Dave Thomas: Reflecting on 2024 and looking towards a brighter 2025

As we come to the end of the year I wanted to share with you some of the achievements and highlights of the council from the past year. 

Starting with our cultural assets, Torre Abbey has been restored and is now back open for everyone to enjoy, this was great timing for the wonderful Christmas Market that is there now and many thanks to the hundreds of people who have been in touch to say what a marvellous event it has been. The market will be in place until Sunday December 22, so if you haven’t had a chance to visit you still have a few days left.

The Bay of Lights Illumination trail continues until Thursday January 2., complete with the 3d projection on Torre Abbey celebrating 800 years of Christmas past.

We also achieved getting the lease back on the Pavillion and we are now working on ensuring it is watertight while we work on its future. Our war memorial has also been restored and the Mallock Clock that is now part of the new Harbour Strand scheme is chiming again.

Talking of our regeneration projects, as mentioned the Harbour project is now completed and great to see it playing a starring role in the Bay of Lights Illumination Trail.

Crossways has been demolished and is currently a temporary well-used car park for those visiting Paignton Town Centre. Again, hopefully next year we can bring more news and the plans for its future.

Consultation is just closing on the plans for Union Square in Torquay, with the planning application going in during the first six months of 2025 and ideas for Station Square in Paignton will be out any day soon for you to see and let us know your thoughts on.

The Paignton and Preston Promenade scheme which incorporates the sea defences that are much needed for the town were approved at planning and next year we will start to see this take shape too.

And in Brixham consultation is starting on the projects we received funding for, which includes improving the public realm around the fish quay.

Our two Operations of Brighter Bay and Town Centres have been working at pace throughout the year. Starting in April the extra funds given have seen road markings being updated and improved, more gutters weeded and more grass cut. In our Town Centres we now have both street wardens and civil enforcement officers out and about, building relationships with those who use our town centres. They are utilising the public space protection orders (PSPO) that are in place along with working with businesses on tackling anti-social behaviour. 

Since the introduction of the street wardens, the first six months have seen 348 instances where people were approached by them about their drinking that was in contravention of the alcohol PSPOs in Torquay and Paignton.

Reuniting a lost boy with his mum was just one of the highlights for the new street marshals, as they work together with the Devon and Cornwall Police Hotspot unit. 

In their first month of operation, they apprehended three shoplifters in Torquay, retrieving more than £170 worth of goods. In Paignton, during nine patrols up to the end of October, they visited 160 premises and spoke to 353 people. During the same period in Torquay, they visited 453 premises and spoke to 1,133 people. As mentioned previously in our current budget consultation we are looking at putting more funding into these areas for 2025.

When we were elected into office in May 2023, our mantra was to ‘Deliver for the Bay’ we are making headway, however there is so much more to come, There is also much more I would like to have shared with you as we have achieved a lot over the last 12 months, but I am running out of column inches!

A reminder as we move into 2025 - growth and change can be hard, but I hope you agree, the Bay is moving forward and I look forward to sharing more with you next year about the progress of these and many other schemes and projects. 

Wishing you and your families well over this festive period. 

Merry Christmas.