Torbay Today News

Tories Blast Lib Dem MP over Euro Vote

2008-03-07T04:39:00.000-08:00

Totnes mp Anthony Steen has blasted his Torbay counterpart for his decision to abstain in the Commons vote on an EU referendum.Mr Steen said he was baffled at Mr Sanders' stance.

He said: "How could our representative for the Bay be so disinterested in this as to abstain and yet he is passionate about a referendum on a casino for the Bay?

"Or perhaps he would abstain on that as well."

He added people would be disappointed they have been robbed of a referendum by the Lib Dems.

However, Mr Sanders said: "I want a referendum on membership of the EU. This is what people have voted for in a poll on my website, and national polls show two to one people want a referendum on EU membership, in or out, rather than the new treaty.

"The only MPs who voted against this were Conservative and Labour. Not a single Lib-Dem voted against.

"Before Anthony Steen criticises me he might perhaps want to speak with his Conservative colleagues who voted against."

Lib Dem MPs in South Devon have sought to play down the damage caused to party leader Nick Clegg by the rebellion over the referendum.

Among the rebels was Teignbridge MP Richard Younger-Ross.

In addition three senior frontbenchers - justice spokesman David Heath, countryside spokesman Tim Farron, and Scotland and Northern Ireland spokesman Alistair Carmichael - quit to join the revolt.

Mr Clegg, who has been leader for less than three months, is under pressure to reassert his battered authority at his party's spring conference this weekend after almost a quarter of his party defied an order and voted with the Tories in support of a public ballot, which was defeated in the Commons.

The Government comfortably saw off the Conservative bid to trigger a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty by 311 votes to 248, a majority of 63, as just 29 Labour rebels joined with the Tories.

A rebel Labour amendment was defeated by a similar margin of 311 to 247.

However 15 of the Lib Dems' 63 MPs, almost a quarter of the parliamentary party, defied orders to abstain and joined the vote for a referendum.

Mr Clegg has denied he had made a massive miscalculation in imposing a three-line whip, insisting he had the support of 'overwhelming majority' of Lib Dem MPs.

He said he would be speaking to the rebels, including eight junior frontbenchers, in the coming 'hours and days'.

Mr Younger-Ross, a junior culture spokesman, said: "If he wishes to speak to me I will explain my position. This was done with great sadness."

He was happy to carry on doing his spokesman role as long as the leadership wished.

In the wake of the vote, he said: "There are Tory rebels and Labour rebels. We have had a disagreement. The other parties have disagreements. We will move on to the next issue.

"I don't think it will damage Mr Clegg, and if anything he will come out of this stronger."

Mr Sanders, who is a party whip, admitted: "In the short-term we have taken a hit."

But he did not believe it would cause long-term damage.

"No one is being critical of Nick. It was the policy which was inherited when he became leader.

"People will come to see the referendum they are being denied, the really important one is the substantive question whether we should be in or out the EU, which Labour and Conservatives have dodged.

"It is their short-term gain. In the long-term it's the public who are going to lose because they have been denied the opportunity to have their say on the substantive issue that matters."

But Lib Dems have been left wondering how their party, long seen as the most united on Europe, came out of the votes looking the most divided.

Marcus Wood, Torbay's Conservative parliamentary candidate, said constituents had become disillusioned with politics.

"They are thinking why should I vote if the person I am voting for will not vote?

"At a time when people feel disillusioned with politicians, this type of thing makes all of our lives a lot harder."

Anne-Marie Morris, Teignbridge Conservative parliamentary candidate, said Mr Younger-Ross made the right decision.

She said: "He was consistent with the position he had stated in the past on what is a critical issue and I am pleased that he took the same view as the Conservatives,"

Trevor Colman, from Bishopsteignton, a stalwart UK Independence Party member who stood in the local and national elections and was one of the organisers of the Shaldon village ballot which went in favour of a referendum, branded the parliamentary proceedings 'a pantomime'.

Torbay in the running to host Spring Forum

2008-03-04T04:41:00.000-08:00

Torquay is in the running to host the Conservative Party's spring forum next year, the Tory's chairman revealed yesterday on a whistle-stop visit to the resort.MP Caroline Spelman said the South West was due a conference visit from the party and faced opposition from only two other places.

If Torquay is chosen above Harrogate and Scarborough then the Bay could be in line for a £1million boost to the economy thanks to an estimated 1,500 to 2,000 visitors, including the entire shadow cabinet.

Mrs Spelman told the Herald Express: "We have been thinking for some time that we should come down here for our spring forum. This year we're in Newcastle and we try hard to travel the whole country.

"Torquay is one of the preferred options, along with Harrogate and Scarborough. I think it would be really good to come to the South West. It could be the last gathering before the general election so it will be an exciting time and potentially a very important launch pad for policies."

A decision looks set to be made within the next month, she confirmed.

It has been predicted the Conservative's forum in Newcastle this spring will reap £1million for the economy there, while also attracting national and international media.

Mrs Spelman visited Torbay as part of a tour of the South West, incorporating Exeter, Okehampton and Bristol.

She promised a Tory government would see coastal resorts benefit from regeneration and said she realised a better infrastructure would be key to helping the resort prosper.

Mrs Spelman, who is the MP for Meridian, said: "I've certainly seen your infrastructure problems. I can see that a bypass is the critical thing which is going to be important to the regeneration of Torbay.

"We need to crack on with coastal regeneration in a number of places. It's a big problem that I don't think Labour have got to grips with. There's a history of negligence if you look around the periphery of the country.

"Torbay has a lot to offer but it needs fresh thinking, which it looks like the directly elected mayor system is encouraging.

"The bypass and regeneration are the most important things and having a directly elected mayor is one way of driving it forward."

Prospective parliamentary candidate Marcus Wood told Mrs Spelman how Torbay was now in gear and getting things done thanks to mayor Nick Bye's election, following a period of 'being in neutral'.

She advocated the system, saying it works when the electorate have chosen it and it drives forward changes because local authorities are no longer 'caught in coalition'.

Mrs Spelman also pledged a Conservative government would trust local government more than Labour, allowing them to free up money by securing bonds against their assets.

MP REFUSES TO REVEAL STAFF SALARY DETAILS

2008-02-03T08:54:00.000-08:00

The war of words between Bay MP Adrian Sanders and the man who wants his job, Tory Marcus Wood, over how much the MP pays his staff deepened today.

Mr Wood, prospective Parliamentary candidate, had challenged the Liberal Democrat MP to be 'transparent' about how much his staff, and in particular his wife Alison, are paid.He said a private business would have to list a range of salaries paid to a number of staff, without naming them.

Mr Wood said he thought the public wanted to know what exactly the staff do, and roughly how much they each earn, as they are paid for by the taxpayers.

But Mr Sanders insisted he publishes details about who he employs and what they do in his annual report circulated to households.

He declined to list the salaries of individuals and said it was up to those individuals to decide if they wanted their salaries publicised, but he said the going rate for his wife's job was £38,000 to £40,000 - although he does not pay her that.

He said: "There's no way I am using half of my staffing allowance on one person. Alison is not getting anywhere near the recommended rate for the job.

