David Thomas: Putting the Bay on the map

I am starting this column as I have done the same over the past couple of weeks, with an update, albeit small, on local government reorganisation.

As you may remember, we are currently waiting to hear back from the government about what proposal they would like us to look at with regard to how Torbay will look in the future. 

This week I have an update that includes some progress, but not as much as I would have hoped. As I write this column, on Friday May 16, I can tell you that late in the day of Thursday, May 15 we received a response from the government. It is lengthy and will take the chief executive and I the weekend to digest. 

From what I have seen so far, the feedback does not include anything significant in terms of what might happen next. In essence it repeats much of which is contained within the White Paper. It also poses some questions and suggestions as to the level of detail to include with the final submission, which has to be in towards the end of November this year.

In terms of what will happen next, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government are offering a collective meeting of Devon chief executives to discuss the feedback letter. The meeting is currently being arranged but we anticipate it will take place in the next two weeks. In early June the chief executive and I have a meeting with the Minister for Housing and Local Government, Baroness Taylor, to specifically discuss local government reorganisation. We hope that from the combination of these meetings we will gain some additional information to provide us with some greater clarity.

However, in the meantime we will be starting to gather data and intelligence to include within our final submission. This data will be needed irrespective of the final proposal, and it will include, very importantly, making the case for Torbay to remain as we currently are.

While all this is going on about local government reorganisation, life for us goes on. And as you are reading this, along with the chief executive, some of the senior officers and Jim Parker, the chair of our board, I will be in Leeds representing Torbay once again at UKREiiF – the UK’s Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum.

This will be our third year there but the journey we have been on over the past two years that has come from our attendance at this event has been transformational for Torbay. 

It was at our first year that we secured our regeneration partnership that led to £100 million of private investment being committed to the Bay. This is on top of the £120 million of public sector funding we have also secured from the government. 

At this year’s event the partnership will be launching our investment prospectus and will be represented at several panels and round table discussions. The aim of this is to put Torbay on the national map and to bring new partners to the Bay. We want them to be part of our ambitious plans and show what we are doing here to improve our place to give you spaces to thrive.

Torbay will also be supporting the Great South West, the pan-regional partnership for Cornwall & Isles of Scilly, Devon, Dorset and Somerset. Through the Great South West Pavilion an interactive and insightful programme will showcase the region’s major investable projects, including details of forthcoming housing projects and new residential investment opportunities.

I have also heard that our Pavilion will have a spotlight shone on it as well. Heritage England are attending UKREiiF and they have included the Pavilion as one of their ’20 buildings at risk’. 

It is never nice when something that we own is put on an ‘at risk’ list, but I see this as a positive, because it will really help us to raise awareness even more.

We often have the smallest stand at this event, but our presence is and will always be mighty!