Meeting with Salcombe Town Councillors
An opportunity to hear about housing issues in Salcombe and the difficulties facing Town Councils. Salcombe is one of only 30 town councils to have been awarded Quality Status but has to manage within a budget of just £23,000 per annum. This is a difficult task given that the population of Salcombe explodes during the summer season but still has to manage with the same level of services as during the winter.
We discussed the allocation of council tax funding and what could be achieved if more power and resources were devolved to local levels. We further discussed affordable housing and the need for communities like Salcombe to have greater control over allocation of affordable housing. The current restriction, of up to 15% of housing going to local people means that local families are forced to leave and leaves essential services like Salcombe Lifeboat at risk of being unable to find sufficient local volunteers. Key workers and volunteers should be prioritised for affordable housing to encourage community volunteering and maintain essential services.
Salcombe has a reputation as a rich town, but the fact is that it suffers from low wages and exceptionally high house prices.