"She doesn't just work a 37-hour week, she is at my beck and call at all hours, just as I am at the beck and call of my constituents.

"I employ four full-time staff for an allowance of £85,000. I see Brixham Town Council is looking for the equivalent of two full-time posts for £70,000."

The row was re-ignited by the suspension of Tory MP Derek Conway. MPs voted to suspend the MP for 10 days and order him to return £13,161 of the money he paid his son.

He had already been censured for overpaying son Freddie's Parliamentary allowances and has apologised to MPs. The MP for Old Bexley and Sidcup has had his party's whip withdrawn and says he will not fight the next election.

Simon Hughes, for the Liberal Democrats, supported the call for Mr Conway's suspension and said MPs should be banned from employing more than one family member, that they should be recruited openly and paid the 'going rate'.

And he called for an annual 'spot check' of randomly-selected MPs' finances and a limit of £50 a month placed on the amount they could claim in expenses without providing receipts.

The Liberal Democrats also said they thought the names of those employed on the public payroll by MPs should become part of Parliamentary disclosure.

Mr Sanders has already said he would welcome more scrutiny of staff employed by MPs so they would be employed by the Government, to ensure they are qualified and that there would be some monitoring of the work carried out.

In his annual report he lists his staff as: head of office, his wife Alison, casework officer Steve Darling, casework assistant Tom Smith, and Commons researcher working at Westminster Alice Orr-Ewing.

He said such information is not collated by the House of Commons and so would not be subject to a Freedom of Information request.

He said his staff's job descriptions and contracts are according to House of Commons recommendations which are publicly available.

"My staff would not receive their salary cheque unless their contract had been lodged with the administration department," he said. "At the end of the day an MP is judged on how efficient his office is in responding to constituents. After 10 years I think my office staff could stand alongside the very best of any MP anywhere and if you asked constituents what they thought of the service they got I think my staff would get a very high approval rating."

MP BACKS CALLS FOR 'TRANSPARENCY' ON 'JOBS-FOR-THE-FAMILY'

2008-02-01T06:28:00.001-08:00

11:00 - 31 January 2008

Adrian Sanders, one of 38 MPs listed nationally whose wives work for them, has backed calls for more transparency in the system of MPs employing staff.

The Bay's Lib Dem MP was named in the list of those who admit employing immediate family following the ongoing controversy over the Tory who employed his son but couldn't prove what work he had done for him.Marcus Wood, prospective Tory Parliamentary candidate for Torbay, has challenged Mr Sanders to be 'completely open and transparent' about the arrangements he has with family and friends who work in his office and how many of them are paid for out of taxpayers' funds following the recent controversy concerning Derek Conway.

Mr Sanders, whose last claim was for £85,000 for employing four staff including his wife Alison, said he would welcome a tightening up of the system so MPs' staff would be employed by Government, that they would have to be qualified for the job, and there would be some monitoring of the work done.

Teignbridge MP Richard Younger Ross, whose last claim for staffing was £78,654, said he did not employ any family.

He said: "There is a case for the House authority to look at how it could scrutinise employment more carefully. But most MPs' wives work extremely hard and are good value for the taxpayer."

Mr Younger Ross said he believed more scrutiny was needed of MP's expenses. There is no requirement for MPs to file receipts for claims, though he did.

"Then if anyone queries anything it is there as a matter of record. It's not just a case of justice being done, but being seen to be done," he said.

Bay MP Mr Sanders pointed out his wife Alison, his office manager, had worked for former Lib Dem leader Paddy Ashdown when they met and would probably be working for another MP if they had not met.

"If someone is qualified for the job, their relationship is irrelevant," he said.

Mr Conway also employed his wife, but as he could prove the work she had carried out, that was not part of the current inquiry, Mr Sanders pointed out.

Mr Wood said in the light of Mr Sanders' criticism over the salary of Tory Mayor Nick Bye and businesses paying low wages in the Bay, he should tell taxpayers who he employs and the range of salaries they receive.

Mr Wood said: "As a private business you would have to list who you employ and their range of salary in your annual report. Adrian Sanders is claiming nearly £85,000 a year from taxpayers for staffing costs. The money is paid by the government and there is no scrutiny.

"An MP doesn't have to show the work his staff are doing."

He said the Parliamentary system meant taxpayers would be unable to find the information which would be available if the same questions were asked about the elected Mayor Nick Bye's office.

Mr Wood said: "It is quite clear the public don't approve of the current lax arrangements whereby MPs can employ family members with no scrutiny as to whether those people are actually doing the work for which they are being paid, or for instance whether they are being paid a realistic rate for the work they are doing.

"It is for this reason that throughout the Civil Service and most of the private sector such arrangements are not normally permitted.

"I did manage to establish that his paid staff included his wife Alison, leading Lib Dem Torbay councillor Ruth Pentney and Torbay Council Lib Dem leader Steve Darling but of course we cannot know because Adrian refuses to publish any details and he is excluded from the Freedom of Information act as an MP.

"I would never employ a member of my family in this way and would campaign to have the rules changed if elected," he said.

Mr Sanders agreed saying: "I would support a more transparent system for MP's employees."

He did not think it right to give details of individuals, but said it would not be difficult to work out roughly how much the salaries were with only four people, especially as one was paid at London rates, and that the total included the 11 per cent on costs.

He described the system for travel allowances and for London living allowances for MPs as a bigger 'scandal' which was open to abuse, .

Someone who paid the £20,000 a year London living allowance on a mortgage could, thanks to the property price rises, have a tidy profit when they sold, funded by taxpayers.

He believed a system should be established where an average figure was used for the two allowances, and paid as part of salary.

Totnes MP Anthony Steen said he feared all MPs were being 'tarred with the same brush' following the Conway case.

Mr Steen, whose last claim was £86,482, said: "I think the whole matter of who I employ and what I pay is private, just as it is for the editor of your paper.

"I am not going to comment on how I run this office, but that is because I have nothing to hide. But I don't want my staff employed as civil servants.

He said he had no quarrels with the current system of allowances.

MPs can claim up to £87,272 a year , soon to rise to £96,630, to pay for staff including researchers, secretaries and assistants.

TORY CALLS FOR APOLOGY OVER MIGRANT WORDS

2008-01-15T06:27:00.000-08:00

11:00 - 15 January 2008

Torbay's Tory prospective parliamentary candidate has waded into the row over plans for Torbay's future and migrant workers.

The feud was sparked by Mr Sanders's comments over Mayor Bye's economic blueprint for the English Riviera which he claimed focused too heavily on low value jobs filled by migrant workers.Marcus Wood has called on Adrian Sanders to apologise for his comments, which he says were 'ill advised' and have 'stoked up resentment and racism in the Bay'.

But Adrian Sanders responded: "Sadly Mr Wood, like the mayor, wants an economy focused on minimum wage, insecure jobs, most of which will be in tourism."

In a statement first published on his blog Mr Wood heavily criticises Mr Sanders for bringing the issue of migrant workers into the debate about the Mayoral Vision.

