Welcome to Newton St Cyres Parish Council.
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Left to right: Cllr Chris Southcott, Jane Hole (Parish Clerk), Cllr Graham Scopes, Cllr Steve Parker, Cllr Gina Quicke, Cllr Roger Cashmore, Cllr Liz Ouldridge, Cllr Paul Taylor, Cllr Jim Enright and Cllr Damien Hodge.
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The Council meets on the 1st Thursday in the month at the Parish Hall Club Room at 7pm except during the August recess. Members of the public are welcome to attend and address matters to the Council during the Public Session.
Parish Council Monthly Surgery Held monthly in conjuction with the monthly Coffee Morning held in the parish hall, usually on the first Saturday in each month. A member of your parish council will be present to discuss any matters you wish to raise.
Contacting the Council :- The Council can be contacted through the Parish Clerk:- Jane Hole
Tel: 01392 851148
E-mail : parishclerk@newtonstcyres-pc.gov.uk
The Parish Council organises village services and supports village groups and organisations.
Tel: 01392 851148
E-mail : parishclerk@newtonstcyres-pc.gov.uk
The Parish Council organises village services and supports village groups and organisations.
The Latest Parish Council Reports
From the Press Officer
For Agendas and minutes please go to the Parish Council Website
For Agendas and minutes please go to the Parish Council Website
Parish Council Report - September 2020
The meeting, on 3rd September 2020, was held by Zoom. It was attended by nine Councillors, the Parish Clerk, the Devon County Councillor (Margaret Squires) and two members of the public.
Greater Exeter Strategic Plan (GESP)
Currently the GESP is suffering setbacks. One of the five councils involved in the plan has withdrawn, meaning that the plan cannot go ahead in its current form. The consultation period that was due to happen this autumn will not now take place and so the open consultation meeting that was planned by the Parish Council has been postponed.
Boniface Trail
Progress continues to be made on the Boniface Trail. After achieving agreement with one major landowner on the proposed route of the trail, meetings are taking place with other landowners to address their concerns and rights. It is also time now to start ‘site walks’ along the route to explore the logistical issues of building the trail. Both Mid Devon District and Devon County Councils are very supportive of the project and it is hoped that they may be able to make some funds available at some time in the future. The project has also been offered support for technical issues from Devon County Council Highways Department.
Community Shop and Post Office
The Post Office in the village hall on Tuesdays and Thursdays seems to be reasonably well used. We need to keep supporting this service if we are to retain it. Progress on the community shop has been halted by the Covid-19 pandemic and it will be some months before this project can be revived.
The Covid-19 pandemic
Pleasingly, the level of infection in the South West remains low, and there has been very little need for assistance from our local support group. However, it is there if needed. Recently the Parish Clerk attended a briefing by Mid Devon on the next steps for councils in the battle against the virus. Here it was suggested that our local resilience plan needs to be updated to include response to a pandemic, and this will be done when the plan is reviewed in the autumn.
Some services are beginning to get back to normal within the village. The Parish Hall is set to reopen in October, with restrictions on the number of people who can attend a meeting and the stipulation that government guidelines be followed.
The school remained open during lockdown, catering for 30-40 children of key workers, and it experienced a successful end of term for year 6 in July. It is now open for all year groups, with alterations in the school day and other modifications to minimise the possibility of spread of disease.
Traffic Issues and the A377
* As a result of the Parish Council’s persistent complaints about speeding through the village, temporary speed cameras have been monitoring vehicle speeds recently to assess the extent of the problem. We await the results with great interest. Sadly, it will be too late to save the lives of two motorcyclists who have died on this stretch of road this summer.
* The advisory speed camera on the bridge near Belluno has now been reactivated and will tell you if you exceed 30 mph down School Hill.
* A request was received from a parishioner that the double white lines through the village, that were lost when the road was resurfaced, be reinstated. It has been suggested that double white lines are unnecessary here as there is automatically a ban on overtaking in a 30mph limit. The Parish council felt that many motorists would be unaware of this and that the double lines would be a good reminder. (I have since checked the Highway Code and can find no mention of no overtaking in 30 mph limits.) It was decided to request the replacement of the double white lines.
* Several parishioners complained that they were persistently tailgated by other traffic if they stuck to speed limits. Some commercial vehicles have been identified as repeated offenders. It was decided that the Parish Clerk will write to the companies concerned to make an official complaint.
* The bus shelters continue to be overgrown, particularly at Half Moon. It was decided to request some action to clear the vegetation from Devon County Council Highways.
Internet Connections
Many of the smaller settlements in the Parish have slow broadband speeds. Some time ago, the Parish Council successfully supported a project to improve speeds in the centre of the village. Unfortunately progress on providing fibre optic connections will be slow to the remaining areas. It may be of interest to parishioners who are particularly worried about this that the 4G network can be used to provide faster speeds and the cost of subscriptions is slowly reducing.
The next meeting of the Parish Council will be on Thursday 1st October at 7:00pm. The meeting will be by zoom again, rather than face to face as we had originally intended. Members of the public are welcome to attend but must inform the Parish Clerk or the Chairman, Cllr Jim Enright, as numbers are limited. Members of the public who attend should follow all the government guidelines in force at the time.
