Report by Sue Read

BY A 5-3 vote, Crediton Town Council has opted to swop the paving slabs on the High Street for black tarmac.

Devon County Council had looked at the pavements between the bottom of St Saviour’s Way to the Union Road junction with the High Street plus Market Street pavements.

Where practicable, county council policy is to replace modular paving, blocks or setts with bituminous material, black tarmac which, it says, is more cost efficient, durable, and a superior material with regards to maintenance and eliminating safety defects.

It adds that “of course, this aim cannot be achieved at all times”.

The county council had put two options to the town council. One was to remove the existing slabs and replace with black tarmac.

The other was, following a survey, three main hotspot areas of existing slabs which would be dealt with by relaying or replacing them. It did not list the hotspots.

There was an estimated budget of £50,000 for the work in the 2018/19 year with a design estimate of £5,000.

There would be consultation with all shops, businesses and residential properties in the area, essential to minimise disruption plus liaising with the town council and Chamber of Commerce.

It is planned for the survey and some consultation to be undertaken before the end of March.

At Tuesday evening’s town council meeting there was some dissention over having tarmac. Councillors were told that if there were defects after the work was done to relay the paving slabs, the county council would fix it.

However, it was said that several people with motorised scooters had said they preferred tarmac as being easier to travel over.

Councillors agreed tarmac was less likely to cause trip hazards and there was already tarmac on a number of pavements in the town.

Cllr Liz Brookes-Hocking wanted to know what was going to happen to all the paving slabs once they were removed.

ASK PLANNING OFFICER

Although not within the town boundary, as a neighbouring authority, the town council looked at the outline planning application to build up to 40 houses adjacent to Brookdale at Threshers.

It was felt it would impact on Crediton because of the number of vehicles and the junction of that road with the A377.

Cllr Brookes-Hocking observed that there was “a huge number of documents” with the application on the district council website.

It was agreed to ask for a decision to be deferred and for the district planning officer to go to the February town council meeting.

Looking at a notification to fell a sycamore tree at Chene House, Pounds Hill which is within a Conservation Area, the town council asked for a replacement tree to be planted in the Conservation Area.

Councillors recommended approval for a Listed Building application to put 12 extra CCTV camera and one control cabinet at Crediton Railway Station.

TOILETS

An item to look at information from the district council about the asset transfer of the Newcombes Meadow public toilets (those facing Union Road) and the running costs of the Market Street toilets, and to see what the next step could be, was taken in Part Two.

This is something that has been bubbling away for a number of months. Because of the confidential nature of some of the information, the town council discussed this after the press and public asked to leave.

The council was also going to look at the possibility of acquiring items of railway memorabilia from the Station Tea Rooms now it has closed, but more information was needed so this was deferred.

CARS ON PAVEMENTS

Cllr Hannah Zorlu reported receiving comments about cars being driven on the pavement on Dean Street and parking on the pavement.

Town clerk Mrs Clare Dalley said it was an offence to drive or park on the pavement.

She advised if a vehicle was doing this or causing an obstruction to take a photograph or video and send it to her ([email protected]). She added that people with disabilities still needed to park responsibly.

There was a comment about “parties” being held in the bandstand in Newcombes Meadow plus fires being lit there.

Mrs Dalley said this had been reported. Cllr Kay Piercy added there was often broken glass even though a litter bin was close by.

Councillors said, tongue in cheek, they felt sorry for the young people because there was nothing for them to do in Crediton - listing Scouts, Guides, music, sport, drama and much more.

When Cllr Anne Hughes reported that the rose bed on Belle Parade opposite Newcombes Meadow was “looking very sad”, she was told this would become a wildlife area, the roses having outlived their goodness.

Cllr Mike Szabo asked for the mountain ash tree, planted at the former Telephone Exchange on Parliament Street to be pulled upright with a stronger stake supporting it.