DURING this bleak and chilly month there have been several issues raising their heads.

The OFSTED saga continues.

We had expected a full report in October but there were objections from senior officers about the content and attitude of the OFSTED inspectors.

In order to counteract this, Children's Services have received another OFSTED inspection which began on January 13.

We have no report of course; we do not even have a report of the original OFSTED inspection in October.

We shall keep pressing and hope for a positive outcome.

The national issue is the Devolution White Paper which the government is bringing forward. It looks as though district councils will soon be no longer with us.

As a district councillor and a county councillor I have been following the path of both these upper tiers.

The districts have sent a letter to the Minister by January 10 as instructed.

Devon County Council has also sent a letter but with a very different slant.

County had asked for a postponement of the May 2025 elections but this request has been refused and so there is likely to be quite a change in May this year.

The issue is in place of the districts, we will have one or two statutory authorities.

Whatever the outcome, residents must remember that whatever body takes over they will probably only have to be responsible for the mandatory services they have to offer.

What will happen to those other services such as play areas, open spaces and leisure centres will have to be thrashed out.

It is likely that they will be cascaded down to the lower tiers who will then have to precept to pay for them!

I think we all agree that in Crediton we have two jewels in the crown in Newcombes Meadow and the leisure centre (both owned by Mid Devon District Council) and we would dearly want to keep them both.

As the chairman of the main scrutiny committee I have had to attend several budget meetings.

Following the October announcements by the government there were certain changes to predicted budgets.

It seems so far that all officers are happy that they are working towards balanced budgets but it is not an easy process.

The upper tiers of course are limited by how much they can increase their precept.

Whatever they can't find will be passed down to the lower tiers, which are not capped so shall still have to pay, I am sorry!

I attended a very interesting meeting about the new payment system that county is going to bring in fairly shortly.

We are moving from a system called Finest to Unit 4.

This moving over of data and arranging of processes has taken a long time.

It is the responsibility of officers and I am making sure as a scrutiny chair that we keep an eye on all risks.

I am very wary of IT and keep reminding myself of the Post Office Horizon scandal!

At the moment winter means that I will not begin my usual surgeries. I do have a little money left in my locality fund if there is the community projects out there needs some funding.

Cllr Frank Letch MBE

Crediton Rural

Devon County Council