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The Bradworthy Wind Turbines
Councillor
Christie's Weblog
From your Torridge District Councillor Peter Christie
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17th May '09
I notice our Tory MP Geoffrey Cox in his Journal column has welcomed his party’s new housing policies to increase the supply of affordable homes. Amongst these is a proposal for, and I quote from the Local Government Association website, ‘A pilot “Right to move” which will allow good social tenants to demand that their social landlord sell their current property and buy another property of their choice anywhere in England.’ Now I don’t know how this sounds to you but it strikes me as a recipe for disaster here in Bideford. Let us say you live in a ‘social’ house, i.e. owned by a housing association or a council, in Manchester and you think ‘Hmm wouldn’t it be nice to live in Bideford?’ – you tell your landlord where you want to go and they have to buy you a house down here in Devon. Not only would this seriously skew the price of housing in the area as large scale city based housing associations buy up local houses but it could also see that hoary old urban legend where Bideford is filled by Mancunians (a story that has been going the rounds for years) actually comes true. The ‘Right to buy’ introduced by Margaret Thatcher has been an unmitigated disaster in the rural areas of Torridge having led to the complete disappearance of affordable homes in the country - and this policy could be another.
In the middle of the ‘worst ever economic crisis/financial meltdown/credit crunch (delete whichever you like) it is cheering to see new businesses opening in the town. A new ‘cake and dessert’ shop called Lindsey’s is set to open soon in Mill Street next door to Barclays Bank – a terrible temptation to men like me with a weakness for cakes – whilst opposite work is rapidly going on to open a new high class antiques shop. Also in the Pannier Market a new second-hand book dealer has literally set up his stall and put out some intriguing books for sale. Isn’t it nice to know that not all the news is bad?
The continuing problem of prayers at council meetings still rumbles on but at least they do provide the odd smile. At last week’s district council meeting the clergyman leading the prayers asked for God’s help to solve various problems including ‘the ditherings of the Boundary Commission.’ Whether or not to go for a new style ‘Unitary’ council has descended to the level of farce – but this is probably the first time divine aid has been sought to help solve the problem!
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