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The Future of Torbay Council

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Calls have been in the House of Commons for a parliamentary debate on the ‘collapse’ of Torbay Council.

Last week Torbay Council agreed that the Chief Executive was to review all options for local government reorganisation, including Torbay reverting to a District Council.

Torbay went it alone in 1998 but the decision taken means that once again, Devon County Council could be responsible for running the threatened services.

Valerie Vaz, Labour’s MP for Walsall South who is also the Shadow Leader of the House of Commons, today called for a proper debate to take place in parliament about the council.

Speaking in the House of Commons on Thursday talking about the upcoming business of the House, she said: “When can we have a debate on Torbay—another council that is about to collapse?

Andrew Gwynne MP, the Shadows Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, had already said the Tory Government were responsible for the ‘failure of Torbay Council’.

Torbay’s MP, Kevin Foster, said he was stunned to hear that arguing about Local Government structure was a priority for the council, but did not think that a return to the old two-tier structure would be the best option, adding: ‘In the midst of problems with bin collections, grass cutting and the need to tackle anti-social behavior in the Town Centre, many residents will be stunned to hear arguing about future Local Government Structures and spending taxpayer’s money on a discussion about them, was a priority for the Mayor’s Executive. The one certainty is Torbay Council’s structure will change in May 2019 when the Elected Mayor’s post is abolished.’

Bob Jope Healthwatch Torbay

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(Author)

Apart from five years studying in Oxford I’ve lived most of my life in London where for many years I was Head of English in a prestigious girls’ school, but since taking early retirement and heading West to be nearer to my two daughters - settling in Torbay with my wife, Anna, in 2011 - I’ve worked in the voluntary sector. I took on the role of Service Provider, for example, promoting the Red Cross Torbay Navigators Project, while now I’m a Trustee and part of the Media Team for our local Healthwatch. I’m a governor at Torquay Academy, too, giving me the chance to stay up to date with what’s happening in the world of education. Other interests, aside from friends and family, include art and art history, reading - from contemporary fiction and poetry to Elizabethan/Jacobean literature - history, politics, cooking, walking, and music, in particular Bob Dylan, the blues, and early Elvis. I love writing, too, with one novel published so far – Elvis in Wonderland – and another, Who’s There?, that still needs plenty of work!