Boxing Day Dip

Along with Councillor Terry Falcao and 300 other people, I went in the sea on Boxing Day to raise money for the RNLI.

An Inspector Calls

The Inspector’s Proposed Modifications to Plan Teignbridge has been published on the Council’s website www.teignbridge.gov.uk/examination A developer made representations to have the land at Shepherds Lane put back in to the plan (TE2 in the original draft policy) but this has been rejected by the Inspector. There is more good news for the rest of the Teign Estuary in the Inspector's proposed modifications to the Local Plan: KS2 - the proposed transport interchange to the north of the A381 adjacent to the A380/A381 roundabout has been rejected. KS7 - development to the north of Passage House Inn have also been rejected These and other proposed modifications to the Plan are open for comment until 7th February and the Inspector hope to finish his report shortly after that date

Staying Warm and Well this Winter

The Staying Warm and Well Service runs until the end of March 2014; it has been created to provide support for people in Devon who are living in a cold home and who may need extra support over the winter or who have a heating emergency. The Service is run by voluntary groups on behalf of Devon County Council to help with: Wellbeing assistance from voluntary organisations, including: ◾food and medicine supplies in bad weather ◾welfare calls and alerts ◾maintaining social contacts and help with transport ◾room thermometers - economic support from Citizens Advice Bureau, including: •an income maximisation check at home •fuel debt advice and help with fuel switching •fuel grants - warm and safe homes support from Devon Care and Repair, including: •emergency help with boiler breakdowns and burst pipes •getting heaters and dehumidifiers •advice on how your home can be more energy efficient •help to apply for insulation, boiler replacement and housing grants •help with loft clearance before insulation is installed •a warm homes pack, which includes a blanket and socks •a room temperature alert for people at risk •installation of smoke alarms, Carbon Monoxide detectors and handrails to help prevent accidents. How do I get help? If you are having difficulty staying warm and well in the winter phone the Staying Warm and Well Service on freephone 0800 046 7700 or complete the online referral form -http://www.teigncvs.org.uk/component/rsform/form/7-in-confidence-referral-form-staying-warm-and-well-in-devon-in-confidence-copy The Staying Warm and Well Service will work with you to develop a winter action plan and arrange the support you need. How can I help others? Be aware of vulnerable family, friends or neighbours who: ◾are living in a cold or damp home, particularly older people who live alone and people who have an existing health condition ◾have a winter warmth emergency such as their boiler breaks down or pipes burst or their home floods ◾are struggling to keep warm because their home is poorly insulated or their fuel costs are high. If you know someone in this situation give them a copy of this factsheet or contact the Staying Warm and Well Service on freephone 0800 046 7700. If you need more information or a different format phone 0845 155 1015, textphone 0845 155 1020

£700k consultant Bill Run up by Tory Police Commissioner

Devon and Cornwall's Conservative police commissioner is still spending vast amounts on consultants. At a time when frontline police have suffered cuts. The Conservative Police and Crime Commissioner, Tony Hogg has been spent nearly £700,000 on consultants and agency staff. The figure covers the period from November 2012, when Tony Hogg took office, until March 2014. Back in June Tony Hogg claimed that his consultant spending was very much about setting up his office. Not the case, it seems, as the spending has continued and grown. Now even the Police Federation have picked up on the scandal. As ever Mr Hogg has failed to answer the questions himself, and has left it to one of his staff to make his excuses. It's not as if this is the only example of wasteful spending by Mr Hogg. His overall office costs are higher than the Police Authority he replaced, despite the promise by the Home Secretary that the new offices would be a saving on the previous system. Mr Hogg's excuse is that he isn't as bad as some. Don't forget that Mr Hogg demands that we pay his accommodation costs even though he could stay at Police HQ at Middlemoor Exeter for free. http://cllrdavidcox.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/hogging-limelight.html

Teign Estuary Cycle Route - Where's the Money

Almost 200 cyclists staged a pedal protest on Remembrance Sunday; riding between from Broadmeadow to Kingsteiognton, in protest at the delay of the Teign Estuary Cyclepath. Rumours abounded that the project had been shelved, only for Devon County Council to claim it was committed to the project. However Teignmouth County Councillor, Richard Younger-Ross has questioned the Conservatives on the lack of planned funding for the proposed Teign Estuary Cyclepath. At the Highways and Traffic Orders Committee it was reviled that no funds have been allocated for the Scheme for 2014/15. Richard said: ”We were given a presentation on capital projects in Teignbridge showing the proposed spend for this year and next year. Most Schemes showed the projected costs for both years but the Teign Estuary Cycle Route only showed £40,000 for this year and next year was “to be confirmed”. We have been given assurances by the Conservative led Council that they are going to progress the scheme. Those assurances would sit better if we could see some progress and some anticipated expenditure.”

Shepherd’s Lane

The Waddington Park planning applications for Shepherd’s Lane was received at Teignbridge on Monday - they will be on the website next week, the numbers are 13/02613MAJ (the houses) and 13/02612FUL (the turning circle). The planning officers are aiming to determine the applications by November. The housing application is technically in the civil parish of Bishopsteignton. I attended Bishopsteignton Parish Council's meeting on Monday, and at Tuesday's Teignmouth Town Council meeting it was agreed to work together to on these applications. Councillors from both councils along with the county councillors will be meeting in the next few days. There may be a public meeting in the near future.

Housing development off Shepherds Lane

Tim Baker of Waddeton Park Ltd has written to Bishopsteignton Parish Council to inform them that they intend to put forward a Planning Application. Advertisements in the Teignmouth News claiming this could not happen are sadly totally wrong. There are good planning reasons why this planning permission should be refused. The Letter says- Following the public meeting and the responses to the web site and newspaper articles we have been carefully considering our next steps. Teignbridge DC have had further confirmation of their lack of a 5 year land supply by way of the Inspector's comments on the Bradley Bends Bovey Tracey planning appeal. Teignbridge have lodged their Local Plan and the Examination in Public is scheduled to start of 5th September 2013. Amongst the many questions posed by the Inspector for the Examination is whether the Shepherds Lane site should be put back into the plan.National policy is to encourage house building in sustainable locations such as this. We have decided to proceed with a planning application and that will be submitted within the next week or so. In preparing the planning application we have carefully considered the comments we received and in particular those about the impact of the development on the landscape setting and visibility from Bishopsteignton, surface water drainage from the site, access from Shepherds Lane into the proposed development site and the proposals to alter Mill Lane. Our scheme has been amended to address these and other issues.We shall be doing a leaflet drop to the Moorview Drive occupiers and the residents of Bishopsteignton and there will be an advert in the Teignmouth Post and the rest of the Mid Devon Advertiser series. T J Baker FRICS Waddeton Park Ltd