Liz Ouldridge Press Officer
Greater Exeter Strategic Plan (GESP)
Currently the GESP is suffering setbacks. One of the five councils involved in the plan has withdrawn, meaning that the plan cannot go ahead in its current form. The consultation period that was due to happen this autumn will not now take place and so the open consultation meeting that was planned by the Parish Council has been postponed.
Boniface Trail
Progress continues to be made on the Boniface Trail. After achieving agreement with one major landowner on the proposed route of the trail, meetings are taking place with other landowners to address their concerns and rights. It is also time now to start ‘site walks’ along the route to explore the logistical issues of building the trail. Both Mid Devon District and Devon County Councils are very supportive of the project and it is hoped that they may be able to make some funds available at some time in the future. The project has also been offered support for technical issues from Devon County Council Highways Department.
Community Shop and Post Office
The Post Office in the village hall on Tuesdays and Thursdays seems to be reasonably well used. We need to keep supporting this service if we are to retain it. Progress on the community shop has been halted by the Covid-19 pandemic and it will be some months before this project can be revived.
The Covid-19 pandemic
Pleasingly, the level of infection in the South West remains low, and there has been very little need for assistance from our local support group. However, it is there if needed. Recently the Parish Clerk attended a briefing by Mid Devon on the next steps for councils in the battle against the virus. Here it was suggested that our local resilience plan needs to be updated to include response to a pandemic, and this will be done when the plan is reviewed in the autumn.
Some services are beginning to get back to normal within the village. The Parish Hall is set to reopen in October, with restrictions on the number of people who can attend a meeting and the stipulation that government guidelines be followed.
The school remained open during lockdown, catering for 30-40 children of key workers, and it experienced a successful end of term for year 6 in July. It is now open for all year groups, with alterations in the school day and other modifications to minimise the possibility of spread of disease.
Traffic Issues and the A377
* As a result of the Parish Council’s persistent complaints about speeding through the village, temporary speed cameras have been monitoring vehicle speeds recently to assess the extent of the problem. We await the results with great interest. Sadly, it will be too late to save the lives of two motorcyclists who have died on this stretch of road this summer.
* The advisory speed camera on the bridge near Belluno has now been reactivated and will tell you if you exceed 30 mph down School Hill.
* A request was received from a parishioner that the double white lines through the village, that were lost when the road was resurfaced, be reinstated. It has been suggested that double white lines are unnecessary here as there is automatically a ban on overtaking in a 30mph limit. The Parish council felt that many motorists would be unaware of this and that the double lines would be a good reminder. (I have since checked the Highway Code and can find no mention of no overtaking in 30 mph limits.) It was decided to request the replacement of the double white lines.
* Several parishioners complained that they were persistently tailgated by other traffic if they stuck to speed limits. Some commercial vehicles have been identified as repeated offenders. It was decided that the Parish Clerk will write to the companies concerned to make an official complaint.
* The bus shelters continue to be overgrown, particularly at Half Moon. It was decided to request some action to clear the vegetation from Devon County Council Highways.
Internet Connections
Many of the smaller settlements in the Parish have slow broadband speeds. Some time ago, the Parish Council successfully supported a project to improve speeds in the centre of the village. Unfortunately progress on providing fibre optic connections will be slow to the remaining areas. It may be of interest to parishioners who are particularly worried about this that the 4G network can be used to provide faster speeds and the cost of subscriptions is slowly reducing.
The next meeting of the Parish Council will be on Thursday 1st October at 7:00pm. The meeting will be by zoom again, rather than face to face as we had originally intended. Members of the public are welcome to attend but must inform the Parish Clerk or the Chairman, Cllr Jim Enright, as numbers are limited. Members of the public who attend should follow all the government guidelines in force at the time.
Liz Ouldridge Press Officer
Parish Council Report - July 2020
July 2nd 2020
The meeting on 2nd July was held via Zoom. It was attended by nine Councillors, the Mid Devon District Councillor (Graeme Barnell), the Devon County Councillor (Margret Squires) and five members of the public.
Greater Exeter Strategic Plan
Questions were raised concerning the recently published Greater Exeter Strategic Plan, which proposes an extensive housing development around the Sweetham area. There will be a six-month consultation period from September with the plans due to be adopted in 2023. Cllr Enright said the plan will be available on the Parish Council website as soon as possible, together with maps and explanations pertinent to the Newton St Cyres area. He is also organising a public meeting in early September so that responses can be coordinated. This may be via Zoom. Cllr Barnell explained the context of the development. He cautioned that for any objections to carry weight they should be well-reasoned. For example, a large tranche of the land included in the plan is clearly within the flood plain. The plan has not yet been approved by Mid Devon District Council and will be discussed at a future cabinet meeting. Members of the public can attend. You can find details on the Mid Devon website.
Report from Mid Devon District Council (MDDC)
The District Council is continuing to support both businesses and individuals through the Covid-19 crisis. Currently they are supporting High Streets as they re-open. The council budget is under extreme pressure but Mid Devon is by no means one of the councils worst affected. There has been a seriously worrying increase in the need for debt counselling and food bank use as the economic effect of the crisis starts to be really significant.
