Kevin Foster: Time to reflect on a year full of challenges... and also progress

As 2023 ends it is great to be asked to write a special column rounding up the year.
This year has seen challenges for our bay, especially in our town centres, yet progress has also been made with Crossways demolished, two large new hotels open on Paignton seafront, major work to revamp the Paignton Picture House started and a deal agreed to revamp the Pavilion under way. The last three months have also seen welcome progress on securing major funds to help regenerate our bay, with an extra £20m for Torquay in October, followed by £20m of Levelling Up funding for Paignton and Brixham in November.
Our local health services have also seen major investment, with Torbay Hospital opening a new £5m endoscopy unit, a new CT scanner suite and major work on new operating yheatres now well underway. The first £50m tranche of funding for the new hospital to be built on the site was also confirmed this year, laying the ground (literally) for a £350m-plus project over the next seven years, plus a new Community Diagnostic Centre has been confirmed for Market Street, Torquay.
2023 saw Torbay residents send a strong message that they were tired of dither and delay and wanted to see our bay progress and develop.
They did this by electing a new Conservative administration at Torbay Council to work with the Conservative Government nationally to deliver. 2024 now needs to be defined by just one word: DELIVERY.

Cost of living
2023 has seen many families feel the pressure of higher energy prices, increased rents and rising food prices.
Yet work to reduce inflation is having an impact on easing this pressure. Inflation has halved over the last year and average pay rises are now outstripping price rises, with average petrol prices falling to levels last seen two years ago.
The Government’s cost-of-living payments have helped 16,000 Torbay families make ends meet, plus the decision to fully respect the State Pension Triple Lock and to raise key benefits in line with inflation have also provided vital support.
I also joined colleagues in successfully calling for the Local Housing Allowance to be raised to better reflect current rents.
As we look ahead to 2024, it is working families which need to be the focus. The cuts in National Insurance contributions next month will help, along with the increase in the National Living wage and the massive expansion in support for childcare for those households where all adults work at least 16 hours.
Yet there is more to do, so the Chancellor’s Budget should include moves on the basic rate income tax threshold.

Merry Christmas
Finally, I would like to wish all Torbay Weekly readers and their families a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Surgery times
My next surgeries are on: Saturday 13th January 2024 11am till 1pm at The Acorn Centre, Lummaton Cross, Torquay TQ2 8ET.
For an appointment you can either email me at kevin@kevinjfoster.com or leave a message on 01803 214989, surgeries are for personal queries from residents they would like me to help them with.
Whilst my office in Torquay will be closed for drop-in sessions from Christmas Eve until Tuesday 2nd January 2024, the telephone answer machine and email will be regularly checked for any urgent messages.