BY NICK PEARCE Disturbing news has been passed to this magazine – that gangs are going around the countryside pretending to be council workers and cutting down trees for profit. A resident nearby Torbay Golf Course sent in evidence of oak trees missing from the road next to the course. Over three days a team felled these trees and no one seemed to intervene. The … Continue reading Is Treejacking a Thing?
THE EDITOR The residents of Torbay in Devon have suffered for many years at the hands of one of the most incompetent and corrupt councils in Britain. Only recently have they had an opportunity to express themselves and Country Squire Magazine has been only too happy to listen to residents’ gripes, while passing their more serious complaints to the relevant authorities. Indeed, many emails have … Continue reading Torbay Investigation Update
CSM EDITORIAL This General Election compared to the last has vast swathes of the public waking up to the nastiness of what used to be the Labour Party. This time around even young voters who were dismissed as Year Zero Corbynites in 2017 are discussing antisemitism and the IRA. This is a massively positive development which will hopefully lead to an enlightened choice on December … Continue reading Stop UK Election Fraud Now
CSM EDITORIAL Rotherham, Rochdale, Telford, Newcastle – towns now synonymous with rape gangs and child abuse. Each of them tragic stories which only outed when substantial numbers of victims’ testimonies emerged and the authorities took victims’ complaints seriously. Evils were ended by victims’ bravery. Since then we have had “Nick” – Carl Beech’s fake reports of a VIP child abuse scandal – highlighting the fine … Continue reading Tuesday Club Torbay
BY JANE COX We all know it goes on. Vote rigging has been happening across the UK for many years and we seem no closer to getting to a point where it is banished from our democracy. That is sad for us as a country as so many other democracies still look to us as the beacon of democracy across the seas. Something needs to … Continue reading Beat the Ballot Burglars
BY JACK CRITCHLOW When, in the early years of the 19th century, the architects and designers of ‘modern’ Torquay planned where the new villas and town houses, crescents and terraces should be located, they took good care not to violate the natural contours of the hills and valleys and did their best to complement the stunning rural and maritime scenery rather than dominate the surroundings. … Continue reading Torbay Neighbourhood Plan Ignored?
BY NICK PEARCE For a year now, from afar, Country Squire Magazine has been following the travails of the inhabitants of Torbay as they have faced up to their corrupt and incompetent council. In particular, the magazine has pointed out the council’s continuing disdain for the very sensible Neighbourhood Plan which locals have signed up to – aiming to protect some stunningly beautiful parts of England’s green … Continue reading More Idiocy from Torbay
An Open Letter to the Legal & General Board Dear L&G Board Members, We are compelled to inform you that L&G’s Brand and reputation is in jeopardy. You state: ‘Our purpose is improving the lives of our customers, building a better society for the long term and creating value for our shareholders. This shapes every aspect of how we do business. We’re not only … Continue reading Do L&G Hate the British Countryside?
CSM EDITORIAL It’s not often that a politician apologises, so we thought we should highlight a moment when a politician did. Following on from our editorial on the 11th April, Behaviour Unbefitting, covering a Torbay councillor’s rude and dismissive chat with voters on a Torbay Facebook Forum, the councillor has apologised. Here below is the redacted letter with its embedded apology. We shall continue to … Continue reading Torbay Councillor Apologises
CSM EDITORIAL During Country Squire Magazine’s investigations into malfeasance at Torbay Council, the Squires have encountered shocking evidence which makes even one’s most negative imaginings about councillors and local government seem saintly compared to the tawdry reality. At times we have been left asking the question, who on earth would want to be a local councillor? It seems that across the UK there are too … Continue reading Behaviour Unbefitting
BY NICK GRANGER When last August Legal & General announced its establishment of Inspired Villages Group, formed out of English Care Villages, a developer of later living accommodation, business people everywhere could see the logic in the fit. L&G’s life business is already heavily targeted at the third generation. Why not close off the loop and claw back great chunks of pension and annuity pay-outs … Continue reading Legal & General Risk All
CSM EDITORIAL When a Local Council is fair and consistent with its planning decisions, those who are turned down can accept its decisions in the hope that the Council is making the correct decision in the best interests of the area. When a Local Council is inconsistent to the point of appearing incompetent or corrupt with its planning decisions then neighbourhoods become divided places, the … Continue reading Council Traumatises Whole Neighbourhood
CSM EDITORIAL Local residents of Maidencombe, a rural community that is part of Torquay, are justified in raising their concerns about the re-emergence of plans to build a Las Vegas style complex of buildings on Sladnor Park, an oasis of nature. History looks set to repeat itself as Keith Cockell and his latest retirement village platform, “Inspired Villages”, try once again to deliver his dream … Continue reading No Walk in the Park for L&G
CSM EDITORIAL Torquay has been a turbulent place of late, politically at least. Whether it’s alleged conflicts of interest or repeating votes of no confidence in elected officials based in the area, or planning bodies who run roughshod over wishes of local residents and ward councillors, one would wonder what advantages there are to a person, or their loved ones, in stepping up to get … Continue reading The Torquay Pavilion Storm
CSM EDITORIAL On 6th December 2017 Country Squire Magazine published “All Eyes on Torbay” highlighting the fact that Torbay Council were in danger of chalking up an ignominious first – a refusal to re-designate Neighbourhood Forums. Fortunately, Country Squire can now reveal that on the 7th December 2017, in an atmosphere demonstrating massive public support, sense prevailed and, in the presence of a significant number … Continue reading Gove’s Torbay Countryside Champion Opportunity
CSM EDITORIAL Torbay Council in Devon are in danger of chalking up an ignominious first – a refusal to re-designate Neighbourhood Forums. Neighbourhood Forums are a feature of the Tory/Lib Dem flagship Localism Act of 2011 which transfers a greater say in planning decisions to those most affected – the local communities. The great idea was that Local Authorities work with their communities to produce … Continue reading All Eyes on Torbay Council