Report from Devon County Council (DCC)
Devon County Council is developing a Local Outbreak Management Plan which will outline how DCC will interact with the NHS Track and Trace Service in the event of a local outbreak. Devon County Council is continuing to support care homes in their infection-control efforts. The recycling centres continue to be open only to householders.
Other parish Issues
* Traffic is still speeding along the A377 through the village. Cllr D Hodge has made a complaint on the subject on the Devon County Council website. A parishioner has written in to suggest that if the names of speeding hauliers (and preferably date and time seen and, if possible, number plate) were recorded, then the owner of the fleet could be contacted and a complaint made. If details are sent to the parish clerk, an official letter of complaint will be sent from the Parish Council.
* The flashing speeding sign attached to the bridge above the A377 between Newton House and the church has either been switched off or is faulty. Motorists do take notice of that sign so it needs urgently to be put in good order. The parish clerk will write to DCC to see if it can be reactivated.
* The footpath up school hill is very overgrown and a danger to pedestrians, as in places it forces them into the road. This is now especially dangerous with the increased incidence of speeding. This problem is being pursued with some urgency with DCC.
* A meeting was held between several parish councillors and Devon highways to push for support for the Boniface Trail project. It was felt quite strongly, that both MDDC and DCC were treating this project as certain, when in fact it is still at an early stage and cannot progress without proper funding.
* Bus shelters: The bus shelters in the village are very overgrown. DCC is being asked to clean out the verges.
* Rural footpaths: Cllr S Parker is continuing to cut back some overgrown paths. There has been some use of mountain bikes on the paths through the woods. This is illegal and DCC are sending “no cycling” signs for the Parish Council to erect.
* We are still waiting to hear the outcome of the negotiations on the old school site.
The next meeting of the Parish Council will be on Thursday 3rd September 2020 at 7:00pm, via zoom. Should any member of the public wish to attend, they should contact the chairman of the council, Jim Enright, on jimenright@newtonstcyres-pc.gov.uk before 6pm on the day of the meeting. Alternatively, if members of the public wish issues to be raised in council meetings, they can contact councillors in the usual way.
The meeting on 2nd July was held via Zoom. It was attended by nine Councillors, the Mid Devon District Councillor (Graeme Barnell), the Devon County Councillor (Margret Squires) and five members of the public.
Greater Exeter Strategic Plan
Questions were raised concerning the recently published Greater Exeter Strategic Plan, which proposes an extensive housing development around the Sweetham area. There will be a six-month consultation period from September with the plans due to be adopted in 2023. Cllr Enright said the plan will be available on the Parish Council website as soon as possible, together with maps and explanations pertinent to the Newton St Cyres area. He is also organising a public meeting in early September so that responses can be coordinated. This may be via Zoom. Cllr Barnell explained the context of the development. He cautioned that for any objections to carry weight they should be well-reasoned. For example, a large tranche of the land included in the plan is clearly within the flood plain. The plan has not yet been approved by Mid Devon District Council and will be discussed at a future cabinet meeting. Members of the public can attend. You can find details on the Mid Devon website.
Report from Mid Devon District Council (MDDC)
The District Council is continuing to support both businesses and individuals through the Covid-19 crisis. Currently they are supporting High Streets as they re-open. The council budget is under extreme pressure but Mid Devon is by no means one of the councils worst affected. There has been a seriously worrying increase in the need for debt counselling and food bank use as the economic effect of the crisis starts to be really significant.
Report from Devon County Council (DCC)
Devon County Council is developing a Local Outbreak Management Plan which will outline how DCC will interact with the NHS Track and Trace Service in the event of a local outbreak. Devon County Council is continuing to support care homes in their infection-control efforts. The recycling centres continue to be open only to householders.
Other parish Issues
* Traffic is still speeding along the A377 through the village. Cllr D Hodge has made a complaint on the subject on the Devon County Council website. A parishioner has written in to suggest that if the names of speeding hauliers (and preferably date and time seen and, if possible, number plate) were recorded, then the owner of the fleet could be contacted and a complaint made. If details are sent to the parish clerk, an official letter of complaint will be sent from the Parish Council.
* The flashing speeding sign attached to the bridge above the A377 between Newton House and the church has either been switched off or is faulty. Motorists do take notice of that sign so it needs urgently to be put in good order. The parish clerk will write to DCC to see if it can be reactivated.
* The footpath up school hill is very overgrown and a danger to pedestrians, as in places it forces them into the road. This is now especially dangerous with the increased incidence of speeding. This problem is being pursued with some urgency with DCC.
* A meeting was held between several parish councillors and Devon highways to push for support for the Boniface Trail project. It was felt quite strongly, that both MDDC and DCC were treating this project as certain, when in fact it is still at an early stage and cannot progress without proper funding.
* Bus shelters: The bus shelters in the village are very overgrown. DCC is being asked to clean out the verges.
* Rural footpaths: Cllr S Parker is continuing to cut back some overgrown paths. There has been some use of mountain bikes on the paths through the woods. This is illegal and DCC are sending “no cycling” signs for the Parish Council to erect.
