Town & Parish Newsletter - December 2020
Hello all
You are probably all well into the budget setting process for 2021-2022 by now and the ever present list of jobs to do carries on regardless of a crisis. If you are new to budget setting, DALC offer some wonderful courses and there is always help from SLCC.
As I write this we still aren’t sure if we can have a normal Christmas, I do hope that at least you can have some time off away from work and spend time with those you are able to.
Take care out there and look forward to a new year and new beginnings. It’s been a tough year but you have all coped and taken on new tasks and ways of working. Go Mid Devon team!!!!!
Carole
coliphant@middevon.gov.uk
Notification of meeting agendas
Due to a change in how we are operating we will now be sending out all of our meeting agenda notifications via our free email subscription service.
You can sign up to this free service using the following link. Once you have signed up you can click on the topic 'Meetings and Agendas' and you will then receive an email each time an agenda is added to our website https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/UKMIDDEVON/subscriber/new
Via this link you also have the opportunity to select other topics which you may wish to read about which includes topics such as our news items, recycling news, environment news and more ..
Communications Team
Electoral Register 2021
Town and parish councils are entitled to an up to date electoral register for the purpose of conducting town/parish business.
Each year the register is re-published on 1st December, following the annual canvass of electors. Subsequent monthly updates are published each month until the following September.
Please contact our electoral services team to request your register and please state which format you would like it in (PDF, Excel or paper) at elections@middevon.gov.uk
When you receive your new register, please dispose of your old paper/electronic register securely.
Free Parking to Support Local Shopping this Christmas
The Council is introducing free parking in its main towns as it continues to support local businesses during the Christmas and New Year period.
The second lockdown period has seen shops, businesses and restaurants closed again and Mid Devon’s Members are acutely aware of the economic impact this has had on local traders and jobs.
With the reopening of the High Streets and the run up to Christmas, now is an important time for traders, and the Council wants to encourage shoppers to our towns.
Throughout dates in December and January visitors will be able to park for free in selected car parks in Crediton, Tiverton and Cullompton.
Cabinet Member for Finance, Cllr Andrew Moore, said: "This second period of national restrictions, while shorter than the first, has still had a detrimental impact on the local economy and the livelihoods of many who live and work in our district. By offering free parking in the run up to Christmas and throughout January we hope people will be encouraged to once again support local businesses. We want to keep everyone as safe as possible and will always strive to make our shopping and business areas as safe as we can, while encouraging people to return to our towns."
As well as free parking the Council has supported businesses through a number of grant schemes that were introduced to support traders and those who are self-employed. So far the Council has issued almost £20 million through these combined schemes. In addition the district council has been working in close consultation with the town councils, to provide and monitor safety measures to protect the public and increase visitor confidence.
Deputy Chief Executive, Andrew Jarrett, said: "We appreciate this is a small gesture, when our local businesses have been faced with huge difficulties for much of this year, but we hope, along with financial support already given this will encourage visitors back to our towns. We must do all we can to stimulate the local economy while being mindful of our own income streams and the need to ensure we can continue to provide our frontline services."
The following car parks will be free to park in on Saturdays and Sundays throughout December. The same car parks will offer free parking throughout January on Saturdays only.
- St Saviours, Crediton
- Station Road, Cullompton
- Phoenix Lane multi storey, Tiverton
- Westexe South, Tiverton
NHS Volunteers needed
I’m asking for your support in promoting recruitment to the NHS Volunteer Responders. Due to the need to rapidly increase volunteer numbers due to the current situation, the NHS is now recruiting in all areas across England. Please see attached toolkit and images.
If you could use and share across your channels this would be greatly appreciated. Best wishes and as always, thanks for your support!
Liv Denne
Press Officer, PHE South West Public Health England
2 Rivergate, Temple Quay, Bristol, BS1 6EH
olivia.denne@phe.gov.uk
Direct dial: 0117 9689193 Mob: 07917243879
www.gov.uk/phe
Follow us on Twitter: @PHE_SouthWest, @PHE_uk
Protecting and improving the nation’s health
Interim Devon Carbon Plan—Consultation Launch!!
The consultation of the Interim Devon Carbon is running from 7/12/2020 until 15/02/2020. The attached document provides communication messaging and assets for the “pre launch” period and launch day. This will then be updated further in December once the consultation is live and the new communications position is filled.
We appreciate many of your channels will be dominated by Covid messaging so you may not be able to share everything however if possible please may you ensure the following is shared:
The consultation launch video on 07/12/2020
The press release (with quote from member etc) w/c 07/12/2020 once consultation is live.
