ON STREET parking meters will not be placed in at any market towns in Mid Devon - at least not yet - but there could be a ban on parking on pavements.

These were some of the facts explained at this week's meeting of Crediton Town Council by Bill Hallin, commercial services manager for Mid Devon District Council.

He said the district council had an agreement with Devon County Council to administer civil parking. Civil enforcement officers (CEOs), who replaced traffic wardens, were there mainly to move people on, issuing parking tickets as a last resort.

Mr Hallin said parking on pavements was one of the sensitive issues. He said the only people who could deal with vehicles causing an obstruction, such as parking outside someone's home preventing them from going out, were the police.

However, Mr Hallin said a car could stop on double yellow lines to pick up or drop off a passenger. Common sense and safety were factors considered in some situations of parking on double yellow lines.

"The biggest thing we are hottest on is people who are not disabled, parking in disabled bays on the street. This is just not fair," he said.

Mr Hallin asked drivers to show respect by not parking in a disabled bay near the home of someone who needs that space. "This does not stop anyone else parking there; it is there to show someone in the area needs it and people should respect this," he said.

Another problem was parking on loading bays. "Our CEOs will observe for 10 minutes or so to see if there is any activity of loading or unloading before issuing a ticket."

Now there are four CEOs working in the area, Sunday patrols are being done, concentrating mainly on people parking on double yellow lines.

About the county council introducing parking meters in market towns, Mr Hallin said it was concentrating first on seaside towns. "None of our towns have parking meters on street as yet," he said.

Council chairman Cllr Frank Letch asked about parking on pavements, saying that Exeter had a bylaw banning this, could that be done for Crediton?

Mr Hallin knew the county council would be looking at banning this throughout the county at some time. He was not sure about how long it might take to create a bylaw in Crediton. He could not say whether that process might be quicker than waiting for the county council ban.

One thing county had introduced was legislation on how far away from the kerb a vehicle parked. Again, common sense would be used by a CEO as to whether the vehicle was in the way of other traffic.

Why tar and chip?

Pounds Hill resident Mrs Judith Tucker spoke during public question time. She had received a letter from South West Highways, warning that the hill was to have tar and chippings laid on the day she received the letter or the next.

She felt this was very short notice. She had found it difficult to get any further explanation and asked: "Given the state of public finance, was this a good way to spend public money on a road that had been resurfaced not long ago and seemed in good order compared to others which had "dreadful potholes?"

The town council agreed to raise her points with SW Highways. Cllr Nick Way, also a county councillor, said he was checking this, too, He had found that a road needed to have been laid for some time before it was surface dressed, but this work had not been done on Pounds Hill earlier because of bad weather.

Four Mills Lane

For some months the town council has been looking at improving safety for pedestrians on Four Mills Lane.

It had asked for signs warning drivers that pedestrians also used this narrow road. The county council had replied that this could not be done, one of the reasons being "the environmental impact".

The town council wanted this explained and was amazed when the reply came that 10 extra signs would be needed!

Cllr Letch said: "We want to know why all these signs would be needed for 300 yards or so of road. What is the legislation?"

Cllr Liz Brookes-Hocking commented: "This is disgraceful. We have been to-ing and fro-ing on this. It will be the fourth time we have gone back to the county council."

When some councillors wondered whether the county council hoped the town council would drop the whole idea, Cllr Letch joked that it had not realised how tenacious the town council was.

Arts Centre funding

Councillors agreed to grant Crediton Arts Centre £500 and to contribute £300 to the Food Festival it will run in June.

Centre committee member Geoff Fox said it was in a "paradoxical situation". "It has never been so successful as now and never faced such a serious situation as now," he said.

"We probably have 250 people a week come through the doors. Last year between April and September we counted 7,000 usages of the Centre by people in the town. This was when we ran three big events in the town.

"It is difficult to find core funding. We have three part-time workers and an administrator who works far more hours than she is paid for. Rates, rent and insurance is £1,000 a year, then there is heating and lighting.

"I estimated we were falling short by £5,000 a year which would mean we would have to close within a few years," said Mr Fox.

"With the support of Cllr Letch we have written a letter to 50 businesses in Crediton asking for £500 in return for which we would advertise the business on things such as our banners and brochures."

Mr Fox said there had been a great deal of interest. Although many of the businesses were only just surviving, this had raised £2,900. The district council had cut its grant but the Arts Centre was still hoping for funding from the county council.

Mr Fox asked if the town council could make a grant now and consider the Arts Centre for a regular grant in future budgets.

The council agreed to do this, granting £500 now, using money not spent from last year's budget.

Food Festival

The Food Festival, on the lines of last year's hugely successful event, is to be held in the town square on June 16 and 17.

Entertainment on the Saturday evening would include a well-known local band plus young, stand-up comedians from a course at The Plough, Torrington and from the monthly Open Mic comedy and music nights at The Lamb, Sandford. Mr Fox added that Ashgrove Kitchens on Lords Meadow Industrial Estate were a major Food Festival sponsor, plus providing the demonstration kitchen.

Councillors agreed to grant £300.

For T.I.P

There was also a donation request towards setting up a Tourist Information Point ((TIP) at Crediton. The Book Shop at 100 High Street has offered to take this on.

The request had come from the district council which had offered to provide some funding. One difficulty for the town council was that it had no idea what costs might be involved.

Cllr David Nation, also a district councillor, commented: "I almost despair. The district council has said it will not commit a sum until we commit. We have said, in principle, we would make a contribution. This could be 20 per cent of what the district council contributes."

Cllr Letch explained that the district council was supplying money to create a TIP at The Book Shop as well as contributing towards running the TIP, but not saying how much.

It was agreed to delegate a decision to the town council's general purposes committee which meets on May 11.

One quip was that by the time the district council decided how much to give, it would be past the summer and all the visitors would have gone home.

LDF inquiry

Cllr Nation reported that he and Cllr Brookes-Hocking had attended to the public inquiry into the district council's Local Development Framework (LDF) which had been looking at the Crediton area that day and the next (April 27 and 28).

He said he had spoken in support of keeping the bypass scheme in the plan and for the Rugby Club scheme for Pedlarspool.

Both councillors had been impressed by the thoroughness of the inspectors with Cllr Brookes-Hocking adding that people could find out more by looking at the LDF section on the district council website (http://www.middevon.gov.uk">www.middevon.gov.uk).

Mayor's reception

Cllr Letch, also Mayor of Crediton, reminded everyone who had received an invitation to his end of year reception in May to respond promptly.

Anyone who sent a reply too late could find they miss out on the food!

Planning

Councillors objected to the following planning applications: erection of boundary well, repair existing stone wall and planting a beech hedge at West Park, Alexandra Road Councillors would prefer a more diverse range of plants instead of all beech.

Construction of an access ramp, relocation of the retaining wall and putting up a shed and railings at 9 Deep Lane. Councillors felt this could destroy the original street scene with a possible impact on parking.

There were no objections to: notification to remove five branches from an ash tree in a conservation area at Penton House, Old Tiverton Road, so long as the district council arborculturalist agreed.

Advertisement consent to display one non-illuminated fascia sign at the Library on Belle Parade; erection of a home office, to raise and replace the garage roof, and terracing the garden with timber edging at Redlands, 16 George Hill.

Planning decisions are made by the district council.