‘The voice’ comes to Brixham. Dealing with the Cinderella treatment felt dished out by Torquay.
Cinderella goes to the ball for Brixham
Four years ago I explained how I saw Brixham. The Cinderella syndrome. Looked down by the sisters, seemingly last on the list! It hasn’t changed but I can change it.
Many know I have a business in tourism. I’m on the Babbacombe side of Torbay. I love nothing better than guiding my guests to great places to visit and Brixham is right up there.
Just last week guests came over to the ‘Gem of the Bay’. Planning to stop on the way to Dartmouth they ended up staying and never going further. You and I know why!
However they had an interesting chat with John, manager of the ice cream and cafe next to the Prince William pub. They asked how Brixham felt within the bay. John said ‘when there is a large amounts of money, Torquay gets the main chunk, Paignton another slice and if any leftover Brixham gets none!’
This kind of treatment has to stop and time for Cinderella going to the ball. The Bay needs Brixham.
I have a plan for Brixham to have a voice.
Council
Whilst you have voted against political parties and gone independent unfortunately with a political Mayor and a Majority party, your councillors have been almost silenced. This would end with an independent mayor.
No allegiance to political colour. No reason to fill cabinets or executive with just one party colour. Councillors selected on ability rather than political colour. Brixham will get a voice in this set up which simply can’t happen with a political Mayor with party allegiance whether Tory, Lib Dem, UKIP or Labour.
Business
Business is the lungs of the Brixham. It is where the jobs are created. I am a business owner and understand, listen and implement solutions.
Over the years I’ve got to know a number of Brixham businesses within The Chamber of Commerce. I am proposing ‘surgeries’ with the business communities. Bringing business communities into decision-making and having a business team within council. Brixham can be on that team.
Brixham businesses at long last would have a proper voice – being brought to the table – with proper action, stopping bad decisions and instead implementing positive ones. They already know I have listened and have a plan to deal with that serial killer popping off business and jobs – car parking policies that, as Keith Williams (Chairman of Brixham CoC) rightly says ‘is killing the town centre’. But there are others as well to deal with litter, Central car park, Shoalstone, street scene etc.
Community
If you look at my flyer you will see my viewpoint on community. I believe they should be at the centre of decision-making. This can only be for the better of Brixham and Torbay. For community knows the issues around them and most of the time knows how to do a job better for less. Just look at Mary’s team ‘Pride of Brixham’.
There needs to be a new mechanism of doing things. Bringing all relevant parties to the table in decision-making for the better of an area. I would propose to mimic other areas in England that are already achieving this to the betterment of their areas and saving money to their councils. Then to the betterment of ours.
I see this election as the last chance to take politics out of the Bay as all political parties want to remove the Mayor role as they simply risk loosing power if an independent gets in whom can move power to the people.
If you really want a voice that would make a BETTER BRIXHAM please vote Brook for a fresh new look on May 7th.
