TORRIDGE councillors have given their seal of approval to a wide ranging new strategic plan that will help shape business plans and spending across the district over the next five years.

The 2024-2029 plan has emerged from a series of workshops and six week public consultation and sets out the council’s vision for the future under four themes: the local economy, communities health and housing, the environment and council services and operations.

The plan provides a guide to key objectives and aims of the council and future businesses plans and projects will be aligned to delivering these. Collaborative working was already a key aspect of the plan with a joint local plan with North Devon Council and supporting the economy through the joint funding of North Devon Plus highlighted as recent examples. Other work will be underpinned by membership of the recently formed Northern Devon Futures, a strategic partnership of multiple organisations working together with the aim of improving the lives of everyone living and working in the wider northern Devon area. The plan has also been shaped to compliment the Northern Devon Economic Strategy, which is also being refreshed in the coming months and will focus on growth and opportunity where the previous version was understandably focused on recovery following the Covid Pandemic.

A second key decision taken at the full council meeting confirmed the setting up of a “Torridge Place Board” to address the government’s recent announcement that Torridge has been identified as one of 20 councils to be invited to form a Levelling Up Partnership with government. The details of this initiative are still emerging but around £400-million in total will be available with exact monetary allocations for each authority yet to be announced. The setting up of a board with members from the district council, businesses, education, health, and the voluntary sector amongst others is designed to provide input, support and oversight for the broad workstreams and project areas that might be supported through grants from Levelling Up. The new structure recognises the once in a lifetime opportunity the policy initiative by the government represents for Torridge and surrounding areas. 

Torridge District Council Leader Ken James said: “I am really excited about the prospects for growth and improvement that the strategic plan and new place board arrangements will underpin. It’s disappointing that historically the area has continued to experience poor educational outcomes, low average wages and poor health and life expectancy.

"However the governments new initiative is a great opportunity to address these inequalities and produce a better outcome for our residents. I know that members and our partners are ready to take on this challenge in the new year, and build on the £15.6-million already secured for the Appledore Clean Maritime Innovation Centre.”