Every fortnight Kevin writes a "Kev's Column" for the Herald Express and you can read the latest edition below:
School Funding Boost
For many years Torbay’s Schools have been disadvantaged by a funding formula that sees them receive one of the lowest amounts of funding per pupil in the country.
The reasons for this are purely historical and last year the government announced it would implement a new formula. The initial draft saw many local schools gain, some significantly, yet a few, including our bay’s three Grammar Schools and a small number of primaries, lose out.
Along with local headteachers and parents I have been lobbying Education Ministers and last week a major announcement confirmed real progress has been made. All Secondary Schools will get funding of at least £4,800 per pupil (a significant rise on current funding levels), all schools will see a rise in their budget and those gaining will see their budgets rise at a faster rate.
The details of exactly what this means for each school in the bay need to be confirmed. I have been assured that for the Schools Minister and his team calculating these sums will be their homework for the summer recess.
Services Must Be The Focus
For some years Torbay’s Children’s Services have struggled to maintain good quality services and have been rated inadequate by inspectors, this cannot continue.
A way of resolving this is for Torbay to work with another Council to deliver these services, creating a larger organisation more able to cope with the pressures involved.
I am advised it is now likely a merger of services with Plymouth will be pursued, with a potential for other services to be delivered in partnership with our neighbours. I hope this will mark a change for the better and these vital services, which protect some of the most vulnerable people in the bay, must be prioritised.
Given my role at the Department for Communities and Local Government several residents have queried what my thoughts are in relation to the latest news involving Torbay Council and the Elected Mayor.
My focus as Torbay’s MP is not on local government governance structures or personalities, but on service delivery and protecting vulnerable people. I will work with whoever wants to deliver on the latter, rather than argue about the former.
Private Parking Bill Presented,
I have been campaigning for a change in the way Private Parking Enforcement Companies are regulated.
This campaign followed several examples of sharp practices being brought to my attention at privately managed car parks, here in the bay. A debate I arranged in parliament earlier this year saw many colleagues from across the country raise similar issues in their areas, with a need to review the standards that allow these companies get access to motorists’ details via the DVLA.
Sir Greg Knight has tabled a Private Members’ Bill that will look to improve regulation of this industry, ending many of the sharp practices that are too common in it. There are indications that both the Government and the Official Opposition are supportive in principle, giving it a real chance of becoming law.
What started as complaints about poor practice at two privately managed car parks here in the bay has now developed into a welcome move to change the law.
Stonehenge Road Raised,
The South West’s Strategic Road Network was the subject of a short debate in parliament last week.
I again pressed the case for the A303 being dual carriageway for its entire length, including at Stonehenge. The infamous bottlenecks on the route put off investors from investing in our region, whilst local companies can face severe delays when transporting goods to key markets in London and the South East due to them.
At a time when other regions are seeing significant investment in their network it is time this issue was solved. I questioned the Minister on this and was pleased to receive confirmation the Government would shortly published detailed plans to finally solve the issues at Stonehenge.
After decades of delay and indecision work to build the new road cannot start a moment too soon.
Chelston Church Resurrected
For over 100 years Chelston Methodist Church sat at the heart of the community it served.
Like many churches its congregation sadly dwindled to a small number with the result that it closed a few years ago. Yet unlike other such buildings that lie empty or have been converted to a commercial use, this church is open once more, as the Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady of Walsingham with St Cuthbert Mayne.
When attending their Summer Fayre on Saturday I was delighted to see it is once more a thriving place of worship at the heart of the community. This building has had its very own resurrection.