He said: "Whatever disagreements we have I cannot imagine Mr Sanders consciously intended his comments to mean what it seems they did mean to the dozens of people who rushed to applaud him on the Herald Express website.

The statement went on to claim: "The MP's comments have indeed been a great comfort to people on the far right and however unintentionally, he is responsible for stoking up resentment and racism in the Bay.

"I don't mind having a debate about controlling immigration, indeed we did have a debate about it at the last election.

"But there is a need to tread very carefully to ensure that the way this topic is discussed does not serve the purpose of extremists.

"Adrian has drawn the issue of immigration into the completely unrelated issue of the Mayor's Vision for Torbay and I think that was a serious error of judgement."

Mr Wood also suggested that Mr Sanders had been left 'isolated' by his comments and should apologise.

He said: "I can't decide if this is either a very sneaky political ploy or a catastrophic mistake on his part.

"On the one hand it has the potential to shore up his flagging support with people from the BNP and UKIP but on the other hand I think he has possibly isolated himself from many of his own natural supporters on the Liberal wing of the Liberal Democrats.

"My email box has this week come alive with pledges of support from people who say his statement is the last straw.

"Either way it would be wise for him to apologise for the offence he has caused, especially to those Eastern Europeans who contribute a very great deal to the Torbay economy and who might reasonably feel slighted by his statement."

However Adrian Sanders didn't hint at a u-turn.

He said: "I am sure Mr Wood is only trying to be helpful and I am touched by his concern, but no one is going to stop me from stating facts or raising the views of my constituents out of fear that they may be misrepresented.

"I want a successful economy in Torbay based on high value, all year round jobs, some of which might be in tourism.

"Sadly Mr Wood, like the mayor, wants an economy focused on minimum wage and insecure jobs, most of which will be in tourism.

"With the largest ever local government settlement at the mayor's disposal this year, together with the extra bus money he asked me to lobby for, and the possibility of accessing the £45million seaside resort regeneration fund I helped get started, there is a wonderful opportunity to market the area towards more secure, year round and better paid employment than the local economy is presently able to offer."

'WE'RE NOT A JOBS AGENCY FOR MIGRANTS'

2008-01-04T06:25:00.000-08:00

A row has broken out over migrant workers between Torbay Mayor Nick Bye and the resort's MP Adrian Sanders.

"We are not a job agency for Eastern Europeans," claimed Mr Sanders, pictured right, as he acc-used Mayor Bye, left, of being too focused on low-value employment within the tourism industry, when he should be concentrating on creating highly-paid, skilled jobs.He criticised the mayor, claiming he did not understand Torbay's economy and said his mayoral 'vision' only creates jobs for migrant workers.

According to the Government, 50 per cent of all new jobs nationally are taken by migrants, Mr Sanders said.

As the majority of new jobs in the Bay are in tourism, they are likely to be taken by migrants, he added. The latest population figures reveal the number of people per square kilometre in England rose from 387 in 2005 to 390 last year - and the Office of National Statistics expects it to soar to 464 by 2031.

England is now the third most crowded major nation in Europe because of rising immigration, statistics show.

Mr Bye defended his vision, and claimed he is seeking to create a diverse economy.

He said he found Mr Sanders' comments 'surprising' and 'quite disturbing' and claimed life in Torbay would grind to a halt without Eastern European workers.

He said: "It would be great if our member of parliament could persuade a government agency to set up shop in Torbay, but I don't see the public sector as being the wealth creating sector in our national or local economy.

"The purpose of the public sector is to provide services at best value. I am leading a process of reshaping so that we have a council fit for purpose and budget. To just see it as an end in itself to create wealth is a nonsense and a cul-de-sac.

"I am disturbed about Adrian's comments about the number of people coming from Eastern Europe. Life in Torbay and many other places would grind to a halt without the contribution that people from Poland and elsewhere are making to Torbay.

"We have a rapidly ageing population and without contribution from Poland to the health and care sectors and tourism we would grind to a halt.

"If Adrian says this is a bad thing, he misunderstands life in the Bay and I think he is playing to the worst sort of prejudices. I am astonished he is making these comments.

"Polish people make a real contribution and work hard. We never hear criticism about them from the police, they are boosting the Catholic church and have very strong work ethics and very traditional family values.

"In the Bay they are taking some accommodation that would otherwise be taken by ne'er do wells. They are displacing other people moving here that in the past were referred to as 'benefit tourists' who really didn't make much contribution to Torbay.

"I would suggest that the member of parliament has a job to do at Westminster while I have a job here at the town hall trying to turn Torbay around.

"Why is it that in many parts of the country we have got so many young people who are no longer in employment, education or training - therefore creating a need for people from Eastern Europe to come to places like Torbay?

"Nationally, a failing education system leads to a large number of people coming into the UK to keep the economy going because we don't seem to be able to equip our young people with the necessary skills. Adrian needs to be questioning Gordon Brown about that."

But Mr Sanders said: "The mayor's vision looks mostly at tourism and low-value employment, and the problem is this creates jobs for people to come here from outside of the area.

"Most of these new jobs will be transient and seasonal and often only pay the minimum wage. There's very little stability and it's stability and long-term growth we need to be looking at, and that cannot be achieved overnight.

"We need a long-term strategy, testing everything against a template which asks is this development going to take money out of the economy or bring it in?

"There is no problem with Eastern European migrants filling local labour market shortages, but if effort is being put into creating jobs which are being filled by people from thousands of miles away, then clearly we are creating the wrong jobs.

"We have to diversify the economy and meet the needs of our school leavers and those who are qualified and looking for work in Torbay.

"What we are doing is exporting skilled people to fill market shortages in other parts of the country, but importing people from overseas to fill market shortages here. The impact is our economy stays poor."

Mr Sanders says skilled jobs in the Bay should be protected - including council officers whose jobs are threatened by the restructuring process and job losses at Torbay Hospital's sterilisation unit which faces closure.

"If we wanted to protect highly-skilled, well-paid jobs in local government we would not look at restructuring," he said.

"The bulk of people earning decent wages here are in the public sector. The higher the wage the better. We actually have to be very selective about the kind of development we want to see in Torbay and not just go for broke.

"We desperately need to ensure we are not just reliant upon one industry or one sector of employment.

"The mayor does not seem to actually understand the economy of Torbay and where it's going."

Marcus Wood, the Tory prospective Parliamentary candidate for the Bay, is 'outraged' at Mr Sanders' claims that tourism is largely a low-paid industry.

Mr Wood, who runs a recruitment business in Devon for the hotel and catering industry, said: "I think it's very misleading and not at all helpful to let it be suggested that the catering industry, on which we depend on South Devon College doing its best to persuade people to go into, is being lazily put around that it's badly paid. It's a completely false argument.

"Tourism, and particularly the hotel and catering side, is becoming extremely well paid for people at the professional end."

A quarter of the 330 full-time permanent staff at TLH Leisure Resort in Belgrave Road are from overseas.

Personnel manager Gary Brenton says the majority of them are from Poland.

He said: "They're great, they've really settled in well and we are pleased. They get very involved in the business, they work hard and are very good with the guests.

