A379 at Frogmore to reopen for the weekend

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From Councillor Julian Brazil

A379 Closure (Frogmore) Update
The road will be open for the weekend (from 4.30pm today Friday 11th November). It will close again on Monday morning (14th November).
I’ve visited the site on a number of occasions. They have been making steady progress and it is hoped the road will be opened permanently earlier than planned. Please remember to drive with care and consideration and try to avoid Sherford. Thank you for your patience.

Possible closed parking at Mill Bay, and disruption to coastal footpath

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from the National Trust:
“we will be carrying out some essential tree safety work, required due to Ash dieback disease, at Mill Bay car park and along the South West Coastal Path from the car park. The work will be carried out by an arboricultural contractor who will be on site on Monday 14th and Tuesday 15th November.
The car park will remain open but there may be some areas of the parking closed to enable them to carry out the work, the majority of the work will be along the SWCP, again the path will remain open but there may be some temporary interruptions while they carry out the operations.”

Bird Flu Detected in the Area

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Bird Flu has been detected in our area. In order to avoid spreading it, the advice from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the Animal and Plant Health Agency is:

  • keep to the footpath;
  • keep dogs on leads;
  • do not feed wild waterfowl;
  • do not pick up, or touch, dead or sick wild birds;
  • do not touch wild bird feathers, or surfaces contaminated with wild bird droppings;
  • if you keep poultry or other birds, wash your hands and clean and disinfect your footwear  before tending to your birds.

Avian influenza (bird flu) is a notifiable animal disease.

If you suspect any type of bird flu in poultry or captive birds you must report it immediately by calling the DEFRA Rural Services Helpline on 03000 200 301.

You should call the DEFRA helpline (03459 33 55 77) if you find:

  • one or more dead bird of prey or owl
  • 3 or more dead gulls or wild waterfowl (swans, geese and ducks)
  • 5 or more dead birds of any species

More information may be found at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/avian-influenza-bird-flu

Proposed 18 month temporary road closure

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On 24th October 2022, Devon County Council have issued a notice of the temporary prohibition of traffic from Monday 7th November 2022 until Monday 6th May 2024 on the unmetalled, unclassified road (number 302) from the gateway above Waterhead Cottage to the Waterhead Creek Foreshore.

Further information may be obtained by contacting Public Rights of Way on 0345 155 1004

The alternative route is shown in the plan linked below,

  • via road 302, East Portlemouth,
  • road C251 (East Portlemouth to Chivelstone Road),
  • minor road P2710 (Road Junction near Devonshire Bridge to Gullet cross),
  • minor road P2527 (Gullet Cross to Gullet Farm Entrance),
  • unclassified road 301 South Pool,
  • and the unclassified road 302 East Portlemouth and vice versa

East Portlemouth uUCR 302 Closure & Diversion Plan

“Energy Wise Show” to help communities with energy crisis

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On 22nd October, Totnes Climate Club released:

On the 29th October, there will be an “Energy Wise Show” in Totnes Civic Hall (TQ9 5SN). This is being created with the help of Transition Town Totnes, Citizens Advice, various local charities, organisations, community energy groups, businesses & with the support of Totnes Town council’s Paige Adams Trust.

The aim of this event is to help our local communities to better cope with the energy & cost of living crises that are fast encroaching. There will be energy advisors, talks, retrofit advisors, solar panel fitters, insulation advisors, carbon ambassadors, community energy groups & good people to meet & chat with. There will also be coffee & tea. The event is free.

There will be a lot of information & advice that could be really useful both for your parishioners and also for local councils, as there are a couple of schemes that Devon County Council is backing to help parishes to be able to adopt community energy projects at the local level. To this end, I would like to invite and encourage you to come along and learn about the opportunities that are now available.

Poster for the Energy Wise Show

Garden Waste Collections in the South Hams

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From South Hams District Council

Garden Waste Collections in the South Hams

South Hams District Council has agreed that residents wanting to have garden waste collections should be charged £49 per year from spring 2023, with the current service to end on 31 October.

Against the backdrop of rising costs and continued national driver shortages, the Full Council came to the decision yesterday (22 September) to cease the existing service and launch a paid subscription service next spring.

The Council has been looking at every option to ensure that the core waste and recycling collection service can remain as smooth as possible when it comes back in-house on 3 October.

As well as easing financial pressures, ceasing the garden waste collection service from 31 October will also ease pressure on the core waste and recycling collections, helping to keep those as stable as possible in the early months of the transition. The Council will empty all brown bins on their last collection day in October.

