Join The New Business Forum

"There are 6,ooo business in Teignbridge, all of which contribute to our local economy. With the business forum, the council aims to create an environment where businesses can share their issues....."

The forum will launch with two sessions on Tuesday 1st February 6.00pm and Wednesday 2 February at 8.00am at the Teignbridge Councils Forde House Headquarters, Brunel Road Newton Abbot. RSVP 01626 215563 or e-mail: economyandtourism@teignbridge.gov.uk

Too Late to attend Locate Teignbridge Council's Business page at: teignbridge.gov.uk/recessionsupport.

Also www.tinyurl/businessforumsurvey

For those thinking of starting a new business look up Devon Work Hubs. The idea is to provide individuals and small businesses with office-type services like broadband, IT support and meeting rooms only renting space when you need it. For more information: http://www.devonworkhubs.co.uk/

My Day as a Councillor

Lib Dems have started their Voting Campaign. Knocking on Doors is not my favourite past-time but I do like keeping my blog up to date. So I thought I would start my personal campaign with telling you about my day in the life of a Councillor.

From time to time I do get asked what is it like being a Councillor. What does my work entail? So I will re-tell a particularly happy sunny day during October. The sunshine does a lot for my well-being and fuels imagination and inspiration.

A Day in the Life of Anne Lonsdale Liberal Democrat Councillor.

I was elected in May 2007 as a new Councillor for the Town of Kingsteignton and District Councillor for the district of Teignbridge South Devon,
My background being Carer for the elderly and with concerns for the mentally ill, a volunteer working for the Citizens Advice Bureau helped along with studies at the Open University in Social Sciences.

Today my day starts with a telephone call to the Planning office about a badly maintained hedge and we don’t know who the owner is. It borders a new development.

My second telephone call is to our local PCSO regarding a tree being used as a tree-house and den by the children of the neighbourhood.

I receive a call from a resident in my ward about wire protection fences which have been erected. Do they need planning permission? They seem to be over 6ft high! Is there to be a development there?

One more call to be made about noisy neighbours to the local housing association on behalf of another resident. Should their son be living in their touring caravan at the back of house?
The mail arrives but I have to leave it this morning. My e-mails will have to wait also until I get back.

I have been asked by our Town Mayor to attend a PACT drop-in event at our seaside town of Teignmouth arranged by the Police and Community Enforcement Team. I want to report the coastal road from Kingsteignton to Teignmouth is being used at night time as a race-track by youths out in their cars for a fun night out. It is dangerous and frightening to drivers who keep to the road traffic codes and mph.

I meet the Town Clerk who explains that the premises in the high street are to be the new control centre for close circuit television. He demonstrates the new CCTV system installed this year by a local firm and we see an offender being apprehended during the past weeks. This was interesting to me as I had been a member of the Overview and Scrutiny Review Committee on Close Circuit Television.

I speak to the Enforcement Officer and relay the problems we have in our area. I am introduced to the Neighbourhood Beat Policeman and have a chat with the Teignbridge Neighbourhood Watch Liaison person. Also in attendance is a member of the Fire Service.

Time for a snack lunch and I head for the Promenade and find a seat. A couple from Cwmbran in South Wales join me and we are soon in conversation about Car Parking charges.

I take the Stagecoach double decker bus home finding a seat upstairs to see the Teign estuary, passing Shaldon, Coombe Cellars and Hackney Marshes in Kingsteignton which continues through to the parish of Teigngrace. This area is of particular interest to me as I have taken on a new responsibility as Town Council representative on the Teign Estuary Forum.

Once home and the kettle is on for that welcome cup of tea and a chat to a family member about a meeting I attended the day before with the Devon Partnership NHS Trust on improving mental health services in particular single room occupancy.

I have to make one more telephone call to the local housing association regarding a resident’s, shower room that had been installed by Social Services.

However that is not the end of my day. It is Wednesday and at 7pm I have to attend the Community Hall/ Fountain committee followed by the Footpaths/leisure committee.

This has been an interesting day but the highlights of my Councillor career was an evening with Vince Cable and a meeting with Lord Ashdown.


For my other activities please view my blog, for older posts.


Anne Lonsdale
Based on a day in October 2009

Photo above;
Community Action Day - Promoting the Senior Council for Devon. Cllr Anne Lonsdale (middle) with Mayor of Newton Abbot Carol Bunday (second left) and Newton Abbot Senior Forum members, then chair Jeana Johnson, Bob Newman and Don Polman.