"Some have progressed into supervisory roles and their wages are higher than the basic rate.

"If they weren't around at all there would be other people doing those roles. They are important but they are not the only applications we get. It's a choice we make to employ the best person for the role."

SHADOW MINISTER CHECKS OUT TRAFFIC CHAOS

2007-11-15T05:31:00.000-08:00

The latest in a long line of politicians has seen for himself the traffic nightmare of Kingskerswell and the need for a £130m bypass.Andrew Mitchell MP, the Shadow Secretary of State for International Development, was on a Westcountry tour of target seats and dropped into Paignton to see for himself the impact a £2m library will have on the town.

He was invited by Marcus Wood, the Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate for Torbay, who drove him into town.

Mr Wood said: "Every single MP who has come here to see the problems of the Bay has been brought along the Kingskerswell bypass to see for themselves the havoc it causes.

"I want to make sure they know our problems and the need for a new road.

"These are the people who will form the next Government and when they are in power they will be aware of our needs."

Mr Mitchell said he could not give any assurance of what might happen if the Conservative win the next election but predicted the Bay would have a worthy champion on transport issues if Mr Wood takes the Bay from Lib-Dem MP Adrian Sanders but said: "Congestion is a big issue for business and visitors in any area."

However he predicted a new Conservative Government would do things differently from the Labour Government.

"This Government has been inefficient and ineffective on transport issues. It makes announcement after announcement but nothing happens."

Mr Mitchell was in town to hear more of Torbay Council's vision for a new library in Paignton.

He was accompanied by Nick Bye, mayor of Torbay, and Mr Wood, when he visited the old library in Courtland Road, Paignton, which will be replaced with a new one in Station Lane.

The dream of a new library received a boost in getting £2m from the Big Lottery Fund's Community Libraries programme.

Mr Bye said: "Mr Mitchell appears to have a grasp of the issues of affecting Torbay and coastal tourist towns, and what regeneration of a library can mean for an area."

SHADOW MINISTER GETS OUT AND ABOUT

2007-11-15T05:29:00.000-08:00

A leading Conservative shadow minister is being given a whistle-stop tour of community groups in the South Hams this weekend as well as a 30-minute get-together with Torbay Mayor Nick Bye this afternoon.Michael Gove, whose portfolio is Children, Schools and Families, is the guest of Totnes MP Anthony Steen.

SMILES ALL ROUND AS BRONTO SAVED

2007-10-27T05:37:00.000-07:00

Eight firefighter posts at Torquay fire station have been saved following a dramatic decision by fire authority members not to axe its Bronto crews.

Proposals by Devon and Somerset fire chiefs to save £1million by scrapping the specialist, full time posts to man the skylift had sparked outrage.But after a marathon three-and-a-half-hour meeting at fire headquarters in Exeter yesterday, authority members representing Devon and Somerset voted 13 to 10 against the controversial bid.

Torquay firefighters who sat through the debate were beaming after the decision and shaking each other by the hand after the recorded vote was counted down and they realised the proposal was defeated.

WE'RE UNITED IN FIRE CUTS FIGHT'

2007-10-12T06:07:00.001-07:00

Torbay today unveiled a united front in the battle to save the Bronto.

The Bay's two fire authority members have turned up the heat in the fight to save the resort's budget-threatened Bronto jobs by coming out in favour of firefighters' objections to the £1million cuts.Both Roger Kerslake and Chris Lewis arrived at Torquay Fire Station yesterday to announce their alliance with crews who have campaigned for the resort's hydraulic platforms to be fully manned by eight frontline firefighters.

The Tory duo say the Bay, just like Plymouth, should be made a special case and not lose its dedicated team of Bronto operators.

Both are now pushing for an amendment when the crucial matter is discussed by the Devon and Somerset authority at its re-arranged meeting on October 26.

The pair had kept their voting intentions a secret throughout the 12-week period of public consultation, a silence they admit had caused them some pain and pressure.

Their declaration was immediately welcomed by the Fire Brigade Union, firefighters and Bay Mayor Nick Bye who personally attended yesterday afternoon's press conference where he insisted that Torbay should, like Plymouth, be made a 'special case'.

Both men argued that any cuts should be made purely on operational grounds and not out of any financial considerations.

BAY HAS TO MAKE 'DIFFICULT DECISIONS'

2007-10-11T06:04:00.000-07:00

Strong, bold political leadership will be needed to make the vision of a thriving Torbay into reality.

Bernie Foulkes, of LDA Design, warned at the presentation at the Imperial Hotel that other such visions had gathered dust.Others had succeeded.

In his experience, what was needed to make sure Torbay became one of Europe's most attractive seaside cities was: "Determination to get there even if getting from here to there means bloodying a few noses, stepping on a few toes, it has to happen. It's not easy.

"It takes a bold, imaginative step to get from where we are today to where we want to get to.

"It means making difficult decisions, making yourself unpopular from time to time."

But he said other towns and cities had succeeded in turning themselves around.

He said Torbay was an 'extraordinary place' which already had a huge advantage in the incomparable quality of its 'fabulous' natural setting and environment, and its rich built heritage, which other locations didn't.

Read the rest of this piece here

MAYOR UNVEILS HIS VISION FOR FUTURE

2007-10-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

A new vision for Torbay will be unveiled today which is designed to lead the resort forward for future development and investment.

The regeneration blueprint entitled The New English Riviera - The Mayor's Vision - is expected to spark controversy and get people talking about improvements for the Bay for the next 20 years.Ahead of the launch Mr Bye said: "It is a really exciting day. I have had a taste of the new vision and I am very excited. I would almost be disappointed if it doesn't cause some controversy and strong opinions."

More than 50 building projects and environmental improvements have been identified by Torbay Council and its regeneration arm, the Torbay Development Agency.

These have been investigated by consultants LDA Design from Exeter, who have prioritised projects from the list as well as consulting with the community to add new ideas to it.

More than 300 ideas have been suggested and these have again been streamlined to those that are achievable and fit within the new vision which is designed to turn around the Bay's economy.

"I don't want people to just say 'that's alright' and take no notice of it," said Mr Bye.

"It is great to hear what people's thoughts are. It is all very positive about building the Bay up and getting that sense of pride that we live somewhere very special. In recent years we have either forgotten that or not made the most of it. This is about meeting our wonderful natural environment with an equal built environment and it is a way of getting investment and boosting our economy for everybody's benefit."

continue reading this story HERE

Costa Del Confusion

2007-10-03T03:53:00.000-07:00

In the past few weeks two leading national Tories have dropped in on Torbay to boost tourism.

They must have wondered what they had got themselves into.Ann Milton, then shadow minister for tourism, was the first VIP guest when she lunched with Mayor Nick Bye, hoteliers and other business leaders.

The lunch was organised by Marcus Wood, the Tory's prospective parliamentary candidate for Torbay. It was hailed as a positive meeting with the shadow minister quoted as saying: "It was quite exciting speaking to Nick Bye, who clearly has some good ideas to help the tourism industry."

