Every fortnight I write a "Kev's Column" for the Herald Express and you can read the latest edition (Published on Wednesday 13th March 2024) below:
Budget
The budget contained positive news for our bay in the form of further reductions in National Insurance, increased VAT Threshold and extra NHS spending.
In any budget there will be areas where I hoped the Chancellor might have gone further, such as Income Tax thresholds. Yet the Budget must be set against the backdrop of the impact of the pandemic on the public finances and of the war in Ukraine on Inflation. The Government spent approximately £400 billion dealing with the effects of the pandemic, equivalent to around £6,000 per person in the UK, including the furlough scheme which protected 11.7 million jobs. Then spent £78 billion subsidising energy costs over winter 2022/23.
The Government cannot ignore these facts when making its budget choices and neither should anyone else in setting out what their alternative is.
United
Devon’s 3 professional football clubs have always been rivals on the pitch but allies off-pitch when any of their futures are threatened.
Since Torquay United was put up for sale, having filed for administration, many Plymouth Argyle and Exeter City Fans have been offering their support to the club at this time of need. It reflects the support Torquay fans provided when Argyle went through similar difficulties.
It was therefore great to welcome Plymouth Argyle Fan and Labour MP Luke Pollard to Plainmoor on Saturday as he joined other Argyle fans in a display of support for Torquay United. We might be divided in our political allegiances, but we both want to see Torquay United have a new future, with a new owner able to take the club forward to where the fans deserve it to be.
The 4-1 win was a great boost and the atmosphere at Plainmoor was fantastic, showing any new owner how the whole community is behind its club.
Grounds for Optimism?
Having met with the Torquay United Supporters Trust (TUST) and the leadership of Torbay Council, it was helpful to catch up with Mel Hayman and Steve Edwards from the club.
We will all have views and questions about how Torquay United has ended up where it is, but the focus must now be on getting a new owner in place and a fresh start, ideally whilst avoiding a points deduction. In the way Luke and I put aside political differences at the weekend to support the team, any other arguments must take second place to ensuring a deal which secures a long-term future for the club.
Indications of strong interest in purchasing the club were welcome to hear, alongside news prospective purchasers are already engaging with TUST to hear exactly what fans want and deserve from a new era at TUFC.
Surgery Times
My next surgeries are on: Friday 15th March 11am till 1pm at Paignton Library, Great Western Rd, Paignton TQ4 5AG and Friday 22nd March 10am till 12Noon at 5-7 East St, Torquay, TQ2 5SD.
For an appointment you can either email me at kevin@kevinjfoster.com or leave a message on 01803 214989, surgeries are for personal queries from residents they would like me to help them with. There are also drop-in sessions at my office 5-7 East St, Torquay, TQ2 5SD between 10am & 1pm Monday to Friday where a member of my team will be available to help with any queries.