Torbay Council would like to thank everyone involved in helping to get Torbay ready for the Easter bank holiday after significant damage was caused by Storm Emma and severe snow and ice.

Torbay’s elected Mayor, Gordon Oliver, said: “The Council has been working hard to repair as much as possible over the past few weeks to ensure it is ready to welcome visitors for the Easter holidays. The recovery work which has been achieved so far would not have been possible without the dedication, support and tremendous effort of our staff, partners and members of the community. Thank you so much for all your help.

“The unprecedented weather caused significant damage and even though we have been prioritising finishing urgent repairs in time for the Bank Holiday weekend, there is still much to do. The recovery programme will continue and we will try and complete as much of this work as quickly as we can.”

A substantial amount of repair work has already been carried out across Torbay including the following:

A large void measuring 3 meters by 2 meters in the pavement opposite the Livermead House Hotel in Torquay has now been filled in. Torbay Road has been reopened following a lane closure to enable the urgent works to be carried out. Contractors will be starting on site to further protect the wall from the elements with a concrete spray. A void found further down the beach at the entrance to the steps has also been repaired. A survey of the whole stretch will take place to identify any further damage caused by the adverse weather.

Paignton’s Geoplay Park is now open after being made safe thanks to TOR2 and the local Community Partnership. A small area remains fenced off to give newly laid turf time to embed. Work repairing Torre Abbey bridge has also been completed.

Cosmetic work is still needed around Torbay’s coastline, but a large amount of work has been done to clear beaches of debris. Members of the community have been very active and have organised beach cleans across the Bay to support the recovery phase.

A high number of beach huts are now in place and it’s hoped that the usual reinstatement will happen by the middle of April. Residents will still be able to collect their keys from their usual locations from 1 April 2018.

Shelters have been inspected and they are structurally sound, but the Council has had to remove damaged internal fittings to make them safe to use. The Council has started a conversation with South Devon College and has been speaking to local communities for some time about the shelters to find an operational solution to keep them both useable and maintained to the required standard with very limited budget.

Contractors have started on site this week on a collapsed section of the promenade outside the Breakwater Bistro. This work will be last for at least 2 to 3 weeks. The bistro itself remains open and trading.

Broadsands slipway was severely damaged and contractors started yesterday to reinstate the access ramp.

On Institute beach a protective surface on a section of the cliff has suffered extensive damage so access to the site is currently prohibited until the area is made safe.

Conversations continue about the best way forward with regard to the temporary toilet block at Goodrington South beach. Something will be in place by the high season, but both the toilet blocks on Goodrington South and North were opened earlier than planned.

TOR2 continues to play catch-up on waste and recycling collections, mainly due to the volume and heaviness of the rounds. The latest information can be found on the outstanding collections page.

Motorists are being advised that the condition of Torbay’s highways network may deteriorate further in the near future as a result of the adverse weather. Additional funding recently announced by the Government for pot holes is welcomed and will contribute towards costs associated with the expected required repairs.

Members of the community are being reminded not to carry out repair work in public areas and to report any damage to the Council.

For more regular updates on the recovery work please follow Torbay Council and Tor Bay Harbour Authorities Facebook and Twitter pages (@Torbay_Council and @TorBayHarbour).