West Down Village Forum Notes
West Down Village Forum held on 25th July 2024 in West Down Parish Hall
Present: Carole King (Chair), Gaynor Isaac, Keith Oades, Terry King, Ian Davies, John Stainer, Jan Oades, Ness Hunt, Mike Reeves, David Ayres, Gill Livings and Susi Batstone.
Organisations represented by the above were: Parish Hall, Village Park, Parish Council, Community Shop, Gardening Club and Women’s Institute.
Apologies from: School (PTA); St Calixtus Church; Sue Ayre (Chair Parish Council), Catherine Williams (President Women’s Institute), John Whitby (Chair Community Shop).
For Parish Hall: David Ayre handed out the Autumn/Winter programme. There will be Coffee Mornings on the first Thursday of the month over the winter, (except December). The Hall now has a TV Licence to enable big screen showings of sports matches etc. The old upholstered chairs are in storage in Terry King’s barn – they need to be disposed of if there are not any takers. The shop and the Hall are participating in the Community Lottery, and proceeds are coming through. Dave and Ronnie Maidment are maintaining the village website, so please send information about events and news.
Terry King mentioned that fund raising had become more difficult as the Crown now offers regular entertainment events. The extension project to increase the stage space and access, and provide more storage and changing areas for productions is moving forward – the plans are drawn up and planning permission has been granted, so funding is the next hurdle. Regular groups include the Art group, Quilting, WI, Karate and the Gardening Club. The hire charge for this Hall includes costs that other halls add on top. John Stainer said that the cleaning charges will reduce following the reduction in bookings due to Covid. The cleaner also carries out H&S checks after each hire. David Ayre mentioned that the running costs are difficult to reduce significantly – for example the electrical distribution needed upgrading and re-certifying recently.
For West Down Community Park: John Stainer is working with other park Trustees and John Whitby and the shop committee to plan the Village Fete, Dog Show and Fun Run on the 25th August. Gaynor Isaac wanted to know if stalls would be available to vendors or organisations outside the Parish – she thought it was for locals only and Tasha Hookway is publicising the event. Mike Reeves clarified that the policy had been revised, that village organisations could have a free stall, but other stallholders would be charged £10. The availability and cost of tables was discussed. The application forms are being prepared by John Whitby who is currently away.
Financial responsibility for the Air Ambulance Light has been accepted by the Parish Council and a new agreement will be put in place between the PC, the Park and Air Ambulance charity to clarify maintenance. The replacement of the second bank of lights is being undertaken, but the site is still usable with one or no lights.
The Park is still short of Trustees, but the maintenance Team has some new faces who are getting to grips with the machinery and the cutting regimes. John feels that there is a lack of awareness by users of the fact that the community is responsible for keeping the area usable. Improvements to the entrance signs are needed and the display of a QR code to link to Park news or notices is being implemented.
Keith Oades advised that there is one vacant allotment and the current plot holders have set up a WhatsApp group which is fostering more co-operation between them.
For the Parish Council: Mike Reeves explained work being carried out by the Emergency Planning team, who have published their draft on the Parish Council and Village websites. CERT (the Community Emergency Response Team) has Andy Odell and Nigel Tinsley-Such heading it up – both are ex Police Officers. A Desktop exercise was carried out in March to practice scenarios and the proposals are now nearly ready for circulation. The PC has been awarded £1400 for items like High Vis vests, road signs and cones. A live exercise is being planned and an ‘out of village’ shelter premises may need to be designated. Carole and Terry King offered their storage barns for consideration if needed. Carole also offered some mobility equipment, which could be useful.
Mike explained that the PC are taking over the lease of the Thorne Park car park from the District Council once outstanding maintenance matters have been resolved. The PC maintains 14 registered Footpaths, receiving some funding from PROW.
The installation of a moveable reactive speed sign is being pursued – the reduction of the speed limit to 20 mph would not be possible under the current points system. It will be battery operated and be able to be deployed in three different locations. JS asked if the promised rumble strips (part of the Acorn agreement) at Farriel Lane junction with Ilfracombe Hill would ever materialise – Mike explained that the Planning Department had omitted to specify this on the planning permission and therefore it was not going to happen, along with the two width reductions of the road which would have slowed traffic down.
The PC small grants submissions will be open soon, details on the PC website.
There will be a ‘village Tidy up’ between the 5th and 11th August – tackling weeds, litter, signage etc – please take photos for publication as there may be prizes!
