My November Torbay Times article: No To Post Code Pay A little known measure introduced by the last Labour Government cased a major disagreement within the Coalition. Labour introduced regional pay to the public sector through the Court’s Service. Quite why Labour thought it was a good idea that a new employee in Torquay should be paid less than a new employee in Taunton is anyone’s guess, but it made absolute sense to unregulated free market Conservatives. The Conservative side of the Coalition proposed regional pay for the whole public sector and the Liberal Democrats said no, no, no. Why should a nurse or teacher in Shiphay be paid less than a nurse or teacher in Shipley just because average wages are lower in South Devon than West Yorkshire. If you want to condemn our area to a low wage economy in perpetuity so there’s never enough money circulating locally to prevent business closures in tougher times or attract in higher quality retail in good times, or draw in the brightest and best to run our services at all times, this is it. Preventing the Tories plans for regional pay in this Parliament was an important victory for areas like our own. /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// In It & Winning It In September, the good news was announced that Torbay Community Development Trust has received a £6 million lottery grant in support of their work to help combat social exclusion in the Bay. The plan is to help the Trust support people over 50 years old in Torquay, Paignton and Brixham over the next six years. We all know of the terrible isolation that many older people face in our communities and the lottery grant is aimed at helping to tackle this problem head on. By supporting community projects and helping older people to reconnect with their friends and neighbours, Torbay Community Development Trust hope to both improve the lives of older people while also dispelling some of the negative perceptions that some younger people have towards older people in the community. The Trust was set up with the aim of greater cooperation between voluntary community and social enterprises with other organisations, to help maximise funding opportunities. Their work has been particularly important in recent years as much needed funding has suffered in the recession. Hopefully the new lottery funding and the boost that it gives the Trust will help them to go on to do more great things in Torbay. ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// A New Way for Oldway Over the summer months, Torbay Lib Dems launched a campaign to retain the Oldway Mansion and estate in community ownership for the benefit of residents and visitors alike. Under the previous elected Mayor the public were never consulted over whether the estate should remain in public ownership, only which of two developers should turn the mansion into a luxury hotel and build houses in the grounds. Neither of those companies are the current developer and there has been no further consultation, only the endorsement of the sale by Conservative, Labour and UKIP Councillors. The ‘secret £2 million’ proceeds from the sale of Fernham Wood and the Fernham Day Care centre are held in an account jointly controlled by the Council and the developer for the mansion’s maintenance costs, although the taxpayer is meeting the full costs of maintaining the estate and has had to meet the costs of new accommodation for the services moved out of the Mansion for the developer to start work in January 2013. The income from the café, sports, weddings, and room hire is now zero. The ratepayers of Paignton Urban District Council paid a handsome sum for the estate back in 1946 and local taxpayers across the bay have invested in the former home and grounds of the Singer Sewing Machine family since. Thanks to the various designations Ive helped lobby for, from EU convergence funding to the recently awarded Assisted Area Status, our ability to obtain lottery and other funding is enhanced, so now is the time for a New Way for Oldway. Copies of the K.O.P. (Keep Oldway for the Public) petition can be obtained from 01803 411816 or visit the K.O.P. Facebook page. ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// What’s Your View? I hold weekly advice surgeries in different locations across the constituency, run an Advice Line on 200036, can be reached via Facebook or Twitter or email: [email protected] For regular updates and mailings visit adriansanders.org
Posted on: Sat, 29 Nov 2014 07:58:49 +0000
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