Plans to rebuild the Carlton Theatre in Teignmouth have been given a £30,000 boost after local County Councillor Chris Bray, secured the funding from Devon County Council’s “Investing in Devon” panel. The £30 000, will help fund a feasibility and viability study to further develop the business case to rebuild the Carlton and boosts the £60,000 that Teignbridge District Council has set aside for specialist advice on rebuilding the popular seafront Carlton Theatre.This brings to £480,000 the total that Cllr Bray and his County colleague, David Cox, have secured for the town after news that the County Council has earmarked £450,000 to meet 25% of the cost  of Teignmouth’s Fish Quay development.Cllr Bray said, “Teignbridge Council has been working with local representatives, including myself, to get the whole Brunswick / Carlton project to the point we are now.  The Project panel, chaired by Teignbridge leader Alan Connett,  has very much worked to the brief set by the excellent Teignmouth Community Consultation and a large number of meetings have been held with local stakeholders, so that the linked developments of the Brunswick Street site and the Carlton site meet as many local needs as possible.” “I am really excited by the possibilities now opening up for Teignmouth and really appreciate the support that Teignbridge and now Devon councils, are giving to the town.”The proposals for the Carlton include a space for theatre, with a flying tower for scenery, flexible changing / meeting rooms, arts and dance facilities. There is also the possibility that the town library could move to the new building, so providing a complete cultural centre. Cllr Bray added: ”I am working very hard to show my colleagues at the County Council the opportunities and regeneration advantages a state of the art library in a central position in a multi-purpose building would bring to Teignmouth. Negotiations are at an early, but potentially very exciting, stage.” 

TEIGNMOUTH’s two County Councillors, Chris Bray and David Cox have netted a massive £450 000 cash boost for plans  to regenerate the Teign’s fishing and mariculture industries, including a new Fish Quay, Fishrmen’s stores and ice plant. The scheme is a partnership between the County Councillors, Teignbridge District Council and Teign Fishermen and Watermen’s Association (TFWA).The money has been secured through a Devon County Council fund set up to distribute the proceeds of the sale of Exeter Airport, and looks set to benefit the whole Teignmouth and Shaldon area and its fishing industry. David Cox and Chris Bray had to give a presentation and face tough questioning to ensure the scheme met the criteria and to convince the funding committee the scheme was viable.Devon County Council leader Cllr Brian Greenslade said “This was a large amount of money to ask for, with a very ambitious scheme, so the committee looked very carefully at all the aspects; however Chris and David put a very well argued case, showing they had a strong partnership to deliver the project.”The estimated project cost is £1.8 million and Devon County Council has committed the £450 000 on the proviso that a 50% contribution can be secured from  EU Fisheries funds with the remainder coming from local match funding and other grant opportunities.David Wilson, captain of  Teignmouth trawler Propitious and member of the Teign Fishermen and Watermen’s Association, said: “It is good to see a little bit of light in such dark days for the fishing industry.”Teign Fishermen’s vice-chairman, Barry Wilson and County Councillors Chris Bray and David Cox have been working with TeignbridgeDistrict Councils Economic Development team to bring the project forward. The South West Regional Development Agency has ploughed £10,000 towards a Feasibility study into the scheme, with some additional DCC funding from Councillors Bray and Cox and in-kind support from Teignbridge. The report is due out in the autumn.Cllr Cox said: “We are really pleased we have been able to secure this funding. It will now allow us to draw down match funding from the EU to build a new fish quay, leading to the regeneration of the fishing industry. There  will also be have positive knock-on effects for the leisure and catering industry in the town. It’s also a good example of how the County Council is using money to empower councillors to make a real difference to the communities they represent.” Cllr Bray added: “This will provide half of the match funding we need to make a strong bid to get a grant from the EU Fisheries Fund.  Other agencies will see that we are serious about improving the facilities for fishermen in Teignmouth.”  