For many years the Council had been able to provide the garden waste service without charging a subscription fee but doing so from spring 2023 will bring them in line with most other districts in Devon, who already charge for garden waste collections. Plymouth City Council recently took the decision to end their garden waste collections early this year to ease their own budget pressures.

What does this mean for residents?

The garden waste collection service as it exists now will cease on 31 October.

In the coming days, residents will be sent a letter with further information, including how to sign up to the new paid subscription service, once it is available.

For those who decide to not sign up for the service, they can take their garden waste to all three recycling centres in the South Hams. Full details, including opening hours, are available online here: www.devon.gov.uk/wasteandrecycling/centre

Alternatively, people can find out more on home composting possibilities here: www.recycledevon.org/in-the-garden/how-to-compost

Changes to Waste and Recycling Collection Day

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South Hams District Council have informed us that, due to the Bank Holiday for the State Funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, there will be changes to the waste and recycling collections next week (w/c 19 September).

Waste Collection image

More information about your waste and recycling collection day may be found at:

Find you Recycling and Waste Collection Day

Monday 19th September to be a Bank Holiday

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From Devon County Council, on behalf of the government

Monday 19 September will be a bank holiday

 

Bank holiday announced for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s State Funeral

The government has announced that Monday 19 September, the date of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s State Funeral, will be a national bank holiday.

This will allow individuals, businesses and other organisations to pay their respects to Her Majesty and commemorate Her reign, if they wish to, while marking the final day of the period of national mourning.

Please visit the government’s website for more information.

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

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It is with great sadness that we have learned of the death of Her Majesty the Queen. Our condolences are with the Royal Family and all who mourn her.

There is a book of condolence in St Winwaloe’s Church which you might like to come in and sign; or just come in and sit for a while. All are welcome, regular churchgoers or not.

Plans for commemorative services within the Benefice and events to mark the death of Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II, and the Coronation of King Charles III, will be updated on the website during this period of national mourning.

Further news about waste and recycling

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From South Hams District Council

South Hams District Councillors are to consider whether the Council should cease its free garden waste collection service from 31 October and start charging £49 per year for an 11 month fortnightly garden waste collection service from spring 2023.

Against the backdrop of rising costs and continued driver shortages nationally, the Council is looking at every option to ensure that the core waste and recycling collection service can remain as smooth as possible when it comes back in-house on 3 October.

The Council will inherit increased operating costs and have to contend with inflation in the price of fuel and wages, as well the need for additional resources. Introducing a charge for the garden waste collections – a discretionary service, not a statutory one – would ease the overall cost pressures on the Council.

As well as easing financial pressures, ceasing the free service from 31 October would also ease pressure on the core waste and recycling collections, helping to keep those as stable as possible in the early months of the transition.

Previously the Council has not charged for the service, but if the Council decides to do this in future, it would bring them in line with most other districts in Devon, who already charge for garden waste collections. Plymouth City Council recently took the decision to end their garden waste collections early this year to ease their own budget pressures.

Councillors will consider the decision at next week’s meeting of the South Hams Executive on 15 September. Should the Executive agree to the plans, they will be deliberated for final approval at South Hams’ Full Council meeting on 22 September.

Cllr Keith Baldry, South Hams Executive Member for the Environment, said: “When the Council decided to bring the waste service back in-house, that comes with the reality of increased costs. With such high inflation, we’ve been left with no choice but to consider every way we can to balance the budget.

“A paid garden waste collection is one way we might be able to achieve that. As well as balancing the books though, this is also about ensuring that our statutory services, the core waste and recycling collections, can run as well as they possibly can when the service comes back in-house.

“However, we want to keep running the current free service into the autumn, so that our residents have a chance to clear their gardens ahead of the colder months ahead.

“Compared to what private companies charge for collections, a £49 annual fee represents good value for money.

“Stopping the free service in November and replacing it with a paid service in the spring are steps that the Executive will carefully consider next week. This will not be an easy decision either way and one that residents can know will be taken with the utmost thought and deliberation.”

Residents can take their garden waste to all three recycling centres in the South Hams. Full details, including opening hours, are available online here: https://www.devon.gov.uk/wasteandrecycling/centre/

The Council is also investing £200,000 in new community composting sites, which should offer many residents an alternative to garden waste collection, and potentially lower the environmental impact of the collection service.

The Executive will debate the topic at their meeting on 15 September at 10 a.m. You can watch the meeting live on the Council’s Facebook page and YouTube channel:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/southhamsdistrictcouncil
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/SouthHamsCouncil

Keep up to date on the latest here: https://southhams.gov.uk/recyclingwaste