Dave Thomas: Residents remain at heart of Council's work

I wanted to say a big thank you to everyone who has taken the opportunity to take part in our residents’ satisfaction survey over the past few weeks. 

Since launching it in September, more than 1,000 people have already responded — either face to face at our roadshow events in Paignton, Brixham, and Torquay, or online via our web survey. We’ve really enjoyed meeting so many residents and hearing about what matters most to you. 

Residents are at the heart of everything we do, and we remain committed to listening and responding to your views. The survey helps us understand what you think of the council, the services we provide, and other aspects of life across Torbay. 

The questions are based on the recommended framework written by the Local Government Association (LGA), allowing us to compare our results with other councils across the country. This gives us a valuable insight into where we’re performing well and where we can improve. 

The last residents’ survey was conducted two years ago, and we are committed to running this survey every two years so that we can continue to monitor progress and focus on improving the areas that really matter to you. The results from the previous survey also gave us a benchmark to measure future progress and track whether our changes are making a positive difference. 

Continuous feedback is key to improving local services, and this year’s results will play an important role in shaping future priorities. 

During our 2023 residents’ satisfaction survey, a total of 1,369 surveys were completed – and this year, we’re hoping to beat that number! The more people we hear from, the better informed we’ll be to focus on what really matters to residents. 

Alongside the main survey for everyone aged 16 and above, there’s also a version for children and young people aged 12 to 15. We’re keen to hear from all voices across the Bay, including the next generation. 

Our teams have been out and about at half-term events to encourage young people to take part – so if you have children or grandchildren, please ask them to get involved. 

If you haven’t yet had your say, there’s still time. Surveys close on Sunday 2 November, and you can find the links on the consultations page of our website. That same page also lists other surveys currently open for comment. We’re asking for views on the Council Tax Support Scheme, which provides discounts for households on low incomes to help with their council tax bills. 

We’re proposing to increase support for some single-parent families who currently receive less than the maximum allowance, particularly where children may be at greater risk of poverty. In addition to the online consultation, letters have been sent to households receiving council tax support and to a random sample of those who don’t. The proposed changes would take effect from April 2026, and this consultation runs until Tuesday 4 November. We’re also inviting feedback on our Corporate Parenting Strategy, which sets out our commitment to supporting children and young people in or leaving care. 

The strategy focuses on health and wellbeing, education, and safe housing, and has been shaped by the voices of children, carers, and staff. This survey is open until Friday 7 November, and can also be accessed through our consultations page. 

Finally, I’m delighted that this week we announced the introduction of reduced off season parking prices in Fleet Walk car park, Torquay. We’ve worked closely with Fleet Walk management to introduce this initiative, following feedback from Torquay’s town centre and harbourside businesses. 

By offering a more flexible tariff, we hope to make the town centre more accessible and attractive to both residents and visitors — encouraging people to stay longer, shop locally, and enjoy everything Torquay has to offer. The new off-season parking tariffs will run from 1 November until 30 April, so please do take advantage of the lower prices and rediscover our fantastic town centre. Every visit helps support our local traders and keeps Torbay’s economy thriving throughout the year.