For some time now Chris has been very supportive of the much delayed project to get a skateboard park in Teignmouth. Over the last few months he has held conversations with Mary Kennedy, long time chair of Teignskate, local District Councillor, Cllr Terry Falcao, Leader of Teignbridge, Cllr Alan Connett and various Teignbridge officers in an attempt to speed up the publication of the noise assessment, which was necessarily undertaken before the project could properly get underway.
Chris attended a meeting in the Carlton Theatre, chaired by Cllr Falcao, which was fully supported by young (and old) people who were anxious for the project to go ahead. Chris has many times expressed the view that this is a project, “whose time has come” and at the meeting he once again re-iterated his support and indicated that he would be requesting that up to £10 000 from his DCC locality budget should go to the project to pay for any soundproofing barrier required to minimise noise. Chris believes the County Council is fully behind the scheme and that there is now a lot of expertise in Teignbridge Distict Council over skateparks because of the provision of facilities at Decoy and Dawlish. “We need to do something for our youth, and this would be ideal. It could become an attraction for locals and holidaymakers, because a lot of these youngsters are very skilful and entertaining,” said Chris.

Teignmouth Clean up day has been hailed a great success. Councillors, Firefighters and volunteers of all ages rolled up their sleeves, on Saturday morning, collecting rubbish and litter, and removing graffiti from all around Teignmouth town centre and Milford Park. The Fire service also provided fire safety advice in the Triangle. The Clean up was formally launched by town mayor Cllr Fred Tooley, at Teignmouth Fire Station. Cllr Tooley said: “This event shows how community activity can make a difference . We should all take pride in Teignmouth, take care of our town, keeping it free from litter. I believe the volunteers of this town are a great asset, so it’s fantastic that people are coming together joining in on this clean up.  My thanks go out to them and our County Councillors who organised this event’’.

Chris Bray, County Councillor for Teignmouth, is pleased with the improvement made to the George Street area in an enhancement scheme which he proposed in 2006 in an effort to rid the town of a terrible eyesore.  

Cllr Bray said, “For many years, following a disastrous fire, the area has been boarded up and has been a real eyesore in the centre of Teignmouth.  I’m sure it has been particularly unpleasant for the excellent businesses we have in the area. I thought that it could be used for a little recreation area and also, using a small area at the back, be a means of getting the large commercial bins, which are another eyesore, off the streets. I felt that there could be a potentially beneficial partnership between DCC, TDC and the Town Council.  With £2000 from my County Community budget as a start, I was able to persuade TDC to match the funding and, of course the Town Council, through the in-kind support of the Town Clerk, have also played an equally important role.  I think all those who were involved regret the severe delay in the completion of the project, especially as the whole re-development scheme is moving ahead so quickly.  However, my thanks go to Teignbridge, the Town Council and the Town Clerk for their support and I trust that the people of Teignmouth will enjoy this excellent facility for the year or so that it will exist.”  Cllr Bray has been congratulated on the scheme at the local Town Centre Management meeting, which exists to enhance the town centre and to actively promote co-operation between local councils and the residential and commercial community.

The long awaited cycle-pedestrian route between Teignmouth and Newton Abbot has been given a £330,000 boost. Devon County Council has allocated the cash towards linking up the two towns, alongside the Teign estuary.Now local councillors and cycling groups hope that the cash injection will be the start of making the ‘gem’ of a route a reality at last.The money was approved by the executive committee, and comes from the government allocation for transport.Teignmouth county, district and town councillor David Cox, said he hoped even more funds might come from the £60million windfall from the sale of Exeter Airport.He added: “It is great news. I know it has been talked about for several years, and many people were becoming frustrated at the lack of action, but now this could kickstart the project from the Teignmouth end.“Sustrans (the sustainable transport organisation) has already allocated a large sum for the link between Kingsteignton and Newton Abbot, and officers will now be finalising the preferred route from Teignmouth.“It will probably run behind the docks, past the rugby club, and under Shaldon Bridge towards Bishopsteignton.” Fellow Teignmouth county councillor, Chris Bray, shared the enthusiasm, and added: “It would be a gem of a route because it so picturesque. “It ticks all the boxes because it is flat, and would attract commuters, leisure cyclists, families, locals and holidaymakers. “The main A381 road between Teignmouth and Newton Abbot is not suitable for novice cyclists and children because of the many heavy lorries that use it to and from the docks. “But a safe, cycle and pedestrian path would be ideal, taking cars off the road and reducing pollution and emissions. People from the Newton area would be able to cycle to the beaches in a few minutes, without the bother of parking the car.” And another estuary county councillor, John Smith, the deputy leader who represents Kingsteignton, was equally enthusiastic. “It will benefit the whole area, and give a big economic boost to local businesses because it would attract walkers and cyclists all the year around,” he said. Cllr Cox added that the final route could be held up because of objections from some landowners around Bishopsteignton, but he hoped the problems could be resolved in an amicable manner. He would now be pressing officers to work towards seeking planning permission for a route. “I am sure public opinion is behind this scheme, and the more support we get the better,” he said.

