Adrian Sanders

No end in sight for the scourge of Torbay’s pavements

Adrian Sanders MP has been highlighting with local and central Government the growing problem of chewing gum litter.  A co-ordinated response is needed to solve the problem, but progress is slow.

As a tourist destination, the appearance of Torbay’s town centres and seafront areas is vital; a clean environment will encourage visitors to come again while those left with a bad impression will not, and a poor reputation can quickly be gained.

While some local authorities do tackle the problem, actively removing chewing gum litter from pavements and punishing those who drop it, there are wide disparities across the UK.  The problem is endemic in Torbay, and contributes to the low footfall that is blighting town centre shops and could also have a negative effect on the tourist trade.

Torbay Council officers have highlighted its own efforts in putting up information posters to dissuade offenders.  The Council does describe chewing gum as ‘anti-social’ but disposed of responsibly it causes no harm and it is argued chewing can improve oral health.

Many councils, especially in tourist destinations, invest in chewing gum removal and some have implemented fixed penalty notices and street warden patrols to provide enforcement.

Councils do have a legal duty to remove litter from public areas but Torbay has not been able even to provide an estimated cost of removing chewing gum litter.

Development of biodegradable chewing gum is not likely to occur for a number of years.

Adrian will be lobbying DEFRA ministers to find a better solution to the problem.

Adrian said: “There is an inadequate response from many councils to this problem.  I would be amazed if other forms of litter or graffiti were left in town centres and local authorities and DEFRA need to take action to make sure chewing gum is cleaned away.”

“It is not cheap to remove chewing gum and it has been suggested that a tax on chewing gum would provide the necessary funding.  Even the threat of a tax in Ireland forced manufacturers to give over £5million to cleaning initiatives.”

“Councils can introduce cheaper measures to fight this problem, providing more regularly emptied litter bins and imposing small penalty fines for dropping litter would be a good start.”

“I think it is underestimated in Torbay how much impact considerations like these have on marketing the tourist industry and encouraging repeat visits and the higher spending visitor currently aspired to by the Council.”

Bay MP puts residents’ views to council over budget

Torbay Council approached Torbay’s MPs and Adrian Sanders MP has submitted his response to the Council’s proposed budget to the Overview and Scrutiny Board.  The response incorporates the views of thousands of residents who have contacted Mr Sanders about the council’s activities in letters, emails and survey responses.

Residents highlighted concerns about a number of council services they felt were not spending money appropriately or were not responding adequately to problems in Torbay.

Tree services, parking and highways as well as adult social care all appear to have funding shortages.  Residents also highlighted concerns about inefficiency and high expenditure on external consultancy firms.

Adrian commented: “With the credit crunch there is an even bigger imperative for the council to spend money wisely.  Now may not be the time to begin risky projects, instead focusing upon consolidating existing services and listening more to local people.”

“Services such as street cleaning, tree maintenance and grass cutting may not be the most important but they engender a better quality of life and can improve the self esteem of communities.  For a tourist area like Torbay, appearance is even more fundamental and this is where most residents think improvements need to be made.”

“Torbay has been fortunate in funding terms over the past four years; there has been a significant increase in central Government grant and additional millions from Sea Change and the Growth Points scheme.  Councillors and officers must consider all residents’ views carefully to ensure this is spent to the best effect.”

Adrian's response to Torbay Council:

Thank you for inviting me to respond to the proposed budget for Torbay Council. 

As MP for Torbay, I am contacted by a large number of residents every year, with a considerable number raising concerns over the policies and operation of the local authority, including the funding priorities of any given administration.  With a comprehensive residents’ survey conducted this year, I have received many thousands of views and have been able to build a detailed picture of the areas of activity where there is satisfaction and success and areas where improvement needs to be made.

I would like to make the Overview and Scrutiny Committee aware, in summary form, of the areas where residents feel there are service failings and therefore where funding needs to be increased or reoriented, potentially in conjunction with policy changes.

Firstly, I received a number of comments regarding the poor state of repair of roads in Torbay, particularly in residential areas, including poor road surface, uneven pavements, pavements blocked by vegetation and unsuitable parking and speeding restrictions or a lack of. 

Correspondence with Highways officers confirms that a lack of funding prevents maintenance being carried out to residents’ liking.  However, there is a perception that works, such as the Preston congestion relief scheme, are undertaken without public support while problems raised by a significant number of people, such as the lack of provision of parking bays, are ignored.

Similar problems afflict street cleaning and waste disposal departments.  With the delay to the Joint Venture Company, this needs urgent attention.  Torbay as a tourist destination relies upon a presentable image and this is adversely affected by the frequent reports I receive of overflowing bins, unswept streets, chewing gum deposits and the poor external appearance of buildings.  Again budgetary restrictions have been highlighted by officers as the main explanation. 

