News courtesy of Kevin Foster
(MP for Torbay)
Superfast Broadband Roll Out
Yesterday Neil Parish secured a debate on the roll out of Superfast Broadband in Rural areas.
The debate unsurprisingly focused on the difficulties of providing broadband in some more remote areas and how alternative technology, such as wireless equipment, could deal with some of the physical challenges to this. It was pointed out that for coastal communities the sea can be the biggest barrier and sometimes sites vital for creating employment might be missed if focused on property numbers only. You can read what was said here.
Finally the Minister confirmed that 100% of properties in the bay will be covered by the end of the latest period of roll-out. In addition after a meeting with BT earlier this year, The Willows should be included by early next year, subject to no major issues being raised by a recent survey.
Pop Up Shop Sees Sales Soar
The first four businesses to take up the pop-up shop offer are reporting swift business, with one firm stating their sales are up 200% since moving into the shop. The project is being delivered by Torbay Council with funding from the Government’s Coastal Communities Fund.
There are still some spaces left to book in and for more information about the project email liz.edwards@tedcltd.com or call 07771 974565. You can also click here to find application guidance and apply online.
Finally you can follow @PopUptheHighSt on Twitter for regular pictures and updates.
Individual Electoral Registration
The biggest change in how we register to vote, Individual Electoral Registration, is underway and the vast majority of voters across the bay have now registered under the new system.
In the past registration was based on the idea that a head of the household would list the names living in their property. In recent years there were arguments that this produced suspicious growths in the voting population of areas just before elections and in 2003 the Electoral Commission recommended changing to an IER system.
Kevin Foster questioned in the commons this week what assessments by the Electoral Commission had been made of the impact on electoral fraud of the new system. You can read his question and the response received by clicking here.
Litter Police Get to Work
Torbay Council has enlisted the help of a specialist environmental services company, 3GS, which will be tasked with helping to keep the Bay’s streets, parks and open spaces clean and tidy.
The Environmental Compliance Officers have been visible from Tuesday 1st September, but during their first week concentrated on making themselves known to businesses and giving words of advice rather than issuing Fixed Penalty Notices. The officers will cover Torquay, Paignton and Brixham and will work six days a week.
The officers will be able to issue Fixed Penalty Notices of £80 for littering offences and will also support the existing Dog Wardens where necessary. A Fixed Penalty Notice issued for the offence of dog fouling carries a charge of £75. More information on Fixed Penalty Notices for littering and dog fouling can be found on the Torbay Council website by clicking here.
Torbay Youth Trust Set to Launch
Following over two years of consultation with staff and partners, approval from the Government and Councillors, Torbay Youth Trust is now in a position to take over the delivery of youth services from Torbay Council.
The Youth Trust, and its newly formed Interim Board of Trustees, will be taking on the running of the Parkfield Centre along with the current delivery of activities and services for the young people of Torbay. Staff from the council’s Youth Services and Young Carers teams will be transferring to the new Trust at the same time.
A new Enterprise and Operations Manager will also be employed to manage existing contracts and develop additional funding streams by working in partnership with the youth sector in Torbay.
Future of Morrisons Stores
Whilst there has been some positive news for Torquay Town Centre recently, in particular the start of work on the Torwood Street Development, yet there was also some mixed news this week.
Morrisons have this week announced that they are looking to sell their chain of 140 local convenience stores after posting a significant loss. There were indications that some stores could be closed, potentially including their branch in Market Street, which opened in July 2013. You can read the report on this from the Herald Express by clicking here.
Yet the BBC have reported that the store in Paignton that was closed recently could be reopened as part of the deal and jobs would be protected across the other stores. You can read that piece here.
Tourism and Retail Bid Meeting
There will be an open meeting at the Livermead House Hotel in Torquay at 4pm on Sunday 13th September to discuss the TRTBID and how it will affect local businesses.
The Mayor Gordon Oliver will be attending and one of the country’s top BID experts will be there to answer any questions local traders may have.
New Plans for Gleneagles
In January one of the bay’s most famous hotels closed its doors.
The Gleneagles was of course the inspiration for Fawlty Towers. From the feedback received it seems that many were sad to see it close after a developer announced plans for retirement flats on the site.
The first plans were rejected by the Council earlier this year, but new plans have just been unveiled which you can see an image of on the Herald Express website by clicking here. The developers have indicated that if given planning permission the development would be completed in early 2017.
Travellers Move Onto White Rock
Following recent illegal encampments in Clennon Valley a group is reported to have moved onto a site in White Rock on Wednesday.
The Council is taking action to evict them and measures will be put in place to more permanently secure the sites once they are gone. You can read the report on the Herald Express website by clicking here.
Events
Fri 11th – Sun 20th Sept: Agatha Christie Festival, Torre Abbey and other venues. Full details here.
Sat 12th Sept, 1pm onwards: Colour Rush Run, Paignton Seafront
Wed 16th Sept Torbay Photographic Society welcomes anyone with an interest in photography to join them at St Martin’s Church Hall,1 Barton Hill Road at 7:30pm www.torbayps.org
Sat 19th Sept: Red Panda Awareness Day, Paignton Zoo
Sat 19th Sept, 12pm-5pm: Whiterock Festival of Learning, Whiterock Primary School, activities for all the family, open to all, free entry.
Sat 19th – Sun 20th, 3pm-5pm: Big Beach Clean Weekend, Beacon Cove, Torquay
Sun 20th Sept, 1pm-4.30pm: Tea with Ann Widdecombe, book signing plus craft fair, Queensway Catholic Primary School, free entry
Date for the diary!
17th Oct, 10am-4pm: Family History Day, free genealogists offer their time to help you research your family tree. Venue: Church of Latter Day Saints, 9 Belle Vue Road, Paignton. TQ4 6ES. Free parking
