WHEN people drive to catch a train from Yeoford railway station, they usually park on the little car park that had been used for years by people attending the former Chapel. 

Now ownership of part of this car park is going to be taken over by Crediton Hamlets Parish Council, whose members agreed would be a benefit to local residents.   Part of the car park would be maintained by the new owner of the Chapel.

The Trustees of the Chapel were willing to gift this to the parish council if it agreed to accept ownership of the Chapel Cemetery as well.  Councillors agreed to accept ownership of both.  The Chapel Trustees agreed to pay the parish council’s legal fees in each case. 

Yeoford Railway Station. SR 9484
Yeoford Railway Station. SR 9484 (Crediton Courier)

Members said they would like to see the Cemetery used by local people with local people taking an interest in it and helping to keep it tidy. 

BUS SHELTER

Thanks went to Cllr Paul Yarnold for his work in achieving funding for the new village bus shelter built opposite the entrance to Yeoford Meadows and for getting the shelter built. 

Cllr Ruth Vigers echoed everyone when she gave thanks to all the people involved in the bus shelter. 

Councillors spent some time discussing potholes on all roads in the area, some of which had been the cause of accidents. 

Mid Devon District Council member Martin Binks reported on the council’s improved recycling figures. 

He also urged everyone to take time to look at Crediton Town Council’s ideas for the future of the town.  He added that £135,000 had been spent on upgrading the building and equipment at Lords Meadow Leisure Centre which had made “a huge difference”.

FOR RESURFACING

He also spent some time discussing how Class Q should be interpreted in planning issues. 

Devon County Council member Frank Letch reported road closures in the Hittisleigh area in April and again at the end of March, both announcements being on the County Council website.  There was amusement at the county council’s suggested alternative route being via North Tawton, Whiddon Down, Crediton and Copplestone.  

The road from Elston Meadow in Crediton to Yeoford Village Cross will be closed between April 8 and 12 for drainage investigation work.   The website said this work needed to be done in advance of future resurfacing. 

Cllr Letch also reported on changes to HATOC (Highways and Traffic Orders Committee). He also shared a petition against introducing parking meters on Crediton High Street and other roads in the town, organised by the Liberal Democrats. 

YOU’RE WITH US

When the parish council had been judging and delivering prizes for the Christmas lights competition at Westernlea they had been surprised to find several residents had not realised they were part of Hamlets and not Crediton Town.

So letters are being sent to people living in the Hamlets part of Westernlea with information as to who their councillors were and how to contact them.

Hittisleigh Road Warden was thanked for clearing a tree that had fallen during a recent storm.  Members also discussed ideas for recruiting such a person for the Hamlets area.

One idea was the possibility of asking every Hamlets resident to pay £5 per property towards a Road Warden.   

It was asked if anyone nowadays knew where the road drains were and how keeping them clear would help enormously towards keeping the roads clear.  

It was also said that the road at Westwood in Crediton had always flooded and also how important it was to report potholes on the Devon County Council website.

Cllr Edna Beasley reported that two bags of clinical waste dumped in a lane near Yeoford had been cleared by the district council.  Members despaired at how people could think it was alright to dump waste on other people’s land and what would it be like once McDonald’s opened.  

Members also wondered whether it would be worth the district council putting in surveillance cameras at prime dumping spots.

Cllr Ruth Vigers reported on potholes in the Venny Tedburn area that had deteriorated further and commented on the poor quality of the work where a drainage hole had been made into a hedge but only half way or where there had not been one before.   Cllr David Parker reported on the worsening state of potholes in the Hookway area.

Cllr Tony Price reported that a surveyor had been to look at Bell Cottage at Woodland Head, condemning it.   It would seem a thatcher has been contacted resulting in hopes something would be happening there.  

PLANNING

Mr and Mrs Gareth Pennington were given time to speak to the council about their planning application to build a house following demolition of a barn at Rugglestone, Hollacombe.  Councillors supported the application.

It was noted that the district council had given permission for Mr and Mrs A Baxter to build an extension to the first floor and alterations to the roof of 10 Station Road, Yeoford. 

Also to Mr and Mrs Best to vary a condition for the erection of a dwelling following demolition of agricultural buildings on land at Binneford, Yeoford.

The annual parish meeting when members of the public can raise issues and speak will be on Monday, March 4 at 7.15pm at Yeoford Community Hall.   The annual parish council meeting will be on Tuesday, May 7, after the Bank Holiday, at 7.15pm.