Read the rest of this story here

PRAISE FOR COLLEGE'S ANTI-TRUANCY SYSTEM

2007-09-21T03:17:00.000-07:00

Herald Express 21 September 2007

The spoils of Paignton Community and Sport College's new £50,000 electronic registration system and measures to combat truancy were shown off to a VIP audience yesterday - and the greatest fans are the children.

Pupils met with shadow minister for the cabinet office Francis Maude and Torbay Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate Marcus Wood to see how the school is tackling truancy.Torbay has one of the worst rates for unauthorised absences in the South West and last year the college's attendance was at 88 per cent, six per cent below Government targets.

But the new system, together with a range of measures including incentives such as tickets to Wimbledon, Twickenham and David Beckham's Football Academy seem to have started to turn things around.

Read more on this story HERE

CONSERVATIVE MP GIVES BYPASS GUARDED BACKING

2007-09-21T03:12:00.001-07:00

Herald Express - 20th September 2007

More support for the proposed £130million Kingskerswell bypass has been given by a former Tory transport spokesman.

However Chris Grayling MP, visiting Torbay yesterday, fell short of saying the road will be built if the Conservatives overthrow Gordon Brown's Labour party at the next general election.A decision will hinge on how much it costs and if there is money to pay for it.

Mr Grayling said although he no longer speaks about transport issues he still recognises the importance of good roads to the South West.

"There are a least half a dozen important projects like the Kingskerswell bypass in the South West. I stand by that, as does my party," he said.

Read more from this HERE

BYPASSING THE LONG-WINDED ROUTE

2007-09-18T03:14:00.000-07:00

Parkers Pen - Herald Express - September 17th 2007

This may just to put to bed the clash between Adrian Sanders. pictured left, and his arch Tory rival Marcus Wood, pictured right, over the Torbay MP's support for the Kingskerswell bypass.

Last week I revealed how the Tory's prospective parliamentary candidate had used the Freedom of Information Act find out how many times since 2001 Mr Sanders had met transport Ministers over the link road plansThe answer has finally come from the Department of Transport.

It reveals that Mr Sanders has had three official meetings with Ministers to discuss the bypass in the past six years.

Mr Sanders was asked by the department if he was satisfied the information could be released because it was not 'exempt' under FOI laws.

He has told the Ministry he has no problem with the information, adding: " I am happy for this to be sent to Mr Wood. I do not wish any more of your, or any other tax payer funded department's valuable time to be distracted from completing the vital Kingskerswell by-pass."

He has since added: "Do not overlook the fact that formally arranged meetings through Government departments and quasi government bodies are but a fraction of the communications that can pass between MPs and decision-makers and that the vast majority of these fall outside FOI rules, while those that do can, as in this case, tie down resources that could help speed up the outcome."

SANDERS STAYING FIRM OVER BYPASS SUPPORT

2007-09-10T04:02:00.000-07:00

Parkers Pen -Herald Express- Monday 10th September 2007

I am taking you inside the murky world of Torbay politics today and a spat between Torbay MP Adrian Sanders and his arch Tory rival Marcus Wood.

The Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate for the Bay has been trying to bring into question Mr Sanders's support for the Kingskerswell bypass - and he has even resorted to using the Freedom of Information Act in his quest.The latest squabble - obviously not the first and by no means the last between the two adversaries - follows a recent letter from Mr Wood to the Herald Express letters page which carried the headline 'Lib Dem hypocrisy over bypass call'.

In it, he quotes Mr Sanders 'from a couple of years ago' as saying 'a new road could be a passport to easy commuting for thousands of Bay workers, leading to yet more congestion', raising questions over his support for the link road.

The quotes, however, were from a Herald Express article in October 2002, where Mr Sanders warned that 'without job creation' as well as a new bypass workers could be taking the new road out of the Bay. He also said then that there was a clear need for the new road.

Continue reading this article HERE

2007-09-10T01:46:00.000-07:00

WHY THE LURE OF WESTMINSTER IS SO ATTRACTIVE
Western Morning News
11:00 - 08 September 2007

For most people, lingering reports that Gordon Brown might call an election in the autumn are easily ignored as just Westminster whispers.But for a handful of political anoraks across the Westcountry, the Prime Minister's plans to go to the country could change their lives forever. They are the peculiar breed of politician known as "parliamentary candidates" - and it can cost them tens of thousands of pounds for the privilege.

They pop up in local papers with their views on everything from dog's mess to the war in Iraq, but can do little about either. They can shake hands and attend meetings - but until a full-blown election campaign swings into action they must resist too much in the way of kissing babies. In fact they can't really do anything except talk - and at times it can be hard to get anyone to listen.

Yet many in Devon and Cornwall have been selected - for all the main parties - for some time in preparation for polling day. Some are even veterans of the battle, having stood, and lost, before.

But what makes people give up their well-paid job - or work part-time - to spend days on end pounding the streets in all weathers, to sit through endless meetings and try to convince the local paper to print their photo of them standing near a police station?

Clearly the prospect of a seat in the House of Commons - with the £60,000-plus salary and perks - is a big draw, along with the potential to claw their way up the greasy pole to high office. At this stage, of course, the talk is of making a difference to society and "giving something back".

If any of them do find they are able to park themselves on the famous green benches it will not have been an easy ride. With few very safe seats in the Westcountry, the fight is on for every vote. But all that campaigning can come at a cost, both emotionally and financially.

Marcus Wood, a headhunter who spends two days a week "working" as the Tory candidate in Torbay, calculated that his failed bid to win the seat at the last election cost "well over £150,000".

He includes loss of earnings leading up to the election and then restoring his momentum afterwards, relocation, donations and supporting costs - no wonder every candidate admits it's "a massive financial commitment".

"The fact is that being a candidate and nursing a seat is a huge commitment not just for oneself but also for the family," Marcus told the WMN.

Even visits from party leader David Cameron - a coup for any candidate - require time off work, only possible with "a forgiving boss".

But he said the financial pressures were the "most difficult thing" about being a part-time politician. He has campaigned for more support for candidates so that people from less well-off backgrounds can get their foot on the political ladder.

"I'm not complaining, but a lot of people think you get paid for it, and you don't. My concern about the financial commitment is not my money, but if you really want to have an interesting supply of people into politics it needs to be looked at.

"We are not going to get people who have modest means - mechanics or self-employed plasterers cannot bring their experience, but these people need to be represented in Parliament."

He said local Conservative associations needed to be more understanding and supportive of candidates instead of being "tempted sometimes to go for someone with lots of money because it helps their fundraising".

"We need to represent people of all ages and means. At the moment unless you have means it is much tougher - it's a major, major challenge."

In particular he thinks politics needs more people in their 40s. "It's the very age that people make great politicians because they have got the life experience but they have also experienced work pressures," he says.

His sentiments are echoed by Judy Robinson, the Labour candidate hoping to win the new seat of Camborne and Redruth.

She said: "I am pleased to be doing it now rather than earlier. I am not trying to make rules for everyone else but I don't think it's the sort of thing I could have done with a young family.

"Having had experience of things like the health service and education system helps. This is a really good age for me personally. The family ties are loosened and it's a good time to do it. I have got some perspective on life."

