South Brent Parish Council has awarded their Community Champion awards for 2021-22; a great way to celebrate the community and raise the council’s profile!

Many councils look for new ways to raise their council’s profiles within their community and South Brent Parish Council’s Community Champion Awards are a great way to do this, while also providing an excellent way to celebrate the community. The council gives two awards, Community Champion and Young Community Champion, with nominations from members of the public.

South Brent Parish Council Community Champion 2021-22

They received two nominations for Community Champion and gave the award to South Brent Pharmacy. Although Community Champion is historically awarded to an individual, the council was so impressed by the community spirit and excellent service demonstrated by the pharmacy, they decided to break with tradition.

The pharmacy is an extremely important facility in the community, giving excellent service with staff of the highest quality. The pharmacist puts himself out to serve the community; during a period of very bad weather, he stayed in the flat above the shop so the pharmacy could open as normal.

South Brent Parish Council Young Community Champion 2021-22

The Young Community Champion was awarded to Holly Chapman-Burden who is part of Dartside Explorers, always giving one hundred percent. She also volunteers as a young leader with the Ivybridge Scout Group, setting an excellent example and taking care of others in the unit.

Pictured (right): Cllr Glyn Richards (Chairman of the Parish Council) and Holly Chapman-Burden.

Pictured (above): Trish Luker, Phil Beard (pharmacist), Cllr Glyn Richards (Chairman of the Parish Council), Rachael Timmins and Russell Porter.

We love reading the ways that councils work with their communities and raise their profiles! NALC’s Points of Light has a range of case studies from across the country of the amazing work councils are doing including other community awards.

Please do take a moment to tell us about what your council is doing.

Following concerns in the community about speeding, Mary Tavy Parish Council have installed a vehicle activated sign on the A386

The council wanted to address the issue of speeding vehicles on the A386, a busy road in the centre of the village. Several residents had contacted the parish council with concerns regarding vehicle speeds on the road which doesn’t have a pavement all the way along. Some parts of the A386 have a virtual footpath rather than an actual pavement and residents that needed to use the virtual footpath felt vulnerable.

A formal public meeting was held (before the Covid-19 pandemic) and was well attended. Parishioners were presented with a series of solutions to the problem including:

• two village gateways (to raise motorist awareness that a village is being entered),
• a community speedwatch scheme and,
• a vehicle activated sign (VAS).

Residents largely agreed that the parish council purchase a mobile VAS. The aspect that appealed most was that a modern VAS could both display vehicle speeds as well as collecting data. The data can be fed regularly to authorities such as Devon County Council and Devon & Cornwall Police as evidence of the speeding problem in the village. 

Once an appropriate make and model of VAS had been decided by the council, they made contact with the Neighbourhood Highways Officer to outline the proposal. As part of the process, the council had to supply a map of potential locations on the A386 for placement of a mobile VAS. The process of gaining approval was very time consuming; it took almost two years to gain the necessary permission from the highways authority to erect a VAS on the A386 despite assurances from the parish council that they would purchase the VAS solely from its own funds, would conduct its own risk assessment, and be solely responsible for maintenance and insurance.

They got there in the end and received permission to erect a VAS at a couple of approved locations on the A386. It was then the clerk’s task to identify the relevant power to purchase and erect a VAS. They knew that they could use section 137(2) of the Local Government Act 1972 but that would use about a third of the council’s section 137 expenditure allowance for the financial year.

The parish council contacted DALC, requesting advice from NALC’s legal team (a free member service) on possible powers. Three possible powers that the council were considering were ruled out:

• the power to contribute financially to traffic calming schemes (Local Government and Rating Act 1997, s.30),
• the power to provide certain traffic signs and other notices (Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, s.72) and,
• the power to spend money on crime detection and prevention measures (Local Government and Rating Act 1997 s.31).

NALC ultimately advised that the council could ask the highway authority (Devon County Council) to delegate its power for the function (of installing and operating a VAS). In the end, the clerk adapted a sample document found in NALC’s ‘Local Councils Explained’ book of an agreement between a county council and a parish council which she asked the highway authority to sign to confirm that, by virtue of section 101 of the Local Government Act 1972, the parish council may exercise the function of operating a mobile vehicle activated sign at locations approved by the highway authority. 

Now the VAS is up and running perfectly and the council has signed documents to show the internal auditor with reference to the power to purchase and install a VAS without touching their section 137 expenditure allowance for the financial year.

Our advice service is available to all our members and, amongst many other things, can help with identifying powers for a council to carry out a service or function. Please just contact us for assistance and we’re happy to help!

Buckland Brewer were delighted to have an excellent turnout for their Climate Change Awareness Day on 23 October.