The Parish Clerk is retiring at the end of September, the position will be advertised shortly – 26 hrs a month, working from home with meeting attendance. There is still one Councillor vacancy and the precept is now levied on approx. 350 households.
For the Community Shop: Ness Hunt reported that the shop would still like more volunteers and is advertising for a weekend assistant as the current ones are off to University. The yellow newsletter for July is nearly ready to go out. Cost of stock is still rising, the shop is running at a loss and overheads are being tackled – Ness is now part time. Please support the shop! CK complimented the window displays, which Ness explained were the work of one of the volunteers.
For the Gardening Club: Jan Oades spoke – there are 60 members and the club now gets a mention in the Braunton Clubs and Communities directory which is produced every six months. Recently a trip to Clovelly Court garden was enjoyed and 39 have already signed up for the 2025 holiday to Bournemouth Area.
For the WI: Gill Livings invited ladies to meetings which are held at the Hall on the second Thursday of the month, 2-4 pm. Guest speakers are usually present. On the fourth Thursday there is a Craft group which meets, some of their greetings cards will be on sale in the shop.
To close, Carole thanked all the attendees for their public spirited contributions to village life and thanked Susi Batstone for taking notes.
West Down Village Forum held on 15th November 2023 in West Down Parish Hall
A Village Forum was held on 15th November in the Parish Hall, the representatives from the following organisations attended: –
Community Park
West Down Parish Hall
West Down Women’s Institute
Community Shop
St. Calixtus Church
Parish Council
Gardening Club
Emergency Planning
The following topics were discussed.
Community Park
The representative from the Community Park thanked the Parish Council for the funding that had enabled the establishment of a useful diversity of planting, the trees and wetland area greatly enhanced the facilities of the Park. The Parish Hall was also thanked for helping with the re-location of the Fair that took place in May, providing the facilities enabling the Women’s Football Final to be enjoyed. It was stressed that the Community Park was owned by the village and, consequently, all maintenance etc. was the responsibility of the village. Two new volunteers with the necessary skills and experience had been recruited and given the training needed to help with the maintenance.
Work to remove and re-connect the overhead cables was nearly completed. This ensured that the hazards previously presented by the overhead cables for kites etc., were removed and an electricity supply to the container was established to assist with field maintenance. It was hoped that liaison with other organisations could be further established to assist with event planning. The Community Park owns marquees, gazebos, chairs and tables that can be made available for loan/hire.
New goalposts had been provided, replacing the smaller ones. It was gratifying to note that they are in constant use, even in adverse weather conditions and a football team is being organised. There was some discussion about the traditional Boxing Day football match. The issue of dog fouling was raised and it was noted that most dog owners are responsible, but closer monitoring is needed to identify the others. This is particularly important in the children’s play area due to the health hazards that dog excrement poses.
The allotments were popular and two that had been neglected were to be cleared and re-allocated. It was noted that surplus produce from the allotments was routinely given to the Community Shop. This was much appreciated.
West Down Parish Hall
The Parish Hall was said to be in good shape, with an excellent and enthusiastic committee. Additional members are always welcome. Latest improvements include led lighting inside and out, enhanced Wi-Fi and a new path leading to the kitchen area. New plans include a hedge bordering the car park and a wildflower area. An extension to the back of the hall is also planned, this will increase the much needed storage area and will allow access to the stage from both sides. Grants are continually sought to fund improvements. Owing to a traffic accident involving the promoter, the ferret race has had to be postponed. A Christmas Fair will be held on 2nd December in the Parish Hall. Attractions will include refreshments, games, an elf on the shelf and a huge raffle, with prizes including £100 worth of alcohol. All the prizes have been generously donated to support the hall. Pre-event raffle tickets will be sold in the Community Shop. An offer to organise a visit from Father Christmas was made and gratefully accepted. Events in the New Year will include the re-scheduled Ferret Race and a quiz.
It was stressed that all the improvements to the hall have been paid for by obtaining grants and fund raising. The rise in hall charges was due to the increase in costs, such as energy and wages and contributed to the running of the hall and not to improvements. ‘Start-up’ organisation are offered reduced rates to help them into viability.
Committee members attend ‘Hall Share’ meetings, visiting halls in other villages and sharing best practice. It was noted that the West Down Hall offered competitive rates and organisations from other areas such as Braunton, used it, appreciating the ease of parking and the facilities.
West Down Primary School
Raffle tickets are currently on sale at the school and at Jewsons. The draw will be held on 5th December. A Christmas Fair will be held in the Parish Hall on Saturday, November 25th. There will be music, stalls and a grotto. Everyone is welcome.