Clearly not everyone who has passed through the NHS or struggled with their local school would set their sights on Westminster as a solution.

But Stephen Gilbert, a Liberal Democrat hoping to inherit the part of the three Lib-Dem seats which make up the new St Austell and Newquay seat, insists that "people should try to give something back to society".

"It's not a one-way street. We have rights but we also have responsibilities to make things better."

He too is now earning "significantly less" since being selected to stand, but sees it as part of the job. "There is no doubt that people who go into politics have a lot of balls to juggle."

Despite them concentrating their efforts on defeating opponents, if not outright ousting adversaries, none of the three would-be parliamentarians will be drawn on their opposite numbers. Which is no great surprise.

Marcus only describes Torbay MP Adrian Sanders as having "good recognition" thanks to the local papers, but insists the personal vote is not as big as people think.

Stephen says he has met Tory Caroline Righton a few times but wants to focus on policies, not personalities.

And Judy claims not to have met her Lib-Dem adversary, Julia Goldsworthy, who defeated her old boss Candy Atherton at the last General Election. But she says she does not think about the fact that her campaigning aims to leave Ms Goldsworthy without a job.

It is all part of politics, it could be argued. But whenever Gordon Brown fires the starting pistol and announces a General Election date, the battle for the ballot box will be fought hard, whatever they say now.

And win or lose they will all be left counting the considerable cost.

Wood pleads with MP to 'rally round' Bay Regeneration plans

2007-07-19T05:45:00.000-07:00

Torbays Conservative Parliamentary Candidate Marcus Wood has today written to his opposite number Bay Mp Adrian Sanders and pleaded with him to 'bury the hatchet' over the bays Casino proposals following a series of outspoken criticisms by the Bay MP of the Town Halls regeneration plans.

Mr Wood has asked him to fall into line behind other bay leaders to lend his full support to regeneration proposals.

Mr Wood says "It is vital that we show a united front to win the backing of Government and the confidence of business leaders - they need to see that all of those in authority in Torbay support the mayor in his efforts."

"Undoubtedly Mr Sanders has a problem with some of the proposals being put forward, but I would be very surprised if Solomon himself could devise a plan that would please everyone in Torbay, the important thing is to see the bigger picture and move forward."

"Our MP has a duty to talk Torbay up; making public comments like "Torbay will be more Monty Python than Monte Carlo." was just silly and unhelpful.

Mr Wood says "You seem in a great hurry to broadcast to the world what you don’t want. That might be acceptable if you had an alternative. Sadly, after ten years in Parliament you have failed to come up with or achieve anything tangible for the people of the Bay.."

Mr Wood says in his letter "Many people are coming to the conclusion that your obstinate opposition to these plans may be more to do with the fact that they are a Conservative success story than any other reason. I hope they are wrong, because if they are right it would be the worst kind of party political sour grapes imaginable."

DIRTBUSTING BID TO MAKE RESORT CLEANER

2007-06-13T01:27:00.000-07:00

A cleaner, less weedy Torbay could be on the cards with a move to boost council spending on frontline, dirt-busting services by £312,000.

The first cabinet meeting of the new Conservative controlled council is likely to see elected Tory mayor Nick Bye rubber stamp a move to spend the money on hiring more staff to carrying out more street cleaning, sprucing up public loos and blitzing graffiti.And the team could swing into action before the school summer holidays.

Read the rest of this story HERE

'BUREAUCRACY GONE MAD' AT BAY HOTEL

2007-05-21T11:58:00.000-07:00

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?"

For the full story click here.

BAY CAN KEEP GRAMMAR SCHOOLS, SAYS WOOD

2007-05-17T04:09:00.000-07:00

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."

For more on this story go HERE

Watchdog says council services 'improving'

2007-05-16T05:20:00.000-07:00

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.

Continue reading this story HERE:

ECONOMY RESIDENTS' 'BIGGEST CONCERN'

2007-05-11T03:30:00.000-07:00

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

2007-05-05T03:39:00.000-07:00

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.

Read more HERE:

2007-05-04T04:01:00.000-07:00

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.

Read more HERE

2007-04-21T03:37:00.000-07:00

SHOPPING 'DISASTER' FAILS TO DAMPEN OCCOMBE VISIT

When Tory supremo David Cameron did a spot of impromptu shopping at Occombe Farm's shop, he was unexpectedly caught short of cash and had to surrender his South Devon chilli.

Mr Cameron whipped a £10 note out of his pocket on arrival at the educational organic farm in Preston, Paignton, declaring his wife's dinner would be brought there as he's a 'big fan of local food'.But Mrs Cameron was to be disappointed as her high-profile husband could only afford an Occombe Farm shopping bag, goose fat and the farm's own sausages.

After lambasting the government for not doing enough to support British farmers, the Tory leader ran up a bill of £11.47, which included a jar of South Devon chilli chutney he had previously tasted.

When he saw the total he said: "Disaster, I have only got a tenner on me. I will leave the chilli jam."

Turning down offers of a £20 note from prospective parliamentary candidate Marcus Wood, he paid up the new bill of £8.47.

Mr Cameron later rued leaving his wallet and jacket in the car.

Read more HERE

CAMERON: WE'LL BUILD THE BYPASS

2007-04-21T03:26:00.000-07:00

Conservative leader David Cameron has lent his support to the campaign for the Kingskerswell bypass.

On his first visit to South Devon, he said the long-awaited and controversial bypass was a way of beating polluting traffic jams and declared a Tory government under his leadership 'could get it done'.During his whistle-stop tour of the region as part of the local election campaign, Mr Cameron, pictured left, gave the Herald Express an exclusive interview at our Barton Hill Road headquarters in Torquay.

The £97million bypass is a project which Mr Cameron says supports the Conservative's green agenda.

Read more HERE

2007-04-20T03:36:00.000-07:00

TORY CHIEF GETS TASTE OF TRAFFIC DELAYS

Tory leader David Cameron was today experiencing the Kingskerswell rush.He was to see for himself the traffic delays plaguing Torbay.

The opposition leader was visiting Occombe Organic Farm at Paignton and Babbacombe Cliff Railway.

Marcus Wood, Torbay's prospective Parliamentary candidate, said: "We wanted him to experience Kingskerswell delays the same way we do."

It was a Tory government which originally de-trunked the A380 just as it was reaching the top of the list of Highways Agency projects for funding. They then earmarked it as a local scheme suitable to be built through co-operation with the commercial sector under the Private Finance Initiative (PFI). Campaigners have been battling since to get it back on top of the priority list.

The party leader is on his first visit to South Devon to campaign in the local elections and support the prospective Parliamentary candidates.

Mr Cameron will also be visiting Newton Abbot in the afternoon to meet local people and Teignbridge council candidates.

At Occombe Farm, run by Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust, he will talk about the importance of supporting local produce. At Babbacombe he will be meeting volunteers who got the railway running again as well as candidates.

Palm trees and pensioners in Torquay

2007-04-02T05:12:00.000-07:00

After a lifetime of seeing politicians and governments come and go, pensioners find their worries have also changed. But what gets them stirred up, if anything?

