Steve Darling: Hospital build verdict 'a major let down'

This week the government has announced that repairs and upgrades to Torbay Hospital won’t start until 2032 at the earliest. This is extremely disappointing.

Our hospital, one of the oldest in the country, has 80 per cent of its estate deemed unfit for purpose. This results in sewage leaks, ventilation issues, cancelled operations, and bed occupancy at 98 per cent, well above the 85 per cent target.

I have been actively lobbying the Health Secretary through various channels, including a recent spotlight report highlighting the dire state of health and social care services in the area.

Patient safety is at risk, and we’ve been left desperately let down.

We can’t wait any longer but the government has kicked this issue into the long grass with this announcement.

The Health Secretary must immediately release the impact assessment to show how these delays will affect people here and how much longer we’ll be stuck with inadequate local health services. I, along with my Lib Dem colleagues, will continue to fight for our community every single day until we get the commitments we deserve

Spring is still a long way away, and there are still many weeks of winter left. Many people need support at this time of year when the temperature drops. But when my team researched it, they were shocked to discover that there was no mention of warm spaces on the council’s website. When my team contacted the council’s departments, staff were unaware of any provision. 

We located one warm space in Torquay – Torquay Library - but none in Brixham or Paignton. This lack of coordination was unacceptable. In response, with support from my fellow councillors, I wrote to the Chief Executive of Torbay Council demanding action.

I am pleased to say that the day after our letter was delivered, the council has made details of Warm Space provision available which can be found online at: https://www.torbay.gov.uk/news/pr9257/

Our heritage has received a boost recently with the announcement that work to repair and restore the roofs at Oldway starts this February.

Full restoration will be phased over several years and will require the Council to work with its public and private sector partners, including The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Historic England. Restoration work on the roofs will begin in February. This initial phase of the project will focus on repairing the mansion's 13 different types of roofs, and it represents a significant step toward preserving the building. The project is funded by £1 million from Torbay Council and £8 million from the government. Full restoration will be completed in phases over several years and will require collaboration between the Council and public and private sector partners, including The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Historic England.

Fighting for cleaner waterways and beaches is a big priority for me. That's why, last week alongside Liberal Democrat MPs from across the region, I wrote to the CEO of South West Water (SWW) seeking a more trustworthy system and methodologies for independent monitoring of river and coastal water quality.

We are urging SWW to enhance its collaboration with Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) by sharing sewage alert data.

SAS provides a crucial public service through its sewage discharge alerts. However, limited data sharing from SWW has hindered SAS's ability to operate as effectively as possible. Access to comprehensive, real-time data ensures that water users are properly informed and that water safety alerts are consistent across platforms.

We are calling for full data access and the development of a collaborative framework between SWW and SAS. This partnership would aim to rebuild public trust in SWW, citing the successful collaboration between Welsh Water and SAS as a positive example.

Thank you for reading. As ever, If I can help, please get in touch by emailing: steve.darling.mp@parliament.uk

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