West Down Women’s Institute
The Institute meets monthly in the Parish Hall and has 23 members. New members are always welcome and can attend as guests initially. There is a varied programme of speakers, covering topics such as nature, local history and health. A craft group also meets monthly, sharing expertise and learning new skills. It is a national organisation and as such has an important role in bringing issues to the attention of the public and government. Recent resolutions have included, clean rivers, microplastics, violence against women and modern slavery. A birthday party to celebrate the 75th year of the West Down institute was held recently, with guests from other institutes and music provided by Maggie Foster and Graham Ramsden. Everyone enjoyed this immensely.
Community Shop
A new manager has been appointed after the previous manager left to take over The Crown. A new weekend assistant has also been appointed. The Committee is working to reduce overheads and an Extraordinary Meeting of shareholders is planned. Volunteers are needed for a variety of roles and it was stressed that the community needs to use the shop if it is to survive. Just a few purchases every week would enable this important community asset to continue serving the community. Recent fund-raising initiatives have included – ‘guessing the weight of the pumpkin’ and making bats for Halloween. More fund- raising events are planned. It was noted that the shop helps local organisations by selling tickets for functions, producing a newsletter and sharing important information on services.
St Calixtus Church
The church is currently without a vicar and it was explained that interviews for this position are currently ongoing. The new vicar will be based at Heanton and will be responsible for three churches. There is a full Christmas programme, including Carol Service, a Crib, and services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Full details of these are on the church pages of the West Down website. Although attendance was good at the recent Service of Remembrance, numbers are low and parishioners are urged to ‘use it or lose it’. The state of the grass was a cause of concern, this was due to a gap between contracts and the wet weather. It was explained that the church is financed by parishioners and recent problems with the ceiling have not helped the financial situation. The Gift Day will be reinstated in the summer. It was noted that there are vacancies on the PCC and church wardens are also needed. The church is available to be used for functions as long as these are respectful and suitable.
The Iron Room has had to increase the cost of hire due to rises in fuel etc. Due to dry rot, it will be necessary to put a temporary floor in the kitchen. The ‘Warm Space’ initiative had been very successful last year and it was hoped that it would be possible to provide this again in the early months of next year.
Parish Council
There is currently a vacancy on the Parish Council, it is important that there is a full complement of Councillors to enable effective operating. Parish Council meetings are attended by County and District Councillors on a regular basis. It was explained that the Parish Council is responsible for 14 footpaths and also provides the village with the defibrillator; dog excrement bins and grit bins; salt and grit distribution; maintenance of bus shelters and the provision of small grants to local groups and organisations. Financial support is also currently provided to subsidise room hire charges for the Outreach Post Office at the Parish Hall.
Over the last two years 20k has been obtained in grants mainly from our District and County Councils enabling benches to be given to the community, planting to be undertaken in the Community Park, support to assist the West Down Community Land Trust and for substantial repairs and maintenance of local footpaths. To celebrate the Platinum Jubilee, a tree with a plaque was donated to the Community Park. The Parish Council has a comprehensive website which includes the minutes of meetings.
Gardening Club
Has been going for twenty-three years now and has around sixty members coming from various local areas. They have a variety of speakers at their meetings but it is becoming increasingly difficult and expensive to find speakers willing to travel to North Devon due to fuel costs. Holidays have also been arranged for members and in future this will done using the holiday services provided by Filers. The programme for next year will be available on the West Down website. A Christmas lunch has been arranged at the Imperial Hotel in Barnstaple.
Other organisations are also finding the provision of speakers a problem and it was suggested that information was shared on this.
Emergency Planning
Delegates are currently meeting to finalise the Emergency Plan. A letter is to be sent out to the community very shortly seeking information on what expertise, equipment and facilities are available. Volunteers will be recruited to facilitate incident control and evacuation in the event of an emergency incident. There will be a Community Meeting on 15th January to provide information on this and a Table Top exercise is planned for 9th March. This will provide a variety of scenarios in order to investigate problems and possibilities arising from such incidents. It will also be necessary to discover the location and needs of vulnerable people in the community, this will need to be done in a way that is sensitive and confidential. These measures were considered necessary in view of the recent unforeseen pandemic.
Summary
The various organisations agreed to continue to share information on events and resources and were reminded that the West Down website contains a ‘Forthcoming Events’ section. It was important that this was used and its existence publicised.