19th - 24th February 2007 in the Constituency

This was a busy week. On Monday I met with colleagues from Devon County Council and Teignbridge District Council. There is a lot which is not working and which we need to fix. Most important is the issue of affordable housing. I learnt how little progress Teignbridge had made with this. The so called Northern Option is not only unacceptable to residents of Kingsteignton but in practical terms unworkable. It is a mammoth project and by its very nature not going to deliver in the short term, if at all, the housing needed. Together we plan to fight this to deliver something more acceptable in a shorter time frame.

I was horrified to learn that the plans for the new hospital for Newton Abbot are already being eroded. There is no plan now to transfer the very successful rehabilitation unit to the new hospital. With my council colleagues we are raising our concern with the Devon Primary Care Trust and Strategic Health Authority. We have already seen the slow march of a succession of bed closures. We are told they are temporary but will they be? Our health care provision is under threat and we must fight to keep it.

On Tuesday I was in Ipplepen where I met with residents to discuss local issues. They are up in arms about a proposal to dig up the grave of Bertram Fletcher Robinson. The requests for exhumation are to satisfy curiosity and prove whether that as a matter of historical fact the deceased had been poisoned. This would damage not just this grave but a number of others – this intrusion into the peace and tranquillity of the churchyard is unacceptable and I am adding my voice to that of others to persuade the Chancellor of the Diocese of Exeter to refuse the requests to exhume.

On Wednesday I met up with Angus Bristow our political agent at our offices to look at how we could make some progress with all these issues and provide some real support. On Thursday I did a radio interview with Radio Palm in Torbay. That evening I attended a public meeting in Kingsteignton to hear about how Teignbridge have wasted £70,000 of taxpayers money putting in traffic lights in Ley Lane which have made the traffic situation worse not better, filled residents’ homes with car exhaust fumes and put their very lives at risk as cars drive on the pavements to cope with the traffic bottleneck which has been created. With residents I will be petitioning the council to remove these lights at their meeting on 9 March.

I spent Friday in Teignmouth and Newton Abbot meeting and talking with shoppers and on Saturday, after a meeting with residents in Kingsteignton, addressed a very well attended public meeting in the Scouts headquarters at Newton Abbot. We talked through the issues of affordable housing, the need for permanent council housing stocks for those in need. There was real frustration at the lack of any accommodation for families and lack of provision of local buses. The move, now almost complete, of the Newton Abbot post office to the other end of the town was roundly criticised by all. Together with my colleagues on the council we will campaign for change.

"Getting Started" 18th February 2007

One thing you learn very quickly in this job is how to use technology! It has been a revelation but huge fun developing this Blogg. My website is coming on and I will let you know when it is ready.

I always thought it was more difficult to sell a house than to buy one, but this has not been my experience in Devon - I am clearly not the only one that wants to live here! I found a house in Coffinswell just before Christmas. Dealing with the structural problems the survey revealed was just the first obstacle. Last week the owner decided to keep the house after all! I found property number two on Thursday, made an offer on Friday which, even though at the asking price, was not accepted - someone else got there first! So it is back to the drawing board.

This coming week, I shall be meeting up with a number of local councillors to get their views on the really important issues we need to address in Teignbridge. And I hope I shall also be hearing from you. Any council must be held accountable and this May will be our chance to do just that in the polling booths on 3rd May. Is our environmental waste and recycling programme up to scratch? Too many maggots in the bins for my liking and it can only get worse in the summer. And what about promises to provide affordable housing - have they been met in any meaningful way? Rather a lot of you have said to me that you think not. And what about the promises to provide more development land for employment to create jobs - that hasn't happened either!

Best wishes
Anne Marie