What I’d Like to See

  • Clean and tidy streets – vegetation cut back, street signs cleaned.
  • Responsible dog owners and no more dog mess – click here to see a very good letter from James Wooldridge about this.
  • Bicycle stands on the central enhancement. UPDATE: The council are discussing new bicycle stands but haven’t yet decided where they’ll go.
  • Removal of the Christmas decorations after Christmas – in other words make sure they’re not up for the whole of the year. Unlike dogs, Christmas signs are just for Christmas!
    UPDATE: The Merry Christmas sign that was on the Old Post Office has now been removed. favicon
  • More involvement by the Town Council of young people.
  • A far more open and transparent Town Council with a more useful council website. UDPATE This is getting progressively better with more and more information being posted on the web site.
  • Greater use made of the Pannier Market for community events (and the purchase of several hundred folding chairs for use by community groups). UPDATE The new market manager, Matt, is doing a very good job of promoting the Pannier Market.
  • An evening and Sunday bus service to Barnstaple for young people and those who don’t drive, for example to enjoy an evening out at the cinema, to meet friends, go bowling, or visit people in hospital. Also a regular bus service to Tiverton Parkway.
    UPDATE: It would appear that some of the new developments might have to fund increased bus services – details are not yet available. The bad news is that Devon County Council are almost certainly going to withdraw funding for the summer Sunday bus service to Barnstaple.
  • Disabled parking bays in the Square next to the central enhancement.
  • A review of all on-street parking in South Molton. There are currently double yellow lines where they are not needed, and no parking restrictions at all where they are needed.
    UPDATE: It would appear that Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles is hoping to give local people a direct say over yellow line road restrictions in their area and the power to challenge existing council parking policies. The full press release can be read here.
  • A 20mph speed limit in the whole of the town and the purchase of a mobile speed warning sign – have a look here to see what’s been done elsewhere also have a look at this page on my site.
  • More lobbying by the Town Council (and the town’s District and County Councillors) on items of concern to South Molton. For example:
    • the Swimming Pool – UDPATE the Town Council have taken this issue on board and are attempting to work with the trustees to find a solution
    • Beech House UPDATE Unfortunately this will be closing
    • The Youth Resource Centre – UPDATE: This has been taken over by the YMCA at a peppercorn rent
    • High speed broadband – UPDATE It appears that this will arrive in South Molton in October!
    • Road maintenance – UPDATE: This will just get worse! The County Council have no funds available.
    • Community Hospital – UPDATE: A great deal of lobbying has taken place and a final decision won’t be made until December 2015
    • Renal Unit
  • Better gully cleaning – a lot of the drains along the roads (and in the central car park) are clogged with mud and grass.
  • Closure of the lorry park – it’s an eyesore and brings in virtually no revenue to either the town or the District Council.
    UPDATE: Brian Greenslade seems to be amenable to allowing cars and coaches to park here.
  • Improvement of the central car park area – this has been dragging on for years and years and has cast a blight over the whole area. UPDATE: NDDC have allocated £200,000 to have the car park resurfaced. Work is due to take place in June 2015. The downside is that car parking charges will probably go up!

The Truly Independent Councillor

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