Torridge and West Devon Liberal Democrats
PeopleLiberal Democrats Representatives and Prospective Candidates at all levels of government. Adam Symons PPC
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Adam Symons NewsFor more information on any of the news items below contact Adam Symons on 01237 431498 or 07786 277470
Giant ‘Helping Hand’ from Rural Communities AlliancePutting a Stop to Over-DevelopmentMonday 30 November 2009 On Saturday the newly formed RURAL COMMUNITIES ALLIANCE (RCA) gave local residents a ‘helping hand’ to stop the over-development of Tavistock and Okehampton. A specially sculpted giant hand was on show to symbolise the struggle of rural communities.  Adam Symons and Jeremy Davies were giving residents a helping hand in the Market in Tavistock Centre. Members of the RCA were out in force in the market and town of Tavistock, helping local residents to lobby Borough Councillors to halt the adoption of the Core Strategy of the Local Development Framework. The RCA are encouraging electors of the Borough to write to their local councillors to defer the adoption of the Core Strategy so that it more accurately reflects the wishes of the electorate. Many letters have already been sent to the leader of the council, Cllr James McInnes, asking that he personally intervene. Jeremy Davies, who is Chair of the RCA said: “Tavistock’s Parish Poll in August reflected overwhelming opposition to the Council’s Core Strategy. Okehampton residents are also strongly opposed. So are many Parish Councils in the rural communities. Many representations were made during the consultation period in July, expressing criticism of the proposed Plan. We were told that adjustments are being made in response to those criticisms. However, nowhere is there any indication that the Council’s urban sprawl policy will be abandoned. Until there is a firm indication from WDBC that their revision of the Strategy will entail a fundamental change, it can reasonably be assumed that they intend to keep their discredited urban extension plan, at the same time giving inadequate consideration to the well documented decline of the Borough’s rural communities. The hand symbolises the need for all electors of the Borough - not just Tavistock - to take the matter ‘in hand’ and write to their councillors. Failure to do this risks implementation of a strategy that will be a disaster for Tavistock and a betrayal of our rural communities.” Prospective MP for West Devon and Torridge, Adam Symons said: “Public feeling is running very high on this issue. Our residents’ surveys show that most people just don’t want this scale of development. West Devon Borough Council obviously has not demonstrated to the public the evidence to support this housing allocation. They need to go back and think again.” “Many of the rural areas are crying out for more housing, yet WDBC seem oblivious to this. Building on the proposed green fields will impinge on a World Heritage Site and seriously degrade the adjacent Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, quite apart from causing severe congestion problems in Tavistock.” Photo:
Welcome for Restraint on Water BillsIncrease Below the Rate of InflationFriday 27 November 2009 There was a cautious welcome to South West Water’s announcement that water bills in the Southwest are set to increase well below the rate of inflation. Water regulator Ofwat has this week published its Final Determination on South West Water’s five-year business plan for 2010-2015, which sets out service standards, investment plans and price limits. Chris Loughlin, Chief Executive of South West Water said: “We believe our Business Plan achieved a good balance between safeguarding our achievements over the last 20 years and keeping customer bills stable.” The Final Determination means the average household bill will be £483 in 2015, a decrease of £6 over the next five years, excluding inflation Adam Symons, Prospective MP for Torridge and West Devon said: “I recently met with South West Water and pressed home the concern that local people have over pricing. I am pleased to see that this has been taken on board.” “The need to invest needs to be balanced with the needs of residents. The sooner we move towards metering, and a fair price for what people use, throughout the whole country, the better. It is high time that the whole country paid for cleaning up our coastline.”
Local Tourism could be boosted by targeted VAT ReductionOther Countries Have BenefitedWednesday 11 November 2009 Local Prospective MP, Adam Symons, has called on the Government to implement targeted VAT reductions in order to boost visitor numbers in Torridge and West Devon. Tourism in Torridge and West Devon is a key provider of local jobs. However, other countries have benefited recently from reductions in VAT on hotel accommodation and restaurants. Adam is calling upon the local MP to support Early Day Motion 2209, which calls for similar targeted VAT reductions to boost the tourism industry. Adam said: “Research has shown that this could create upto 23,000 new jobs and additional revenue to the Exchequer of £600 million a year. Tourism is so crucial to jobs in the area, and therefore we really need to support it. I will be doing my utmost to support local tourist attractions and accommodation, and I would expect others to follow suit. If we generate new jobs this could be a real shot in the arm to local young people who are currently struggling to find work.” Note: The following Early Day Motion (2209) has been tabled by Janet Anderson MP. That this House values the key role of the UK tourism sector in helping the UK to emerge from recession; recognises its role in providing jobs in areas with high levels of unemployment; notes that the German and French governments have recently taken action to assist their tourism sectors by implementing targeted reductions of value added tax (VAT) with Germany cutting VAT on hotel accommodation to seven per cent. and France cutting VAT on restaurant food to five per cent.; further notes that France has for many years enjoyed a reduced rate of VAT on visitor attractions of 5.5 per cent.; acknowledges the research by Graham Watson and Mike Nevin which shows that a targeted VAT reduction on accommodation and attractions in the UK would result in the creation of 23,000 new jobs and additional revenue to the Exchequer of £600 million a year; believes such measures would be an important tool to assist the recovery from economic recession; and urges the Government to give urgent consideration to similar targeted reductions in VAT in the UK.