* We are still waiting to hear the outcome of the negotiations on the old school site.
The next meeting of the Parish Council will be on Thursday 3rd September 2020 at 7:00pm, via zoom. Should any member of the public wish to attend, they should contact the chairman of the council, Jim Enright, on jimenright@newtonstcyres-pc.gov.uk before 6pm on the day of the meeting. Alternatively, if members of the public wish issues to be raised in council meetings, they can contact councillors in the usual way.
Parish Council Report - June 2020
The meeting, on 4th June 2020, was on held over ‘Zoom’ and attended by nine Councillors, the Parish Clerk and the Mid Devon District Councillor (Graeme Barnell).
Parish Council News
* The NSC support group is still functioning although it has had few requests for help. If you need support please contact Cllr Damien Hodge on: damienhodge@newtonstcyres-pc.gov.uk .
* The NSC support group is part of the Devon Communities Support Hub. Cllr Hodge attended a recent meeting by ‘Zoom’. Concerns were expressed that, although the level of Covid 19 in Devon is low, this may increase as people visit the beaches and countryside over the summer.
* The NSC support group has also become aware that there are now ‘trace and test’ scams in operation. The NHS ‘trace and test’ scheme is completely free. You will not be asked for money or asked to hand over financial information.
* The old school site has now been cleared for sale by central government. Devon County Council is currently negotiating with a potential developer.
* There has been an increase in traffic speeding through the village during lock down. A recent motorbike fatality at Hookway only highlights the problem on the A377 as a whole. It was decided to write to Devon County Council to request an update on the policy of installing average speed cameras on the A377.
* The council was asked to update its request for CIL funded projects. (This is funding for community projects provided by local developers.) It was decided to ask for average speed cameras to be considered as part of the request as well as funding for the Boniface Trail.
* The school hill footpath and the pavement around the bus stop opposite the old school are now very overgrown. It was decided to write again to Devon County Council to ask for these pavements to be cleared.
* Some of the local footpaths are now also quite overgrown. Cllr Steve Parker said that it was difficult to get contractors at present to do the job. He hoped to tackle the worst bits himself.
News from Mid Devon District Council
* MDDC has issued for consultation a design guide for new developments. This is a supplementary planning document that is intended to support both developers and councils. You can see more details on this website: https://www.middevon.gov.uk/residents/planning-policy/supplementary-planning-documents/mid-devon-design-guide/
* MDDC continues to support both businesses and individuals during the Covid 19 pandemic. They are now able to issue discretionary grants for businesses. If you need to seek support, please consult this website: www.middevon.gov.uk/residents/coronavirus-support-for-communities-and-businesses/
* Non-essential shops will be able to open with suitable social distancing from June 15. MDDC is working with Crediton Town Council to support the businesses in Crediton.
* MDDC has started a public consultation on the protection of public areas from inconsiderate dog owners. You can have your say on this website: https://www.middevon.gov.uk/have-your-say-on-the-protection-of-public-open-air-areas-from-inconsiderate-dog-owners/
News from Devon County Council
* About 62% of primary school re-opened at the start of June with between 30-50% pupils returning in eligible year groups.
* Household waste recycling centres re-opened on 11th May. It advised that the public should only make essential visits. You must not visit if you or anyone in your family is displaying symptoms of Covid 19. Any payments on site will be done by credit or debit card only. The number of cars on site at one time will be strictly limited and due to social distancing rules, there will be no one available to help with unloading.
* Libraries are still closed but there are an increasing number of books available for e-readers.
There is a national Emergency Active Travel Fund that has been made available to encourage walking and cycling to work rather than public transport. DCC has published some plans mostly for Exeter and Barnstaple and some other market towns. They can be seen on this website: https://www.devon.gov.uk/roadsandtransport/safe-travel/reallocation-of-roadspace-for-active-travel/what-is-devon-county-council-doing/. Unfortunately they seem of limited value to anyone travelling in to Exeter along the A377.
The next meeting of the Parish Council will be via the internet on Thursday July 2nd 2020 at 7:00pm. Should any member of the public wish to attend, they should contact the chairman of the council, Jim Enright, on jimenright@newtonstcyres-pc.gov.uk before 6pm on the day of the meeting. Alternatively, if members of the public wish issues to be raised in council meetings, they can contact councillors in the usual way.
Liz Ouldridge
Press Officer
Parish Council Report - May 2020
This virtual meeting of the Parish Council, on Thursday May 7th, was conducted using Zoom. It was attended by all nine Councillors, the Parish Clerk, the Mid Devon District Councillor (Graeme Barnell) and the Devon County Councillor (Margaret Squires).
The first business of the council was to adopt new legislation that allowed for the holding of virtual meetings and the postponement of annual meetings. It was decided that for the next few months at least, the Parish Council will continue to hold virtual meetings. These meetings are open to members of the public, under the same rules as apply to normal meetings. Should any member of the public wish to attend, they should contact the chairman of the council, Jim Enright on jimenright@newtonstcyres-pc.gov.uk before 6pm on the day of the meeting. Alternatively, if members of the public wish issues to be raised in council meetings, they can contact councillors in the usual way. It was decided to delay the Annual Parish Meeting until next year.
