News from West Devon Borough
Bully Off!! say
Residents in Housing Row
No to
development on the old Hockey Pitch site
Monday 18
February 2008
There was
standing room only as 50 angry residents from the Grenville Drive area of
Tavistock packed into the meeting room of Armada Court on the afternoon of
Sunday 17th February. more on
this . . .
Lib Dems
trounce Conservatives
Adam
Bridgewater wins Tavistock North
Thursday 7th
February 2008
The result of
the by-election for Tavistock North ward of West Devon Borough Council was a
decisive win for the Lib Dems candidate.
Adam Bridgewater (Lib Dems) 812
David Whitcomb (Local Conservative) 425
Myfanwy Cook (Green Party) 133
more on this . . .
Local Elections May 2007
Results for
wards contested by Liberal Democrats
Friday 4 May
2007
Bere Ferrers - 2
seats
Christine Grills
* Liberal Democrats 715 - Elected
Robin Musgrave
Liberal Democrats 598 - Elected
Eaon Wager * Local
Conservatives 403
Buckland
Monachorum - 2 seats
Philip Sanders The
Conservative Party Candidate 625 - Elected
Margaret Garton
Independent 640 - Elected
Glen Kennedy
Liberal Democrats 472
Ann Ellis Liberal
Democrats 358
John Howes United
Kingdom Independence Party 214
Burrator - 1
seat
Diana Moyse *
Conservatives 378 - Elected
Michael Parle
Liberal Democrats 293
Drewsteignton
- 1 seat
Paul Ridgers *
The Conservative Party Candidate 414 - Elected
Dominic Welch
Liberal Democrats 207
Exbourne - 1
seat
David Weeks *
Independent 657 - Elected
Susan Gill
Liberal Democrats 117
Hatherleigh -
1 seat
Dennis Bater *
Independent 451 - Elected
Andrew Entwistle
Liberal Democrats 239
Charles
Dumpleton - 123
Lew Valley -
1 seat
James McInnes *
Local Conservatives 508 - Elected
Nicholas
Waterhouse Liberal Democrats 142
Pat Durston UKIP
110
Lydford - 1
seat
Isla McPhie The
Conservative Party Candidate 255 - Elected
Sally Colins
Liberal Democrats 217
Mary Tavy - 1
seat
Terry Pearce
Local Conservatives 447 - Elected
Pam Scannell *
Liberal Democrats 202
John Carter
United Kingdom Independence Party 118
Okehampton
East - 2 seats
Christine Marsh
Local Conservatives 477 - Elected
Edna Hicks
Liberal Democrats 412 - Elected
Joanna Slater *
The Conservative Party Candidate 396
Elaine Kale *
Liberal Democrat 382
Nick Baker
British National Party 132
Okehampton
West -2 seats
Kenneth Williams
* Liberal Democrats 574 - Elected
John Young
Liberal Democrats 475 - Elected
Jayne Hill * The
Conservative Party Candidate 446
Mark Slater The
Conservative Party Candidate 377
David Cushing
United Kingdom Independence Party 135
South Tawton
- 1 seat
William Cann
Independent 461 - Elected
Tom Wells Local
Conservatives 144
Wendy Kitchen
Liberal Democrats 128
Tavistock
North -3 seats
David Best Local
Conservatives 567 - Elected
Roy Connelly *
Liberal Democrats 543 - Elected
Shaun Watchorn *
Conservatives 526 - Elected
Jane Ramsey
Local Conservatives 510
Tony Everitt
Independent 435
Anita Prosser
Liberal Democrats 404
Martin Taylor
Liberal Democrats 339
Martin Quinn
Green Party 312
George Mudge
UKIP 260
John Philips
UKIP 248
Rosalind Pierson
UKIP 205
Tavistock
South - 3 seats
Ted Sherrell *
Independent 1051 - Elected
Mandy Govier *
Conservatives 685 - Elected
Chris Jenkins
Conservatives 642 - Elected
Roger Mathew *
Independent 593
Graham Turner
Liberal Democrats 325
Christopher
Lawrey Liberal Democrats 292
Tavistock
South West - 1 seat
Alison Clish-Green
* Liberal Democrats 353 - Elected
Michael Harper
Conservatives 191
Walkham - 2
seats
David Cloke
Independent 450 - Elected
Debo Sellis The
Conservative Party Candidate 348 - Elected
John Sellis The
Conservative Party Candidate 345
Diane Keane
Liberal Democrats 266
Jacqueline Fry
Liberal Democrats 226
Donald Yendle
Independent 184
Andrew Mudge
UKIP 144
Priorities for West Devon
Borough
Manifesto for May 2007 Elections
Thursday 5 April 2007
The Liberal Democrats in West
Devon have published their manifesto for the local elections campaign. The
full manifesto can be seen here.