Buckland Brewer Parish Council held a Climate Change Awareness Day on 23 October to help raise awareness of climate change in the community, and they were delighted to get an excellent turnout. The Awareness Day featured three speakers: Councillor Peter Hames (Lead Member for Climate Emergency on Torridge Council), Frank Benbow (representing the charity Energy 361 and his own parish council in Bratton Fleming) and  Johnny May (Group Secretary for the local Branch of the National Farmers’ Union). All speakers were interesting and informative, prompting some healthy, and sometimes lively, debate.

The event also attracted exhibitors including:

• Blights Motors, who were demonstrating their range of electric cars
• Buckland Brewer’s Community Shop, promoting the benefits of shopping locally
• Torridge Council Recycling
• Devon Wildlife Trust
• Westcountry CSI (The Rivers Trust)

The Westcountry Rivers Trust took the opportunity to promote a scheme to sample and report on water quality in our local rivers. Following the Climate Change Awareness Day, there have been two new local volunteers and, as a result of this event they have heard from two more who would like to get involved.

Exhibitors Blights Motors were kind enough to organise a ‘Guess the Weight of the Electric Car’ competition, raising £51 which has been donated to the Buckland Brewer Education Support Fund.

We love to hear about your projects so please take a moment to tell us what your council has been up to so we can share your story!

Following a request from a 10 year old, Chudleigh Town Council has installed a new pump track to provide a new facility for the community

It started with a written request for dirt jumps from a 10-year-old resident and finished with a fantastic pump track facility for the community.

This £95,000 project was primarily paid for from Section 106 funding that was provided specifically for sports infrastructure. The main chunk of those funds emanated from the Rivendell development. The final chunk of funding was provided by British Cycling following a successful application for £16,000 to the Places To Ride programme. Delivered through a unique partnership between British Cycling, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) and Sport England, the Places to Ride programme has made £15 million available to ensure a lasting legacy in England from the 2019 UCI Road World Championships.

The pump track was designed and installed by Forte Trailscapes. Kye Forte said “Using our many years of experience the track has been designed to make the most of the space adjacent to the play park & concrete skatepark, catering to all abilities, whilst challenging experienced riders & being safe for beginners.

Mayor Martin Tinkler presented Oliver James with a certificate of appreciation nearly 2 years after he wrote to the council, with the request to create dirt jumps in the open space. Stating “it has been a delight for a young person to take an interest in the Town” and that the project “nicely completes the facilities for play, sport and recreation at Millstream Meadow”

Ollie is really delighted with the outcome as he just “wanted somewhere where he could hang out with his mates and ride bikes”. This project has certainly achieved that and more, bringing benefit and enjoyment to the whole community.

NB: Places to Ride is now closed, but there is a new collaboration between British Cycling and Crowdfunder to fund the development or improvement of new or existing cycling facilities and activities in communities across England.

Mayor Martin Tinkler presenting Oliver James with a certificate of appreciation.

Has your council been working on a great project that you would like us to share? Tell us about it!

Mary Tavy Parish Council employed a parish lengthsman to undertake a comprehensive program of roadside ditch, gully and drainage clearance with help from Devon County Council’s Highway Maintenance Community Enhancement Fund

Mary Tavy Parish Council successfully applied for a grant from Devon County Council’s Highway Maintenance Community Enhancement Fund to fund a qualified parish lengthsman to carry out a comprehensive program of roadside ditch, gully and drainage feature (e.g. buddle holes) clearance within the parish over the winter of 2020/21.

Having been contacted by many parishioners with concerns about the flooding of properties from excess surface water due to blocked drainage, the parish council was confident that the program would benefit their community. They were able to estimate that their planned program of clearance would protect at least 34% of parishioners from damage to their homes and possessions as well as harm to health from debris in surface water run-off.

The council consulted extensively with their Devon County Council Neighbourhood Highways Officer on the project to secure his approval. They briefed him on all locations included in the schedule and the potential community benefits. Prevention of excess standing water would also help prevent further deterioration to the country lanes included in the program, allowing Devon County Council to concentrate resources on undertaking essential repairs in the area.

The council had carried out a similar schedule of works during winter 2019/20 so were able to estimate the cost of the works; they applied to the Highway Maintenance Community Enhancement Fund for 50% of the costs, and agreed to fund the rest themselves. They chose a contractor with extensive local knowledge and experience, as well as Chapter 8 training allowing them to work on the roadside. The council noted that the many benefits of the project included:

• helping Devon County Council achieve some of their vision and aims
• providing a service tailored to meet local needs, preventing problems and further expense
• run locally in the way people want

Additionally, the program of works will help build community resilience by preventing some of the problems caused by extreme weather events and flooding such as standing water.

For more information on how the Highway Maintenance Community Enhancement Fund has helped Devon communities, see these case studies. 