Update on Covid-19
The Parish Council, Mid Devon District Council and Devon County Council have all been heavily involved in providing support during this difficult time. Here are just some of the ways support has been provided.
* Devon is characterised by having many small businesses rather than large industrial companies. These have been particularly affected by the lockdown. Mid Devon has given out nearly £16 million in grants to support small businesses and continues to consider new applications. New discretionary business grants are becoming available to support those businesses that did not qualify under the existing scheme.
* Mid Devon and Devon County Council have set up a shielding hub to protect the extremely vulnerable. This includes the regular delivery of food parcels.
* Mid Devon has set up a Covid-19 support fund to give out essential crisis payments for those individuals who are in considerable financial distress and cannot get support elsewhere.
* Devon County Council has been very active in ensuring that adequate PPE is available for their care workers. This has not always been easy.
* Mid Devon is working with other organisations to develop a recovery plan.
* The Parish Council has set up a Covid-19 support group for people in the village. At first this was very busy, but demand is less now as people seem to be increasingly able to find support from relatives, friends and neighbours. The group, however, remains available should support continue to be needed.
* The following web addresses might be helpful if you require support:
Mid Devon: www.middevon.gov.uk/residents/coronavirus-support-for-communities-and-businesses/
Devon County Council: www.devon.gov.uk/coronavirus-advice-in-devon/
Newton St Cyres Support Group: damienhodge@newtonstcyres-pc.gov.uk
Road Safety and Potholes
Devon County Council have allocated funding for a pedestrian-controlled crossing the in the centre of the village. Most of the funding is allocated for the next two financial years.
Devon County Council is taking steps to log potholes in our area. However there are a great many. Members of the public are encouraged to report potholes on www.devon.gov.uk by clicking on ‘Report a Pothole’.
Three volunteers from the Parish have undertaken online safety training and are on the waiting list for Chapter 8 training to enable them to become ‘Road Wardens’ under the Devon County Council scheme and to repair minor potholes. However, the materials required for the repairs are very expensive and have to be bought in bulk, and then stored. The Parish Council is seeking ways to find some extra support that would make the scheme realistic for our Parish.
Boniface Trail
A lease has been signed that will allow the trail to cross farmland between Half Moon and Smallbrook. This is a major step forward for the Trail and the committee are very grateful to John Quicke and family for their agreement.
Exeter City Council has included the Trail in their Greater Exeter Strategic Plan. This should lead to increased availability of funding for the project.
Other Council news
* Grants were given out to the Newton St Cyres Parish Hall, the Recreation Ground, FANS and the Boniface Trail as part of the Parish Council’s support for local organisations.
* The Parish Clerk has worked hard to implement changes to the Council website so that it complies with recent legislation on accessibility.
* The annual internal audit of accounts has been completed satisfactorily.
The next meeting of the Parish Council will be on Thursday June 4th 2020 at 7:00pm. Members of the public are welcome. For details see above
Liz Ouldridge
Press officer
Parish Council Report - April 2020
News from Your Parish Council
Unsurprisingly, the work of the Parish Council has been disrupted by the coronavirus outbreak. There is however some news. The annual Parish Meeting that was to be held in April has been postponed until it is appropriate to have such a meeting. Nor will we have our normal monthly meetings for some time.
Until recently, regulations have been very strict on when and how all council meetings should be held. However these regulations have now been somewhat relaxed. This allowed us to postpone the Annual Meeting and it also permits us to have virtual council meetings. So watch this space!
We are very grateful to Councillor Damien Hodge, who has been instrumental in setting up a community support group for Newton St Cyres. Many people (including myself) have already benefitted from his work and the work of the volunteers who are part of the group. If you are in need of help or can offer your services as a volunteer, please contact Damien on ;
Email: damienhodge@newtonstcyres-pc.gov.uk or Tel: 01392 851111
Both Middevon and Devon County Council have set up webpages to provide support during this crisis and you may find them helpful. They are:
Middevon: www.middevon.gov.uk/residents/coronavirus-support-for-communities-and-businesses/
Devon County Council: www.devon.gov.uk/coronavirus-advice-in-devon/
Please keep safe and look after yourself and others.
Liz Ouldridge
Parish Council Report - March 2020
The meeting on 5th March was attended by eight Councillors, the Parish Clerk, the Devon County Councillor, Margaret Squires and five members of the public.
Issues raised by members of the public
* The Devon Association of Local Councils’ newsletter shared the information that a Parish Council had planted a community orchard. So, could the tree-planting that took place last year next to the new school be extended to make a community orchard? It was decided that the Parish Council would talk to the Tree Planting Group about this.
* Many of the back roads have blocked drains. It was suggested by a member of the pubic that the local community could keep an eye on these and prevent some of the simpler blockages or contact highways as appropriate. DCC councillor Margaret Squires suggested that before members of the public carry out any work on the roads, they should undertake Chapter 8 Road Warden training for their own safety. She also suggested that should they do so, they may be eligible for a partial contribution to the purchase of equipment from the Community Enhancement Fund. The Parish council will talk further to members of the public about the various options.
