AN IMPARTIAL CHAIRMAN? - I DON'T THINK SO

To The Editor

Dear Sir,
Your letter page carries the tongue in cheek headings "Your views, the ones that really matter" and an invitation to join the debate online. What debate? It is apparent that if a view doesn`t agree with the editor`s then it is not printed. My last 2 have been ignored , and whilst disagreeing with the council were worthy of debate. The chairman (the editor) in any debate should be neutral and this is clearly not the case with the Herald Express. However I will try again:

Dear Sir,
Councillor Carroll continues to show his contempt for people. After jeopardising the livelihood of the Torre Abbey promenade caterer by allowing sales of ice cream, teas etc. from the balloon kiosk Mr. Carroll suggests that the caterer competes by improving his business! The man runs a small portable wagon and has given years of service, how can you make changes in such a restricted area Mr. Carroll? Perhaps afternoon tea dances, evening cabaret or synchronized swimming, waitresses when the tide is in. Give us your ideas Mr. Carroll !!
Sent to the Herald Express on 28/05/08 by Mick Warner Lichfield Avenue, Torquay.

TIME FOR THE MAYOR AND HIS DEPUTY TO RESIGN

Dear Sir

It is a truism of political life that Oppositions do not WIN elections ... Governments lose them. When you are in power, it's what you DO that loses you the next election. What you didn't do is soon forgotten. The fact is that 90% of us like things much the same as they are. The familiar scene we know and love is infinitely more attractive than the uncertain future portrayed by the likes of the Bernie Foulkes of this world. "Trust me ... I'm a Developer's Consultant" does not inspire much confidence. We know the siren voice of the snake-oil salesman only too well ... the well rehearsed patter of the fairground 'barker' ... the reassuring charm of the 'quack' dentist saying "This isn't going to hurt ... much!" Yes, we've heard it all before. How the lovely Marine Spa was falling down ... how Dellers Cafe was out of date ... how Agatha Christies's birthplace was beyond repair ... how Oldway Mansion was no longer fit for purpose, etc. etc. etc. ad infinitum ... the permanent wail of the short-sighted Planning Officer complementing to perfection the soothing voice of the Developer's man telling us that this is what we want ... what will be inevitable due to climate change, global warming and future catastrophes too awful for us simple-mindedfolk to comprehend!

What a load of codswallop!! And what a waste of money ... that could ... and should ... have been spent on the maintenance and repair of the many fine buildings like Oldway ... ParKfield ... the Monastery ... the Town Hall ... let alone the Princess Gardens, Paignton Harbour, each and every one, with many more besides, deteriorating due to lack of simple routine maintenance.

Now the point is this. Does Mr Bye seriously think he has the slightest, teeniest, weeniest chance of being re-elected for a second term ... with Rock Walk staring us in the face whenever we go into town ... with that ridiculous balloon "like a carbuncle on the face of a well loved friend" (HRH ... Prince of Wales)??
Do you think he has the remotest chance of a second term? The answer is obviously in the negative ... and that being the case, Mr Bye should do the honourable thing ... and ask Uncle Kevin ... the Enforcer ... Please Sir, may I jump before I am pushed?
And Kevin should bring out the WHIP ... and the RESTRAINTS ... which led Development Control to speak passionately against 185 flats at Hollicombe ... and 30 seconds later to vote for it ... as soon as KC appeared in the doorway of the ballroom at Oldway and he, Kevin, should RESIGN as well. A fitting end to this miserable Tale of Two Cities ... that nobody wants!!

Yours faithfully
Ray Brewer

Sent to the Herald Express on 26/04/08 by Ray Brewer, Barnfield Road, Livermead, Torquay.

PANTOMIME SEASON COMES EARLY

Dear Sir

I have attended two pantomimes at the Princess Theatre. The first was Cinderella and boasted a cast of T.V. celebrities, the second was loosely based on the same story, but had a cast of amatuers and was renamed "The Mayor's Vision". Kevin Carroll was totally believeable and comfortable in his role as the evil step-mother. Whilst Nick Bye and his accomplice Bernie slipped easily and convincingly into their roles as the ugly sisters.The role of Cinders was taken on by the "serfs" of Torbay. Time to lower the curtain on this Turkey.

Sent to the Herald Express 26/04/08 by Mick Warner, Lichfield Avenue, Torquay.

MAYOR'S ACHIEVEMENTS: £80 MILLION SPENT SO FAR ...

