Lib Dem MP leads debate in Parliament on levelling-up East Devon

Liberal Democrat MP Richard Foord has blasted the Government for its failure to invest in coastal communities in East Devon during a debate in Parliament.

Despite East Devon District Council submitting bids during each levelling-up round, no project in the Honiton area has been granted support from the Government – at the expense of projects that would have transformed coastal communities from Uplyme to Sidmouth.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Tiverton & Honiton MP Richard Foord hit out at the Government’s failure to support coastal communities in east Devon, describing it as “jam tomorrow”, and comparing local roads to the surface of the moon.

Mr Foord highlighted how funding in the first round amounted to just £23 per person in the south west. This, he said, was equivalent to filling half a pothole. Foord is calling for more funding to be invested in the West Country, and for East Devon District Council to be able to redistribute unused funds, rather than having to hand them back to Westminster.

Following the debate, Richard Foord MP said:

“The Conservative Government’s claim to be levelling-up our coastal communities is disingenuous at best. Despite repeated consideration of bids for funding to support Seaton and Axminster, much of east Devon has been overlooked, allowing our towns and villages to be left behind yet again.

“Of the UK’s twelve regions, the south west was ranked near the bottom of the league at ninth, in terms of round one levelling-up funding, equating to just £23 per person. Considering this isn’t even enough for a single train ticket from Honiton to Plymouth, how does the Government think it’s enough to support local businesses, protect local services, or repair roads which resemble the surface of the moon?

“Of the one award that has been allocated to East Devon, it is all chalked-up for spending on Dinan Way in Exmouth, now that the 'Exmouth Gateway' project has been dispensed with. While we don’t yet know what will happen to the money that had been allocated to Exmouth Gateway, I am certain that it would be better spent on improving our coastal communities, rather than handed back to central Government.

“To protect and sustain our coastal communities, east Devon needs support from central Government. Instead, what we’re seeing is ‘jam tomorrow’.”