Chairman's Blog 2

Thank you for so many messages of congratulation on my appointment to the Chair of Teignbridge District Council. More about future plans later, but now down to business.

Friday, 22nd May proved a very crowded day. I had a very early start for my first engagement at the Edginswell Business Park, Torquay at the foundation stone laying ceremony for the impressive office complexes to house Chartered Accountants, Francis Clark and Solicitors Kitson Hutchings under construction by contractors Mansell. The Teignbridge boundary lies at the edge of this new development and our area will most certainly benefit from the additional employment opportunities within easy travelling distance along what is hoped will be the new Kingskerswell By-pass.

Adrian Sanders MP for Torbay performed the opening ceremony together with Mayor Nick Bye. Adrian seemed somewhat relieved to be back in Devon after the hothouse atmosphere at Westminster and the daily revelations about MP's expenses. Everyone agreed that major developments such as this will attract high quality businesses to the whole of the South Devon area.

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We had a couple of hours to spare and paid a visit to Luscombe Castle, Dawlish for the Hospital League of Friends annual fundraising coffee morning. What a joy it was to be able to enjoy the magnificent grounds and exquisite gardens forming the backdrop to the lovely castellated home of the Hoare family whose ancestors have lived there for over 200 years. The peace and tranquillity of this lovely place was all embracing and it was hard to believe that the hustle and bustle of the busy town of Dawlish was literally over the garden wall.

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Off then to Devon County Show and an invitation to a cream tea with Chairman Cllr. John Rawlinson. Remembering the deluge last year it was such a relief for the Organisers to know that the weather was set fair for the whole period of the Show. I spotted our own Peter Bromell on BBC Spotlight the night before, beaming from ear to ear, escorting the Earl and Countess of Wessex around the showground. It was good to see so many familiar faces and to see local exhibitors and businesses represented. I hear that attendance at the Show broke all records with over 100,000 visitors boosting the local economy by over £160M. Wonderful stuff and congratulations all round!

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Bank Holiday weekends are full of local events, all run by dedicated people giving their time and energies for the benefit of others and raising lots of money for good causes. Saturday, 23rd May saw Tina Graham and her team at Volunteering in Health out in force in Teignmouth for a Charity Fun Day to raise awareness and funds for local patient services. Rotary was there with a Shelterbox tent displayed to demonstrate how help gets to people affected by natural disasters when the big green boxes full of practical survival essentials are hauled up mountains to reach communities isolated after an earthquake.

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I want to get about to local events so Bank Holiday Monday, 25th May took us to the annual Ram Roasting Fair in Kingsteignton. We joined the thousands flocking to Oakford Lawn to celebrate this ancient festival when the village was spared from starvation following a drought. It was baking hot but the young girls dancing around the Maypole made sure that their ribbons finished up perfectly untangled and back in the right place. Tony Beard the Wag from Widdecombe, welcomed everyone in his rich Devonshire dialect and did the honours by crowning the May Queen.

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Tuesday 26th May I was delighted to go to Dawlish Warren to see the 2009 Blue Flag raised proclaiming once again that the beaches and seawater were clean, safe and up there with the many famous beach resorts throughout Europe. RNLI Lifeguards now patrol our beaches watching over the safety of swimmers and beach users. With their distinctive bright red uniforms, state of the art equipment and the best look out Tower on the sea wall, visitors can be confident that safety is a priority not only at Dawlish Warren but Dawlish, Teignmouth and Shaldon also.

CHAIRMAN’S BLOG – MAY 2009

It is a curious feeling to find myself sitting in a raised position in front of a roomful of my Councillor colleagues who have elected me as Chairman of Teignbridge District Council for the year 2009/10. Why curious? Well for one thing the usual debating challenges aimed by colleagues at each other during the course of the past year are missing. No contentious issues, no scores to settle, no last minute surprises.

Instead I presided over the smooth transition of the Chairmanship from Cllr. David Weekes to myself in an atmosphere of genuine support and goodwill from all sides of the Chamber. I was touched and humbled by the tributes and congratulations delivered by colleagues and feel honoured that they unanimously expressed confidence that I will represent the best interests of Teignbridge and the changes we all strive to make for the benefit of the people we represent.

In accepting the Teignbridge Chain of Office, I have committed myself to represent and champion all that is best about the Council I have served since 1979. Supported by my husband Bill, himself a former Teignbridge Councillor we are very much looking forward to getting out and about visiting as many places in the area as possible, seeing what people are doing in their own communities to foster opportunities and improvements with the help of the professional support of Teignbridge Officers who work hard to advise and guide groups and organisations through the forests of paperwork which can be complicated and daunting to enthusiastic volunteers.

I have seen many changes since I was first elected a Teignbridge District Councillor in May 1979. In those days Council meetings were held in the former Newton Abbot Council premises at Kingsteignton Road, Kngsteignton. All other principal offices were scattered around the District. Eventually we had the opportunity to secure ownership of Old Forde House and plan the development of the office complex we occupy today. Her Majesty the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh came to formally open the House and grounds as our new base. I think we can rightly claim that the coming together of all strands of local government in Teignbridge on this campus at Forde House has strengthened and evolved the partnerships and working relationships we now enjoy with the business community, residents and neighbouring authorities.

Now more changes are on the horizon and I do not just mean a possible General Election! Whoever is in charge at Westminster will be deciding whether the current system of local government administration in Devon should continue unchanged or be re-born as a unitary organisation. We are in a period of some uncertainty but I know everyone here, Councillors, Officers and staff will continue as always to oversee the business of the Council and further the interests of everyone living in the District. In my role as Chairman I will continue to raise the profile of the Council throughout the area, taking the view that until someone says otherwise, it is Business as Usual!