* The lack of bicycle stands at the parish hall was commented on. This will be passed on to the Parish Hall committee.
Devon Climate Emergency Project
Margaret Squires shared a recent report from DCC about the Devon Climate Emergency project. At present, this is still very much in the planning stage. This year should see both a citizens’ assembly and a public consultation on the final plan for action. However some information was released to show the scale of the problem. It is interesting to note that, in Devon, 28% of carbon emissions come from road transport and 19% come from residential buildings. These are the two biggest contributors, with commercial/institutional buildings following shortly behind. If you wish to engage more in the project or get advice on personal actions, then these social media contacts could be of help:
Twitter @devonclimate
Instagram @devonclimatemergency
Facebook @DevonClimateEmergency
Planning Applications
* Three-storey extension at 8 Newton House and two-storey extension at 3 New Estate. Neither of these applications had attracted any negative comments on the planning website. The parish council decided no comment was required.
* Certificate of lawfulness for use of buildings at Winscott Barton as mainly agricultural storage with limited commercial storage. The Parish Council was aware of some objections to this application, but decided no comment was appropriate at this stage as the decision will be made on legal technicalities.
Community Shop
Parish Councillor Roger Cashmore reported on progress with the community shop.
* A potential local supplier / manufacture for the provision of a suitably sized modular building for the shop has been located. A budget price has been estimated, including delivery and cranage into position.
* A number of meetings have been held with Roger Wilkins, Chairman of the Village Hall Committee, and an agreement in principle has been reached to allow the community shop to be placed behind the village hall with access from the car park (subject of course to planning permission). Finding a suitable site in the centre of the village is potentially great news, and we are most grateful to Roger Wilkins and the Village Hall Committee for their support.
* It is understood that by working closely together with the Village Hall Committee, the community shop project may now also act as an incentive to redesign certain aspects of the hall, not only improving safety and amenity but also helping the Post Office return to a full time operation and to increase the hall’s use as a community hub.
* Newton St Cyres Parish Council agreed to fund £240 in order for the project to be registered with the Plunkett Foundation, a charity that specialises in supporting the setting-up of rural community shops
* The next meeting of the community shop project is planned for later in March, after which they hope to reveal more about the plans, the work that needs to be done and calling for community support.
Annual Parish Meeting
The date of the Annual Parish Meeting has had to be altered, as the hall is unavailable on the original date. The new date will be Thursday 2nd April at 7pm in the Parish Hall. The Parish Council invites all parishioners to attend to hear about the work of the local council over the past year.
The next meeting of the Parish Council will be on Thursday 2nd April at 7:30pm. This will be immediately after the Annual Parish Meeting. Members of the public are welcome to attend. There will also be a Parish Surgery at the coffee morning to be held on Saturday 4th April in the Parish Hall.
Liz Ouldridge Press Officer
Issues raised by members of the public
* The Devon Association of Local Councils’ newsletter shared the information that a Parish Council had planted a community orchard. So, could the tree-planting that took place last year next to the new school be extended to make a community orchard? It was decided that the Parish Council would talk to the Tree Planting Group about this.
* Many of the back roads have blocked drains. It was suggested by a member of the pubic that the local community could keep an eye on these and prevent some of the simpler blockages or contact highways as appropriate. DCC councillor Margaret Squires suggested that before members of the public carry out any work on the roads, they should undertake Chapter 8 Road Warden training for their own safety. She also suggested that should they do so, they may be eligible for a partial contribution to the purchase of equipment from the Community Enhancement Fund. The Parish council will talk further to members of the public about the various options.
* The lack of bicycle stands at the parish hall was commented on. This will be passed on to the Parish Hall committee.
Devon Climate Emergency Project
Margaret Squires shared a recent report from DCC about the Devon Climate Emergency project. At present, this is still very much in the planning stage. This year should see both a citizens’ assembly and a public consultation on the final plan for action. However some information was released to show the scale of the problem. It is interesting to note that, in Devon, 28% of carbon emissions come from road transport and 19% come from residential buildings. These are the two biggest contributors, with commercial/institutional buildings following shortly behind. If you wish to engage more in the project or get advice on personal actions, then these social media contacts could be of help:
Twitter @devonclimate
Instagram @devonclimatemergency
Facebook @DevonClimateEmergency
Planning Applications
* Three-storey extension at 8 Newton House and two-storey extension at 3 New Estate. Neither of these applications had attracted any negative comments on the planning website. The parish council decided no comment was required.
* Certificate of lawfulness for use of buildings at Winscott Barton as mainly agricultural storage with limited commercial storage. The Parish Council was aware of some objections to this application, but decided no comment was appropriate at this stage as the decision will be made on legal technicalities.
Community Shop
Parish Councillor Roger Cashmore reported on progress with the community shop.
* A potential local supplier / manufacture for the provision of a suitably sized modular building for the shop has been located. A budget price has been estimated, including delivery and cranage into position.
* A number of meetings have been held with Roger Wilkins, Chairman of the Village Hall Committee, and an agreement in principle has been reached to allow the community shop to be placed behind the village hall with access from the car park (subject of course to planning permission). Finding a suitable site in the centre of the village is potentially great news, and we are most grateful to Roger Wilkins and the Village Hall Committee for their support.
