Every fortnight Kevin writes a “Kev’s Column” for the Herald Express and you can read the latest edition below:
The Snowy Riviera
For the first time in a decade our bay had its share of snow last week.
Credit where due last Thursday the train from Paddington managed to make it through to Newton Abbot, (whilst the A38 & M5 were closed) with only a short wait for a connecting service to Torre. Our current trains may be nearly forty years old, but it is tribute to their engineers how they kept going with snow covering the tracks into the bay.
Whilst the walk back through Torquay Town Centre was pretty, it was not pleasant, especially for the Police Officers helping those motorists who despite the warnings, had decided to drive. The Met Office issued a Red Alert for good reason as grit can only moderate the situation, not prevent all ice forming.
The snow and ice, combined with the impact of Storm Emma on our seafront is a reminder the power of nature cannot be overcome.
Dawlish Coastal Railway
Given the problems caused by Storm Emma it is apt to report on the latest news in relation to plans for major work at Dawlish to secure our vital rail links.
In January the Government promised it would publish a formal response to the Peninsula Rail Taskforce Report by the end of February. This saw a letter sent to all South West MPs last Wednesday giving the government’s reply.
Much of the letter repeated details of previously announced schemes, such as the new Intercity Trains which will start serving our region later this year and work continuing to deliver a new station at Edginswell. Yet the key part I was looking for was a firm commitment to improve resilience at Dawlish.
The Government confirmed contracts will be awarded this spring for ground investigation studies, so work can begin in 2019 to address the landslide-prone steep cliffs bordering the line and improve the sea wall.
Whilst this is progress more detail will be needed over the next year, especially confirmation of funding streams and timetables for work to provide a lasting solution.
Homelessness
The “Estimates” Process sees the House of Commons discuss how much money each Government Department spent, with some selected for specific debate.
Spending on Homelessness was one area selected for debate. I took the chance to talk about the situation in our area, particularly with the cold weather forecast for later in the week.
The recent Connections Week organised by the Torbay End Street Homelessness Campaign saw volunteers spend a week looking for rough sleepers and interviewing them about their needs, plus what lead them to be on the streets. This approach compares favourably to the official method of counting rough sleepers, which involves councils going out one evening to count how many people they can spot sleeping rough.
The figure produced by the later can vary hugely depending on which evening is picked and how thoroughly it is undertaken. Bizarrely someone visibly living on the streets but stood up at the time the counting team visit, is not included. The Government needs to reform both this counting practice and the woefully outdated Vagrancy Act 1824. This ancient piece of legislation gives the Police no useful tools to tackle professional beggars, whilst potentially criminalising the destitute.
The Homelessness Reduction Act will bring welcome changes to the system of support available to those in danger of losing their home when it takes effect in April, but major reform of other legislation is also long overdue.
If you see someone sleeping rough in Torbay phone 01803 217890 to ensure they receive help. The number is available 24 hours a day.
Back in The Black
Amidst all the media coverage of Snow and Brexit it would have been easy to miss a rather significant piece of economic news which came out last week.
Britain is now running a current budget surplus, as tax revenues cover all day to day spending, for the first full year since 2001. This surplus, which excludes capital investment by the Government, came in at £3.8bn for 2017, the Office for National Statistics said. This is a huge turnaround from 2009 & 2010 when (on the same basis) the UK Government ran a deficit of nearly £100bn in each of those two years.
Research published by the International Monetary Fund said Britain set an example for other countries to follow in slashing the deficit by cutting public spending, rather than raising taxes. Whilst we cannot be complacent, as there are still economic challenges ahead, our nation being back in black is good news for all.
Surgery Times
My next surgeries will be on Friday 9th March 3pm till 5pm at Paignton Baptist Church, 43 Winner St, Paignton, TQ3 3BJ and Saturday 24th March 11am till 1pm at The Acorn Centre, Lummaton Cross, Torquay, TQ2 8ET.
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.