MAY Day festivities at Crediton are in the balance, unless an organiser/s come forward, but if there is an event, it could be backed by up to £300 by Crediton Town Council.

At the March meeting of its general purposes committee, Cllr John Downes, said that the people who had organised a May Day event in the past on the town square were not prepared to do this any more, voluntarily.

He hoped there would be an event this year because the town square was under-used, May Day had been one of the first celebrations there after it was built and various groups such as the town's primary schools and singers would be happy to be involved but there was no-one to run celebrations.

He was trying to find a co-ordinator and felt the town council should consider an amount in its budget each year for this event. Committee members accepted Cllr David Nation's recommendation that the town council sponsor celebrations by up to £300, so long as volunteers come forward to help run it.

Plants, flowers

and dogs

It was reported that the town council did not have any vacant allotment plots and had almost 50 people on its waiting list, but not all were from Crediton.

It was also reported that the town council would continue to provide some extra floral hanging baskets in its Floral Crediton scheme and had not had to cut back funding as much as had been thought.

The town council had received a request for an extra dog litter bin on Four Mills Lane. The recommendation was that the town council would pay towards a bin if the district council would maintain and clear it.

Late nights cost £20,000

At a previous meeting councillors had been dismayed by the news that Crediton Pharmacy would cease its after-hours service after the end of this month because Devon Primary Care Trust (PCT) had decided not to fund it and more.

Cllr Nation said he had found that this service at Crediton Pharmacy cost the PCT £20,000 a year. One problem, he said, with the service going to the new Tesco store outside the town was that the Town Bus did not run in the evening, although there was the regular bus service.

Noting this information, councillors felt there was "no argument" with the PCT wanting to save £20,000 a year.

This and that

It was reported that Cllr Liz Brookes-Hocking has been elected vice chairman of the Devon Association of Parish Councils.

A letter from a member of the public said that the "historic" iron railings and granite posts along the A377 between Downes Mill and Downes Bridge were in a poor state of repair, as were those near Creedy Bridge. The letter would be discussed at a future meeting.

Also for a future meeting was an idea from Cllr Anne Hughes for a better footpath between the Midas homes at Boniface Rise and the town.

A request from a member of the public had been received for a pavement on part of Peoples Park Road. Cllr Joyce Harris, committee chairman, said the town council had looked at this in the past and the cost had been "prohibitive".

Planning

Approval was recommended to the district council, which makes the planning decisions, for installation of rooflights, windows and a door at the Crediton Inn, Mill Street and for extensions to 37 Creedy Road.

There were no objections to: installation of a dormer window at St Mary's, Peoples Park Road; erection of a two-storey extension and formation of an extra patio/hard standing area at 14 Walnut Drive.

Comment on an application to build a dwelling at 2 Longmeadows following demolition of a detached garage was deferred pending a site visit by councillors.