Joan Atkins

I chose to live in Teignmouth nearly 40 years ago.   When I retired, I wanted to give something back and use my skills and experience as a public servant for the Town Council.  I was first elected in May 2019 and

I have been:

• Deputy Mayor and am Mayor for this year;
• A member of all Committees (100% attendance, with close to that on Ward Reports at Council), including the Regeneration Board and chaired several (including Finance, helping resolve some very challenging situations);
• Instrumental in bringing our Neighbourhood Plan imminently close to submission;
• A swift responder to residents’ enquiries, working hard to resolve their problems;
• Innovative - to make information more accurate/widely available I single-handedly produce Wavelength the Town Council’s well-received quarterly newsletter;
• the conduit for information flow to and from the Office of the Police & Crime Commissioner, local police and, more recently but briefly, with the newly affiliated Teignmouth Chamber of Trade and Commerce.

However, the Town Council suffered the restraints of COVID plus an endless succession of U-turns and time-wasting revisiting of previously agreed Council decisions.  End result: little has been delivered for Teignmouth.  Now, with a largely new Council, the investment of our time and energy needs to be focussed for the future of both our young people and for the best version of our town we can achieve.  We know that there is still a long way to go but should now, with a full complement of staff and associated savings, begin moving forward with our projects, many of which are already in hand.