Gary's views

WATERMARK

It was a joy to open the Watermark building in the centre of Ivybridge this week. This £4.5 million complex, with state of the art library and ICT suite, coffee shop, multi-purpose hall/cinema and start up office units will revitalize this important town. We all know that during the eighties Ivybridge was the fastest growing town in Europe and, shamefully, hundreds of houses were built without putting in place the necessary infrastructure. Now the town council is setting about levering in the facilities that can provide that vital heartbeat at the centre. The Watermark building will be a great success and is well worth a visit.

This experience leads me onto two points. The first is that community facilities, reflecting the wishes of local people, do matter. Chaddlewood is another example of a rapid growth area where too little regard was given to where the people might gather, with the community centre being tagged on almost as an afterthought. The proposed new town at Sherford on the other hand, if it ever does get built, will have most of its infrastructure put in place up front. It is crucial to have places to meet, put on community and cultural events to foster those relationships and shared activities that bind an area together.

Secondly, I congratulate the Ivybridge town council on taking the lead in getting this project built. It was a struggle to find the necessary funding, but other councils all chipped in to get the job done. This is an impressive town council, very rooted in what local people want.

Whatever happens to the future shape of local government in Devon, councils that are close to their people and deliver good services should be allowed to continue. Although, Plympton and Plymstock have now been part of Plymouth council for many years, I am coming to the view that these areas would benefit from a council similar to Ivybridge – with a small budget and some decision making capacity, to make sure that the voice of the community is heard. I am not certain that the existing area committee structure works as well as a full blown parish council would work. There is scope under current law to set up new parish councils, so it is worthy of further thought.

For now, well done the people of Ivybridge for creating such an impressive facility at the heart of the town. May the Watermark go from strength to strength!