Every fortnight Kevin writes a "Kev's Column" for the Herald Express and you can read the latest edition (Published on Wednesday 31st January 2024) below:
Devolution
It was good to welcome Levelling Up Minister Jacob Young to Paignton as Devon and Torbay signed a devolution deal with the Government.
It was fitting for the deal to be signed at the EPIC Centre, highlighting the key role photonics plays in our bay’s economy. A scheme to create a new Electronics and Photonics Park in Paignton is set to benefit from a share of £20 million pounds of the Government’s Levelling Up Funding for the ‘Fish and Hi Tech Chips’ project. This will fund both the new park and an expansion of Brixham’s Fish Quay, supporting long-established businesses, plus developing new industries, to create jobs and skilled opportunities.
The Devon Devolution Deal includes powers on transport, housing, skills and training, supported by an immediate £16m package of additional funding to deliver the first projects under it. This step marks not only the devolution of power from Whitehall to Devon, bringing with it the chance to make more decisions locally, it also creates a framework for working together with the Government in future to deliver for our county.
NHS
A new Operating Theatres Block will open at Torbay Hospital next week, the latest in a series of investments into new facilities to improve our bay’s healthcare services.
The new unit includes two modular theatres, plus additional preoperative assessment spaces and recovery spaces. This means Torbay Hospital will be able to care for an extra 4,500 people each year, reducing the time people must wait for day surgery and improving their experience and outcomes. It represents a £15m investment into our NHS services and follows the opening of a new Endoscopy Unit at the Hospital in November.
This investment is very welcome, but the biggest single investment in our bay’s health services since the foundation of our NHS in 1948 is yet to come: The “Building a Brighter Future” project which will rebuild the core hospital building over the next 6 years.
Town Centres
In a move to tackle anti-social behaviour in our Town Centres, Torbay Council has published proposals to introduce tough new powers to deal with street drinking and anti-social behaviour.
These proposals follow feedback from residents and business alike and are alongside moves to get major regeneration projects supported by Government funding underway, outreach work to support people who are rough sleeping into accommodation and investment proposed for the next financial year into Council services such as street cleaning.
These proposals are very welcome. They will give the Police and Torbay Council’s new Town Centre Wardens team, the ability to crackdown on the constant nuisance which is not only making residents feel unsafe, but threatening the future of our Town Centre.
Surgery Times
My next surgeries are on: Friday 2nd February 10am till 12Noon at Paignton Library, Great Western Road, Paignton TQ4 5AG and Friday 9th February 10am till 12Noon at 5-7 East St, Torquay, TQ2 5SD.
For an appointment you can either email me at [email protected] or leave a message on 01803 214989, surgeries are for personal queries from residents they would like me to help them with. 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.
