LACK of common sense was regretted when potholes were the subject of conversation at the annual parish meeting, organised by Crediton Hamlets Parish Council at Yeoford.

Potholes caused by lack of maintenance or bad repairs, “shoddy” work in their repair, loss of the lengthsmen and too many people doing one job were among the moans.

Several councillors emphasised the need for the public to report potholes - and to keep doing so, however frustrating it might be to report the same holes yet again.  They only get bigger.  

An incident with a local driver was reported when she met a car that seemed to be driving too fast trying to avoid potholes, making her aim for the hedge with the result she wrecked a tyre.  This was near Moorlake. 

She had no signal on her mobile telephone to call for help, so walked to the top of the hill at Gunstone Cross to find a signal.

Eventually a delivery van driver stopped and helped.  A member of the public asked why cannot someone from Devon County Council map the potholes and fill them in?  Why does the public have to keep reporting them?

Cllr Ruth Vigers commented that the more people who reported potholes the better.  

It was reported that “a beautiful job” had been done to repair the road after a South West Water trench was dug but the county council seemed to nearly always have three lorries and four men to fill potholes but the work did not last long. 

One person observed that people pay their council tax “but what do you get for it”.  Several councillors commented that repairs were “poor” and regretted the demise of the lengthsman. 

One person remarked that some roads were down to the substructure, that the pothole problem was not just in Devon but everywhere and the time could come when parishes would have to pay for road repairs on top of council tax. 

Cllr Ruth Vigers said that what irked her was money being wasted by road repairs not being done properly in the first place. 

Cllr Frank Letch, Devon County Council member, said he was going around the area with the county council roads officer that week.  

At the parish council meeting that followed, Cllr Letch reported that the Locality Fund would open again in April with a new allocation of £8,000 for each councillor.  

Looking at the parking area opposite Yeoford Chapel, it was reported that Anna Tyrer, local voluntary wildlife warden, hoped work could be done there to encourage wildlife.

PLANNING

The council voted to support an application from Ms R Samuel for Listed Building Consent to remove and rebuild a chimney stack at Little Harford, Venny Tedburn. 

Also an application for Listed Building Consent for a new canopy over the entrance door and east side door, replacement roof light, replacement entrance door and French doors on the rear extension and replacement side door and window on the east elevation at Gunstone House, Gunstone for Mr J Turner. 

An application to build a detached garage at Babbling Brook Farm for Mr and Mrs M Best with a suggestion that, if approved, there be a condition this was to only be a garage. 

Cllr Nick Yarnold explained that one of the problems in buses stopping at the new bus shelter was that bus passes listed the Village Hall as the bus point.  Only there are now two houses where the hall was.  

Cllr Letch said he would pursue this with the county council.  Barely visible white road markings was raised such as at the crossroads in Fordton and no “Give Way” sign, a raised drain cover near Moorlake was a danger and it was reported that the road at Venny Tedburn was in poor condition again, potholes forcing drivers to almost go on the wrong side of the road. 

Members felt there was too much bureaucracy over the repair of potholes, resulting in the job not being done properly in their view.