Mr. Bye answered his critics recently in the Herald Express by listing changes incurred by him and his like minded councillors under the debatable umbrella of improvements! What he failed to list was the fact that they have borrowed eighty million pounds -- yes 80 million pounds and its not yet half way into into his term of office. Now a further 400,000 pounds to install parking meters, that eventually are supposed to show a profit, remember 400,000 pounds to break even (sounds reminiscent of that wonderful money maker the N.C.P.), to enforce his idea on the public Councillor Lewis indulges in emotional blackmail by offering the choice of meters or robbing the elderly and children of their just entitlements.Would it be reasonable to expect that in the second half of his term of office Mr. Bye and co. will increase the borrowing to an even more frightening figure, dispose of land that was bequeathed to the people, and leave shopkeepers bankrupt by parking meters that have yet to reach their potential? What a legacy to leave. Would not a mid-term vote of confidence be a way of silencing the critics? Have they got the confidence??

Sent to the Herald Express 21/04/08 by Mick Warner Lichfield Ave, Torquay


The great debate in The English Riviera is seaside town or Atlantis? Is Torquay ,Paignton and Brixham the English Riviera or Atlantis ? The Mayoral Vision is one of development for casinos on the seafront ,balloon attraction on Torquay Seafront, a Sydney Harbour-style Opera House and regeneration of Torquay town centre to become a city! The Government says it needs 20,000 new homes -it needs more affordable housing, yes it's the numbers that are the question. The English Rivera has been in decline for many years and a quick fix won't work even if it's a glossy brochure like Thomson's. It all costs money. At present there is a massive hole in the council coffers - £80m the council owes in loans already, and it is now proposing to borrow £400,000 more to install parking meters all over Torbay. Forty sites are up for sale and opposition is vocal and petitions are so common all over The English Rivera that WH Smiths are out of paper. Consultation meetings packed and 500 objections received by the council in writing alone. Is This Atlantis or is the Mayor light years too late to win this debate?

Sent to the Herald Express by Paul Raybould, South Street, Torquay.

Expenses and 'Fat Cat' Salaries

Heard to complain: a friend of Michael Martin, speaker of the House of Commons in defence of the huge expense claim the speaker has made to cover his wife and housekeeper's shopping in London. So snobbery is still alive and kicking, his friend implicating that his wife should not be expected to use a bus and words to the effect that it was a lot of nonsense harassing men of such high standing. How they cry in having to account for their expenses. Now we see the other side of their character which all comes through. Thank heaven for the Freedom of Information act which the U.S. brought in as far back as 1966. No doubt many are keeping their fingers crossed that they wont be found out. Not so long ago our local MP Anthony Steen was complaining about lack of expenses allocated to MPs. I wonder what his thoughts are in learning that the Leader of Plymouth Council is paid more than he and almost as much as the PM! And if one complains, like I have often done about the Water Companies 'fat cats' a letter is sent out explaining high salaries are standard in order to get the high calibre executive. Really? Where are all those high calibre people when it comes to the chaos in London's Heathrow - how is it that Plymouth's housing stock is so dilapidated and why have the powers that be in Torbay made such a mess of the once cherished rock walk?

Sent to the Herald Express on 04/04/08 (as yet unpublished) by Peter Carroll, Two Acre Close, Paignton.

I Don't Do Detail

So who exactly is this Mayor who has a vision for Torbay? It can't possibly be Nick Bye as he states: He doesn't agree with high rise blocks for Paignton Harbour. He doesn't agree with high rise blocks for Brixham Harbour. He says Torbay didn't need to call itself a city. He thinks an outdoor entertainment area would be wonderful in the area of the Princess Gardens - right where the 'Mayoral' Vision suggests a hotel. In one breath he states that Paignton Green will not be built on. In another he is suggesting developing it with substantial play structures including climbing walls. Has he even read the 'Consultants' Vision', let alone had any input? One of his phrases is 'I don't do detail'. Torquinians, forget this at your peril!

Sent to Herald Express on 12/04/08 by Margaret Forbes-Hamilton, Tormohun.

Absolute Carnage At Rock Walk

Following our Mayor's notions for a futuristic Torbay I gasp with shock when I see the absolute carnage of what has been done to the rock walk there. I do wonder what will become of the site and just how much it will cost to restore - if indeed that is the true plan of things - or maybe, just maybe with the ever demanding search for new building land, they may consider something like this! (Picture attached) Sorry its a bit late for April fooling.

Sent to the Herald Express on 04/04/08 (unpublished) by Peter Carroll, Two Acre Close, Paignton.