* It is understood that by working closely together with the Village Hall Committee, the community shop project may now also act as an incentive to redesign certain aspects of the hall, not only improving safety and amenity but also helping the Post Office return to a full time operation and to increase the hall’s use as a community hub.
* Newton St Cyres Parish Council agreed to fund £240 in order for the project to be registered with the Plunkett Foundation, a charity that specialises in supporting the setting-up of rural community shops
* The next meeting of the community shop project is planned for later in March, after which they hope to reveal more about the plans, the work that needs to be done and calling for community support.
Annual Parish Meeting
The date of the Annual Parish Meeting has had to be altered, as the hall is unavailable on the original date. The new date will be Thursday 2nd April at 7pm in the Parish Hall. The Parish Council invites all parishioners to attend to hear about the work of the local council over the past year.
The next meeting of the Parish Council will be on Thursday 2nd April at 7:30pm. This will be immediately after the Annual Parish Meeting. Members of the public are welcome to attend. There will also be a Parish Surgery at the coffee morning to be held on Saturday 4th April in the Parish Hall.
Liz Ouldridge Press Officer
Parish Council Report - February 2020
The meeting, on 6th February, was attended by nine Councillors, the Parish Clerk, the Mid Devon District Councillor (Graeme Barnell) and three members of the public.
Issues raised by members of the public
* Concern has been expressed about the increasing level of fouling by dogs on West Town road. The Parish Council decided to write to the Newton Wonder asking for people to pick up after their dog.
* Concern was expressed about the amount of debris on the plot adjacent to the school left by the construction company after the completion of Kingfisher Close. This land belongs to the management company of Kingfisher Close. The Parish Council decided to write to the management company asking for the debris to be removed as well as the various signs around the village directing visitors to the new development.
* A complaint was received by the Parish Council about the parking on the double yellow lines by the Beer Engine. Cars parked on these lines prevent access for emergency vehicles to the houses beyond the Beer Engine, make it difficult for farm traffic to pass and dangerously and limit visibility for local traffic. The Parish Council suggested that the best action in this case would be for the police to be informed of the issue by the correspondent.
* Concern was also expressed about speeding in the village. The Parish Council acknowledges that this is a problem. It is to be hoped that we will have average speed cameras installed in the not-too-distant future. These have proved very effective in limiting speeds through other villages. For more on road safety, see later in this article.
Planning applications and decisions
* A planning application has been received for the installation of French windows and a Juliet balcony on the first floor of 10 Tything Close. No negative views have been expressed online and so the Parish Council decided to make no comment on this application.
* Two planning applications have been received for Bakers Farm. These would substantially modernise the farmhouse and include the construction of a swimming pool. Mid Devon District Council will need to sanction any changes to the grade two listed building. However, as the farm is in a fairly secluded location, and the alterations would affect no one else, the Parish Council decided not to comment on these applications.
* An application was made for a certificate of lawfulness for the existing use of buildings as mixed use of agricultural and commercial storage at Winscott Barton. Mid Devon has refused this application. At the time of the meeting no appeal had been lodged. However heavy vehicles accessing the site continue to pass though Langford. The district councillor is following this up.
The Post Office, Community Shop and the Community Land Trust
* A part-time Post Office is now functioning in the village hall on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The Parish Council urges all Parishioners to make as much use of this facility as they can.
* Work continues in the development of a Community Shop, however there is much planning work to be done before significant progress can be seen.
* Action on the Community Land Trust project is halted for the moment until the development plans for the old school site become known.
Reports from councillors’ areas of responsibility
* The Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator reported that there had been a significant increase in the number of domestic break-ins in the village. In a least one case, the householder was in at the time of the break-in. We are all reminded to be careful to lock doors and shut windows.
* The recently-purchased defibrillator has been installed in the Telephone Box near Belluno.
* Some of the allotments are in a poor state. The Parish Council hopes to initiate a tidy-up in the new financial year.
* We are still in need of more litter-picking volunteers. The Parish Clerk is to investigate acquiring additional equipment and jackets for new volunteers.
* The Arboretum Committee have requested a new litter bin near the church. Unfortunately this will be expensive to install and will incur an annual charge. We might be able to re-site a bin nearer the church. It was decided to ask the Arboretum Committee to investigate this.
Highway Issues
* The district councillor informed the Parish Council that an action group has been set up to campaign for a 20mph speed limit on West Town Road. There are precedents for this in other local villages, where there are narrow roads with no pavements.
* Meetings continue to be held with Devon Highways to push for the pedestrian controlled crossing in the centre of the village and for a paved footpath from the lay-by to the bus stop at Half Moon.
* There has been some clearing of vegetation around the bus stops at Half Moon and Langford Bridge. However the footpath up School Hill is badly in need of clearing. This will be a major project and we may have to look for special funding.
* The drains on the back roads have been recently cleared but the general condition of the roads is very poor. It was decided that as this is a multi-parish issue, the Parish Council would try to work for action to be taken through the Raddon Hills group of parishes.