Recycling facilities remain an important concern for residents and many have highlighted the lack of easily accessible facilities.  This discourages recycling and will only cost residents more in landfill taxes.  The lack of civic amenity sites close to where people live, particularly in Torquay, is a major sore for residents who point to the excellent recycling facilities provided by councils elsewhere in Devon.

Concerns were also raised at the lack of support for small businesses and the perception of a poor overall strategy to encourage all forms of trade and industry despite some notable successes that have been made despite, not because of local authority involvement.  The investment by major hotel chains in all of Britain's major seaside resorts is not matched by the investment in non-tourist economic activity that other resorts are enjoying.

A similar feeling is present regarding post offices.  Many councils have successfully worked in co-operation with post offices, placing local government services into post office branches with minimal additional expenditure.

More widespread concerns highlighted a lack of investment in youth services and the council’s decision not to partake in the free children’s swimming initiative, favouring the over 60s.  I have written in support of the council's bid for funding a young persons facility at Parkfield in Paignton, and have raised the problems Torbay claims to have with the swimming initiative. 

Funding shortages have also emerged for the Disabled Facilities Grant Scheme, with some residents concerned that essential works are being severely delayed.  While the Government has increased DFG year on year well above inflation, other councils have coped with the rising demand for DFGs by going beyond their statutory matching of Government grant.

Further problems were highlighted with the limited extent of arboriculture and anti-social behaviour services, again with residents perceiving a poor level of service.

It is very useful for residents to make me aware of such service problems and where I can I highlight these concerns in Parliament and aim to increase central support for the Local Authority.

I am aware that there are many pressures on the council’s budget, particularly in light of the current economic climate.  However, I have been working hard on gaining Government recognition for the funding problems Torbay has faced and for the fourth year running have helped obtain an inflation busting grant settlement from central government to fund local services.

Torbay Council has moved from receiving £57 per head less, to £33 per head more in grant than the average all purpose council.   That’s worth an extra £12 million this year.

There is among residents the perception that the council’s funding priorities do not reflect residents needs, that highly ambitious, grandiose projects are being pursued before reliable basic public services have been fortified and stabilised.

I hope this helps the important task you are undertaking.

Yours sincerely

Adrian Sanders MP

Sanders to Tackle Government on Threat to Pharmacies

Torbay MP Adrian Sanders is to raise with Ministers the dire financial situation affecting many community pharmacists.  Adrian has secured a debate in Parliament on Wednesday 14^th January at 4pm.

A number of community pharmacists have contacted Mr Sanders to raise concerns over the way they are reimbursed by the Government for prescription medication costs.  The current system lacks clarity and transparency, with the Government clawing back up to £30,000 from individual pharmacies at short notice due to the imperfections of the formula.

The Department of Health also takes up to three months to reimburse pharmacies for the cost of drugs dispensed.

Adrian will be advocating a much simpler reimbursement system that allows pharmacies to adequately plan their finances and prevent bankruptcies. 

Adrian commented: “The Government is showing a complete lack of understanding of the workings of community pharmacies.  As it stands now, the system leaves many in a state of financial insecurity and if the Government doesn’t act now we could see the threat of closure to yet another vital community resource.”

Cost of Transport for Young People a Travesty

In response to a Parliamentary Question tabled by Adrian Sanders MP, the Labour Government has again refused to acknowledge the high cost of public transport for the under 18s. 

16 to 18 year olds in Torbay are charged full adult fare on local bus networks and while help can be available for some school journeys, no concession is available for any other journeys.  The vast majority of bus companies provide child rates for under 16s but are not obliged to do so.  Other areas are able to offer discounts for young people or wholly free travel as in London. 

Schools and Learners Minister Sarah McCarthy-Fry stated that unlike disabled people and the over-60s, young people cannot automatically benefit from cheaper or free public transport.  Funding for the concessionary pass has topped £1billion a year despite calls from councils for more cash, however totally free travel for 16-19 year olds would only cost around £245million a year.

Adrian commented: “The cost of public transport is one of the issues raised most by young people when they contact me.  Being able to get around substantially improves people’s quality of life and while the Government has recognised this for the over 60s, it refuses to acknowledge the benefits for young people.”

“Improving young people’s mobility can have a positive impact in so many areas, improving their access to facilities and activities and reducing anti-social behaviour.  Young people mostly want a reduction in travel costs, not for travel to be totally free.  It would be far better for the Government to enforce considerably reduced but not free bus fares for young people and pensioners.”

Action needed to tackle sharp rise in unemployment

Figures released today have shown a 57% rise in unemployment for Torbay compared to this time last year.  199 new Jobseekers Allowance claimants were registered in November, with the total now standing at 1973, almost 5% of the working age population.

Bay MP Adrian Sanders has highlighted the need for local and central government to take meaningful action to stimulate the economy and stem the tide of job losses.