Torquay - palm trees and pensioners

With a pleasant climate and sea air, Torquay has attracted a lot of white-haired folk who want to enjoy part of the self-styled English Riviera.

The hotels, yachts and fish'n'chip shops on the waterfront show it to be a typical British seaside resort, with numerous residential care homes and retirement apartments dotted further inland.

To read the rest of this BBC story go here

Why the Budget was a particular blow for Torbay

2007-03-25T03:37:00.000-07:00

Local Conservative candidate Marcus Wood has claimed that last weeks budget was especially damaging for Torbay.

"If you had wanted to design a budget specifically to harm our economy you'd have been hard pressed to have come up with anything better than this Chancellor managed last Wednesday." says Marcus.

"We have done a  special analysis of the budget proposals and concluded that the overall effect  of this budget is the most damaging to two sectors of the economy that are  especially prevalent in Torbay."

Two groups suffered  disproportionately from increased tax and they were:

1) People without  children earning less than the national average who lost the 10p tax rate. A  single person without children earning £16,000, like an NHS maternity care  assistant, hotel housekeeper,  restaurant or a retail store  manager, would pay more a year in tax, and not gain from tax credits.  
Everyone earning between around £5,000 and £18,000  will pay more income tax, and many will become more dependant on the complex tax  credits system.    
2) Smaller  companies will be hit by a double whammy from this Budget.   The smaller companies’ rate of corporation tax is going up by 3 per cent.  Changes to allowances are also skewed to benefit service sector businesses with significant cash flows, harming  smaller firms that can afford to invest less like guest houses and  hotels.

"Torbay is an economy that is  dominated by small, local businesses including privately owned shops, service  business and especially hotels and inns who have  low profits but need high levels of investment.

"Furthermore Torbay has a much higher than average percentage of single  people and couples without children on relatively low earnings -often the  employees of the hotel and leisure businesses on which the bay depends"
"Quite why these two groups should be so  drastically clobbered remains a mystery but the fact is that Torbay (and other coastal resorts like us) will be more  seriously hit by these measures than anywhere else."

"I am appalled that a Labour chancellor would  hit struggling small businesses and the lowest paid worker groups with a tax  increase while dishing out tax cuts that benefit global corporations and the  richest 10% of income earners."

2007-03-19T03:35:00.000-07:00

APPEAL GOES OUT FOR PLAY AREA SPONSORS

A £200,000 project for a Torbay seafront children's play area is to be launched.If it comes off, the play area could be built on the council-owned Paignton Green, possibly close the Apollo Cinema.

A plea is to go to the public and businesses to chip in for the fun area.

There are hopes Torbay Council will allow its land to be used - even though it cannot afford to build it.

The idea is the brainchild of Marcus Wood, the Conservative candidate for Torbay.

He said: "I can understand the council has to prioritise its spending but we need this on the beach for children.

"There is a small play area at Preston Green but when the beach huts are there it is not the sort of place visitors go to.

"Paignton Green is where all the summer family visitors go."

He reckons the scheme will need £200,000 to pay for the project and have enough for a maintenance fund.

"I have been promised donations and I hope businesses and the Torbay Development Agency will help," he added.

"Essentially we want private donations and they will be the ones who will take the credit.

"Hopefully it will show the community does not need the council or Government to do something worthwhile."

A Torbay Council spokesman said: "Marcus Wood contacted us recently and raised this as a possibility, although no further discussions have taken place."

Concern at 'snoopers charter

2007-03-11T03:38:00.000-07:00

Council tax revaluation taking place by stealth across England warns Marcus Wood

Marcus Wood the Conservatives Parliamentary candidate has expressed concern at a 'snoopers charter' of new rules allowing intrusive spying on private homes by the Valuation Office Agency – an arm of Inland Revenue.

In a stealth council tax revaluation exercise, every home in the country could find photographs of their home – inside and outside – being stored on a computer database in order to identify features which could be taxed.

· Two million homes already snapped without owners knowledge: Covert photography is already under way by the council tax inspectors, despite the supposed delay in the English council tax revaluation. New figures have revealed that in the last year, the number of photographs of homes stored on the system has soared from half a million to over two million.

· Estate agents collaborating in privacy raid: The Valuation Office Agency is also using taxpayers’ money to obtain information on the outside and inside of people’s homes – by buying up the data from estate agents, Rightmove. Unsuspecting homeowners are putting their property on the market without realising that the tax inspectors are using it to find out how to hike up council tax bills.

· Tax spies armed with clipboards and long-distance cameras: The ‘Health & Safety’ manual of the council tax inspectors reveals that they are being armed with telescopic lenses & cameras, clipboards, laser pens and location plans and maps of every home. The inspectors are instructed to record any abusive or hostile behaviour by householders. They now have the power to impose £500 fines, via the courts, on any household who refuses entry or obstructs them.

· Scrap these powers says Opposition: Conservatives are pledging that the next Conservative Government will abolish the powers of the inspectors to enter people’s homes and gardens.

Marcus said,

“I am very concerned at these astonishing revelations. We have enough snooping and spying going on of our daily lives with CCTV, speed and numberplate recognition cameras; security cameras and even policemen wearing helmet camera's everywhere and now we find that we may be 'under surveillance' even in our homes."

“There is already public unease at Labour plans for a compulsory national Identity Card Database and the new Children’s Database. The Government is now rolling out a property photo database to match and conducting a council tax revaluation by stealth across the country; and if you refuse to co-operate you can be fined or penalised."

"Why can't the revenue simply send each home a questionnaire? I bitterly resent the assumption that we are all dishonest citizens intent on defrauding the Treasury when in fact the vast majority of citizens are honest and law -abiding and can be trusted to give the authorities accurate and truthful information about any enlargements made to their home since the last valuations were made".

"Conservatives are campaigning against these plans to send camera-wielding inspectors into Torbay bedrooms, bathrooms and gardens, and we have specifically pledged to abolish the officers powers of entry.”

2007-03-10T03:34:00.000-08:00

EXHILARATING EVENING WITH TEBBIT
South Devon residents have the chance to pick the brains of one of the 20th century's most high profile politicians.It's never easy to tempt prominent political figures to deepest Devon, but Torbay Tories have secured their former chairman Norman Tebbit as guest of honour at a social function in Torquay on Friday.

Lord Tebbit, currently The Spectators Peer of the Year, is an active and often provocative Member of the House of Lords known for his outspoken views on issues of the day. He was one of Margaret Thatcher's closest cabinet colleagues and continues to be in great demand at Conservative Association functions.

Torbay's Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate Marcus Wood said they were looking forward to an "exhilarating" evening.

Tickets are still available and anyone interested should telephone the Torbay Conservative office on 01803 557753 or email torbaytories@btconnect.com

WAR OF WORDS OVER CASINO CRIME CLAIM

2007-02-05T03:33:00.000-08:00

A war of words continues to reverberate after the Government's casino plan announcement for Torbay.

Torbay MP Adrian Sanders has previously said the Secretary of State admitted there would be an increase in crime after a casino was built.But the man who wants his job, Tory prospective candidate Marcus Wood, says the official Parliament record says otherwise.