Alternatively, you can download the pdf
version.
Liberal Democrats Support for Post Offices
So Many Services on your
Doorstep!
Tuesday 27 February 2007
West Devon people are being
encouraged to use their local Post Office more often as the Borough Council
launches a week-long campaign of activities to raise the service’s
profile, from Monday (5th March).
Mayor of West Devon Cllr Ken
Williams (Liberal Democrats) is leading the initiative, along with his fellow
Councillors, to promote around 30 Post Offices in the Borough during the week.
Cllr Williams said:
“For many areas in West Devon, the Post Office
provides a central community focus. It really is the backbone of village life.
For example, if someone doesn’t show up at their Post Office to collect their
pension, it often doesn’t go unnoticed. It’s
this kind of friendly, caring service that is irreplaceable.
“But
if we don’t use them, we face losing them. That’s
why the Borough Council, which has been fighting to keep our Post Offices for
more than six years now, wants to encourage people to visit them more often.
“Even
I was surprised to find out that local Post Offices can offer around 170
different services and products. That’s 170 reasons
why we should all be using them more often!”
From Post Office card accounts
where you can receive your benefits or pension, to personal banking, postal
orders, car and home insurance, and even fishing licenses are all available.
 West
Devon sub postmaster Terry Kelly, who is also vice president of the Plymouth,
North and East Cornwall branch of the National Federation of Sub Postmasters,
said he was delighted with the Council’s campaign.
Mr Kelly, who runs Whitchurch
Post Office, said: “It’s
very reassuring to know that West Devon Borough Council values us so highly and
is prepared to run a campaign such as this. We are very grateful.”
The campaign kicks off on Monday
(5th March) with a Post Office trail across West Devon when Cllr Williams and
Deputy Mayor Cllr Dennis Bater visit seven Post Offices in the Borough
travelling in a vintage car.
On Tuesday (6th March),
representatives from the National Federation of Sub Postmasters will be meeting
West Devon councillors and throughout the week Councillors will be visiting
their own Post Offices and organising various activities.
Councillor
fixed IT for pre-school
7 December 2006
CHILDREN at a rural nursery will
soon be able to surf the net – thanks to the arrival of a new laptop from their
local county councillor.
The gift to Gulworthy Pre-school
was part of a new arrangement by Devon County Council’s County Committees, which
can now provide a number of donations for specific projects in each of the eight
areas.
Cllr Roy Connelly has donated
£400 to the pre-school to update its IT equipment, which had become defunct. The
new laptop will mean children can carry out many more of the activities in the
under 5s curriculum, as well as creating opportunities to interact with the
local community.
Cllr Connelly said: “I am
delighted to be able to make this donations, which will encourage the children
to develop their IT and social skills, and will also address one of the issues
raised in their Ofsted report.
“This pre-school is at the heart
of its local community and I am pleased to have been able to offer it my
support.”
Other Items
Liberal Democrats Mayor for West Devon- West Devon has a new (2005) Mayor following the election of Bere Ferrers Liberal
Democrats Councillor Mrs Christine Grills.
-
Inspector Endorses Provision for Affordable Housing
- The Inspector’s report on Objections to Dartmoor National Park’s Local
Plan Review is a ringing endorsement of the policies for affordable housing
campaigned for by local Councillors.
-
Council Tax Difficulties 2004
-
Jane Waterhouse, speaking for the Liberal
Democrat Group, said “It has been an incredibly difficult time. We had real
priorities to meet, and a determination to keep the tax increase to the absolute
minimum.”
- Local Elections May 2003
- The make-up of the new 31 seat Council.
 WEST Devon has a new
(2005) Mayor following the election of Bere
Ferrers Councillor Mrs Christine Grills this week. Cllr Grills, a Liberal Democrat, has served on the Council for
nine years. Her husband Norman will be her consort.
It’s not the first time she has taken the role. Cllr Grills was
Mayor of West Devon in 2000/2001.
At the Council’s annual meeting in Okehampton today, Cllr Grills
said: “It is a great honour to be elected Mayor for the second time and I will
do my best to represent West Devon whenever I can.”
Her chosen charity for the year is the Motor Neurone Disease
Association. She said: “Just under four years ago a friend was diagnosed with
the disease and it has been heartbreaking to see how rapidly the disease has
progressed in that short time, and the effect it has had on the quality of life
for her and her family.
“As it does not usually make itself apparent until middle age,
victims have to live with the added worry that they may have passed it on to
their families. The Association provides valuable assistance in many ways.”
Cllr Grills takes over the helm from Cllr Peter Hill, an
Independent, who represents Chagford. Paying tribute to Cllr Hill, Cllr Dick
Eberlie, Leader of the Conservatives Group, said that he had led the Council
with “style and charm.”
