Every fortnight Kevin writes a "Kev's Column" for the Herald Express and you can read the latest edition (Published on Wednesday 22nd August 2018) below:
Burma Star Memorial
Those from our bay who served and made the ultimate sacrifice in the Battle for Burma were remembered with a short service in Paignton last week.
The annual event is organised by the Royal British Legion (Paignton Branch) and it was wonderful to have a local Burma Star veteran join us. The short service included readings and an act of remembrance.
I was pleased to lay a wreath during the service in memory of those who served in a hard-fought campaign which paved the way for victory in the Far East during World War 2.
Council Finances
News Torbay Airshow 2019 may fall victim to pressure on Torbay Council’s Budget caught the headlines, although the source of the latest pressure relates to one of the key services the Council must provide, Child Protection.
Last week I met with Councillors David Thomas and Alan Tyerman, the Leader and Deputy Leader of the Conservative Group, to discuss this in more depth and get additional detail. They outlined how in 2010 the Council spent £17.7m on Children’s (Social) Services and had about 270 children in its care. Now Children’s Services has a budget of approximately £33m, but with 360 children now in the Council’s Care is facing a potential overspend of £2.8m.
Child Protection services are “demand led”, this means the Council can only estimate what it may spend, it cannot set a limit on how many children can be brought into care as each case is assessed individually based on the need to protect the child concerned.
I agreed to arrange a meeting with the Local Government Minister to discuss how this pressure is dealt with as Torbay Council is not the only one to be seeing a major growth of demand in this area. There are a range of reasons speculated for this, but given each case is unique it is not possible to identify a specific cause which covers them all.
Plaque Unveiling
I was delighted to unveil a plaque in Torquay Harbour marking 130 years since the overturning of a law which prevented the Salvation Army Band from marching through Torquay on a Sunday.
Several local Salvation Army members, including William Robins, were sent to prison for marching with the band through Torquay in protest. The plaque is close to the spot where he was arrested in 1888 and was erected by his descendants, many of whom attended the unveiling ceremony. A Salvation Army Band proudly played during the service to exercise the freedom these brave men and women won for them.
The plaque not only reminds us of the battle for religious freedoms in the past but can help inspire modern day struggles in countries where professing the Christian Faith can still see people jailed or even executed.
E-Cigarettes
A recent report by the (Cross-Party) Science and Technology Select Committee has provoked a debate about whether the rules on where e-cigarettes can be used should be reviewed.
E-cigarettes can play a role in helping reduce the rate of Tobacco Smoking and the Committee’s recommendation of an annual review of their health impact deserves further consideration. Yet their suggestion of re-opening a general debate about allowing vaping on Trains, Buses, in public buildings and on Hospital sites is neither a useful nor welcome move.
Train Operators, Hospital Trusts and Bus Companies should decide vaping rules based on the needs of their customers\patients\users and the way their services operate, not the view of a small committee of MPs.
I have every respect for Norman Lamb, the Liberal Democrat MP who Chairs this Committee, but the Government should not change the law in response to the recommendations of his latest report.
High Streets
Recent decades have seen major changes and significant decline on many High Streets, including those here in the bay.
St Marychurch, Paignton, Torquay and Preston still have a range of unique local businesses, yet out of town and internet shopping mean for many the necessity to visit their local High Street has gone. The Government is right to consider how tax rules can be changed to ensure large online retailers pay their fair share, yet this will not in itself revive our high streets.
I recently met with Matthew Clarke, who ran Torbay Bookshop for 24 years, to discuss his thoughts on how we can ensure more local retailers and High Streets thrive in the future. There is no magic bullet, but issues such as dealing with Parking Costs and changes to Business Rates all have a role to play.
Surgery Times
My next surgeries will be on Friday 24th August from 3pm till 5pm at Preston Baptist Church, Old Torquay Road, Paignton, TQ3 2RB and Saturday 1st September from 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.