News in Dawlish

The organisation providing Devon's NHS 111 and out-of-hours GP services has been told to make urgent improvements after a watchdog found patients were at risk, and rated it 'inadequate' overall.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) found several areas of concern during an inspection of Devon Doctors in July 2020. A follow-up inspection in December found not enough improvements had been made, and the service has now been placed in special measures.

Dawlish Library has announced its 'roadmap to reopening', along with the rest of Devon's libraries.

The plans are based around the Government's national four-step plan to ease lockdown, and could change if the necessary targets for reducing Covid infections and continuing the vaccination roll-out are not met.

Two alternative plans are being drawn up for Dawlish's 2021 Carnival Week, to fit in with whatever Covid restrictions might still be in place from August 14 to August 20.

But Dawlish Celebrates Carnival have already confirmed that there won't be a carnival parade or 'glow show' – because other local carnivals, which would have brought their floats to Dawlish, have cancelled their processions.

Last Tuesday, in Westminster Hall (the second Chamber of the House of Commons) I raised the very important issue that is the future of Teignmouth Hospital with the Minister for Health in open public debate.

Built in 1954, Teignmouth Community Hospital was the first purpose-built NHS hospital in the country and has played a central role in the health and wellbeing of the community ever since. The community have continued, to their enormous credit, to support it physically and financially, providing it, most recently, with a state-of-the-art physiotherapy rehabilitation unit.

Local landowners are to be asked if they have any sites suitable for use as allotments, to meet an urgent need for more plots.

Town councillors have voted unanimously to actively seek small or medium-sized pieces of land that could be sold or rented to the council and, in turn, leased to local residents who want to grow fruit and vegetables.

Devon Trading Standards is warning young people to be wary of fake job adverts on social media that are posted by fraudsters and other criminals.

During the pandemic, roles including Covid tester and admin support for test sites have been advertised – targeting young people who would normally look to the tourism and hospitality industry for work.

A Dawlish project to tackle loneliness by improving people's access to online resources has received a grant of nearly £10,000.

The 'Click and Collect – Tablet to Go' initiative by the Helping Dawlish organisation aims to supply tablets to people who don't have the equipment for going online.

Dawlish Town Council seeks to present two Civic Awards for 2021 – a personal award and an organisational award for services to the Parish and people of Dawlish.

If you or your organisation would like to nominate an individual or local group for the Civic Awards, nominations are now open.

Last week saw the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, set out the government's Budget for 2021.

The past year has been incredibly tough for individuals, families, businesses and the country as a whole, so it was critical that the Chancellor set out a budget which focused on protecting the jobs and livelihoods of the British people.

Lockdown restrictions are slowly easing in England and some things will be changing from Monday, March 8.

The biggest change is that schools will be reopening and all children can return to the classroom. Wraparound childcare, such as breakfast and after-school clubs, can also reopen.