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Calls for North Devon councillor to resign

Cllr Colin Payne Credit: ITV News West Country

A North Devon councillor is facing calls to resign because of the amount of time he is spending with his new wife in the Philippines.

Fellow Liberal Democrats say Colin Payne has only spent five months in this country over the past two years. He blames the fact that his Filipino wife Jackie has been denied a British visa.

He has however attended sufficient meetings NOT to be disqualfied

The West Country at Westminster

The West Country at Westminster

The May edition of The West Country at Westminster, the monthly regional discussion programme hosted by Alastair Stewart.

Guests George Eustice MP (Con, Camborne and Redruth), Dawn Primarolo MP (Lab, Bristol South) and Steve Crowther, from UKIP, debate the impact of the Eurosceptic party's recent performance in the council elections and whether it should form a pact with the Conservatives.

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West Country MPs vote for 'rebel amendment'

Six West Country Conservative MPs backed the so-called 'rebel amendment' calling for an EU referendum.

  • Geoffrey Cox (Torridge and West Devon)
  • Richard Drax (Dorset South)
  • Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater)
  • Gary Streeter (South West Devon)
  • Mel Stride (Central Devon)
  • Sarah Wollaston (Totnes)

All six voted against the Government's failure to include the measure in the Queen's Speech.

And you can see more about that on our political programme, The West Country at Westminster, tonight at 11.35pm on ITV.

Torbay Council to vote on fire service rethink

Torbay Council is to vote this evening whether to call on Devon & Somerset Fire and Rescue Service to rethink reducing full time cover at Torquay.

There are fears this and other cuts to save the £5.5million required by the Government would put safety at risk.

A motion has been put forward asking the council to get the service to come up with other savings.

It also calls for a complete rethink of the proposals because of lack of consultation with council staff.

Transport Secretary visits South Devon today

Patrick McLoughlin will visit South Devon today Credit: PA

The Transport Secretary is due to visit South Devon today.

Patrick McLoughlin will have a chance to see the coastal railway line at Dawlish and discuss possible investment.

The line was damaged in the recent floods and there are fears for its future in the face of erosion.

He'll then visit Kingskerswell where a new bypass is being built to improve transport links in the region.

Portland Helicopter Campaign

MP to refer decision to Ombudsman

The Conservative MP for South Dorset has referred the decision to close the Portland Search and Rescue helicopter to the Ombudsman.

Richard Drax said it was because the Department for Transport (DfT) had failed to consult over the plans.

The Government announced in March that operations will move out of Portland, Chivenor and Culdrose to a new base at Newquay Airport.

The service will be run by a private company, Bristow, which is based in the US.

While I understand that the Minister [Stephen Hammond MP] would like to consider the matter closed, it is by no means closed for the people of South Dorset and the millions who flock to our coastline every year.

We depend upon this helicopter. A quarter of all coastguard callouts every year take place within the reach of the Portland helicopter..."

– Richard Drax, Conservative MP, South Dorset

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County Council Elections 2013

Cornwall Council election results

In Cornwall the Liberal Democrats are now the largest party, but the council remains in no overall control.

The Conservatives have lost 19 seats, the Liberal Democrats have lost 2 seats and the Independents have gained 3 seats.

The UK Independence Party has won 6 seats as has Labour. Mebyon Kernow has lost two seat compared with 2009. There are gains too for the Labour and Co-operative Party and the Green Party.

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