Steve Darling MP: Fighting for Torbay against stealth taxes and service cuts

On Tuesday last week I spoke in the Budget debates in Parliament.

I welcomed the Government’s decision to follow a couple of Liberal Democrat manifesto promises, with support for energy bills
and finally scrapping the cruel two-child limit.

Sadly, these positive steps were overshadowed by yet more stealth taxes hitting ordinary working people. I called out the unfairness of loading extra costs onto those with student loans, with young graduates already facing a difficult jobs market and struggling to benefit from their degrees.

Here in Torbay, we have a large community of older residents with small pension pots who are now being dragged into income tax through fiscal drag. Meanwhile, our economy in the West Country depends heavily on hospitality. Last year’s National Insurance hike hammered local businesses.

The Torbay Coast & Countryside Trust faced a £100,000 bill and has now gone into liquidation because neither the Labour Government nor the Conservative council stepped up to support them.

Read next: Torbay Council to take back management of coast and countryside after Trust liquidation

With business rates set to rise further, I fear more beloved pubs, cafés and tourism jobs are at risk. All in all, I told Ministers this Budget failed the West Country, and I will keep pressing for a fair deal for our community.

I am also delighted that Torbay Council have finally seen sense after initially blocking the community’s aspirations for Paignton’s Monastery. There is huge support locally to see this historic site play a bigger role at the heart of our community.

The Monastery has the potential to become a real asset, bringing opportunities for culture, heritage and community life. I look forward to working closely with the community partnership and with councillors Cllr Johns and Cllr Douglas-Dunbar to secure a brighter future for the Monastery.

Together we can ensure this important building is not only preserved but also celebrated as a place that strengthens Paignton’s identity and serves generations to come.

The proposed closure of Torquay Police Station custody suite continues to be an issue of concern for many residents. This week local solicitors, represented by Mr Nigel Butt, strongly criticised police leadership following a high-level meeting about the plans.

They argue that the decision-making process has been based on inaccurate data, misleading claims, and a disregard for public safety. Solicitors highlighted that the official claim of 2,500 detainees per year is incorrect, with the true figure closer to 5,000.

They also pointed out that 5 to 10 detainees per week are already being diverted to Exeter, which artificially inflates Exeter’s workload and underreports Torquay’s demand.

Concerns were raised that closing the custody suite would reduce local policing capacity and put victims and the wider public at risk. Other claims made by police leadership, such as slow booking-in times and difficulties with sergeant recruitment, were dismissed as unsubstantiated.

Freedom of Information material suggests that closure has been planned for years, despite public assurances to the contrary. Solicitors also condemned the idea of a pilot closure, describing it as reckless and likely to disrupt policing operations while exposing communities to unnecessary risk.

Throughout the meeting, discussions focused heavily on finances rather than the core principles of policing such as preventing crime, detecting crime, investigating crime, and protecting the public.

Finally, over the weekend I joined the Heart Campaign Ring of Hope demonstration at Torbay Hospital. The turnout was fantastic and I want to thank all the organisers who made it happen. We will keep up the fight to save coronary care and other vital services at Torbay Hospital.

As always, if you need assistance or would like to share your views, please get in touch. You can reach me at steve.darling.mp@parliament.uk or on 07908 349347. For regular updates, sign up to my weekly e-newsletter at www.torbaylibdems.org.uk/newsletter.