Lib Dems who lead Teignbridge District Council have today slammed the Government for a huge 'missed opportunity' to ask key questions in the 2021 census to help the nation combat global warming and invest in new energy saving projects.

The national census will take place on 21^st March 2021 - just nine weeks away and includes just one question related to climate change - which asks what type of central heating respondents use. The comment from Lib Dem led Teignbridge District Council comes after councillors heard about the Census arrangements at their meeting on Thursday (14th January 2021).

An imaginative development that includes housing, workshops, boatyards, river access and public space is what the Liberal Democrats want to see at Baltic Wharf, says local councillor John Birch.

As Acorn Property Group announces that it has plans for the remaining part of the riverside development, Councillor Birch is keen to ensure that Acorn sticks to the spirit of the planning permission that was granted after extensive community consultation.

Money to fight the climate emergency in the South Hams could be almost doubled if the District Council agrees to a recommendation from opposition councillors to add another £324,000 to the Climate Change and Ecological Emergency budget.

Yesterday's Overview and Scrutiny Committee at South Hams District Council voted to recommend the additional spending.

Devon Liberal Democrats have called for teachers to be vaccinated against coronavirus after the government admitted schools were the epicentre of high community transmission.

Devon Lib Dems are calling for teachers to be vaccinated as part of category seven. This would make them a top priority after everyone working in the NHS and social care and those most at risk by virtue of their age, being clinically vulnerable or having an underlying health condition.

Liberal Democrats across Devon have called on the county's Conservative MPs to back British farming this week and vote to protect our high environmental and animal welfare standards.

In a letter to the ten Tory MPs representing Devon, their Lib Dem opponents from 2019 warned them not to "risk farmers' livelihoods to win a favourable trade deal from Donald Trump".

Devon County Hall could give Mr Bumble, the workhouse beadle from Oliver Twist, a run for his money after trying to pretend it had made a U-turn to tackle holiday hunger across Devon.

County Hall announced on Monday that there really was cash, after all, for meals during the holiday for those children receiving free school meals. But checking the detail, it becomes clear it is 'old money' being re-packaged, says Cllr Alan Connett, Liberal Democrat opposition leader at Devon County.

Devon County Council should reverse its 'mean minded' refusal to provide free school meals during the holidays, say Devon's Liberal Democrats.

"The impact of the lockdown and Covid19 on many families across the County is not of their making and money is increasingly tight, especially for those affected by reduced hours, lost jobs, or furlough arrangements," said Liberal Democrat opposition leader Cllr Alan Connett.

The government's White Paper on planning reforms is a missed opportunity to resolve the country's housing crisis and does nothing to address the issues we face in the South Hams, agreed councillors and public at a meeting held on Tuesday October 20^th online.

While the Government claims there has not been enough house building to meet demand, Totnes Councillor John Birch reminded the meeting that planning permission has already been granted for 6,950 dwellings that have not yet been implemented.