My colleague John McKay is working on an ambitious and exciting project to introduce a local food hub. As an area we produce so much high-quality food. The idea is to create an opportunity for local farmers to bring their food to market. We want to cut out the middleman, offering local residents, businesses and organisations (like schools,) the chance to access high-quality local food at affordable prices.

Reduce Food Miles

It is one of our ambitions to reduce food miles by 50% in the South Hams. If we can achieve this, it will be positive in so many areas. Cutting CO2 emissions, improving local food security, supporting local farmers and businesses, supplying healthy food at reasonable prices. It’s a big task but I know John is determined to make it succeed.

Car Parking

There has been much debate around future car parking charges and the effect it may have on our town centres. We are listening to the town councils and chambers of commerce. In an ideal world we wouldn’t have to increase any prices, but it’s not where we are. Everyone knows costs have risen dramatically over the past few years. Councils are not immune to these increases. Of course, there are areas where we could be more efficient, but the scale of the financial pressures mean we have a stark choice; cut services or increase revenue.

We have chosen to increase revenue and how we do this will be decided over the next few weeks. Businesses are rightly concerned about the viability of our town centres. So are we. They are such a valuable asset for all of us and our way of life, not to mention the attraction they are to visitors. Whatever the decisions, we have detailed data. If they affect carpark numbers and therefore footfall, we will have to think again. Can I also suggest to holiday home companies that the £100s or £1000s they charge might be more of a deterrent to visitors than a couple of quid on a day’s parking.

Town Centres, a Destination

Shopping habits have changed. We want to work with our towns to make each centre a destination. Look at the Totnes market and how successful it is for the town. Replicating this success across all our market towns is an example of things we can do. Improving the motorhome facilities outside of the main holiday season or introducing a cultural festival are ways we can attract visitors and extend the season. These initiatives (and others) will only be possible if we have a financially sustainable position.

Keep it Local

I feel so lucky to live in an area with our diverse and independent market towns. I’m sure most of our local residents feel the same. They enhance our quality of life. If you do feel the same, then we all have a responsibility to support them. On-line shopping may be easy and often cheaper, but is it fulfilling? Every time you buy something from a local independent shop you are supporting our local economy.

Meeting friends and neighbours, talking to shop assistants is all part of the rich social fabric that binds us together. You can’t quantify these benefits in monetary terms, but they certainly beat looking at a computer screen pressing buttons. If everyone of us can just buy that extra present from a local shop this Christmas, it will make a massive difference.

Our town centres are precious, to lose them would be a disaster.