THE Leader of Teignbridge Council has decided to step down from his district role at the forthcoming Local Government Elections.

Cllr Alan Connett, Lib Dem Leader of the Council, spoke to the Mid-Devon Advertiser this week about his decision to move on after the May 4 elections.

‘I still intend to stay on as a county councillor but just feel that after 28 years on Teignbridge it is time to move on,’ he said.

He has represented the Kenton area in all that time. He started off representing the Powderham ward and since the 2003 boundary changes the Kenton and Starcross Ward. He took over as Teignbridge Council Leader from Cllr Gordon Hook in 2020.

He has also led the Liberal Democrat Group on the county council and serves on the Exminster & Haldon ward.

‘We have been involved in many campaigns and changes in the time I’ve been here, but it is often the lesser known jobs you deal with that can bring you the most satisfaction as a councillor,’ he said.

A resident’s spouse was in the last stages of their life and the family wanted to help in their wish for the patient to spend their last days at home. Helping to secure a care plan that meant this could happen had given him great pleasure.

He spoke of the time a couple, the husband a war veteran, had missed out on being able to buy their ‘sheltered’ bungalow under the Right to Buy scheme.

‘I appealed on their behalf by writing to the then Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Minister, John Prescott, and he agreed that they could buy it.

‘The couple were just overjoyed at the outcome. That made the job of being a councillor so worthwhile.’

Helping to save the pavilion at Starcross Park was another success story he had been involved with and the growth of the number of allotments was something that gave him great pleasure.

Many tough decisions had been taken during his time with Teignbridge Council including managing cuts imposed by the Government.

‘On the other hand, we have won grants which have enabled us to upgrade the Newton Abbot Leisure Centre, Broadmeadow Sports Centre and the Lido in Teignmouth, helping to cut the carbon the council produces. Similar work on Forde House, the council’s offices, is also underway and we have built the first proper council houses in a generation with plans for more.’

Cllr Connett, a 61-year-old grandad, said he is working on ‘exciting new plans’ as to what he intends to do next and would be revealing these soon.