Every fortnight Kevin writes a "Kev's Column" for the Herald Express and you can read the latest edition (Published on Wednesday 14th November 2018) below:
Armistice
A century ago the guns fell silent on the Western Front at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.
Large crowds attended the Remembrance Ceremonies held in Torquay and Paignton on Sunday to mark this moment and to remember the tremendous sacrifices made for our freedoms. A particularly poignant moment was watching children from Paignton laying 224 lit candles around the Palace Avenue War Memorial, one for each son of the town who did not return from WWI. A visual reminder these were not old men, but young men who gave their today for our tomorrow.
Whilst the generation which witnessed the Battles of the Somme, Loos and Passchendaele have now passed away, the memory of their service and sacrifice lives on.
Reclassifying Spice
Over the last year I have been working to persuade the Home Office to reclassify the drug commonly known as “Spice”.
The impact of Spice usage on those who take it is sadly all too visible on our streets, yet its current Class B classification ranks it alongside far less powerful drugs, giving the Courts insufficient powers when dealing with those who manufacture and deal in it. There are also some suggestions organised criminal groups have moved into supplying this drug due to avoiding the type of sentences they would get for Class A Drugs such as Cocaine.
Devon & Cornwall’s Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez recently joined with over 20 other PCC’s in urging the Home Office to quickly make this change.
The problems we have seen here in the bay, especially in our Town Centres, are sadly not unique. Last week I joined MPs from Stoke-On-Trent, Chesterfield and Mansfield for a debate where the problems caused by Spice were again highlighted, along with the need for action to deal with those who profit from the misery it causes.
Bus Services
News the 60 and 65 services are to be suspended for four months (last service Saturday 8th December) will be a blow for those who rely on them for everything from a trip to the shops to attending a hospital appointment.
When the previous operator pulled out last year a major campaign was launched to get them running again, yet despite being delivered on a “not for profit” basis it has been revealed they are running at a loss of £1,000 a week. Whilst some passengers make a voluntary additional donation towards running the service, 90% of passengers on the routes only pay concessionary fares.
A community model of delivering bus services which are not likely to make a profit, but provide a vital service, makes sense. Now Torbay must find a solution which ensures those with free bus passes have a service they can use.
Surgery Times
My next surgeries will be on Friday 16th November from 3pm till 5pm at Paignton Baptist Church, Winner St, Paignton, TQ3 3BJ and Saturday 24th November from 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.