Promote the webinar series and encourage people to sign up.
There is a wealth of other content available so please share as much as you can!
If you have any questions, please get in touch with Emily Reed ( emily.reed@devon.gov.uk - Climate emergency project manager)
Clerk Vacancy
Borden Gate are looking for a part time clerk for up to 2 hours a week. If you are interested please contact the Chairman Heather Bainbridge on 01398 361430
Your waste, your responsibility
Mid Devon District Council is reminding residents that it is their responsibility to dispose of waste correctly, even if they have paid someone else to take away the material.
The warning comes after a Mid Devon resident was fined following the discovery of their fly-tipped waste in a field gateway between the A377 at Bickleigh and Seven Crosses near Tiverton. The individual had paid someone they saw advertising on social media to dispose of their rubbish, but failed to check if they had a valid waste carriers licence.
The fine of £300 was issued under section 34(2a) of the Environmental Protection Act which states it’s the duty of the occupier of any domestic property in England to take all measures available to them as are reasonable in the circumstances to secure that any transfer by the household waste produced on the property is only to an authorised person or to a person for authorised transport purposes.
Passing the disposal job onto another individual or firm is no excuse and it is the responsibility of the householder to ensure they have taken steps to ensure the waste disposal is legal.
The following guidance can be used when arranging for waste to be removed: Ensure that the person who takes control of your waste is licensed to do so.
Store it safely and securely.
Prevent it from causing environmental pollution or harming anyone.
Describe the waste in writing and prepare a transfer note if you intend to pass the waste on to someone else.
Before asking anyone to dispose of your waste ensure you:
- Ask the waste carrier to provide you with their full address and telephone number.
- Ask to see their waste carrier licence issued by the Environment Agency or Natural Resources Wales.
- Contact the Environment Agency directly on 08708 506 506 and ask for a free instant Waste Carrier Validation Check, or check online at https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/index
Meet the Parishes
Nymet Rowland
The name ’Nymet’ is generally agreed to be of Celtic origin and there are three main theories as to its meaning; as each of them seems equally plausible we can take our own pick!
Nymet means a pagan grove, or site of a place of worship.
An ‘intake’ or clearing (in what would have been a very heavily wooded landscape). Wooded country, and that originally the whole district was known as Nymet; distinguishing names (Nymet Rowland, Nymet Tracey, Nicholl’s Nymet, Nymphayes, and so on) were added much later to show the boundaries of parcels of land.
We know that at the time of the Domesday Book (1086) the manor was held by Walter, a Norman knight. ‘Baldwin has a manor called Limet, Walter holds it of Baldwin.’ This manor would have been at the centre of any settlement at that time and it seems likely that its site was to the north of the present church, where the Barton was until 1867. The Norman lord of the manor would have been responsible for building a chapel in the 12th century, probably at his own expense, this being later enlarged and altered to form the church that we know today.
Oakford
Oakford is a village and civil parish in the Mid Devon district of Devon, England. It is located three miles south west of Bampton and eight miles north north west of Tiverton.
Oakford is located near the river Exe.
Oakford church (St. Peter) dominates the village from an eminence. The porch, nave, cancel and vestry were rebuilt in 1838-9, except for the 15th century tower, with a spacious nave and short chancel. The tower houses eight bells, said to have exceptional tone, cast by Mears of London in 1825 and given to the church by the then rector, the Rev James Parkin. He also presented the organ, built by J. R. Mortimore of Tiverton, in 1841.
With numerous stunning rural walks through wooded valleys and open countryside, there is no shortage of interest for the keen or casual walker. Most of the walks conveniently start and finish in the middle of Oakford village at the highly-rated ’The Red Lion Hotel’.
For those who enjoy walking on high open moorland and along steep valleys, Exmoor is within a short driving distance. Wild deer can be seen grazing both locally around Oakford and on Exmoor, which is also home to the famous Exmoor ponies.
Keeping up to date
Press Releases Issued
https://www.middevonnewscentre.info/
Dates for Mid Devon District Council Meetings
https://democracy.middevon.gov.uk/mgCalendarMonthView.aspx?GL=1&bcr=1
2nd December—Planning Committee—2.15pm 3rd December—Cabinet—6.00pm
8th December—Special Community PDG—2.15pm
14th December—Scrutiny Committee—2.15pm
17th December—Special Planning Committee—10.30am