CREDITON Hamlets Parish Council currently has £3,889 from Section 106 monies and is required to submit a project that they would wish to utilise this money for to Mid Devon District Council for approval.

The council, at its meeting on June 6, resolved that its priority would be to contribute to improving the facilities for the Yeoford Play Area for the benefit of the children.

Councillors were not able to specify at this stage how this money could best be utilised for the Play Area without consultation with the community.

They also discussed the Town, Community and Parish Fund (known as the TAP Fund). The TAP Fund is a useful way of supporting a wide range of local projects across the district, such as:

• highway improvements (for example grit bins, signs, safety improvements, bridges, traffic regulation orders, rights of way, weeds)

• community events and celebrations (for example seasonal celebrations, trips, visits, commemorations, memorial events)

• community facilities (for example village hall/community facility improvements)

• sport, leisure, arts, heritage, culture (for example youth clubs, libraries, allotments, theatres, plays, music)

• local economy, employment and welfare (for example community shops, food banks, homelessness).

Town and parish councils, constituted community and voluntary groups (including "Friends of" groups), registered charities, faith groups and social enterprises may apply for funding. 

This year, there are two funding rounds:

• Round one (deadline to apply by September 30, 2016)

• Round two (deadline to apply by February 28, 2017).

Following the deadlines, the TAP Fund Funding Panel will meet to vote on the applications and award TAP money.  Applications will be scored against set criteria with innovative community-focussed projects receiving strongest weighting.

If a project commences before September 30, 2016, there is some underspend money from 2015/16 that will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. 

TAP money is clustered by County ward.   The money is based on the number of registered electors in each County ward.

The budget is calculated based on £1.10 per registered elector (whereby £1 is awarded from Devon County Council (DCC) and 10p from Mid Devon District Council, per elector).

Councillors are keen to receive expressions of interest from the parish about how this money might be used.

Members once again discussed the roads and footpaths within the parish and in particular the road from Blackdown Cross to Twisted Oak and the road from Folly Bridge to Uton.

DCC is using spray injection patching on some rural roads but more significant repair work is still said to be unaffordable.

Councillors also received a report from DCC following a traffic survey at Barnstaple Cross which indicated that traffic flow had been fairly constant since 2005 and that traffic speeds had changed little since 2005.

Councillors also discussed the road warden scheme but doubted whether it was practical in such a large rural parish.

Anyone in the parish interested in being involved with the scheme should contact the Clerk.

The next meeting of the council is on July 4 at 7.30pm at the Council Chamber, Market Street, Crediton.

The draft minutes of Crediton Hamlets Parish Council are available on three noticeboards within the parish: Hookway, Westernlea and Yeoford.

The minutes and other information about the council is available on the Crediton Hamlets Parish Council website: http://www.creditonhamlets.org.uk/ .

If you have any comments or queries the clerk, Diane Shepherd, can be contacted on 01363 85051 or: [email protected] .

Alan Quick