In Parliament, Mr Sanders asked Tessa Jowell what support would be given to voluntary organisations and councils to enable them to deal with the increase in gambling addiction, and what extra resources will go to the police to deal with the increase in crime.

The Hansard report reveals Tessa Jowell's reply: "As for the Hon Gentleman's questions about addiction and crime, those issues are fundamental to the oversight of the casinos and the judgement about whether they should be allowed to continue to operate.

"Without the protective benefits of the new legislation, people are at risk from the vast new range of gambling opportunities that have developed in the past four to five years.

"Those opportunities are regulated by legislation which was placed on the statute book 40 years ago, which is why we must introduce new legislation."

Mr Wood claims Mr Sanders might have the wrong end of the stick.

He said: "All the Secretary of State, Tessa Jowell is saying, is that if one of the new casinos did give rise to a crime or addiction problem, then it could be closed down."

But Mr Sanders is sticking to his guns.

He said: "She did not deny crime will rise. She did not deny there will be a rise in gambling addiction.

"Gam Care is the government's response to the inevitable rise in gambling addiction.

"There is no evidence in the world which shows where a casino opens, there is a fall in crime.

"There no evidence which shows where one opens there's a fall in gambling addiction either."

2007-02-05T03:32:00.000-08:00

POSTAL VOTING RULES 'WILL HIT CONSERVATIVES'
Changes to the postal voting system could hit one of Torbay's political parties, it is being claimed.

The Government has brought in new anti-fraud voting rules ahead of the May council elections as a result of the Electoral Administration Act 2006.Bay Conservatives fear the change may cause a slump in their support if voters fail to register.

Under the old system the vote had to be independently witnessed, now voters have to send in their signature and date of birth, which will be checked when they vote.

Conservative prospective Parliamentary candidate, Marcus Wood, said: "How can this be right just a few weeks before an election?

"The Government is making up the rules as it is going along.

"It is not helpful to us as a party in Torbay as we have a higher percentage of postal voters than any of the other parties. Those who are already registered as postal voters may not remember to send back the forms and if that happens we will lose support."

He said there was no consultation or announcement.

"When we are planning our local election campaign we have to cover all eventualities, especially if we are likely to see a low turnout, and the Government should be encouraging more people to vote," he said.

"It seems to me the Government is doing the opposite with this.

"The old system was wide open to abuse, but to do this with just a few weeks before an election is deeply suspicious."

Bay Lib Dem MP Adrian Sanders said: "Every postal voter is being asked to supply a copy of their signature and give their date of birth.

"If the voter has the vote sent to a different address than where they are registered, they are being asked for the reason why.

"I think anything which can reduce the likelihood of postal voting fraud is to be welcomed."

Torbay Council says costs, including postage and printing, are being funded by Government's Department of Constitutional Affairs.

A spokesman said: "The costs have not yet been confirmed, but we will have to send out 10,000 existing postal votes and 7,000 new applications for postal votes."

In Teignbridge, 12,500 postal voters are involved, and in South Hams 6,300 who have already registered, and another 3,000 have asked for a postal vote, are included.

Voters will need to respond within 42 days.

2007-01-31T03:31:00.000-08:00

IN A SPIN OVER RESORT'S VICTORY

A war of words has broken out between Torbay MP Adrian Sanders and his main political rival.

Mr Sanders has called for a referendum for residents to have their say in the great casino debate.He has accused mayor Nick Bye of not listening to public opinion before making the resort's successful bid.

But Marcus Wood, the Bay's Tory prospective candidate, has challenged Mr Sanders to apologise over remarks he made last year branding the casino bid 'a waste of time'.

He claims Mr Sanders is 'out of step with events' and has called on him to do 'the decent thing' and apologise.

But Mr Sanders claimed Torbay only won the small casino deal because other councils had consulted more widely - and then had withdrawn their plans after negative feedback.

Mr Wood said: "I complained at the time that Mr Sanders's negative attack on particularly the Torbay Development Agency and the council officers concerned was unhelpful and unfair.

"Since he has been proven once again to be so out of step with events would he now like to do the decent thing and apologise to the hard working officers and Development Agency volunteers concerned?

"I remarked in a letter at the time that Mr Sanders' pessimistic and defeatist attitude is bad for Torbay and I am only glad the members of the TDA, Nick Bye and council officers ignored his advice.

"If this is Mr Sanders' approach to winning things from the government on our behalf, then is it any wonder we are still waiting for a bypass?"

But Mr Sanders said: "If Torbay didn't already have a casino then this would be a very different debate.

"My concerns have always been aimed at the Mayor, not with the officers and the TDA who do the mayor's bidding.

"The reason that we became top of the list for the casinos is that everyone else did consultation, withdrew their bids.

"We've yet to do that properly.

"And no-one has never not come to Torbay because we've only got one casino.

"I have spoken to the Secretary of State and asked how many jobs will be created and how many of these will be low value and be filled by Eastern European migrants.

"I asked what extra resources are going to be given to Torbay Council to help with drug addiction linked to gambling.

"And I asked what extra resources are going to be given to the police to deal with the additional levels of crime.

"The Secretary agreed that there would be an increase, it just depends on how big it is as to what resources we might get."

Torbay Council's initial consultation took place last March and saw 184 people respond.

Mr Sanders claimed: "The people of Torbay were not consulted when the Mayor made the decision to bid for a licence.

"Now the licence has been approved it is time for the mayor to listen to the views of Bay residents. A referendum is the best way."

2006-12-21T03:28:00.000-08:00

TORY'S BYPASSHOMES BID ROW
A parliamentary candidate has come under fire for suggesting Torbay's overspill housing could be built around the proposed Kingskerswell bypass.

Marcus Wood, the Tory hopeful for Torbay, posted comments on his internet blog over ways to solve the Bay's housing shortage."To me the answer is obvious," he wrote.

"The Kingskerswell bypass, if given the go-ahead, will throw up parcels of unviable agricultural land all around it, which could easily provide the escape valve for pressure for building land, in addition to the brownfield sites we already know about.

"This is the right place for new space to develop; not the unspoiled countryside we need to protect."

Ken Pegden, chairman of the Kingskerswell Alliance which opposes the £108 million new road, declared Mr Wood had done them a favour "by alerting residents to the threat this hugely expensive scheme poses".

He maintained the alliance had been aware since 2002 that the bypass was driven by the clamour to access development land.

"Mr Wood talks about the need to protect unspoilt countryside, yet seems quite happy to promote a scheme that is hugely damaging to the environment.

"If the bypass were built, it would destroy four listed county wildlife sites, have a serious adverse impact on two scheduled ancient monuments, come within 50 metres of a conservation area, would drive out European protected species of bats, and ignore RSPB concerns over the destruction of cirl bunting breeding grounds.

"He is, therefore, either ill informed or guilty of hypocrisy."

Mr Wood stood by his comments.

"Houses have got to be built somewhere, and eventually we are going to run out of brownfield sites. There are bound to be slivers of wasted land around the bypass which would be ideal for housing."