by Alan Quick

THE Mayor of Crediton, Councillor Frank Letch, says he is making it his quest to change the way Mid Devon District Council treats Crediton.

Speaking at the Crediton Annual Town Meeting, in front of dozens of electors from Crediton, Cllr Letch, who is coming to the end of this third year as a Mid Devon District Councillor, said: “The longer I remain a district councillor the more I realise that the District Council is becoming ever more Tiverton-centric with Cullompton tagged on as the first afterthought and Crediton a long way down the pecking order! I have made it my quest to change this.”

Mr Letch said that he had attended 48 Mid Devon District Council meetings during the past year and also hit out at the political nature at MDDC.

Liberal Democrat district councillor Letch explained: “Unfortunately, because of the make-up of the three towns Crediton seems to get a bad deal in my view, this is because Mid Devon’s Cabinet realises the chances of the Conservatives taking over Crediton are zero, as was obvious from the latest Devon County Council elections.

“Our town council is made up of a group of independent councillors who have the well-being of Crediton at heart. I do not wish to be political, but I believe that, unfortunately, Mid Devon District Council is!

SEVEN-HOUR MEETING

There was a sharp intake of breath from the audience when Mr Letch said that one MDDC meeting had lasted for seven hours.

He spoke of the achievements and activities of MDDC during 2017-18.

He said: “The Policy Planning Advisory Group on which I sit meets three or four times a year to discuss major future planning projects. Over the past 12 months its considerations have been centred on the Eastern Urban Extension of Tiverton and the Culm Garden Village outside Cullompton. MDDC was proud to announce awards of £10 million for the Cullompton Project and a little over eight million for the junction 27 development.

“At the latest meeting we were told that the town centre plan for Tiverton is nearing completion and will soon undergo consultation, the town centre plan for Cullompton is moving forward and the chairman told us that the Crediton town centre plan would be started after the 2019 elections! Therefore I declared that it was imperative I remain a district councillor in order to remind the group of its commitment to Crediton.

SPECULATIVE APPLICATIONS

“I’m a member of the planning committee which meets every month. Meetings are rarely shorter than three hours and are often much longer; the longest meeting of the year was just over seven hours, which to me is a ridiculous burden to put upon councillors. Because the district council has no five-year allocation of building land provision speculative applications of varying sizes keep coming before us and take a lot of debate. You only have to see what is going on around the edges of Crediton. Speculative applications are being put in for land which is outside town and parish boundaries. Until Mid Devon gets its act together these speculations will continue.

“I am also a member of the scrutiny group, which also meets monthly. We have received a number of written reports, verbal updates and guest speaker presentations and can occasionally hold offices to account.

“The homes policy development group on which I sit looks at housing, homelessness and refugees. It is perhaps a damning statistic that over the past 18 months the district has built no new council houses although 16 empty houses are being brought back into circulation.

“I also sit on the community policy development group which looks at health issues and facilities for the communities of mid Devon. The constant battle is money. More and more of its services are dwindling away and being put upon the town and parish councils.

“The one thing we must all remember is that all the committees are dominated by the main party, which is only natural.”

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT

Speaking in his capacity as chairman of Crediton Town Council, Cllr Letch presented his report of the 2017-18 year, starting by saying he was amazed that he was presenting his 10th chairman’s report.

With regard to this, he said: “It just shows you that time goes quickly when you’re enjoying yourself.”

He continued: “This year I’m going to concentrate more on my role as the Mayor of Crediton. This is a civic role, which means that I represent the town at a host of different events, both in the town and in the district.

“In early May I was honoured to attend the 50th anniversary of the Townswomen’s Guild. It was a great pleasure to join them in celebrating this important anniversary. I don’t know if they can exist in this world of equal opportunities by calling themselves a “Women’s Guild!” But I can report that they do a lot of good work in the town.

“June was a busy month as I opened Credfest on the third and attended a concert given by the St Boniface Concert Society later in the month. There is no doubt in my mind that Credfest is a wonderful event and the result of a lot of hard work. It showcases so much that goes on in the town.

“In July I was a member of the not very successful Town Council boules team. This is a competition organised by the Twinning Association of which I am a member, representing the town council. This fits in very well with my love of France, ability to speak French and inability to play boules!

MID DEVON SHOW

“July was also the month in which I attended my favourite event of the year as Mayor (apart from my Mayor’s Reception that is!) namely the Mid Devon Show. Having spent 25 years in the country in Wales I am always pleased to be able to look over good quality animals. This show is one of the few one-day shows in the country and so those attending can see all the exhibits.

This was a year of anniversaries as in September I was invited to attend Devonshire Homes’ 25th anniversary. This again is a group that does much in the district and in our town

“In October, I attended a workshop for the parish path partnership, which was of great interest as I am the chairman of the town council’s P3 committee. Many people probably do not know that there is a wide network of footpaths around town. In July we inaugurated the Redvers Ramble, which was the brainchild of Heather Sansom. I am reliably informed that there will be another ramble this July!

REMEMBRANCE

“On November 12, I attended one of the poignant meetings of my mayoral year namely the Service of Remembrance. As usual I read the first lesson, headed a very large parade to the War Memorial where my army cadet, Lewis Cook, laid the wreath on behalf of me and the council. The attending crowd was the biggest I can ever remember.

On November 27, I was in Exeter for the annual police awards. It is always very illuminating to listen to the commendations of the various officers and members of the public who received these awards. I was delighted that three of the recipients were from the Crediton area. I think they too were pleased that the mayor of their town was there to see them receive their awards.

“This year we tried a new approach to Christmas in Crediton. We did away with the High Street Parade which caused so many headaches because we needed such a large number of marshals and it was also very costly to close the High Street. Last year the event centred around the town square and I was pleased to open the event, thank the various sponsors and join in the celebrations.

‘THE TINDERBOX’

“In January I represented the Town Council at an arts centre event, a wonderful play called ‘The Tinderbox’. I have never heard of it before but it was enchanting and the singing was delightful. This is one of the perks of being the mayor!

“Also in January I attended a meeting arranged by CPRE, which looked at the challenges of the Greater Exeter Strategic Plan. I do not know to what extent this level of co-operation will help Crediton but it was good to be there to see what the vision is.

“Apart from all these events that I attended, I try to get to as many market days as possible for my Mayor’s Surgery. I probably attend 20 and miss one or two each year. This is something that I do because I think it is incumbent upon me as Mayor and as a town councillor to give people of the town the opportunity to engage. They can ask questions, pose problems, complain or even congratulate me on the way things are going in the town! Yes this really does happen! It is a big commitment and most of the time I am the only member of the Council on the square but I think it is important and has given me and the Council some very useful feedback.

COUNCIL BUILDING

“Over the past months the big issues raised by people have been potholes, parking and the fate of the Council Office building. All I can tell them is that I am doing my best to make sure it stays within the control of Crediton Town Council!”

He concluded: “I would like to close by thanking our wonderful staff Clare, Emma, Sandie and her replacement Emily. I would also like to thank my wife Natalia for her constant help and support and for carrying out her role as Town Mayoress with such enthusiasm and dignity.

In total, 24 reports were presented at the Annual Town Meeting. The reports can be read, in full, on the Crediton Town Council website: www.crediton.gov.uk .

• Do you think the Mayor of Crediton is right and that Mid Devon District Council is too Tiverton-centric? Is Crediton way down in the pecking order?

Share your views with fellow “Courier” readers. Write a letter to The Editorial Manager, “Crediton Courier”, 102 High Street, Crediton EX17 3LF or email: [email protected] .