Lending to small businesses is currently being restricted by the banks, despite many being state owned.  This is forcing many small businesses into letting staff go. 

Local businesses can be supported by people buying from locally owned businesses and from shops that source their products locally.  This keeps money in the local economy, allowing businesses to thrive and invest in more high quality jobs.

Adrian commented: “Torbay’s economy is suffering more than anywhere else in the South West due to the reliance on the service sector and seasonal work.  In a recession these will be the first jobs to go but much can be done to safeguard local jobs, keep money in the local economy and provide better help to people already made redundant.”

“The banks must be forced to lend at reasonable rates to small businesses.”

“Buying local can also stimulate the economy.  Torbay has a wide range of very high quality goods and services on offer and everyone can play their part by supporting these businesses.”

Private Sewers go public-water bills may have to rise

Following protracted delays, the Government has finally announced the transfer of private drains and sewers to water and sewerage companies.  DEFRA Minister Hilary Benn confirmed yesterday that the change will occur in 2011.

At present, some residents can be hit by unexpected bills totalling thousands of pounds for water and sewage leaks they were not aware they were responsible for.  While the changes mean householders will no longer have to pay for repairs on former private sewers and drains, however water bills are set to rise between £4 and £12 per year as a result. 

Adrian Sanders MP said: “This is mostly good news for consumers, in the long run it will be better value and it will save many homeowners the stress and expense that comes from sewerage repairs.  It will mean higher water bills after 2011 and with the highest bills in the UK and the economic downturn likely to still have an impact; this will unfortunately be another burden for South West water customers.”

Young Swimmers Let Down

Bay MP Adrian Sanders has raised concerns over the lack of uptake in Devon of free swimming for under 16 year olds.  A £140million pound Government initiative aimed at increasing swimming for young people and pensioners saw 291 councils sign up for free swimming for the over 60s. 

80 of these councils have, however, opted out of providing free swimming for young people.  These include Torbay, Exeter, South Hams, Teignbridge, Mid Devon, North Devon and West Devon.  Plymouth council did decide to sign up for free swimming for the under 16s.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has been accused of providing a poor funding system for the scheme, it does not encourage councils to maintain or build pools, nor does it provide free lessons or pro-actively seek non swimmers to participate.  Moreover, councils are reimbursed according to the number of young people and pensioners within their boundaries, whether the council has any swimming pools or not. 

Adrian commented: “The funding provided by Government for this scheme is clearly inadequate and there have been many reservations over the usefulness of providing free swimming for people who mostly would have paid previously.  If reformed and well marketed this could have been a great opportunity to get young people involved in healthy activities but unlike over 200 councils in the UK, Devon authorities have let youngsters down.”

“I will continue to lobby Government for better funding for Torbay, but we have already benefited from Sea Change money, a record increase in Government grant and now millions from Growth Points and local residents need to see the benefit from this.”

Government Must Help Small Businesses

Torbay MP Adrian Sanders has pledged his support to a Parliamentary campaign urging the Government to open up lending for small businesses.  The campaign, led by Lib Dem Business spokesperson Lorely Burt MP aims to help the nation’s 4.7 million small businesses, 60 of which are closing down every day.

The Federation of Small Businesses has highlighted that 31% of small businesses have seen the cost of credit increase and that a similar amount will have to consider closing business in the near future if the situation does not improve.

The British Bankers’ Association made changes last week to its guidance for banks, advocating a more pro-active approach to identify the early signs of businesses in trouble and look at individual circumstances.  There are fears that this is not nearly enough.  With a large part of the British banking sector now in Government hands, and interest rates at their lowest level for over 50 years, cheaper credit needs to be released now to prevent further closures.

Adrian is supporting the cross-party campaign, urging the Government to do more and will be tackling Ministers on this and other measures aimed at stimulating the local economy.

Adrian commented: “With shops and businesses closing across Torbay, more needs to be done to improve their chances of survival.  The Government’s response in the Pre-Budget report has had a minimal impact on small businesses and many will continue to fail unnecessarily as credit continues to be unavailable on the same terms as in the past.”

Sanders supports protection for UK bee population

Adrian Sanders MP has signed Early Day Motion 188 to convey his concern about the 30 per cent decline in the bee population since 2007.

Bees pollinate 70 per cent of the food eaten in the UK with DEFRA placing a commercial value of the population at approximately £165 million.

With the budget for commissioned bee health research and development lower in real term compared with 2001 and an increase in reports of colony collapse, the role of local beekeeping clubs are becoming increasingly important to protect the local bee population.

The decline in the domestic bee population has also placed pressure on the supply of British honey which is predicted to run out in the next three months if the situation does not significantly improve in the short term.   

Adrian commented: “I commend the work of beekeeping organisations in Devon and nation wide and call on the Government to increase the funding for bee research to secure the future of both the UK bee population and the supply of British honey.”