The next meeting of the Parish Council will be on Thursday 5th March 2020 at 7pm. Members of the public are welcome to attend. There will also be a Parish Surgery at the Coffee Morning to be held on Saturday 7th March in the Parish Hall.
Please pick up your dog’s poo!
The inhabitants of Newton St Cyres are usually pretty good at picking up after their dog. So it saddens me to have to remind some of us that we need to do this. There has been an increasing amount of soiling of West Town Road. This is not a quiet backwater, with no pedestrians. Any dog poo will inevitably be spread out by passing traffic and end up on peoples’ shoes. Please pick up after your dog. There are several waste bins where you can leave the debris and plastic sacks can be obtained from the Parish Council surgery at the monthly coffee mornings.
Issues raised by members of the public
* Concern has been expressed about the increasing level of fouling by dogs on West Town road. The Parish Council decided to write to the Newton Wonder asking for people to pick up after their dog.
* Concern was expressed about the amount of debris on the plot adjacent to the school left by the construction company after the completion of Kingfisher Close. This land belongs to the management company of Kingfisher Close. The Parish Council decided to write to the management company asking for the debris to be removed as well as the various signs around the village directing visitors to the new development.
* A complaint was received by the Parish Council about the parking on the double yellow lines by the Beer Engine. Cars parked on these lines prevent access for emergency vehicles to the houses beyond the Beer Engine, make it difficult for farm traffic to pass and dangerously and limit visibility for local traffic. The Parish Council suggested that the best action in this case would be for the police to be informed of the issue by the correspondent.
* Concern was also expressed about speeding in the village. The Parish Council acknowledges that this is a problem. It is to be hoped that we will have average speed cameras installed in the not-too-distant future. These have proved very effective in limiting speeds through other villages. For more on road safety, see later in this article.
Planning applications and decisions
* A planning application has been received for the installation of French windows and a Juliet balcony on the first floor of 10 Tything Close. No negative views have been expressed online and so the Parish Council decided to make no comment on this application.
* Two planning applications have been received for Bakers Farm. These would substantially modernise the farmhouse and include the construction of a swimming pool. Mid Devon District Council will need to sanction any changes to the grade two listed building. However, as the farm is in a fairly secluded location, and the alterations would affect no one else, the Parish Council decided not to comment on these applications.
* An application was made for a certificate of lawfulness for the existing use of buildings as mixed use of agricultural and commercial storage at Winscott Barton. Mid Devon has refused this application. At the time of the meeting no appeal had been lodged. However heavy vehicles accessing the site continue to pass though Langford. The district councillor is following this up.
The Post Office, Community Shop and the Community Land Trust
* A part-time Post Office is now functioning in the village hall on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The Parish Council urges all Parishioners to make as much use of this facility as they can.
* Work continues in the development of a Community Shop, however there is much planning work to be done before significant progress can be seen.
* Action on the Community Land Trust project is halted for the moment until the development plans for the old school site become known.
Reports from councillors’ areas of responsibility
* The Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator reported that there had been a significant increase in the number of domestic break-ins in the village. In a least one case, the householder was in at the time of the break-in. We are all reminded to be careful to lock doors and shut windows.
* The recently-purchased defibrillator has been installed in the Telephone Box near Belluno.
* Some of the allotments are in a poor state. The Parish Council hopes to initiate a tidy-up in the new financial year.
* We are still in need of more litter-picking volunteers. The Parish Clerk is to investigate acquiring additional equipment and jackets for new volunteers.
* The Arboretum Committee have requested a new litter bin near the church. Unfortunately this will be expensive to install and will incur an annual charge. We might be able to re-site a bin nearer the church. It was decided to ask the Arboretum Committee to investigate this.
Highway Issues
* The district councillor informed the Parish Council that an action group has been set up to campaign for a 20mph speed limit on West Town Road. There are precedents for this in other local villages, where there are narrow roads with no pavements.
* Meetings continue to be held with Devon Highways to push for the pedestrian controlled crossing in the centre of the village and for a paved footpath from the lay-by to the bus stop at Half Moon.
* There has been some clearing of vegetation around the bus stops at Half Moon and Langford Bridge. However the footpath up School Hill is badly in need of clearing. This will be a major project and we may have to look for special funding.
* The drains on the back roads have been recently cleared but the general condition of the roads is very poor. It was decided that as this is a multi-parish issue, the Parish Council would try to work for action to be taken through the Raddon Hills group of parishes.
The next meeting of the Parish Council will be on Thursday 5th March 2020 at 7pm. Members of the public are welcome to attend. There will also be a Parish Surgery at the Coffee Morning to be held on Saturday 7th March in the Parish Hall.
Please pick up your dog’s poo!
The inhabitants of Newton St Cyres are usually pretty good at picking up after their dog. So it saddens me to have to remind some of us that we need to do this. There has been an increasing amount of soiling of West Town Road. This is not a quiet backwater, with no pedestrians. Any dog poo will inevitably be spread out by passing traffic and end up on peoples’ shoes. Please pick up after your dog. There are several waste bins where you can leave the debris and plastic sacks can be obtained from the Parish Council surgery at the monthly coffee mornings.
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