Say Yes to Alternative Voting

The Coalition Government has pledged to hold a referendum on whether to introduce the Alternative Vote (AV) for elections to the House of Commons.

For more information Click Here

Happy New Year

Yet another year begins and I guess it will be what we make it. A visit to the Job Centre was encouraging with plenty of Jobs advertised and it would seem full time jobs. Councillors are doing their best to promote Tourism for their area which will encourage jobs in hotels, local produce used and enhanced trade.

It will be a challenge to retired people like me. Enterprising women of my age group may feel getting the sewing machine out and following the example of our mothers and grandmothers might be something we could do to economise. Especially now as Kingsteigton hold a Craft and Garden Show every year now. Stitching can be relaxing. Knitting was a craft taken up by young girls last year.

Scams
Teignbridge are once again warning against 'Scams', so please be vigilant both telephone
calls and callers at your door.

Happy Christmas

Last evening the 9th December the Councillors supported Mayor Beryl Austin at the Annual Civic Carol Service at St Michaels Church.
The service was conducted by Reverend Mark. The Mayor had invited special guests, Chairman of Teignbridge District Council, Stephen Purser and his wife Claire. Also Mayor Carol Bunday of Newton Abbot accompanied by her sister.

The service was a jolly affair. Pupils from St Michael's Primary School and Rydon Primary School each giving their own rendition for Christmas with carols and readings from the Bible.

Being a school governor I listened attentively and was proud along with all the parents turning out on a very cold night. The children looked grand in their respective uniforms.

I would like to congratulate the teachers who encouraged the children to give a superb performance especially as they have a very tight curriculum to keep to.

Rememberance Sunday

Sunday 14th November was a rainy day. Nevertheless I was determined to march with others from Kingsteignton to the cenataph and remember service men and women who had made sacrifices in the first and second world wars to keep our country free from invasion.


To remember also our young men and women who are in the forces fighting for justice and democracy to overcome tyrany in Iraq and Afganistan and other places not given publicity on television or in the papers.


We walked with umbrellas, but this was drowning the person in front or beside us. The pain of arthritis in my ankles and knees were agrivating but I told myself that this was nothing against what soldiers have to put up with.


After the Cenataph we went into Church listened to readings from the dignitaries and the school children from Rydon and St Michaels Primary. The children were so professional and confident.

Reverend Sandra Gill lead a very moving service. We sang hymns 'O Valient Hearts, who to your glory came.

Then another hymn close to our families heart ' For those in Peril on the sea' which always made my cousin cry for her daddy in the Navy also our Grandad who had survived both world wars on Ships HMS Revenge and HMS Furious both of which were bombed and eventually sank. In James Holland book 'Fortress Malta' he recounts how the Furious looked tired with a rusting hulk, but a later account ' what Furious lacked in terms of state of the art facilities it more than made up for with its food- freshly baked bread, real butter and plenty to drink'. At that time Grandad was steward, Petty Officer Stanley George Hearn. The Furious eventually was bombed and sank. Grandad was hit by fallen debris on the chest but he and his men were saved. He lived until I was 10 years old. He was made up to Chief Petty Officer and worked from Keyham,Devonport. Later we were to find out that my Father was with his regiment in Malta. His war was not over though because after he had met my mother in 1945 he was sent to Palestine.



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Job Innovations

We are in a period of pessimism regarding job-losses and business closures. Parents must be worried about prospects for their sons and daughters.

On Thursday 4th November I attended an 'Intergenerational Event hosted by Senior Council of Devon at the Exeter Conference Centre. Intended for good relations between the younger generation and the older generation and the perception we had of the other.

However on viewing the presentation boards around the centre put together by different organisations attending the event there was one that stood out and seemed to be 'a jolly good idea'. It gave optimism for the future for our young people.

I picked up a leaflet headed 'yess' for Young Entrepreneurs' Support Solution, intended for youngsters :

14 to 19 year old,
Interested in Business
Would like to run their own business
Or be involved in Entrepreneurial Activity

Developing business Ideas into a reality: www.exe-coll.ac.uk/yess

I am a member of the Development Control Committee and wherever possible I vote for applications that plan the building of small industrial units for small businesses. For example the Sainsbury Development at Shutterton, Dawlish proposed for 2012.

So Go For It ...... And Good Luck Young Entrepreneurs...........