Councillors 'excluded' from town centre meeting

Ward councillors in a Devon town say they are being "excluded" from a meeting about the future of Torquay.

Businesses and council officers are set to meet on Tuesday to discuss the future of Cary Parade and Cary Green, as well as the restoration of the town's pavilion.

Councillor Mandy Darling said they had been told they were not welcome at the "non-political" meeting with businesses but wanted to be there to represent their communities.

The council said a separate meeting had been set up for the three members of Torbay Council representing Tormohun - Darling, Cordelia Law and Nick Pentney.

"We would like to go as representatives of the people of Tormohun," Darling told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

"It isn't political; it's that we have been voted in to represent the people of this area, and that's what we want to do. We are being excluded."

The meeting is the latest stage in consultations with businesses over plans to overhaul some of the town's long-running development issues.

It will look at ways to improve connections between Abbey Sands and Cary Parade, improving and enhancing Cary Green and redeveloping the former theatre at the Pavilion.

Discussions will also be held on taxi rank provision.

The council said all ward councillors had been kept informed at all times.

A spokesperson said: "The meeting is the latest in a series originally initiated, and chaired, by the businesses around the harbour and town centre in Torquay during our harbour public realm improvement project.

"Council officers have been in communication with ward councillors and other interested parties regarding the meeting, explaining that it is continuation of engagement work that has been going on for the last 12 months.

"A separate meeting has been set up for all councillors."

Follow BBC Devon on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].