General Discussion

Paying tribute to Cllr Hook, who returns to the backbenches, he said: “He has led the Lib Dems with flourish and cheery determination, and his vision for what the council could do has brought about real changes. The first time in nearly three decades, Teignbridge is building council housing, we are further empowering the local councils, and across the district, we are planting more trees, and Gordon has been tireless in lobbying the government over plans to force more housing into Teignbridge above the level approved in the Local Plan.”

yes more unneeded housing

 false promises  about dropping the bin charge

no grant  for air show

stupid plan about only 4 dogs on beach

£35k  salary for an environmental portfolio person when council are skint.

Need we go on.......................

I believe it's central government that determines how much housing needs to be built. So if you want to have a moan about that then Boris "Build,Build, Build" Johnson is the person you need to contact.   

@Lynne.."Gordon has been tireless in lobbying the government over plans to force more housing into Teignbridge above the level approved in the Local Plan.”

My point is yes, , it may be  goverment ultimately decides but the  issue is that they are  lobbying for more housing ......

@1263  O. No. They. Are. Not.

I can see why you might think otherwise though as the quote that you provide does lend itself to misinterpretation. What the Lib Dem's have actually been saying is that the numbers being imposed on the district by central government are too high.  

In July 2019 Cllr Hook  delivered a letter to No 10 concerning this very issue of central government imposing a greater housing number than that deemed necessary by officers at TDC. Below is a quote from the newspaper report on the matter and if you wish to read more then just click on the link I've given.

“The letter to Mr Johnson from Cllr Hook states: “The situation here in Teignbridge is critical. The formula being used to calculate housing need is clearly badly flawed and requires urgent reconsideration. While it is recognised that genuine low-cost housing is desperately needed, the sheer volume of housing being imposed on us is without justification. Your early intervention in this hugely important issue would be very much appreciated.”

https://www.devonlive.com/news/first-letter-new-prime-minister-3135044

and I've just taken a look at the Lib Dem manifesto for the local 2019 elections re the green bin charge. I can't see anything about the green bin charge being dropped as the manifesto clearly states that:

A Lib Dem Council will freeze the garden waste bin charge for at least 2 years.  

@ lynne yes got my wires mixed up there about abolishing chard  however correct me if i am wrong did they increase the bin charge?

Was £35 when the Conservative administration introduced it in 2014. Now  £40 (although still £35 for those able to claim a concession).

Don't know when charge got increased.

So.......given as I didn't know I did what anyone with access to the internet can do - I emailed TDC and asked them.

Am told that the increase was in the April 2019 budget (when TDC was controlled by the Conservatives). The Lib Dems inherited this budget when they took over control of the council in May 2019.

So......t'was Conservatives that introduced the £35 charge in the first place (2014) and then the Conservatives that increased it to £40 in 2019. 

Great ....looking forward for the Dems to abolish or reduce bin charge within their budget%uD83D%uDE02

D

On the subject of house building numbers. This is from the December 2019 Conservative party general election manifesto:

" we will continue our progress towards our target of 300,000 homes a year by the mid-2020s. This will see us build at least a million more homes, of all tenures, over the next Parliament ".