'BUREAUCRACY GONE MAD' AT BAY HOTEL

Laws facing the hotel industry have one leading Torbay business leader fuming.

Carol Smith, who runs the 72-bedroom Belgrave Hotel, Torquay, a Victorian building, says there are a number of legal calls on her business to improve health, disabled access, employment and fire safety.She claims she is coming under pressure from fire safety chiefs to complete work ahead of schedule.

She says she has taken her concerns up with the fire service, Lib-Dem MP Adrian Sanders, and his Conservative rival Marcus Wood.

Mr Wood said: "How can we hope to encourage business with this kind of mindless bureaucracy gone mad?"

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BAY CAN KEEP GRAMMAR SCHOOLS, SAYS WOOD

Torbay's trio of grammar schools is safe in Tory hands, according to one of the borough's leading Conservatives.

A return to a grammar school education system would deepen the divisions between rich and poor, the Conservatives said yesterday when shadow education secretary David Willetts rejected the view - for years a strongly held Tory belief - that academic selection is the best way to raise school standards.He claimed the Tories would build more of retiring Prime Minister Tony Blair's favoured privately-sponsored city academies than will be opened under a Gordon Brown government.

Marcus Wood, the Torbay Tory prospective Parliamentary candidate, said: "The Torquay and Churston grammar schools are safe with us if local people want to keep them."

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Watchdog says council services 'improving'

A watchdog says Torbay Council is 'adequate' when it delivers services to the public.

The assessment of the Audit Commission into council services says Torbay is performing 'at only minimum requirements'.The assessment shows how the council works with its communities, delivers priorities and ensures continuous improvement.

The report notes the council is now a stronger leader and services are improving.

It says the council and its partner organisations have a strong vision for Torbay and aim to develop through economic regeneration, attracting new businesses and more tourists, into a safe, fear-free and tolerant community.

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ECONOMY RESIDENTS' 'BIGGEST CONCERN'

The bay economy tops the list of priorities among residents, it is being claimed.

Two years ago, the public's biggest concerns were crime followed by the need for the Kingskerswell bypass.Now it appears there has been a noticeable shift in public opinion towards getting the Bay economy rolling again, according to Torbay Conservative Parliamentary candidate Marcus Wood.

He says the change is shown in an Bay-wide online survey.

He said two years ago the biggest issue was crime, followed by the need for a Kingskerswell bypass with the economy only being named by 25 per cent.

He says now 43 per cent name the local economy and tourism as the most important issue in the Bay today, with only 26 per cent who name the bypass as the 'most important'.

Mr Wood said: "This is a very interesting shift.

"For some time we have been arguing the only way to improve the quality of life in Torbay for all residents is to create a thriving economy which in turn brings the money into the area which can then provide all the other things we need like decent services and proper maintenance and repair.

"If the economy isn't right then quite quickly the place can go into a downhill spiral.

"If we can just get the priorities right with a bit of public support the place can fly."

He says residents were divided over whether or not to have a casino, with 58 per cent saying it was important and 42 per cent saying it wasn't.

"Obviously online surveys have limitations, they are only available to people with access to the internet for a start, but we are so pleased with the response, with nearly a third of those invited to take part doing so."

He said the Conservatives are currently trying to raise money to organise a Bay-wide postal survey along similar lines.

Flying Visit

Tory leader David Cameron kept his promise to Torbay with a triumphant helicopter visit last night.

During a trip to the Bay last month he promised to put the resort on his victory tour if the Conservatives swept to victory in the local council elections.And last night he flew in to congratulate the councillors who overturned a Liberal Democrat majority to seize control.

As part of a nationwide tour which took him to Chester and Blackpool earlier in the day, he landed at Torquay Boys Grammar School before making the short trip to the Town Hall.

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Tories On Top

The Tories are back in power in Torbay.

The Liberal Democrats took a thumping as the Conservatives turned the political tables on them.The Tories, who pledged to work with Mayor Nick Bye, grabbed 14 new seats with the Lib-Dems overall losing 15 - one to an Independent.

The final tally, as the last result was announced after a double recount at 2.30am, was the Tories in control with 23 seats, the Lib-Dems on nine and Independent Julien Parrot.

Mayor Nick Bye said it was very important that he had councillors who are happy to work with him and put Torbay first.

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