The Liberal Democrats have picked Totnes PPC Caroline Voaden as the lead candidate on their South West list for the European elections on May 23^rd.

Caroline will be leading a strong team of candidates from across the region including two ex-MPs, a bilingual translator, the chair of the Lib Dem European Group and a representative of the Liberal Party of Gibraltar.

A while back the administration at South Hams District Council was heartened by plans produced by a firm of consultants called AECOM for a proposed development scheme at the Steamer Quay in Totnes.
AECOM was instructed to draw up development plans by the previous leadership of the Totnes Neighbourhood Plan Group. Astonishingly those leaders refused to disclose the AECOM Steamer Quay development plans paid for out of public funds and yet referred to it in a draft Neighbourhood Plan they had prepared.
John Birch, District Councillor for Totnes, managed to uncover a copy of the development plan at SHDC and as a result it was made public. The plan includes turning the caravan site, the scout hut and the boatyard into a coach and car park along with housing. Apartments and offices are proposed on the existing car park adjacent to the public conveniences. There is also housing proposed further down the quay towards the rowing club.
John Birch said "In consequence of the disclosure of the AECOM report, the Totnes Town Council, quite rightly in my opinion, replaced the leadership of the Neighbourhood Plan group and the new group rejected the Steamer Quay proposals."
However the development plans remain with the Conservative led administration at SHDC and recent actions would seem to indicate that it still has its eye on possible development.
The initial findings of a recent survey carried out by Liberal Democrat councillors throughout Totnes shows that residents are very much opposed to development at Steamer Quay.
The three Liberal Democrats candidates for Totnes in the forthcoming District Council election, John Birch, Emily Price and John Anderson, are opposed to the development scheme set out in the AECOM report and if elected will take steps to have the proposals scrapped once and for all.

Well, who could have predicted that we'd be discussing the UK's role in the European elections?

But, with the EU having agreed to an extension of the Brexit process to the 31st October, it has been confirmed that the United Kingdom's component of the 2019 European Elections will take place on the 23rd May.

At 4pm today, the nominations for district councillors in the May elections closed.

We can now confirm that the Liberal Democrats are fielding 22 candidates in the district council elections on May 2nd. We have candidates standing in the following wards; Allington & Strete, Blackawton & Stoke Fleming, Charterlands, Dartmouth & East Dart, Ermington & Ugborough, Ivybridge East, Ivybridge West, Kingsbridge (2 candidates) Loddiswell & Aveton Gifford, Marldon & Littlehempston, Newton & Yealmpton (2 candidates) Salcombe & Thurlestone, South Brent (2 candidates), Stokenham, Totnes (3 candidates), Wembury & Brixton and West Dart.

Today, MP's rejected Theresa May's EU withdrawal agreement by 344 votes to 286, a majority of 58, throwing the UK's Brexit plans into further confusion. As Ed Davey said; "This is the third time that the Prime Minister has been told that the majority of MP's don't want to leave the UK on her terms. As Lib Dems, we don't want to leave at all." We realise that the best deal for the UK is for it to remain within the EU.

The last few days have seen more historic votes taking place in Parliament. Yesterday, MPs voted overwhelmingly against Theresa May's Brexit deal for a second time. Tonight, MPs rejected leaving the EU without a deal. With events from the last few days, an extension of Article 50 now seems inevitable. An extension to Article 50 could allow time for a people's vote to take place.

They say that in politics, a week is a long time!!

Well, the Liberal Democrats have certainly been busy in the South Hams over the past week. The weekend of the 23^rd and 24^th February saw us take part in the Lib Dems national Weekend of Action. This was the kick start of our campaign to take more seats on the District Council in the election on the 2^nd May.

The Liberal Democrats have been campaigning for nearly three years now to stop Brexit - a policy that we believe will damage the United Kingdom for generations.

Today Sarah Wollaston MP left the Conservative Party because of its shift to the right and the government's 'disastrous handling of Brexit'.

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.