Week 9 - Second Home Tax
Empty second homes have blighted many of our communities in the South West. It has been a crisis that has been allowed to spiral out of control over the years.
26 Oct 2024
News
Week 8 - Devon HAF Funding
On Monday last week I went to see Happy Holidays in Dawlish. In glorious sunshine nearly 50 children were running around having a smashing time.
26 Oct 2024
Week 7 - Developer-led building targets won’t fix the housing crisis here
The housing crisis in Teignbridge and in wider Devon has been out of control for years. From affordability issues to second homes, the previous Conservative Government did nothing to help the issues that local people face.
26 Oct 2024
Week 6 - Sewage on our Beaches
Last week yet again South West Water issued a number of sewage alerts on our local beaches including Teignmouth Town, Teignmouth Holcombe and Dawlish Coryton Cove.
26 Oct 2024
Week 5 - Winter Fuel Allowance
I was shocked to hear that Rachel Reeves decided to cut Winter Fuel Payments. Over 90% of pensioners in Teignbridge will miss out on the Winter Fuel Payments, previously worth up to £300, after the new Labour Government cut the benefit.
26 Oct 2024
Week 4 - Start of Recess
This week sees the end of Parliamentary business until September, but there was still a lot going on. On Monday we had the new Chancellor spelling out the much-trailed financial situation for the Government with a budget black hole of some £22bn.
26 Oct 2024
Week 3 – Finding our feet
It’s now been three weeks since the election, and like most of the new MPs I and beginning to find my way around the maze of corridors, staircases and impressive hallways.
25 Oct 2024
Week 2 – Newton Abbot MP
My second week as an MP started with a huge state event – The State Opening of Parliament and the King’s Speech.
21 Jul 2024
MP's Column - Week one
I keep on having to remind myself that it was just one week ago that I was standing at the General Election count waiting for the results…
11 Jul 2024
Jack Major Wins Ashburton & Buckfastleigh by-election for Lib Dems
Jack Major storms ahead with nearly 200 vote margin
4 May 2024
Steve Lodge - Lib Dem Police and Crime Commissisioner candidate
Time for a new, better Police and crime commissioer - Steve Lodge
17 Apr 2024
Leaders Column 28th March - The Futures Bright…
With the Easter weekend approaching and the weather giving us the odd fine day, it is starting to feel like spring is finally here. Having been heralded by the daffodils the full bloom of spring is full of promise and renewal.
28 Mar 2024
Leader’s Column 14th March – National Budget
I’m not entirely sure what I was expecting from the Westminster government’s budget, but even so, I am disappointed. Very little in what they announced will help the country, help people with the cost-of-living crisis, help the NHS or the environment...
14 Mar 2024
Leader’s column 29th Feb
This week has been Budget week at Teignbridge. We have been facing questions on how we keep the council services running in the face of not having enough funds to do so. If central government does as it has suggested, Teignbridge will lose over £3M more
29 Feb 2024
Visit to Devon from the PM
PM’s visit – must be an election year?
MW
18 Feb 2024
We need Cottage Hospitals like Teignmouth
Closing cottage hospitals, like Teignmouth, is short sighted, and will be viewed in the same way as selling school playing fields...
MW
1 Feb 2024
Teignmouth Hospital
Save Teignmouth Hospital
MW
15 Jan 2024
Teign Estuary Trail Breakthrough
Breakthrough on Teign Estuary trail with £1M funding from Teignbridge
MW
6 Dec 2023
Teignbridge rated sixth best out of 168 district councils in tackling climate change
Teignbridge rated sixth best out of 168 district councils in tackling climate change
MW
1 Dec 2023
Reshuffle, Reset, but just more of the same…
A reshuffle of Government bringing back David Cameron could either be that no-one in the existing set of Conservative MPs was considered good enough to be fulfil this great office of state, or that the failed former Prime Minister is the best they have...
MW
23 Nov 2023
Teignmouth by-election Lib Dem win
Cllr Daniel Comer won the Teignmouth Central Town Council by-election in spectacular style, winning more than half the vote.
MW
1 Nov 2023