Quality

I’m sitting in an NDDC planning meeting and am constantly hearing the phrase “high quality”. It appears that all developments are “high quality”. All I can say is that developers and planners must define “high quality” in a completely different way to everyone else!

Vanishing Cats Eyes

DCC highways department (or rather the outfit they’ve outsourced the work to) have recently re-resurfaced a short stretch of Alswear New Road. This is of course a very good thing given the state of the road.  It’s just a shame that more of it couldn’t have been done. It’s also somewhat short sighted not to have replaced the cat’s eyes.

Perhaps they’re just putting them in later! Although I suspect that’s as likely as this:
Flying Pig

Great Hele Digester Appeal

Unfortunately the Great Hele digester appeal has been allowed – the decision notice can be downloaded here.

I dread to think what this will do to traffic levels and the price of feed for local farmers. The inspector seemed not to be greatly concerned about traffic levels – but she doesn’t have to live with, or pay for, the consequences!

So much for local democracy!

Poor Max

Max With Elizabethan Collar

A double whammy for Max today. Not only did he have to have a general anaesthetic at the vets so he could be neutered, but he also now has to suffer the indignation of wearing an Elizabethan collar for the next few days to stop him worrying the wound.

He’s also got to take it easy for the next few days.  Not much of a problem it you’re an old dog but a bit of an issue for an energetic young puppy!

A Big Thank You

I’d like to say a big Thank You to the paramedics based at the South Molton Community Hospital and to the A&E staff at North Devon District Hospital.

My mother was staying with us over Christmas and the New Year. Last Thursday night she slipped outside our house and fell and bashed her head, which bled extensively.

My wife called 999 and the ambulance arrived within about ten minutes. The paramedics looked after her with a great deal of expertise and compassion and took her to the Barnstaple hospital.

She was seen immediately on arrival and over the course of the next few hours had blood tests, an ECG and CT scans of her head.

All the staff at the hospital were superb, especially Nurse Jonny who made my mother a very welcome cup of tea – served in china rather than plastic.

The only downside was the ambulance ride. Nothing at all to do with the driving skills of the paramedics – no complaints there – but everything to do with the crappy suspension and the not so great roads!

Rugby Club

South Molton Rugby Club are looking to create a new pitch just south of the cemetery and to the east of the community college . This will form part of the mooted sports hub.

It appears that this one pitch will cost almost £300,000 – largely for the purchase of the land.

The club have promises of £110,000 in so-called Section 106 money from North Devon District Council,  £65,000 from the Lottery via Sports England and a further sum from the Rugby Football Union. They are also looking to South Molton Town Council for help.

In the current financial climate is this the best use of public money?

I have to say that I’d rather the money were spent to ensure that the swimming pool can continue to operate. I base this on the grounds that the swimming pool is an amenity for a very much wider group of people. Unlike rugby, it truly caters for all ages and abilities, and is particularly useful for those with disabilities.

 

 

 

Swimming Pool

It appears that a new Swimming Pool manager has been appointed.  She will take up her post on 26 January.

I haven’t had this confirmed by the trustees, and it’s not on their website, but a member of staff told me.

This can only be good news as it means that the staffing levels have increased.  This should mean fewer unexpected closures.

 

Shoddy Pavement Work

You may remember that the Highways Department re-laid the pavement outside the George Hotel round about the time of the August Bank holiday. (See posts here, here, here, and here.)

This work, from the George Hotel to the Museum, cost just under £3,500. The rationale for doing it was “The footways were at safety defect level in that pedestrians were tripping on the uneven surface. Also water was splashing up under the loose slabs.”

Well, surprise, surprise, several of the re-laid paving slabs are already loose with water splashing up under the loose slabs!

I’ve written to Mr  Whitton, Devon County Council’s Head of Highways, Capital Development & Waste. I await his response with interest.

You may think that I’m being extremely petty, but I get very irritated when work is done without any good reason. I get more irritated when the work hasn’t been done properly and doesn’t solve the initial problem.