Kingsbridge Town Council has been showing Movies on the Square to bring the community together and encourage visitors.

The footage is from their showing of Mamma Mia on Friday 13 August, what a fantastic atmosphere!

Kingsbridge Town Council’s Movies on the Square series is an innovative project to help bring the community together and rebuild the town’s economy post-Covid, which has been a key topic for many of Devon’s councils as restrictions come to an end.

The council had two main aims with Movies on the Square; they wanted to encourage people to arrive into Kingsbridge early on a Friday night to watch the film, helping to give town’s night-time economy a post-Covid boost. The movies were also intended to give both locals and visitors to the town a morale boost, by providing a fun event to enjoy with families and friends in a Covid-safe outdoor space. Many communities are enjoying coming back together to spend time with friends and family, and this one of the fantastic ways that councils can help support that with a joint benefit of boosting the economy. It’s also a great way of showcasing the town itself and using the community square which is accessible to all.

When deciding how to promote the event, the council consciously decided to use their social media rather than traditional press releases in order to appeal to their anticipated audience. As well as using Facebook, the council has an active Instagram page where they can post photos, videos and stories. Their social media has seen lots of engagement, with members of the public excited about the project and suggesting more movies for the future; the council are already keen to continue the movies next year! If you’d like to learn more about how to use social media for your council, why not check out the social media courses in our communications training.

We love hearing your stories, so please do tell us what you and your council have been up to! We’re particularly keen to hear about any summer events that have been running!

Brixton Parish Council has had a busy year with supporting its community during the pandemic and continuing their other projects such as their ‘owl seat’.

Like many other town and parish councils (some Devon case studies here) Brixton Parish Council acted swiftly to meet the demands of the pandemic, and activated its Community Emergency Plan at the time of the first Covid-19 lockdown. The council recruited volunteers to provide a prescription delivery service to people who were self isolating and shielding; volunteer local leaders were alert to any changes in their neighbourhood so they could inform the coordinator of the Emergency Plan or the relevant emergency services if required.  These volunteer services were very much appreciated by the community. A weekly newsletter was produced by Brixton Parish Council updating residents on what was happening as well as signposting to other services like funding, shopping services etc. The Emergency Plan was stood down on the 10^th July 2020 and since then our community has become more self sufficient.

Despite all their work with the pandemic, Brixton Parish Council continued to progress their projects, including:

• improving land at Cofflete Creek, which was purchased by the council in 2019 as an amenity space in the South Devon AONB on the River Yealm for the parish
• restoring a historic dry stone wall along a Public Right of Way
• replacing a major piece of play equipment in one of their play areas
• renovating their ‘owl seat’ (pictured) and stepping stones as part of the village play trail
• working with Yealmpton & Brixton WI and the landowner to agree the site for a seat marking the 100^th Anniversary of the WI on a community path which links the villages of Brixton and Yealmpton.

Brixton Parish Council has been proactive in responding to the Climate Change and protecting our environment agenda. Along with six other parish councils in the catchment of the River Yealm they have set up a Water Quality Group specifically addressing the issue of the spillage of raw sewage into the River Yealm at times of high rainfall. The council held a public open meeting to look at the impact of climate change and what individuals, and the community, can do. One of the outcomes of the meeting is a monthly article in the ‘Brixton Magazine’ with top tips for parishioners to consider in playing their part.  A Bee Friendly Brixton group has been set up to promote pollinating plants and trees across the parish. In collaboration with St. Mary’s Primary School, Sherford School  and Surfers Against Sewage the council is working on two art projects to promote the reduction of use of single use plastics.

During the past year Brixton Parish Council along with their 4 neighbouring parish councils has continued to reduce isolation and loneliness for people living with dementia and their families as a dementia friendly parish council themselves and as a member of Dementia Friendly Parishes around the Yealm. This project has received international recognition.

We love to hear stories from our members that we can share on our website and social media, please do tell us what you’ve been up to!

‘Share in the Square’ picnic benches are providing a safe space for residents to take a break, meet a friend and catch up in Crediton Town Square

In the summer of 2020, Crediton Town Team approached Crediton Town Council regarding the siting of 12 picnic benches on Crediton Town Square.  To celebrate the first easing of restrictions, they were a welcome addition to the town, providing a safe space for people to take a break, meet friends and catch up. The ‘Share in the Square’ initiative was aimed at reducing loneliness and revitalising the town centre.

Building on this, collaborative working between the Town Team, Crediton Arts Centre and the Town Council enabled a schedule of live music on Fridays and Saturdays through the summer.

The impact of such a simple idea surpassed all expectations, lifting the spirits of local residents and visitors, as well as increasing footfall in Crediton’s shops and cafes.

When Christmas 2020 arrived, the Town Council knew that the usual large-scale event could not take place so it was a relief that restrictions allowed for two performances of an adapted Russian folk tale ‘Baba Yaga’ to go ahead.