New NHS Dental Places For DevonCampaign brings success in Holsworthy and TavistockFriday 6 November 2009 Local Liberal Democrats have succeeded in their campaign to bring extra NHS dental places to Holsworthy and Tavistock. NHS Devon has announced that over the next couple of years, 3000 more NHS dental places will be made available in Holsworthy and 2000 more NHS dental places will be made available in Tavistock. This follows a long running campaign by the Lib Dems to make available extra places. Adam Symons, Lib Dems Prospective MP for Torridge and West Devon, member of Devon’s Health and Adults Overview and Scrutiny Committee and lead member for Health on Torridge District Council said: “We have spent the last two years carrying out resident’s surveys throughout the Holsworthy and Tavistock areas. Of over 1300 households we have surveyed, two thirds do not have an NHS dentist, yet a third of these would like, but cannot access one. “We welcome the proposals to provide more NHS places, as we have found that this meets the needs of the community. Many of the people in the poorest areas of our constituency find it really difficult to get a place at an NHS dentist. We have lobbied hard at a national and regional level to get these extra places.”
Note: NHS Devon says an extra 43,000 places will become available in the next year or so as new dentists are taken on and new practices are also due to open. It is expected these places will be filled over the next two years. The following amount of extra places are expected:
Help available for local residents with sight and hearing lossSee Hear Centre’s first information dayWednesday 4 November 2009 Over 60 people attended the See Hear Centre’s first information day in Bideford on Thursday 29th October. The day provided the opportunity for individuals with impaired sight or hearing, their families and carers to learn more about the support available to them from the See Hear centre, other charitable organisations and the local authorities.  Councillor Adam Symons attending the See Hear Event. Attending the event, Adam Symons, the lead member for Health at Torridge District Council commented, “With a large elderly population in our local area, it is all the more important that we ensure that the needs of individuals with sight or hearing impairments are met and that they are aware of the support available to them.” “The services provided by organisations such as the See Hear Centre go a huge way in helping to improve the standard of living for these individuals. Furthermore, simple technology available through these organisations, such as large key telephones or vibrating smoke alarms play a vital role in improving their safety and making everyday tasks easier.” The See Hear Centre is based near the Bear Street car park in Barnstaple and is open every Tuesday between 9am and 5pm. The Centre provides information on support available to people with sight and hearing loss. It is also stocked with a wide range of helpful demonstration equipment which people are able to try at home before they buy. The centre can be contacted on 01271 373236.
Local Drug Issues Highlighted During Huhne VisitFear of Crime is Still an IssueMonday 2 November 2009 Drug issues in Torridge were highlighted by local Prospective MP, Adam Symons, as the Lib Dem’s shadow Home Secretary visited North Devon this weekend. Speaking at the event, the Torridge and West Devon Prospective MP said: “We have knocked on a lot of doors recently, and the message from residents we met is that the fear of crime is still an issue, especially linked to drugs. Having surveyed over 500 people in the local areas, over 50% of people surveyed feel less safe than they did 5 years ago.  Prospective MP Adam Symons with Shadow Home Secretary Chris Huhne. “Although the most recent figures from Devon & Cornwall Police show total crime is down by over 3%, drug offences are up by over 23%. These concerns have been reflected on the doorstep, with many residents concerned about the impacts of drugs in the urban areas of Torridge. “Given the mess that the Government is making of drugs policy, I asked Chris Huhne, the Lib Dem Shadow Home Secretary, what he thought.” Commenting on the further resignations of Government drug advisers following the sacking of Professor David Nutt, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said: “Any minister who hides away from scientific advisers who are saying clearly what the scientific evidence shows is frankly going to end up with policy which is a complete mess. “It is absurdly thin-skinned to suggest that a critical editorial in a peer-reviewed learned journal involves campaigning against Government policy. If ministers behave like this, no self-respecting academic will want to advise them. “The most convincing recipe for bad policy-making – in the drugs area as in mad cow disease – is for politicians to insist on scientific advice that meets their prejudices rather than the facts. If Churchill had taken that view when listening to Lord Cherwell, we would have lost the war. Scientists must be able to tell truth to power.”
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