By Sue Read

FORTY people prepared to don a high-vis jacket, perhaps wear a fun hat, able to give an hour are needed to act as marshals at Crediton’s Christmas Lights switch-on evening.

The more people there are, the more the time can be shared and they can all watch or take part.

This is on Friday, November 27, from 7pm to 9pm, when there will be a Pied Piper Parade, the High Street will be closed, street entertainers, bands and lots more.

If there are not enough marshals, the event might not happen, it is that serious.

The evening is organised by a sub-group of Crediton Town Council. At this week’s meeting, town clerk, Mrs Clare Dalley, said they were “desperate for marshals”.

“We have 10. We need 40. It is a health and safety issue. If we do not get 40 marshals, the event will not happen - and it will be a great event,” she said.

Mrs Dalley added: “You will get a high-vis jacket, you can wear a hat if you like. We hope people will dress up anyway.

“We need 40 so that the marshals do not miss out on the event, so that they can all do an hour.”

To know more, please contact the town council office on 01363 773717, email: [email protected] or Facebook: /christmasincrediton or check the website: www.crediton.gov.uk .

CRYSTAL BALL

Looking towards next year’s budget, Mrs Dalley told councillors she had kept a list of what they had said through the year they wanted to protect - public services, open spaces and such.

She wanted her councillors to think about priorities. For instance, the council office building, the police station, library, the £13,000 to keep the public toilets open, between £4,000 and £10,000 for the youth service, about £4,000 a year to look after public open spaces, and more.

Councillors would be sent the full list so they have time to think before the town council’s budget meeting.

It was said that a lot of these services would have been provided by the district or county councils.

What would parish councils pick up as there was no longer the government grant to major councils?

“You almost have to second guess which services will go,” was one comment while another councillor was “very wary of offering to take over what the district council should not be dropping in the first place.”

When Cllr Liz Brookes-Hocking said it would be good to have an idea of what the county council might do, she was told “a crystal ball could help.”

It was also said that people often get muddled up over which council does what and when protesting should really get it right and not just say “the council.”

PLAY AREAS

A plea to keep the Beech Park play area is to be made to Mid Devon District Council.

The town council had already agreed to look at leasing from the district council as public open space the play areas at Fulda Crescent, Greenway and Spinningpath Gardens.

It had asked the district council why it had put forward closure of Beech Park play area.

However, the town council felt its question had not really been answered, nor had the district council explained why there were two play areas at Queen Elizabeth Drive, one with no equipment.

Why not close one and keep open the one on Beech Park, they asked. Surely it could not cost more to run than Beech Park.

It appeared that while people living near the other play areas had been consulted, this had not been done at QE Drive.

It was said that Beech Park was used a lot and if the district council wished to get rid of one of the play areas, it should be the second one on QE Drive.

HELP FOR SHOPS?

Cllr Bill Dixon wanted to know whether Mid Devon District Council would be thinking about the possibility of reducing business rates, especially on empty premises, for Crediton, as has been done by some other councils?

It was felt there should be some flexibility and that the district council should liaise with the town council over business rates in the town.

It was said there were many premises where the business rates were higher than the rent.

Perhaps the town council could liaise with Crediton Chamber of Commerce. There was also a query whether anyone knew what the district council might do with the money it collected through business rates?

COUNCIL OFFICE

Town council chairman, Cllr Frank Letch, said that when he heard about the proposed closure of Mid Devon District Council office downstairs he was “not happy.”

He had contacted the district council and been interviewed on Radio Exe. “This could cause havoc in the town,” he said. “The Post Office is next door, people tend to go to one then the other.

“Nor would it affect just the people of Crediton. This office also serves the villages around,” he added.

AROUND THE TABLE

Members agreed to be responsible for the installation of a totem pole memorial by 1st Crediton Scouts for Samuel Crocker at a cost of £200 plus vat.

This would be at the Peoples Park Scout Memorial Garden and be between 6-8 feet high.

Going around the table for items not raised as part of the main meeting, Cllr Dixon wanted to know what the police intended to do with the police station after its closure.

Cllr Dan Webb reported that the Farmers’ Market Association had asked if there was any where its awards could be displayed? The latest came from Taste of the West as best South West Farmers’ Market.

Cllr Nick Way, also a county and district member, reported on the previous evening’s meeting of the Friends of Crediton Library when there had been discussion about possibly sharing the space with the Children’s Centre.

He said the Friends had been concerned about losing space, reduction in the number of books and computer space, especially when remembering Crediton’s is one of the most used libraries in the county.

Councillors agreed the risks to the future of the library were not worth it and that the library “had been railroaded.”

DOES CREDITON SHARE?

Reporting on a recent meeting of the Mid Devon HATOC (Highways and Traffic Orders Committee), Cllr Way said that vehicles parking on pavements had been raised.

One of the places where this was a problem in Crediton was Park Street. Cllr Way said he had received “several complaints” about this.

It was possible the civil enforcement officers could be given powers to act on this.

He was also asked to check the rumour that Crediton could be going to have to share its civil enforcement officers with five or six other towns.

It was reported that the bus shelter beside the War Memorial on Union Road would be cleaned for the November 8 Remembrance Parade and laying of wreaths.

The Garden of Remembrance would be dedicated at Crediton Parish Church at 11am on Saturday, October 24.

Cllr Way asked for the state of white line road markings, including the zebra pedestrian crossing on East Street, to be an item for the next town council meeting.

Overhanging brambles were becoming a bit of a problem in some places. In this case, tell the town council office who can report back to the county council right away.

Cllr Dixon wondered if there was any chance of a sign post going up to show where St Lawrence Chapel was.

He said it was part of the town’s heritage and probably not sufficiently appreciated because people did not know where it was.

PLANNING

Approval was recommended for a planning application to convert a storage building to residential annexe at Pownes House, 52 High Street and for Listed Building consent.

There were no objections to the following planning applications: erection of a conservatory and perimeter wall at 3A Okefield Road.

Erection of a porch, new windows and internal alterations at Universal Office Solutions Limited, Marsh Road, Lords Meadow Industrial Estate.

Erection of a two-storey extension following demolition of the existing extension at 17A Mill Street.

A revised outline application to build three dwellings at Orchard Cottage, St Lawrence Green, was deferred for a site visit.

Planning applications are determined by Mid Devon District Council.

Among its recent approvals was one to fell seven Holm Oak trees in the Conservation Area at 3 Taw Vale Terrace.

Refused was an application for the erection of a dwelling at Orchard Villa, 4 Threshers. Reasons included how it would affect the area.