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.

South Hams District Council opposition leader Keith Baldry has called on Devon and South Hams councils to support all those whose jobs are now at risk following the closure of the Wolf Minerals tungsten mine near Sparkwell.

"I am very sad for all the estimated 250 people who are losing their jobs," said councillor Keith Baldry after news broke that Australian firm Wolf Minerals (UK) had gone into voluntary administration.

South Hams planners want to agree another 110 dwellings in Lee Mill. At the planning committee Keith Baldry spoke strongly against.

He pointed out that the village could not cope with this many new people. He told the committee that there is no school, no Post Office, no meeting place, and no doctors. There is no local need for these houses.

The Joint Local Plan inspectors have ruled that proposed housing development sites in the South Devon Area of Outstanding Beauty should be deleted from the draft JLP that has recently been the subject of public examination.

The South Devon AONB covers an area of 130 square miles and extends from Berry Head in Brixham to Jennycliff near Plymouth and includes land either side of the River Dart running from Dartmouth to the edge of Totnes. It does not include Totnes Town.

Wera Hobhouse MP inspired local members on a visit to South Devon at the weekend with her passion for Lib Dem campaigning, the importance of local government and her opposition to Brexit.

As part of a tour of Devon and Cornwall, Wera stopped off in South Brent to share a cream tea with members who had come from across the South Hams.

Linden Homes seems to have overlooked its landscaping obligations on the Camomile Lawn development in Totnes. There are a number of omissions on its part and they are as follows;

The first omission of Linden is its failure to construct a new Devon bank to the left of the access road running from the Duke Road junction to Paradise Walk. The bank should consist of an earth mound 800 mm high with turf pegged to the sides and topped with a new hedgerow of mixed planting.

The government has overhauled its national planning policy document - last updated in 2012 - and has put out a heavy 70-page document for public consultation.

I have not been able to pick up on all the elements in the document that could give cause for concern, but I have concentrated on the fact that it does little to respond to the huge problem we have in south Devon of a lack of affordable housing and the continual development aimed at wealthy second home owners.

Residents in Bigbury-on-Sea are fighting hard to prevent demolition of the oldest house in the village and the former Bay View Café.

Developers Galion are seeking to demolish it to replace with 4 new houses.

Local Lib Dem Councillor Beth Huntley campaigned with villagers against demolition in December, but since then the developer has resubmitted plans to try and win the planners over with drawings that include a cafe underneath one of the four houses.

The local Lib Dems have selected Totnes resident Caroline Voaden to be their prospective parliamentary candidate for the Totnes constituency at the next General Election.

Following her se lection Caroline said "I'm really thrilled to have been selected and pledge to start work straight away to win the Totnes seat for the Lib Dems. With the current government in chaos over Brexit and Labour trying to hold themselves together while they fail to provide any real opposition, I believe there's never been a better time to be fighting for the Lib Dems here. The campaign to win this seat starts now."