Decision makers need to listen more, says council leader

The leader of Devon County Council says politicians need to listen more to people who use local services.

Cllr James McInnes (Con, Hatherleigh and Chagford) said decision-makers should engage better with people.

He was talking after the launch in Ilfracombe of a Poverty Truth Commission, part of a charity called Poverty Truth Network, which is bringing together people with experiences of poverty and community leaders.

A commission has been set up in Ilfracombe because, according to the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) the town centre is the most deprived area of Devon, with life expectancy 10 years lower than some other parts of the county.

Cllr McInnes called the event, held at the Landmark Theatre, “very powerful” as he and other politicians and health leaders heard some of the struggles people face.

“One of the main things it seems to me is that people are stuck in poverty because it’s like a revolving door into local services,” he said. “From government, to health and police, people are being referred from one to another but they are not getting very far because no-one seems to be working together.

“It’s important we do not underestimate the impact of people being listened to. As a council we put services in place but we do not always listen to the people who are receiving them.”

Cllr McInnes said taking time to get the right answers is the ethos of the new commission, a very different approach to the instant-fix councillors often thought they needed to deliver.

Poverty Truth, which has commissions around the country, believes that rushing to results rarely creates long term change.

It says: “We meet one another as human beings, not merely professionals or service users. As we do this, we will see more clearly the causes of poverty recognising that whilst they are systemic, we can find long-term solutions where we all flourish.”

The Ilfracombe group will be made up of community commissioners (people with experience of poverty) and civic commissioners (leaders). It is supported by One Northern Devon, an organisation made up of groups working in healthcare and equality, and One Ilfracombe, a group made up of local councils, police and other services.

North Devon Liberal Democrat MP Ian Roome, who is also a councillor for Barnstaple North), who attended the event, said people sitting in “an ivory tower” making decisions is no good.

“It was really nice to reflect and understand the difficulties that people experience. Some have to choose whether to eat or heat their home and some children can’t do their homework because their family cannot afford to pay for broadband. Others have to wear clothes that they have grown out of.”

He said there are people who have alcohol problems and others forced to wait for benefits who end up in debt.

“We need to hear these stories so we can work on solutions together. This will not be a talking shop, I do not want to be involved in a talking shop.”

To find out more,  go to https://onenortherndevon.co.uk/pti/