Cllr Hill told Councillors that following a series of
fundraising events this year, more than £800 has been raised for his chosen
charities - St Luke’s Hospice in Plymouth and Exeter-based Hospiscare.
Deputy Mayor this year is Cllr Jayne Hill who represents
Okehampton West.
Inspector Endorses Provision for Affordable Housing
The Inspector’s report on Objections to Dartmoor National Park’s Local Plan
Review (published 12th March) is a ringing endorsement of the policies for
affordable housing campaigned for by local Councillors. It also strongly
re-enforces the comments made to the West Devon Borough Council’s similar
policies. In his introduction the Inspector states, “The most contentious issue
for me to consider has been, not surprisingly, that of housing provision.
I endorse and fully support the approach taken by the Local Plan of severely
limiting the amount of new house building that ought to take place with the
emphasis firmly on providing affordable housing to meet identified local needs.”
Research published in the last year shows that average house prices in West
Devon have reached £160,000 while average incomes are below £14,000; mortgage
lenders work on a ratio of 2.5 to 3 times household earnings so owner occupation
is not an option for many people.
Although not rejecting all open market housing within the park, the Inspector
has fully endorsed the Park’s proposed policies to ensure that over 50% of
development is designated for local need - tightly defined - and remains
affordable in perpetuity, whether for rental, shared ownership or
owner occupation.
David Walter, Liberal Democrat PPC for Torridge and West Devon, said, “This
is a total vindication of our local Councillors’ long campaign to get more
affordable housing for local people. A campaign that has been so successful that
West Devon Borough Council has now voted ‘Affordable Housing’ its top priority
for increased capital expenditure! And the National Park has had its policies
totally endorsed by the Inspector.”
Note:
The Inspectors Report is published on Friday 12th March and can be found at
www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/dnp/planning/lplan/insrep.html.
Council Tax Difficulties 2004
Jane Waterhouse, speaking for the Liberal Democrat Group, said “It has
been an incredibly difficult time. We had real priorities to meet, and a
determination to keep the tax increase to the absolute minimum. In real
terms we kept the increase below 3% - but were defeated by the government.
Formula funding, even if it is inadequate or skewed, at least reflects the
real world, and genuine changes are reflected both in increases and ‘lack
of increases’ in central government funding. The arbitrary late adjustment
has been made solely to support the government’s promise that ‘all
councils will have a greater than inflation increase’ - whether
they need it or not! Robbing Peter (West Devon) to pay Paul.
“The good news is that we have managed to maintain funding for the core
services and our high priority areas such as affordable housing, disabled
facilities grants and recycling. The whole council worked together to
achieve the best result possible. However we all know that the current
system is basically flawed and must be reviewed at the earliest possible
moment.”
The Council has ‘ratified’ the 2004/5 Council Tax (and included County,
Police, Fire etc.) rates and produced pages of detailed figures - but
nothing in summary. Culled from the detail, the following is an estimated
guide for a Band D property (excluding parish precepts):
- WDBC £150, increase of about 10% or about £13 pa for band D (last
year 2.6% only! That’s the problem!)
- Police £113, increase greater than 13%, last year was 40%!
- Devon £956, increase of about 6%, last year 18% (includes Fire
Authority)
- Total £1220, increase approximately 7%
Jane Waterhouse comments, “If the Tories - in effectual control -
hadn’t pushed through the low rates in last election year, we might have
had an easier job of it this year. Your ‘financial spokesperson’ made an
impassioned plea for clarity and transparency of figures for both
councillors and the public - one page of clear explanation with a summary
of the relevant figures is worth five pages of dense spread sheets!”
Jane added, “The expected increase for the 4% population increase was
wiped out by the ‘raising floor’ policy that ‘all councils will have a
greater than inflation increase’. We lost £167,000 - not peanuts for a
small council!”
The make-up of the new 31 seat Council is:
 |
Conservative Political Group |
12 (gain of 4) |
|
Independent Political Group |
9 (lose 2) |
|
Lib Dem Political Group |
8 (lose 1) |
|
No Political Group |
2 |
The Member who stood at the Election for the United Kingdom Independence
Party has been admitted to the “Independent”
Group. Whether two extra Committee seats are worth such breath-taking cynicism
is an interesting point. And whether the “sheltered” UKIP
gentleman will vote automatically with the Conservatives as the “Independents” consistently have on every
significant vote for the last four years will also tell a story.
For information on West Devon Liberal
Democrat Councillors, see councillors page.
News
from West Devon Borough Council (which
you won't find in your local paper!) Read about the balance of power on West
Devon Council.
More about how West Devon Council gets off to
a bad start.
For further information
about the Council see
West Devon Borough Council |
