Poverty Watch UK Revealed

01/10/2026

We understand another is due for the chop.

It's 25 years this week since Paignton lost its most recognisable landmark. People still use it to give directions today. Do you remember when the Big Tree came down?

01/10/2026

She had many briefly detained in the old ones.

Good news for Torquay's custody suite

30/09/2026

We are obviously devastated.

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

29/09/2026

POVERTY WATCH UK — THE TRIPLE LOCK PROBLEM - Waugh’s Beloved Tories

You know the Conservatives you apparently blame for everything?

They introduced the State Pension triple lock. 😂

Yes, really.

2010. Conservative-led coalition.

The policy that increases the State Pension by the highest of earnings growth, inflation or 2.5%.

So when you're attacking the Tories over pensioners, there's a tiny inconvenient detail…

They introduced the bit that protects the pension.

Never let an awkward fact get in the way of a good political rant, eh? 🤣

25/09/2026

Poverty Watch UK and Ellie seem to have invented a couple of new rules for becoming an MP:

• Live in the constituency for at least a year.
• Produce two years of tax records.

Unfortunately, neither is actually a legal requirement.

Of course, people are perfectly entitled to argue that the rules should be changed.

But judging by the engagement on the post, it doesn't exactly look like the masses are rushing to demand it. 😂

There's a difference between stating the rules and making them up.

24/09/2026

Since Steve passed away PWUK is relatively quiet.

We had no friendship with him and certainly won't pretend otherwise.

But since his demise, Poverty Watch UK appears to have lost one of its favourite sources of anger and outrage.

So what now?

Back to the tears.
Back to the recycled outrage.
Back to the endless “someone has to say it” posts.

When the outrage dries up, apparently the recycling bin gets promoted to editor. ♻️

24/09/2026

Not sure this always happens.

Answer: No.

You can ask any council's homeless team for help if you are

- homeless
- will be homeless soon

You do not always need to live in the council area or have a local connection there.

The council should:

- take your details
- decide if you should get emergency housing
- write a personal housing plan with steps on finding a home

You could have a local connection to an area if, for example, you:

- live or work in the area
- have close family living there

A council might try to send you to an area where you have a local connection but they should give you some help first.

They must not send you to an area where you are at risk of domestic abuse or other violence.

Find out more about the different ways you can have a local connection and what to do if a council says they cannot help 👉🏼 https://shltr.org.uk/pfElB

22/09/2026

If Poverty Watch UK closed its page, the world might lose a few repetitive rants, recycled outrage and declarations of being moved to tears.

The rest of us would probably manage. 😉

21/09/2026

Poverty Watch UK and the truth appear to have an increasingly complicated relationship.
Apparently, “we all know” is now the preferred substitute for evidence.
The truth doesn't need a dramatic font, five exclamation marks and a conspiracy theory. It needs facts.

19/09/2026

Part 4 is here… 👀
This time we're looking at the political layer — former Mayors, senior councillors and the people who held key responsibilities while Torbay's regeneration machinery was developing.
And yes… some very familiar names appear again.
No accusations. No conclusions.
Just names, dates, positions — and the paper trail.
👇 Part 4.

The political layer.

We've looked at the TDA.
We've looked at the officers.
We've looked at the business and regeneration network.
Now let's look at the political side.

Over the years, some very familiar names have occupied senior positions at Torbay Council.

Former Mayors:
Gordon Oliver.
Nick Bye.

Senior councillors:
David Thomas.
Chris Lewis.
Nick Bye again.
Alan Tyerman.

And then there's Hazel Foster.
Today Torbay's Civic Mayor — and previously a senior councillor with Council responsibilities.
She's also Kevin Foster's wife, the former Torbay MP who sat as vice-chair of the Torquay Town Deal Board while Jim Parker was one of its community representatives.

Chris Lewis is particularly relevant because his Cabinet responsibilities included TDA services, economic growth, development management and strategic planning. Alan Tyerman held the Housing and Finance portfolio, with David Thomas as Council Leader.

And this matters because the 2023 regeneration partnership brought together Willmott Dixon, Milligan, senior councillors and senior Council officers, with Jim Parker representing the Place Leadership Board.

Again, none of these connections, individually, demonstrate wrongdoing.
But when you put the people, positions and dates on the same timeline, the picture becomes considerably more complicated.

So who was involved, when were they involved — and what responsibilities did they have?

That's what we're looking at next.