CREDITON people are being urged again by their town council to add their views to changes to Mid Devon District Council's plan for the future of Crediton.
Road and parking problems, and the future of the Newcombes Centre were also part of this month's Crediton Town Council meeting.
Cllr Nick Way, also a district and county councillor, told the town council that he has been "taking Devon County Council to task" about the former Social Services building, the Newcombes Centre.
He said it had been empty for about five years and that several organisations interested in using it had approached him, but nothing further had happened.
He knew the building had a problem with asbestos, but he felt it could be used "for a lot of different things."
ROADS ISSUES
Cllr Way had met the county chief assistant engineer, Ms Meg Booth, in Crediton to go and look at Barnfield, Four Mills Lane, Albert Road, Jockey Hill, Churchill Drive and Stanbury Court.
Some of these were issues the town council had talked about, others had been raised with the county council by residents.
His main concern at Barnfield had been that the road was in a "bad condition", especially at the top where the county council had already agreed to a "major revamp" in August, more than resurfacing. He urged that the whole of the road was done.
About Four Mills Lane, the county council was adamant the road was not suitable for the 20mph speed limit asked for by the town council.
As for the signs the town council wanted warning motorists of pedestrians, the county council was concerned that it was a Conservation Area and did not want these signs there. Cllr Way would ask the acting environmental director to carry out a review.
Moving on to Jockey Hill, where a pavement had been asked for to the Deep Lane junction and improvements to the opposite side of the road for pedestrians, Cllr Bob Wright, also a district councillor, reported that Speed Watch checks carried out by volunteers over half an hour had shown one vehicle travelling up the hill at 54mph, 12 more at speeds between 36-42mph and many at lesser speeds but still above the 30mph limit as well as "quite a few" speeding down the hill.
Cllr Way said the pull-in had been created for utilities to park, although some residents parked there. It also gave pedestrian access to some Long Meadows properties.
He said that, at present, the county council felt nothing specific would be done there, but there would be talks with the police and further speed checks. As for the pavement to Deep Lane, there were other priorities.
One of the problems at Stanbury Court was at the back, where there had been a problem for many years, including vehicles parking by the steps and blocking other vehicles in. Perhaps "Keep Clear" could be painted there?
Cllr Way added that at least once an ambulance had not been able to get through. One solution could be to have a designated ambulance parking space, which might help cars using the turning circle.
Moving to Albert Road, Cllr Way said he had been dealing with this as a county councillor "for several months". Some residents had trouble getting out of their drives because the road had been narrowed as part of a development.
One possibility could be to introduce waiting restrictions, but the county council had no funds for the necessary traffic order. He hoped the town council would support residents in asking for this.
He said there had been a problem for some time on Churchill Drive with residents not being able to park because of other vehicles. This was not easy to solve.
It had been felt that at least some of the parked cars belonged to QECC Sixth Formers and the new classroom built on the form quad at the school might not have helped. Again, waiting restrictions were looked at, but there was the same lack of funding.
In response to a query, he said that the police had been asked to keep a check on parking at the top of St Martins Lane.
DOESN'T LIKE IDEA
OF PAYING
Like a lot of market towns, Crediton had a parking problem, particularly near the High Street, said Cllr Way. "When I have talked to county highway officers about this, they have always said to look at the whole town, not things in isolation,," he said.
So he had asked for that week's meeting of Mid Devon Highways and Traffic Orders Committee (HATOC) to look at the county council's plans to introduce pay and display on streets in market towns.
"This has happened in larger towns and a lot of coastal ones," he said. "We have enough problems here for High Street businesses. I would be against bringing this in to our patch," he commented.
Cllr Way added that although HATOC had been told there were no plans to introduce this yet in Mid Devon, it was "being rolled out".
He also said that a lot of people had asked him about provision of residential parking in Crediton but, as that would be issued to a vehicle and not a property, it was not always as good a solution as people thought it might be.
Cllr Way added that HATOC had voted against on-street pay and display being introduced in the three main Mid Devon towns.
DO COMMENT
About half an hour was spent listening to Dave Scott, Mid Devon District Council's forward planning and conservation officer, explain changes in the district councils Allocation and Infrastructure Development Plan Document, arising from the recent public inquiry, with its July 2 closure date for comments.
Mr Scott explained that people needed to consider the implications the changes put forward could have, as well as how ceasing the Regional Spatial Strategy would have little effect because the district council had its own and how a reduction in density of development and discouraging building houses in gardens could affect the amount of land needed in future.
FOR EMPTY SHOPS
Looking at its own plan for the future of the town, the town council agreed to develop a policy to try to find a use for empty shops in the town.
Cllr Way added that the district council's scrutiny committee had agreed earlier this month that its business development manager should find out why shops might have closed.
Crediton Library reopened last month after a major facelift and change around. It now needs £817.12 to encourage new users, especially those who think a Library is only about books.
Beatrice Coveney, senior librarian at Crediton, explained that facilities at the Library can be used to find a job, people can use the Library computers, it was a social place, perhaps local musicians could play there in the evenings, or games for children?
However, it was the £817 start-up cost that was the problem and Mrs Coveney hoped the town council might help.
Cllr David Nation felt it would be money well spent but was surprised the county council was not putting in the money. It should be recognised by the county council as part of its overall responsibility. "Why ask for a subsidy from a poor town council like us?"
Cllr Anne Hughes thought Mrs Coveney's ideas were "brilliant" and Cllr Liz Brookes-Hocking agreed that it was a "terrific initiative."
Cllr Nation wanted to ask the county council why it was not paying before the town council came to a decision whether to give financial support. This will be done.
Cllr Walter Brown added that Crediton Library serviced the surrounding villages as well as the town which was why the cost should be funded by the major local authority.
PLANNING
Councillors objected to a planning application from Reed Construction and Developments Limited of Bow to build seven houses, three coach houses and four flats on land next to the telephone exchange.