THE Chairman of Crediton Hamlets Parish Council welcomed Peter Chapman from South West Water (SWW) to the January meeting.

Mr Chapman briefed the council about the works that SWW would be completing in Crediton High Street between January 25 and March 6.

SWW will be undertaking urgent work to renew the sewer.

The road will be closed and Devon Highways have prepared diversion routes which are to be widely circulated. Lorries will still be able to unload and the High Street will be open for business.

SWW are providing 20 one-hour free parking spaces in the main car park to compensate for the loss of parking in the High Street.

SWW will have a community liaison officer on duty every day. It has consulted with all the affected business and will try to complete the work as quickly as possible.

PLAY AREAS

The council then discussed the Play Area at Yeoford View.

Mid Devon District Council confirmed that due to cuts in government funding it will not be renewing the lease of the land.

MDDC has stated that it would be making arrangements to decommission the site.

Councillors were very concerned about this and resolved to make immediate enquiries of MDDC and to liaise with the Yeoford Community Association.

The council were informed that they had £3,887 available to them for a new Public Open Space project.

The council would need to identify and cost the project and then apply to MDDC for approval.

Councillors thought this money might be used towards a play area. Any residents who can identify a potential project should contact the clerk.

BUDGET

The councillors also considered their budget for 2016/17 and noted that the money they receive from central government had been reduced by more than 50 per cent since 2013/14.

The council resolved to raise the precept request to £6,500 to meet known and necessary expenditure. The council also turned down a request by MDDC to pay for the grass cutting in the parish which Devon County Council were no longer going to fund.

The council expressed continuing concern about the proposed closure of the MDDC Area Office in Crediton, the flow of traffic at Barnstaple Cross, and the range of services MDDC were passing down to parish councils.

The council agreed grants to the CAB, Crediton and District Community Transport Association, and three churchyards within the parish.

Councillors declined a grant to the Boniface Trail Association but supported an application from Crediton Arts Centre for monies from MDDC. Councillors again reported a range of issues relating to the roads within the parish.

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

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