure more local pupils can benefit from this type of education if it is the right choice for them.
BMAD Staying Put
The glorious Bank Holiday weather made Paignton Green the perfect setting for the BMAD Festival.
The bikers’ gathering marks the start of our Summer Season, yet there were some worries it might relocate elsewhere.
Thankfully the end of this year’s Festival brought welcome news that the BMAD Bikers and supporters will be back on Paignton Green from 3rd-5th May 2019.
Dog Poo Fairy?
Cllr Ray Hill and I joined pupils, parents and staff of St Margaret’s Academy for their litter pick as part of the Great Plastic Pick Up.
Whilst the streets around the school were fairly clean we did manage to fill two black plastic bags with litter, mostly thanks to a resident of St Marychurch who believes in the Dog Poo Fairy. They must believe in the fairy as they appear to think putting dog poo in a plastic bag, then throwing it in a hedge, will see it magically disappear.
It was great to see the school getting involved in this initiative and making a difference to the local community. It is just a pity a small minority who are too lazy to find a bin (You can put bagged dog poo in any litter bin) make it necessary.
Surgery Times
My next surgeries will be on Friday 25th May 3pm till 5pm at Paignton Baptist Church, Winner St, TQ3 3BJ and Saturday 2nd June 10am till 12noon at St Martin’s Church, Barton Hill Road, Torquay, TQ2 8HU.
Just call 01803 214 989 or e-mail me at [email protected] to book a slot. You can drop in, but appointments are recommended to avoid a long wait or disappointment. My team also run drop in surgery sessions Mon to Friday 10am -1pm at 5-7 East St, Torquay, TQ2 5SD