When speaking about the Christmas 2020 event, Cllr Liz Brookes-Hocking, Chair of the Christmas in Crediton Sub-Committee said, ‘We know how popular the picnic tables and benches have been this summer.  They were a Town Team initiative which the Town Council has been keen to support.  Now, we are keen to see them back for the winter and spring.  We can’t have our usual Christmas lights Switch-on parade but the Arts Centre has come up with an exciting new Christmas in Crediton event for the square.  The tables will provide seating for socially distanced audiences at the outdoor performances of Baba Yaga, a new family show for Crediton.’

Families watching the production of Baba Yaga in Crediton Town Square at Christmas

A second lockdown saw the tables put into storage from January to April, but ‘Share in the Square’ has taken place throughout summer 2021. Coinciding with the Town Council taking ownership of the tables, it contracted The Turning Tides Project to undertake maintenance work within public areas in Crediton, but most importantly Crediton Town Square.

The Turning Tides Project is a non-profit making Community Interest Company that aims to make equal access a reality for people with ‘learning disability’ or ‘autism’ labels, and the partnership demonstrates the valuable contribution that people who are part of The Turning Tides Project can make in the community, when given an equal opportunity.

The Share in the Square initiative has been an opportunity for town organisations and groups to work collaboratively for the good of the Crediton community during a period like no other. Huge thanks must go the volunteers who has made it a success, particularly Rod Brookes-Hocking of Crediton Town Team for initially leading the project, the Rotary Club for providing social distancing stewarding and sanitising in the early weeks and to Jack Robson, Crediton Arts Centre manager for coordinating the event and providing technical support to acts.

We always love to hear stories about what our members are up to. If you have a story to share then please contact us. 

Braunton is buzzing! The Parish Council and volunteer groups in Braunton have been working hard to develop wildflower verges on roads to benefit wildlife.

Braunton Parish Council are encouraging community groups to plant up wildflower verges on their highways.  In 2020 Life on the Verge gifted equipment to the Parish Council which is now loaned out to community groups to help them prepare the ground ready for wildflowers to be planted.   The Council is also increasing the amount of native flora and fauna by leaving some verges to grow naturally. This is a pilot scheme being trialled in areas of Braunton with advice from the Bumblebee Conservation Trust; who particularly want to encourage the now rare Brown Banded Carder Bee and Moss Carder Bee. Both were once common throughout Devon but are now only found in a few of our Coastal Areas. These verges have also been seeded with additional indigenous wildflowers such as red clover, vipers bugloss, greater knapweed, chicory, evening primrose and comfrey all huge favourites with Bees.

Where grass is left to grow longer it provides both shelter and hunting grounds for many beneficial insects, mammals and slow worms (a protected species) who along with the poor hedgehogs unfortunately, all too often, fall victim to the mechanical mower and strimmer. Councils can become a hedgehog hero through the British Hedgehog Preservation Society.

Did you know that many solitary bees as well as bumblebees build their nest on the ground in long grass? Hedgehogs, badgers and birds mop up slugs, snails, worms and insects. Foxes and hawks hunt the small mammals such as mice, voles and shrews which also make their homes in the long grass.  So thank you to long grass and wild flowers, the start of a very important food chain.

To help educate the public and increase our volunteers, the council has put up signage and ran an article in a local monthly magazine explaining what they are trying to achieve by leaving areas uncut and have received an overwhelming positive response from residents and visitors. The grounds maintenance team have found that by only mowing a strip running along pavements and roads to avoid long wet grass flopping into the path of pedestrians and road users, frees up enough time to create and seed, wildflower planting islands at intervals along the unmown verges, as a little extra to what is already there. And it is surprising what is popping up after only two months!

The council would also like to thank Knowle Community Group and Love Braunton for their help in planting up other areas in Braunton.

Saunton Park Residents have planted a fantastic garden along the wide verge on the Saunton Road. This verge is not only pleasing to the eye of all who pass and pause a while, it also feeds the soul and eases the mind with its array of beautiful flowers and gentle hum of attending insects. The wide variety of flowers provides an easily accessible nectar rich banquet for pollinating insects as well as a habitat and refuge for many other beneficial insects. These insects in turn provide birds, bats, small mammals and slow worms with a much needed food source.

All plants on this verge have been grown and donated by local residents and Braunton Parish Council thanks them and the volunteers who have given their time, energy and love to plant and maintain the verge for the enjoyment of the wider community.

Wild About Devon

Devon’s town and parish councils are being invited to join the Wild About Devon initiative including the Devon Parish and Town Council Wildlife Network. This is an excellent way for councils with a focus on the environment to share their experiences and expertise with other councils in Devon. Read more here.