I note that the Standing Orders refer now to members of the public being permitted to ask only three questions per person within Public Questions. If you intend to enforce this rule, perhaps you would consider the Standing Orders applying to providing Answers to questions asked by members of the public: the Standing Orders documents say that written answers will be provided within 10 working days. The last Answers are to questions raised on 3^rd March. It looks like you’re running about 140 days late on these. When can we expect the answers?

   This topic is being resolved now and updated questions and answers will be updated shortly.

The last item on the Agenda is about starting a new and printed community magazine for Crediton – an idea so good I wished I’d thought of it myself! The last community print publication that you were involved with was the Crediton Visitor Guide. You contributed several hundred pounds to this, taking delivery of around 4,000 copies in the autumn of 2004.

The Crediton Visitor Guide contained advertising in good faith from a good many local businesses – but you have let them down. The Visitor Guide is still languishing, now outdated, in 30 or so (?) unopened boxes stored in your unoccupied offices. You have completely neglected your job in distributing them. My question is: how many copies of Crediton Visitor Guide have been distributed this year; how well do you feel you have done in promoting the economy of Crediton by this publication?

Thanks for raising this topic – the community bulletin is an exciting ventured being discussed by various organisations in the town, but as yet it’s format has not been finalised.

The Crediton Visitor Guide you mention is a publication provided by a third party and delivered in 2024 – there was never any intention to deliver this publication to Crediton residents, it is a guide for visitors, and therefore not having any obligation to “deliver” them anywhere makes it extremely difficult to be “completely negligent in our job”! As well as the physical version the Crediton Visitor guide is also available on the CTC website.

A recent Independents for Crediton meeting endorsed a proposal to keep the High Street pavements free of weeds and dirt. Since early June this has been done consistently to an annual schedule which you have seen - so it is now unlikely that you will spot a weed on the High Street pavements, by kerbs and traffic islands and around street furniture: Would the town council welcome and support this initiative, whereby all parts of the High Street will be swept and weeds removed at least every three months – although we believe this should be a task organised by yourselves or another local authority. To ensure continuity, would the town council consider offering a level of remuneration – similar to that paid to Turning Tides for its excellent work in removing weeds from the Town Square?

CTC applauds all tasks undertaken by the public to enhance the town, and would include such activities as litter picking and weeding. You have mentioned cleaning the High Street and that this should be a task organised by CTC or another local authority. Mid Devon District Council/Devon County Council have some responsibilities for various services and do have operatives and machinery to deliver, but perhaps not as frequently as you/IfC are planning to do. Given the work is already being delivered by another authority there would appear to be no requirement for CTC to pay another body to undertake the work, indeed if it became minded to do so then there would need to be due diligence on the organisation – should IfC wish to have the topic discussed by CTC please discuss with a councillor who is willing to have a motion added to an appropriate committee meeting agenda for debate.

Last year it took seven months to replace a single noticeboard and another five to get the Town Clock fixed. The reasons given included that the Town Clerk did not have either authorisation or budget significant enough to organise either repairs or replacements: What measures has the Town Council put in place to enable the Clerk to be able to get things done in future rapidly and efficiently?

This is an ongoing challenge, requiring budgets to be set at the start of each year that reflect anticipated expenditure while allowing for appropriate contingency.

This is an appropriate way forward to enable there to be sufficient control within the budgets to minimise the precept required. CTC are already considering how best to address this matter for the 27/28 financial year so as to maintain control but also to have the flexibility to attend to “minor issues” in a more practical and timelier manner.

30.03.2026 A report regarding the feasibility review has been received and a report will be added to the agenda on 21 April for council to review and consider options going forwards

04.09.2026 update: a survey has been undertaken and options for the future of OLS are still being progressed.

30.03.2026 Meeting held, and actions agreed to progress the enquiry. Currently awaiting a response from “Together” to understand the need and their thoughts on how to progress.

04.09.2026 update: This a topic being discussed currently between DCC and MDDC – progress will be advised as available.

In November 2021, Crediton Town Council became the first in Devon to be awarded the Quality Gold Award for good practice in governance, community engagement, and council improvement.

This is still proudly displayed on the Council's website. My understanding is that the award is valid for four years. 

Does the Council intend to reapply and, if so, what level of award does it realistically expect to achieve now?

30.03.2026 The intention is to submit the application to Full Council in April in readiness for the application to be reviewed in May 2026.

Response from NALC: Thank you for your query and if you advise the council that’s absolutely fine, as we do allow some leeway between an award lapsing and the removal of the logo from the council’s website and publications etc. We also appreciate there are resources/costs involved, so if we know a future application is on its way then we won’t insist on removal in the near future.  

For your info, the next round of assessments commences in early May (with results in August) so if they’re aiming for that round, I just wanted to manage their expectations on when they will get their results. The deadlines for each round (there are 3 per year) can all be found here: How to apply

04.09.2006 update: a submission was made and a determination will be made by the panel in November 2026.

30.03.2026 Once the building works have been approved and implemented a home for the portrait will be determined.

04.09.2026 update: No change.

30.03.2026 The adoption of Joseph Locke Way by DCC and the Bus Shelter has recently been discussed. A timetable of the phased events will be published in due course by DCC/Tesco.

04.09.2026 update: Residents will be aware of the works undertaken at and around both the Tesco roundabout on the A377 and the length of Joseph Locke Way. It is anticipated that a new Bus Shelter will be installed shortly.

Community
01 April 2025

Mid Devon District Council (MDDC) has seemingly allocated over £200,000 to assist with traffic flow improvements in the Western Gateway, St Lawrence Green, and/or High Street areas. This sum includes approximately £35,000 from McDonald's and over £80,000 from Lidl, as published in MDDC's financial statement in November. Councillor Downes mentioned he was unaware of the specific purpose of these funds as the management falls under the county council. But are any other Town Council members aware of what this money is to be used for?

If the answer to the above question is "no", can I ask why the Town Council is not consulted at all regarding such significant funding decisions that relate to Crediton?

27 October 2025: Discussions are underway to understand what, if anything can be undertaken to facilitate the use of S106 funds in a more productive manner.

30.03.2206 update: Whilst contact has been made with the S106 officer at MDDC there is nothing further to report on this area of allocated funds.

04.09.2006 update: S106 monies are not monies CTC own or control – they are obtained, held and managed by MDDC. CTC will again contact MDDC to understand what can be done to protect these funds and understand their “end dates”, especially in light of LGR.