Steve Reynolds kind of set the tone for the meeting and it just got better from there on in.
More than 90 business people had booked for the Torbay Business Forum breakfast - a sell-out which was no surprise as Torbay Council chief executive Anne Marie Bond and Alan Denby, her Director of Pride in Place, were the guest speakers and stars of the show.
Chairman Steve had just returned from a holiday in Dubai, literally worlds apart from the English Riviera, yet there was a link.
Both now have a Big Wheel. We won't go there. But Steve highlighted Dubai's mantra and motto: “We do not wait to make things happen. We make things happen”. It was Anne Marie and Alan's job to convince the assembled audience that that was exactly what they were trying to do in the Bay and now was never a better time.
Millions and millions of pounds are being invested in the Bay via the public purse and various pots of funding and a £100million regeneration deal with private sector investor and developers Willmott Dixon and Milligan. Anne Marie made it clear: “We are focussed on making things happen. We have so much to offer.” She recognised that the Bay has its 'significant' challenges - deprivation, poverty, a high demand for children’s services and an ageing population. But these were being tackled by the pioneering adult care and health services integration. The homeless issue was being addressed as the council now runs the Factory Row hostel with stay times being reduced.
Anne Marie touched on the demand on children's services, with more than 300 'cared for' children. But there had been massive improvements and the council is working towards Child Friendly status with UNICEF. She said it was about having a 'pride in place'. “There have been decades of decline. We are working closely with partners and we are on the cusp of changing the Bay.” Alan Denby followed the same line, highlighting the importance of the Torbay Story. He added: “There are very few if any places of this size with this size of investment coming in.” He also made reference to the importance of the partnership with Willmott Dixon and Milligan and then highlighted a vast array of regeneration projects coming our way, including schemes at Brixham town centre, Crossways at Paignton, a flood defence for Paignton and Preston, working with the NHS on Victoria Centre in Paignton, the success of the Paignton Picture House, plans for a new Technology park, the Edginswell rail station, Torquay harbour public realm, Union Square, the Pavilion and Debenhams.
Anne Marie talked of 'solid foundations' and 'delivery'. She said that with all the substantial changes ahead the future was exciting with the aim of a happy, healthy more prosperous Torbay for all.
The council double act had pulled it off...
