Teignbridge Council under pressure over plans to hand parks and toilets to parishes
Concerns have been raised about the financial pressures facing Dartmoor communities as Teignbridge Council continues its plans to transfer local assets
A Devon council has decided to continue handing over some of its assets to town and parish councils, despite concerns that some may not be able to afford them.
Teignbridge Council has moved to transfer a number of assets, including play parks and public toilets, to local community councils, saying this is the best way to protect them for the future.
The council fears that, under the forthcoming local government reorganisation (LGR), whatever form it takes, the larger unitary councils that take over the running of Devon will not be able to maintain the most local assets and services.
Town and parish councils will be better placed to keep them open in the future.
However, Cllr Stuart Rogers (Con, Ashburton) argued that some communities would not be able to afford to take on the assets and that those which did could end up passing the costs on to local council taxpayers.
He called for a pause in the asset handover programme.
Dartmoor towns and parishes are particularly vulnerable, he said.
Because planning permissions are harder to obtain within the national park, he argued, local councils have less access to the money developers are obliged to pay in return for planning consent.
“We are living with a cost-of-living crisis, and we have to accept that,” said Cllr Rogers.
“A one-size-fits-all policy is not the answer for asset transfers. There are some wards that simply can’t afford it, and we should be looking for another way.”
Cllr Chris Clarance (Ind, Shaldon and Stokeinteignhead) said Shaldon residents had faced an increase in Band D council tax from £64 to £120 as a result of taking over the toilets from Teignbridge.
“There are a lot of people in Shaldon who are not wealthy,” he said. “They are very upset about this and want to know why it is happening.”
However, Cllr David Cox (Lib Dem, Teignmouth Central) said a pause would be like ‘kicking the can down the road’ and urged the council to press on.
Council leader Richard Keeling (Lib Dem, Chudleigh) said no parish councils were being ‘press-ganged’ into taking on assets.
“Some parishes want to take on assets, and they want to do it now,” he said. “LGR is coming, and we need to wake up.
“Some of the parishes are willing partners in taking on assets because sometimes they can manage them better and more cheaply than we can.”
Cllr Rogers’ motion calling for a pause was defeated by 19 votes to 16.