Not too long until Christmas now, but the House was still in full-swing this week. The House voted on the final stages of the Victims and Prisoners Bill to strengthen the rights of victims of crime and improve the way they are treated. A surprise, but welcome, amendment established a body to make the final compensation payments to those who are infected and affected by the contaminated blood scandal. While preliminary payments had been made, these final payments were long overdue. I voted for this amendment, despite the whip – it was morally the right thing to do.
On Tuesday, I met with the Minister responsible for agreeing the Devon & Torbay Devolution Deal. There has been some local concern that District Councils will have less involvement in local decision making once the new Combined Authority is established. This couldn’t be further from the truth! Seats will be available on the Combined Authority for district councillors, and they will be able to vote on those matters that affect District Councils. All of their statutory powers remain. If anything, district councillors will have a greater involvement in local decision making with larger funds upon which to deliver new and exciting projects for their local areas.
I also met with the Save Queen Street group to discuss the proposed redesign of Queen Street. It was important to listen to and understand the concerns of the local business community. There is immense frustration over how the consultation for the proposal was carried out. One thing is clear from all this, parking matters! I need to see what can be done to distinguish between brownfield land which is used as a car park, and brownfield land which has been the site of a factory The distinction is key, so that redeveloping car parking isn’t the first place to look for new housing in town centres in the future. While the decision has been made on Queen Street, we must make sure there isn’t any “mission creep” extending the proposal.
Later in the week I met with the Chief Executive of Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, to discuss a variety of health-related issues. Whilst the Trust has been marked ‘requires improvement’ by the latest Care Quality Commission (CQC) Report, it was good to hear the positive improvements that have been made in both the emergency department and in medical care since the report’s recommendations were handed down to the Trust. The challenge for the trust is that until its physical estate can be improved, it’s hard for it to be efficient. The hospital is in the new hospitals programme and the hospital should be almost completely rebuilt by 2030.
I was pleased to have assurance that the Dawlish MIU will reopen with the appointment of the nurse needed. While bookings can be made in accordance with new guidance, people can still walk-in to be treated without an appointment. Likewise, Newton Abbot hospital’s Urgent Treatment Centre is now working properly with a GP appointed to oversee this nurse led facility.
As those in Teignmouth will have seen, storm Babbet caused enormous damage at the point in Teignmouth. The concrete underpinning of beech huts was washed away, the point sand bank moved (but since moved back), and the stone wall almost overtopped. I sat down with the Harbour Commission on Friday to better understand what had happened and what the long-term implications are. I will be taking this up with the Environment Agency and
Teignbridge Council who are in the middle of finalising a beach management plan. Work here must be included!
To end my week it was a great pleasure to join Stokeinteignhead for their 24 hour sponsored carolathon in aid of a new church heating system, to enjoy Teign Choral Society’s concert for Teignmouth League of Friends, Choir 86’s concert for Kerswella Care and the annual RNLI concert at St Michael’s. Great voices for good causes!
As always, if you would like to book a surgery appointment (in-person or virtual) or raise a specific issue, please call my office on 01626 368277 or email annemarie.morris.mp@parliament.uk to arrange an appointment.