July Newsletter

We are now also able to confirm that our new Deputy Town Clerk is Jessica Foy. Jessica will be starting with the Town Council in September and we very much look forward to her taking on this pivotal role. Having our new Deputy Town Clerk in place will make a great difference in the work of the Community Development and Environment Committees, and will add support to the strategic development of the Town Council and our relationship with residents and our partners.

As we were in pre-election mode during June, our last Newsletter focussed on the 80th anniversary of D-Day. Thanks to those who gave feedback on that edition. Some commented that it was a fitting tribute to the crucial role the Normandy invasion played in allowing democracies to prevail in the western world, and most salient given it was election time.
As we move on, we are all back into the swing of things post-election, adapting to the new political landscape and carrying on with Council business as usual, on civic, cultural and environmental fronts.

Regarding the Guildhall renovation, the windows in the main chamber have now been repaired and are being repainted. Works to replace the ground floor render on the High Street is underway. Just a note on this, as it may look like little is happening whilst this work takes place and most of the scaffolding remains in situ. However, it takes some considerable time for the render to dry before any further progress can be made. The project as a whole is currently working towards completion by early September.

Our new Mayor Janet Coates will be continuing with the regular Mayor’s column in our local press, which we will also publish in our monthly Newsletters. See below for further details… We’d like to offer a warm welcome to our new Estates Manager Wayne Palmer. Wayne will be joining us shortly and we are all looking forward to working with him.

It’s a quiet time for current events on the Heritage front, but an extremely busy time for future planning.
The biggest project on the horizon, and it’s not far away now, is ‘Railfest’. This is a major exhibition for us where we will be celebrating the 170th anniversary of the Barnstaple to Exeter Line. There will be two exhibitions at The Guildhall including an array of rail related displays. These will take place between 1st and 5th August and highlight the history of the rail travel in North Devon. On the Sunday and Monday there may also be a Victorian Fete in the Pannier Market. Keep in touch with our facebook page where we will update you on progress.

Two sections of Rock Park pathway are due for resurfacing in early August. This includes a section near the play area which is prone to flooding, with measures in pace to help prevent this in the future. Work is also planned on the path that runs parallel to New Road (opposite the Park Hotel). This may cause some disruption, but the contractor is experienced in working around spaces occupied by the public. The work areas will be properly fenced off to ensure safety at all times.

We’ve been invited by the North Devon Coast National Landscape [NDCNL] to share their summer events calendar and are more than happy to do so. Their project ‘Finding Nature’s Footprints’ runs free events for individuals in helping to survey and record local wildlife, as well as carrying out practical conservation around our local coast.
The events will help NDCNL build a better picture of North Devon’s natural environment. All are welcome, with a variety of activities scheduled. Additionally, there is a specific ‘young environment group’ for ages 15-25 aimed at ‘developing skills, knowledge and experience whilst socialising with like-minded individuals.’ Any young person seeking a career in the environmental field should find it really helpful. For details of all the events see the posters.

We have been notified by Wales & West Utilities that some major gas works are scheduled to start this month and run through to early autumn. We don’t have specific details regarding the works other than they involve replacement of gas mains pipes, but are told they are ‘essential’ and will affect Barnstaple town centre. We understand the need to upgrade our town’s infrastructure and are ensured any inconvenience will be as minimal as practicable. A spokesman for Wales & West Utilities said, “Our role is to transport gas to homes and businesses throughout Wales and the southwest of England. In Barnstaple we will be upgrading to longer lasting pipes, which is essential to keep the gas flowing to homes and businesses in the area. We will do all we can to ensure our works are completed as quickly and efficiently as possible”.