Countryside Under Threat

Having won the won the battle to protect the countryside between WestTeignmouth and Bishopsteignton in Plan Teignbridge. A new threat has emerged - a developer has asked Teignbridge Council for a 'Scoping Opinion' for residential development on land around Sheppard’s Lane

Basically a 'Scoping Opinion' is where a developer formally contacts the planning department asking what information should be included within an Environmental Statement. This is very concerning, having gone to the trouble and expense of a scoping opinion, the developer will almost certainly put in a planning application - which most likely will be refused because it goes against the “Undeveloped Coast” policy. The danger is if the developer appeals any refusal on the grounds of 'housing need' - then we will be in the hands of a planning inspector. This situation has not been helped by the Chairman of the Council changing his mind and using his casting vote to build 12,400 Houses instead of 10,000 across Teignbridge. Please contact me if you wish to be kept up to date with this matter: david.cox@teignbridge.gov.uk

The Real Housing Numbers

The claims being banded around that the Lib Dems promoted the building of 15,000+ houses in 2008 is simply wrong, I know I was there! Anyone who wishes to, can check the figure on Page 57 of the previous Core Strategy Development Document, and will see the figure of 7,250 houses. This document is available to the public to look at. I believe this figure increased to 10,400 at the end of the Public Examination. The 15,000 figure seems to have come from the minutes of Newton Abbot Chamber of Commerce, where is was reported the Conservative leader of the council said "15,000 houses would be build half in Newton Abbot". So the only U-turn seems to be on the part of a number of Conservatives councillors who only a few months earlier had enthusiastically supported the work of the all-party review group who recommended a figure of 10,000. The Chairman of the council, Cllr Clarance was full of praise for the review group and eager for his vote to be recorded in favour of 10,000 in May, only to use his casting vote against at the full council

Green Deal

Householders insulating their homes from January will be able to claim hundreds – and potentially thousands – of pounds back in cash from the government. The Liberal Democrat energy secretary, Ed Davey, has launched the Green Deal. The Green Deal is designed to encourage businesses and home owners in the UK to employ green technologies in their properties. Throughthe scheme, applicants will be able to install new green technology into their properties with no upfront costs involved. The cost incurred through the installations will be met through the applicants’ energy bills over a period of time. Businesses will be able to apply for funding to help improve the energy efficiency of their current building. After an assessment has been carried out outlining which technologies will be the most effective a business owner can apply for funding to have the installation made. The scheme will offer finance or loan support for business owners to improve the property that they own through energy efficiency measures. This finance is in effect a ‘free loan’ for the installation of energy saving improvements which will be charged back through the property energy metering. There will be a range of options available through the scheme. Examples of the Types of improvements that may be funded include the following: Green Deal Insulation Cavity Wall Insulation Flat Roof Insulation Insulated Doors Loft Insulation Solid Wall Insulation Windows Green Lighting Micro Power Generation Air Source Heat Pumps Ground Source Heat Pumps Micro CHP Solar Photovoltaics Thermal Solar Power Both householders and businesses are able to register to have their properties assessed for the Green Deal. The first loans are expected to become available in January 2013. http://www.greendealinitiative.co.uk

Taste of the Teign

We'll be meeting on Monday night to plan a food festival for the Teign Estuary area.

Harvest Festival

Trinity school pupils collected a bumper crop of food donations for a local charity I chair, as part of their harvest festival assembly organised by Year 8. The charity, Homeless in Teignbridge Support (HITS) will use the items to help stock up our ‘Foodbank’which sees volunteers providing essential food items to families who have suffered in some way, as well as the homeless.

On behalf of the charity trustees, I would like to say a very big thank-you to all the students and parents at Trinity School for the tremendous generosity. The large food donations will go to helping people in crisis. I’d particularly like to thank the Year 8 students who organised the Harvest Festival; and took the initiate to use the Harvest Festival to help those in need. HITS is an award winning registered charity, founded by Christians Together. The charity seeks to work with the statuary sector to help the homeless and those in crisis in Teignbridge.

More Teignbridge Waste

After wasting £3000 on an outside video filming service, whilst they had an in-house video service, once again taxpayers money has been wasted by Tories. This time £8000 has been spent on a council management review from which there will be no final report! Teignbridge council hired retired local authority chief executive Jeffrey Ligo to review the council's management structure and suggest improvements and potential savings; however now, after seven months of work, its been revealed that Mr Ligo has been told not to bother with a final written report to Teignbridge's councillors. Instead, a report from the council's chief executive, Nicola Bulbeck, on the 'way forward' will be considered by the council's ruling Conservative Executive. It's astonishing that after seven months of work by an outside consultant that there will be nothing to show for the £8,000 we have been told this review has cost.

Territorial Army

So Philip Hammond wants to do away with the name "Territorial Army" - the man has no idea of history.The Territorial Army was created over one hundred years ago by the Liberal Secretary of State for War, Richard Haldane, when the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907 combined the previously civilian-administered Volunteer Force, with the Militia and Yeomanry. Picture: Colours and badge of 1st Bn Wessex Regiment (Rifle Volunteers)

Broadmeadow FC Win FA Award

BROADMEADOW Football Club has been named the FA’s chartered standard club of the year.

Broadmeadow won the honour after showing great staying power. With the Broadmeadow pitches declared contaminated in 2000, the club was homeless for more than a decade, until Michael’s Field was opened earlier this year. Thanks to the volunteers’ hard work, the club, boasting more than 120 players, survived the wilderness years. Club members received the award from Sir Geoff Hurst and Pat Jennings, before watching England play San Marino in a World Cup qualifier. Hurst said: “Broadmeadow embodies the spirit of a community football club. They faced several difficulties in the past but with the help and hard work of volunteers, staff and players have really bounced back to become the outstanding club they are today.”

Teignmouth Post Front Page

At a time when we seem to only read only bad things about young people in newspapers; it was heartening to see the Teignmouth Post give front page coverage to a teenager, Danny Packwood, who organised a MacMillan coffee morning. The vast majority of Teignmouth’s young people are a credit to the town, so it is good to see our local newspaper give due prominence to positive news .