New members of the team

Our most recent meeting saw two new members join the committee. Shelley Snelson takes up a new position as Deputy to the Registered Party Treasurer.

In this role Shelley will provide support to the Chair in committee work in particular managing communication to sub-committees, special projects, and communications with the Parliamentary Office of the Liberal Democrats (POLD).

At sundown tonight, Jewish communities in the UK and around the world will mark the beginning of Passover, the eight-day festival commemorating the liberation of the Israelites after 400 years of slavery in ancient Egypt.

The story of the Exodus has inspired generations; it's a story of hope and triumph. It shows us what's possible when we hold tight to faith in the midst of darkness and uncertainty. This is a message that's relevant, even today.

Liberal Democr ats pledge support for the Ban Cheap Polystyrene Bodyboard Campaign.

Plastic Free Torridge, Plastic Free North Devon and Keep Britain Tidy's Ocean Recovery Project have announced support for a UK-wide ban on selling cheap polystyrene bodyboards from Sir Ed Davey MP, Leader, Liberal Democrats and Tim Farron MP, Environment Spokesperson, Liberal Democrats.

John Birch, along with the support of other Liberal Democrat councillors, has won £3000 for each of the 31 councillors on South Hams District Council to be put towards climate change and biodiversity projects in their area. The funding was agreed at South Hams District Full Council meeting yesterday, 25^th March 2021.

The killing of Sarah Everard shocked the nation. She was described by family and friends as "bright and beautiful", "kind and thoughtful" and caring and dependable". My thoughts have been with Sarah's family ever since we heard she was missing, and my heart still goes out to them.

Sarah's death has jolted our society into finally taking violence against women seriously. At the Spring Conference, I delivered a statement reaffirming the Liberal Democrat's commitment to ending violence perpetrated by men and the misogynistic culture allowing it to manifest. While the killing of a woman by a stranger is particularly awful and relatively rare - violence against women and girls is not. On average a woman is killed in the UK every three days. Most of them are killed by their partner or their ex. Male violence has become a normal part of life in the UK. No longer.

Lib Dems on Mid Devon District Council have succeeded in securing an investigation into the Three Rivers Development (3RDL).

3RDL is a Company set up in 2017 by the then C onservative leadership on Mid Devon District Council to build houses, with the aim of generating profit for the Council. In February this year, 3RDL obtained planning permission from MDDC to build 9 executive houses in Bampton. As part of that application the Council, at first, required 3RDL to make a financial contribution of £325k towards the delivery of local affordable housing .