A new Community Sports Hall is a step nearer at Teignmouth Community College. Money was allocated for advanced design work at Devon County Council’s Executive meeting on the 26^th February, when the County’s Capital Programme budget was agreed.

 Welcoming the move, local County Councillor and Executive Support member Chris Bray reminded the Executive that he and Cllr Cox had hosted the leaders of DCC and Teignbridge at a site meeting in June 2006, at which the local councillors had pressed the case for a new Sports Hall for the school. At that time the budget was not available from DCC, but Cllr Bray has continued to work with the school, DCC and Teignbridge to progress the project.Cllr Bray said, “Teignmouth
Community College are anxious to become a Specialist Sports College and yet it is one of only two Community Colleges in Devon without a dedicated Sports Hall.  I am therefore particularly pleased that the Lib Dem Administration at County Hall has set in train the process which will hopefully deliver first class facilities for our local pupils and also possibly the local community in the near future.”Executive Portfolio Holder and Kingsteignton Councillor, John Smith, who is responsible for all children’s work in Devon - including the school building programme - said,  “I am delighted that I have been able to make provision in the budget for two school based sports centres.  

Chris Bray, County Councillor for Teignmouth, has welcomed the speedy way in which Teignbridge have responded to the public consultation on the Carlton / Brunswick Street sites. He said, “I am grateful to Teignbridge District Council, not only for undertaking the recent consultation with local people, but also having three Teignmouth residents on the project panel.  I am confident that with the aspirations of Teignbridge and the views of the various parties in Teignmouth being heard, we are going to end up with attractive and useful buildings on both sites, that will substantially enhance the look of the town, provide modern facilities and yet further add to the regeneration of Teignmouth.”

Councillor Chris Bray has written to the managing director of First Great Western demanding a better service for the people of Teignmouth.  Chris said “I wrote to complain about the appalling rail service that is presently being providing for the residents of Devon and in particular the people I represent, Teignmouth.”  Chris’s family use the railways on a regular basis, one going to Exeter daily and the other to Plymouth weekly.  He said, “They tell me there is a chaotic service, with cancellations and delays as a very regular feature.  To get a train to Sowton in Exeter arriving by 9am, Teignmouth residents already have to get up by 7am. Any cancellations or delays are more than frustrating.”  Chris, who is Devon County Councillor for Teignmouth, has heard some of the rolling stock being used described as, “like a cattle truck.” He argues,  “Devon have an ambitious plan to be the greenest county in England, which involves getting people out of their cars and onto public transport, where convenient. This cannot happen where the quality of service is poor and it is not convenient to use because of time involved, or cost.”  Cllr Bray is asking to be told what positive plans the train companies have for the future, to both improve reliability and rolling stock. In addition to writing to the train companies, Chris has written to the Director of Environment, Economy and Culture at Devon County Council to find out what the County Council is doing to put pressure on the companies to improve matters. He is pleased with the response, with the leaders of Devon County Council due to meet First Great Western’s Managing Director before the end of February, so that the County Council will have the opportunity of expressing its concerns directly to him then.