WILL some good ideas fizzle out through lack of bodies, or could Crediton find an unknown source of enthusiasm and help to make sure one fun event happens and there is more safety for the next time the main road through the town was closed.

Crediton Town Council was looking at the future of Christmas in Crediton, when the High Street closes for an hour or so for a big procession prior to the lights switch-on.

At Tuesday’s meeting members also looked at joining Devon County Council’s Road Warden Scheme again with one of the main reasons being to be able to quickly put in a diversion route when the A377 was closed.

It was said that when the police closed the road because of an accident, a diversion was not put in place. If the town council had a Road Warden, that could be done quickly with an approved procedure.

Town clerk, Mrs Clare Dalley, said she was investigating whether the town council could use a part of Devon County Council’s Fordton depot for storing any equipment and materials such as grit.

Because the A377 was a Strategic Route, funding might be available but, as councillors observed, it all relied on someone to volunteer to be a Road Warden.

Cllr Joyce Harris thought people would like to know a diversion could be put in place because the town council received so many complaints of “ridiculous” routes being used.

Members agreed to join the scheme again, having lapsed for some time, and see where it went.

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS

In the lead-up to Christmas, 100 illuminated Christmas trees had been put up through the town through the Christmas in Crediton Committee.

Businesses had been asked to contribute £50 each towards the lights scheme. which included a tree to most.

So far only £1,600 had come in with at least 40 businesses not contributing which rather upset councillors who heard there was “a huge cash shortage.”

The bulk of the work over the past three or four years had fallen on the town clerk and Crediton Arts Centre, at a big cost of time and energy, plus help from Crediton Chamber of Commerce.

Each year the organisation increases, including road closures and finding enough marshals, to the point where both had reached capacity.

The town council could cope with the town square closure but organising the parade as well was too much. Nor did the Chamber seem to have help to spare.

So the town council will talk with Crediton Chamber of Commerce at its meeting later this month to see if Chamber wants the parade to continue and whether it has ideas about how that could be done.

FUTURE

A consultation is currently running into the proposed modification to Mid Devon District Council’s Local Plan Review with an exhibition being held in Crediton on Wednesday, January 25 from 12 noon to 3pm in the Boniface Centre.

Despite it being more than an inch thick, councillors said the document was readable and clear with not a lot about Crediton.

It urged people to call at the town council office on Market Street to read a copy and to go to the exhibition.

Cllr Andy Wyer reminded councillors of the annual meeting of the Newcombes Park Play Area committee and the possibility it could morph into a Friends group.

Cllr Nick Way reported that he would be talking to Mid Devon District Council’s Portfolio Holder for Civil Enforcement (traffic wardens) about when the officers were issuing tickets on a Bank Holiday.

“The few who were on duty that day were, I feel, over the top. The whole point of the officers is to keep traffic flowing.

“In this case at Crediton, most of the shops were shut, traffic was flowing fine and I think the officers should have had a much lighter touch,” he said.

He wondered if this was something the town council could consider when looking at traffic orders.

Cllr Dan Webb reported that a parking space outside the Post Office on Market Street had been designed as a disabled space, surprising people living around that area. He asked if the town council could find out when that was approved.

NEW HOME LOANS SCHEME

Cllr Frank Letch reported having been at a district council meeting that day when members looked at a new home loan scheme being run by the district council in partnership with Wessex Resolutions CIC, a local, not-for-profit lender, for small, short-term loans.

“This is not for the person looking for thousands but someone who wants perhaps £2,000 or £5,000 over, say, five years,” he said.

It is intended mainly to help with repairs and improvements including electrical work or plumbing, updating kitchens and bathrooms, windows, boilers or central heating, roof repairs including thatch.

More information is available from 01823 461099 or visiting: www.wrcic.org.uk or email: [email protected] .

PLANNING

Approval was recommended for a planning notice of intention to remove 12 sycamore trees within the Conservation Area at Crediton Tool Hire, Union Road.

Councillors put forward no objection to an application to build an extension to 31 Winswood.

Planning applications are determined by Mid Devon District Council.

It was noted that permission had been granted for alterations to the access to the upper hall to form a new ramp and stairs at the Congregational Church on the High Street plus Listed Building Consent.

Approval had been granted for Jurassic Coast Coffee Limited to change the use the ground floor of 28 High Street, the former High Street Saver, to mixed use of a shop and cafe. Jurassic Coast Coffee is a Costa Coffee outlet.

Sue Read