Exclusive by Alan Quick

CREDITON Town Council is working on, for the first time, a five-year plan for the town.

Each of the council’s sub-committee’s will be asked about its priorities for the next five years and the plan will cover the period from April 1, 2017 to March 31, 2022.

It will include a number of aims and objectives such as the completion of Crediton Neighbourhood Plan, protecting and preserving public facilities and open spaces, youth provision, council functions, protecting public services, the Christmas in Crediton project, the Floral Crediton project, Crediton Hospital, CCTV and relations with other agencies.

Details of the proposed plan, which will be prepared by Town Clerk, Mrs Clare Dalley and assistant Miss Emma Lucas, with the assistance of councillors, was received with enthusiasm at the December meeting of the council.

It was said that it was up to councillors to attempt to complete the aims and objectives.

Cllr Andi Wyer said it was a “strategic plan”, “where the town council would like to be in five years’ time”.

Mrs Dalley said that she had begun the process of forming the plan by taking the town council’s priorities and formatting them into a document presented to the December meeting.

She said a completed plan would help influence the direction of all other council strategies and resources including the budget.

NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN

Crediton Town Council is also planning for the future with work proceeding at a steady pace towards the production of the council’s Neighbourhood Plan.

A Neighbourhood Plan allows a community to decide how it wants to shape the future development in its area.

Once it is adopted, a Neighbourhood Plan becomes one of the planning policies on which all future planning applications are judged against.

A steering group is leading this project and once completed the period it is likely to cover will be 20 years.

The steering group has its own website: www.creditonnp.co.uk .

TOILETS

This financial year the town council is paying 50 per cent of the costs to keep Newcombes Meadow and Market Street toilets open all year round.

In the next financial year it will be paying 100 per cent of the costs (approximately £12,000).

Recently the council asked for a precept of £193,234 which represents an increase of £13.15 a year on a Band D parish charge.

This means the parish charge on a Band D property in the new financial year would be £74.23 against £61.08 last year.

The council recently instructed Devon Communities Together to conduct a feasibility study on “Crediton Town Council taking ownership and management of the Mid Devon District Council Market Street building”, with the costs being met by the £5,000 Devon County Council feasibility grant money held in earmarked reserves.

DUAL USE LOADING BAYS

The council recently paid £3,800 to Devon County Council to have dual use loading bays on the High Street coloured red.

It is helping motorists identify that the bays are different to the normal parking spaces and is cutting down on the number of people receiving fines.

The council is also paying for the installation of security lighting at the bandstand in Newcombes Meadow following recent incidents of anti-social behaviour.

This month the council supported the retention of Devon County Council’s school crossing patrol service, about which DCC is consulting whether school communities should pay for their own patrols and about the future of the service.

The town council advised DCC that the service is “imperative” for the safety of children.

HIGHWAYS MATTERS

The town council has also advised DCC of a number of changes to Crediton traffic management in a recent review.

This includes a range of suggestions, including removal of the veterinary parking bay in Crediton High Street, proposed limited waiting bays in East Street, a no waiting area in Albert Road, removal of a Goods Vehicle Loading Only bay and No Waiting Restriction in Commonmarsh Lane, a No Waiting extenstion at the junction of People’s Park Road with Deep Lane and proposed double yellow lines to prevent parking near the junction at St Martin’s Lane near Alexandra Road.

It also suggests No Waiting at areas in Alexandra Road, Buller Road and People’s Park Road and double yellow lines to prevent parking on the junction at Waresfoot Drive with People’s Park Road.

No waiting is proposed at the top of Churchill Drive and an area in Churchill Drive.

The extension of a limited Waiting Bay and replacement of single yellow with double yellow is proposed for Searle Street near the junction with the High Street.

Changes to the dual use loading bays at Market Street and High Street are also proposed and the replacement of single yellow lines with double to one side of the road in Courtis Gardens.

These traffic proposals will be considered by DCC in the New Year.

YOUTH PROVISION

Youth provision in the town has been assisted with a further grant of £4,000 approved by the council to fund Crediton Methodist Church to expand its secular youth provision and assist with its new Youth Café.

The funding employs part-time youth workers and will also pay for Queen Elizabeth’s School to complete a survey regarding youth provision in the town.

Crediton Town Council is made up of 12 councillors who stand for election every four years.

As a body, the town council meets once each month (except August). Other meetings are also held on a regular basis.

The town council has direct responsibility for some buildings and properties such as the War Memorial and adjacent bus shelter, the Boniface Statue, the Bandstand, Upper Deck, the Millennium Cross, People’s Park and a field at Stoney Park.

The council shares responsibility or works in partnership with the two principal authorities on other issues such as the network of public footpaths and the provision of annual flower displays.

The council also manages three allotment sites in conjunction with the Boniface Allotments Association.