A fuel poverty charity has raised concerns about the number of people dying due to not being able to afford heating. National Energy Action has estimated that there were 60 "excess" deaths in the Totnes constituency last winter that could be attributed to the weather and that 30% of these deaths were directly due to people not being able to afford adequate heating at home.

On the 2nd May, we have at least 16 candidates standing in the South Hams District Council elections. This election is a huge opportunity for us to take control of SHDC. The statistics are showing that, nationally, this could be one of the Lib Dems best ever sets of election results.

But, if we are going to maximise this opportunity, we need your help.

Tory-led SHDC has no one to blame but their Cousins in Westminster

The South Hams District Council, along with local authorities throughout the nation, will be even under greater financial pressure this morning thanks to the Tories.
Last night in the House of Commons the Tories passed a bill that will cut a further £1.3 billion to councils all over the UK.
Critics are saying the funding approach will take money from poorer councils and direct it to affluent areas in keeping with the Tories' proven practice of protecting their own interests at the expense of others.
And if that wasn't enough, last night's legislation will undoubtedly result in a rise in council tax for the coming year.
The Tories track record in funding councils over the past few years is so dire that the independent Local Government Association warned last week that many popular council services could disappear by 2025 due to a £8bn funding black hole.
Locally, Caroline Voaden, the Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Totnes, noted that Conservative-run SHDC may complain about lack of funding but it is their Conservative colleagues in Westminster who have imposed the cuts in funding.

Over 50 members and supporters of the South Hams Liberal Democrats joined Wera Hobhouse the Lib Dem MP for Bath, at their Annual Dinner in Totnes on Friday 25th January.
The Parliamentary Candidate for Totnes, Caroline Voaden and the Parliamentary Spokesperson for South West Devon, Sima Davarian were also present, as well as many of the candidates standing in the forthcoming District council elections.
Caroline Voaden started the evening of political discussion with a speech that raised the prospect of an early general election. Caroline gave a passionate rallying cry for members to support the Lib Dem campaign for seats both in upcoming the South Hams District Council elections and in a general election, whenever it should occur.
The evening's guest speaker, Wera Hobhouse (pictured with Sima Davarian and Caroline Voaden), is the Liberal Democrat MP for Bath. Wera is also the Lib Dem spokesperson for housing, communities and local government. Wera's passion for local government shone through in her speech as she went on to give an impassioned discourse about the destruction of local services caused by central government spending cuts.
"This lack of funding is having a huge impact on how we deliver local services and if it carries on, we will no longer be able to call ourselves a Welfare State," said Wera Hobhouse MP.
With the District council elections fast approaching, Wera talked about the way in which decisions are made that affect our towns.
"We need to think carefully about where decision making is best placed. If it can be done locally, let it be done that way" Wera said.
Wera is German by birth and is a passionate believer that the UK should remain within the EU. Her speech was followed by a robust question and answer session, largely centered around Brexit and the possibility of a People's Vote. The purpose of a second referendum was questioned by some members, to which Wera said "When has more democracy ever led to less democracy?"

The South Hams Liberal Democrats have taken their first step in assembling a full house of candidates for the upcoming May district council elections and prioritising the policy areas around which they intend to campaign.

The local Lib Dems have so far announced a total of 14 candidates for seats across the districts.

Many of you will have started receiving emails and calls to action from our new Party Organiser, Charlotte Power. Charlotte took on the role in December and is based in the Totnes Constituency office at 43 Fore Street three days a week. She has been getting to grips with organising our existing Councillors and our host of new candidates standing in the District Council elections in May.

According to data from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, councils have invested £4bn in land and buildings in the financial year up to March 2018, an 43% increase from 2016/17. The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy has raised concerns over these figures.
CIPA has released a statement suggesting that local authorities were investing disproportionately to their resources, which is contrary to the requirements of the CIPFA's Prudential Code and Treasury Management code.

Was it as a result of losing the legal battle over its High Street scheme that went to the Court of Appeal in April 2016? Some say it cost Devon County Council over £100,000 in legal fees. As a result of this does the County hold a grudge against the people of Totnes? Let's hope this is not the case.