The national party manifestos don’t offer much to North Devon. I would like to hear what local voters want in a North Devon manifesto. Based on my listening to local people here are some suggestions.
Low pay – Devon pay is too low. Increase it (or reduce tax) in local jobs that we all depend on, for instance hospitality, social care, retail, transport, trade.
Housing – help people in low wage regions to buy a house or rent at an affordable price when they are competing with: people moving in from prosperous cities, Airbnb renters and second home buyers.
Town centres – Barnstaple, Ilfracombe, South Molton all need help as shops lose out to online shopping. A flat rate delivery tax of 50p an order would make up for the lost business rates and allow councils to develop town centres.
Pubs – my pub is successful but across North Devon many villages and towns have lost their pubs and it’s not surprising when supermarket beer costs less than water. A 2% duty on supermarket alcohol sales would raise £260m, which would go a long way to helping small pubs (with less than ten employees) stay open and support their local communities.
Potholes – I bet more people are killed and maimed by potholes on North Devon roads than in shipwrecks. Can we hand pothole repairs over to the RNLI? Could they set up a Repair Devon Potholes Institution (RDPI).
Please let me know your policy ideas at steve.cotten@stevecotten.org.uk