'MAYORAL VISION' CONCERNS TO COME UNDER SCRUTINY

3.32.13pm GMT Fri 1st Feb 2008

Concerns about Torbay Council's 'Mayoral Vision' will be subject to scrutiny at a meeting of the Council's 'Overview and Scrutiny Board' following a 'call-in' by 5 Lib Dem Councillors.

The reasons for the 'call-in' are:

A number of projects in the Mayor's Vision for Torbay to become a City will impact severely by over-development on Torbay's special environment. Projects of particular concern include: Princess & Royal Terrace Gardens and the Strand (Project number 6); Paignton Coastal Park(11); Paignton Harbour(12) and Goodrington Sands (Quay West)(13). The Mayor is quoted in the "fly past" DVD to promote his vision that "Torbay is the most stunning natural environment along the south coast".

A number of the projects listed involve building on car parks. The Mayoral Vision seems to be lacking any increase in quality public transport to compensate for the cut in car parking spaces. To support the Mayor's Vision of Torbay becoming more like a City, why does the Vision not include the public transport infrastructure that a city has?

There has been a lack of consultation at a grassroots level on the Mayor's Vision (especially on Torbay's transformation into a city).

The content of the Mayor's Vision is about place shaping design and developing a city culture for Torbay, but has poor emphasis on plans for diversifying the economy so that there are more quality full time jobs in Torbay for local people.

The Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Torbay Council Councillor Steve Darling said:

"Our 3 key priorities as Liberal Democrats are: quality all year round jobs for the local community; tackling anti-social behaviour and putting the environment at the hart of the Council's decision-making. There are a number of concerns about the Mayor's Vision, especially around a lack of consultation with the public and about over development on Torbay's main asset - the environment. There has also been a lot of public disquiet about the Mayor's dream of Torbay as a City.

"The call-in will allow a proper discussion of these issues - something which has not happened so far. We will be encouraging the Overview and Scrutiny Board to forward this to a meeting of Full Council to allow a proper debate of the Mayor's Vision by elected Councillors."