THERE is much I could discuss that was in the MDA of July 20, as in all preceding issues.

I want to dwell on common sense and that often used mantra when yet another slump is being triggered -– ‘balancing the books’, writes retired consultant doctor David Halpin.

Above all is the need to be truthful, and above that ‘to care is the most important characteristic of any worthwhile society’ (David Halpin).

I came across Councillor Wrigley when I stood independent of ‘party’ in the snap election of December 2019. I quote him from the second page under the heading ‘Call for changes in running of projects’.

“Cinema, - too early to be honest – it is clear that the town needs a new cinema, the question I have is one of timing and delivery’. ‘Delivery’ is in that batch of gunge words like sustainable, wellbeing, healthcare, stakeholder and safeguarding, and most are neologisms.

How many hard pressed council tax payers agree with the leader of TDC? They probably do not, and might consider past and present council doings as spendthrift and very poorly thought out. I will leave aside the previous wrecking of NA town centre and the deliberate running down of the cattle market. I refer again to the small art deco bus station that I easily recall from first coming to live in Combe in 1975.

There in those cold and rainy days the drivers, conductors and the elderly waiting to be taken around our lovely country could warm up and have a cup of tea.

On Wednesdays and Saturdays, and in the open market, John Selley displays his fine wood turnery which craft he took up after he retired. I took some Southern beech to him on Buckland and was delighted to hear his story. He used to drive for Devon General on all the routes in south Devon.

He had the same feelings about this bus station and much else besides; I find this empathy with many I meet who have done real jobs. I told him how the Chief ‘Planning’ Officer, then a Mr Penn, thought it ‘would tidy up the site nicely’ to remove this useful hub with a ‘new build’ ie Sherborne House, right alongside the Lemon. So this incongruous and long vacant building is a ‘legacy’ to Penn and the absent wisdom, foresight and taste in that department then.

An aside. There has been a move to install a budget hotel where the vital open car park sits, by the markets - both cattle and human. Could not Sherborne House be used to make a ‘niche’ hotel after imaginative conversion? Others have suggested it.

In this short piece on the second page Councillor Wrigley tilts at the present deeply incompetent Westminster government.

‘...economic mismanagement resulting in huge inflation and a cost of living crisis, we need to enable the council to respond to changed circumstances’. Quite.

This is extracted from the Office of National Statistics – current calculations - and note billion: UK general government gross debt was £2,516.0 billion at the end of Quarter 4 (Oct to Dec) 2022, equivalent to 101.0% of gross domestic product (GDP).

UK general government deficit (or net borrowing) was £55.9 billion in Quarter 4 2022, equivalent to 8.7% of GDP. Balancing the books? The UK is bankrupt and I note that the Views from Westminster avoid mention of the £400 billion spent on covid when a few billion was all that was needed.

And, assuming that the Liberal ‘Democrats’ are bought into the climate emergency declared by the Conservative dominated council, I ask this. Why was there no protest from the elected representatives when buses were running around empty but for one passenger with useless and fingered mask on the back seat?

So we leave Newton Abbot as it is – battered by poorly thought through projects and now by increasing poverty of pocket and mind. So again I put forward my humble propositions, and add that having foresight and wanting to care were important for a surgeon. Care in selection of people for any operation, and care in every aspect of the operation and of the whole person.

Make do and mend are the needs, as they were in WW2 and its long and plain aftermath.

Instead of mostly elderly and poorer people sitting on narrow benches in the cold winds and frequent rain in the ‘canyon’ between the Butter Market and the multi-storey car park, have a good quarter of the poorly attended Butter Market set aside for those waiting for buses.

Presently, they have to breathe the diesel fumes as the engines are often kept running. Those congregating would have electronic boards telling them of bus times, destinations etc and be of particular use to visitors. A cup of tea, and not at Starbucks prices would be there, and friendly Devon people.

In the building would be craftsmen and women selling locally made and attractive things, including the turnery of John Selley and John Rockey of Kingsteignton.

Good local and nil processed food stalls would increase in number. I have said before how there used to be four vegetable stalls there – no pantechnicons of Tesco, Asda, Sainsburys, Co-Op etc bringing stuff from massive farms from far away.

Perhaps a successor to the super cheese stall run by the Tapp couple. Local, excellent, and provided by ruddy faced people of great goodwill. Human.

And finally, instead of closing down the ticket offices, and running down OUR railway along with everything else, I suggest this again. I have said it previously in letters. TDC should investigate urgently with DCC, Network Rail and other ‘stakeholders’ the planning and building of a bus and coach station at Brunel’s railway station.

A shuttle bus would take people to and from the Butter Market. The waiting room at ‘Brunel’ would be airy and full of the history of our most beautiful and industrious area. It would be busy enough, and especially in a sparser economy, to have a good information office.

At present foot passengers of the railway, lug their luggage to the bus stops to get to Torbay or through Newton Abbot and onwards. Are we civilised? Do we and our representatives care?