WOULD charging to park on Crediton High Street be an economic move for Devon County Council and if you want anything done about potholes, you must report them said county councillor Frank Letch at this month’s Crediton Hamlets Parish Council meeting, held in Crediton. 

Cllr Letch said he had asked how much it would cost the county council to put in charging meters, how much revenue would be created and what it might cost to monitor them and make sure people were paying.  So far he had no answers.

He said Crediton was one of eight Devon towns where this was being considered.  “It is different in a city,” he said.  “Here there is only the one road through Crediton.”

One comment was that this “would finish the town off”.

Council chairman, Cllr John Stevens asked what sort of support had there been for the plan, or against.  Cllr Letch replied that his party (Lib Dem) was against this.

He went on to speak about Devon County Council’s problems with financing children’s service, adding that a new director and deputy director were due to be appointed in March and April.

POTHOLES

On potholes, Cllr Letch advised that the more people reported potholes, the more likely they were to be repaired.

Cllr Stevens said councillors were getting really frustrated over potholes and everyone agreed when he asked people to please hit the county council website and report them.

Several members queried how it was that one pothole might be repaired but others around it were left untouched. 

Cllr Letch said he knew potholes were a major issue with the county council and to be repaired, a pothole had to fit a criteria.

Potholes at Metford Bridge were mentioned as being “horrendous”, right on the edge of the Hamlets and Mid Devon area.  

Cllr Letch pointed out that pothole problems were county-wide, adding “we have made our feelings known.”

When it was said that the county council had paid out £82,000 in compensation for vehicle damage due to the road surface, members wondered how many potholes that might have repaired. 

One way of finding out about compensation would be when you open the county council web page try typing in compensation in the box at the top right.

Another suggestion was to call 0345 155 1004 and report it by phone and ask for an insurance claim form to be sent out.

This was in response to a comment from a member of the public who said she had been driving really slowly because the road was icy and hit such a deep pothole that she had a complete nearside tyre “blowout” and was immediately down to her wheel rim. 

She said she had found the county council website quite difficult to navigate so had not got anywhere with this.

(The county council’s Highway Safety Policy makes interesting reading on the DCC website). 

GARDEN CENTRE

Mid Devon District Council member for the area, Cllr Derek Coren, reported having been invited to see how work at the garden centre at Barnstaple Cross was progressing.  

He said at one time 40 men were working there, and no livestock, fish, rabbits etc, would be sold. 

PLANNING

The council objected to an application for change of use of agricultural land for seasonal tourism and associated works at South West Game Birds, Crediton for Mr A Polhill. 

Councillors felt that the site near Keymelford at Yeoford was a bit exposed and on a steep hill with poor access.

The site was visible from a public road and it was felt that the application did not respect the character of the location.

It was noted that Mid Devon District Council had approved the following planning applications:

Formation of a new vehicle access at Uppauver, Venny Tedburn for Mr P Gillard. 

Erection of stable block and tack room on land and building north of Beare Farm, Crediton for Mr D Morgan. 

Listed building consent for internal alterations including changes to room layouts at Hope Cottage, Uton for Mrs S Butcher. 

Erection of detached garage/store with studio above at Keymelford Farm, Yeoford for Mr T Clarke. 

ADVICE

Having had a request from Citizens Advice, the clerk had been asked to check whether it still had an office in Crediton.  She had found that it was at 100 High Street one day-a-week from 10am-1pm, no appointment needed.

It was said that when Hamlets last gave Citizens Advice funding it had asked that this was specifically used to provide for one day-a-week in Crediton but this had not happened, also that the parish council needed to know it was helping people in its parish.

It did not give a grant because it wanted to be sure the money was helping people in the parish.