Modbury residents mount demonstration over new housing scheme

Dartmouth Chronicle (30/5/09)

OUTRAGED Modbury residents mounted a demonstration in the town on Tuesday morning over ‘a lack of consultation’ on a new housing scheme.

The demonstration intentionally co-incided with a council meeting at Modbury Memo-rial Hall, which addressed a proposal to build 50 houses in the town. Residents also raised issues about the way two meetings, on Monday, June 8, and Tuesday, June 16, were conducted.

Over 50 people and 10 vehicles – including two tractors – were involved in the protest march, which began in Poundwell Square at 8.30am. The demonstrators marched through the streets armed with hooters, sirens and anything that made a noise. They reached the hall by 8.45, where they had a minute’s noise, with klaxons, car horns and hooters.

A representative from the Prince’s Foundation Trust came out to meet them with Lee Bray, the head of community regeneration at South Hams Council. The demonstrators had many questions but received few answers from the representative who – according to protesters – called them ‘a rabble’ and ‘a mob’ and refused to speak to them as a group. No one else was available – despite over 40 people being present at the meeting inside.

Sue Sturton, one of the demonstration organisers said: ‘The representative from the Prince Foundation Trust was very rude to us and was clearly someone who had no idea of the importance of the matter.’ Nigel Owen was chosen to speak for the group and invited into the meeting to ‘observe’. He said after the first session that the feedback gave a greater idea of the development framework, which was helpful.

The demonstrators had also produced a 500-name petition against the framework. Joanna Owen, another protester said: ‘We have had trial by Telegraph. This is trail by Modbury. We have had enough of this lack of transparency!’ She added: ‘We are only doing this because we feel passionately about the lack of democracy over the subject.’ Ms Sturton added: ‘We are all in support of change, but not like this.’ She said the development framework process should go back to square one and start again with proper community involvement and feedback. Simon Davies agreed Turn to page three From page one saying: ‘The time scale on the plans is ridiculous. There is still time to go back.’

The demonstration follows on from a parish council meeting on Monday, June 8, which was attended by over 60 people from the village. However, due to the size of the hall, many had little option but to stand outside, where they could neither hear nor be involved in the proceedings. Sue Sturton said the information provided to residents about the proposal was vague and better information from the parish council would have helped residents to understand the plans. Eventually, after an hour of discussion, several concerned parish councillors agreed to postpone the Monday night meeting and move the topic to a public meeting.

The parish council meeting is now set for June 19 at 7.30pm in the Memorial Hall. If people cannot make the meeting but would like to contribute, they can write to the parish council office or contact Sue Sturton.

Local Land Owner urges owners to Control Dogs !!

Ive just taken on the field 07 in Modbury at the top of Galpin Street, we cut it and baled the grass over the last few days and we where not impressed by the amount of dog walkers using our field as a dog toilet.

On Tuesday 16th june we counted atleast 5 lots of dog owners allowing there dogs off the leads.
There are clear Devon County signs reminding owners to keep there dogs under control and not to stray off the path, not one of the dog owners cleared up after there dogs.

We will be putting livestock on the field of the weekend 20th june and we expect all dogs to be kept on leads. We would like the owners to know that we have the right to shoot any dogs upsetting livestock.

I will be contacting SHDC about getting a poo bin put at the entrance to the field and i also expect dog owners to clear up after there dogs.

Im a dog owner myself my kennel prefix is Dodgewells we show/work our dogs worldwide so please dont think im anti dog.

Bernadette Mcmanus

RYA Day Skipper shorebased course

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Website: www.sail-west.co.uk

Digital TV Switch Over Aug/Sept 2009 in Modbury (Analogue to be switched off)

On the 12th August 2009 BBC2 analogue will be switched off. You will need to have digital receiving equipment in order to pick up BBC2.

On the 9th September 2009 the remaining analogue channels are switched off. You will need to have digital equipment in order to pick up all available digital channels.

Further information regarding the switch over from Analogue to Digital TV can be found at the following website. http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/

Man Killed in Bus crash on A379, Three miles east of Modbury

A MAN has been killed and 20 passengers have been taken to hospital after a van and a bus collided on a major Westcountry road this morning.

The crash between a van and First double-decker bus took place at 11.30am and forced the closure of the A379 between Modbury and Kingsbridge in South Devon.

Police have now confirmed that the van driver was declared dead at the scene.
A police spokesman also said that six of 20 bus passengers were airlifted to Derriford Hospital with various injuries. The other 14 passengers will also be taken to hospital to be examined.

Three air ambulances were sent to the scene together with five land ambulances according to BBC News.

The A379 has been closed from Bamford Cross roundabout and diversions are in place.


Various News Site References:


This is Plymouth:
http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/news/Man-seriously-hurt-bus-crash/article-670413-detail/article.html#StartComments

BBC News:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/devon/7869771.stm

Western Morning News Online:
http://www.thisiswesternmorningnews.co.uk/news/Man-killed-hurt-bus-crash/article-670578-detail/article.html

Channel 4:
http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/uk/driver+killed+as+van+and+bus+collide/2922352

Where is the Mobile Chip Van?

Can anyone help its been a while since we have used the wonderful chip van that used to park behind the school on a Thursday.

What has happened to it?

Council's £10 permit plan for free parking

DRIVERS are signing up in their hundreds to take part in a South Hams parking experiment which will give them free parking privileges in council-owned car parks across the district.
With a special new £10 permit, resident car owners will be able to park free of charge from 4pm in the afternoon until 10am the next morning.

Letters went out to homes across the district explaining the pilot scheme and how it works just over a fortnight ago.

In the last five days, more than 500 people have applied for them, revealed the council's resources director Mark Seymour.
"So far there seems to be significant enthusiasm from people wanting to take up the offer," he said.

The concessionary car parking offer for residents of the South Hams is aimed at giving local people a better parking deal and boosting trade in the main shopping centres by encouraging people to do their shopping there rather than head off to out of town shopping centres where the parking is free.

The move comes on top of the district council's decisions to freeze car parking charges across all its car parks at this year's fees and to aim for a zero rise in its share of the council tax for the coming financial year.

The free parking scheme is the brainchild of Modbury councillor Mark Lawrence who originally proposed a scheme which simply allowed people to park for nothing between the designated times without any kind of permit fee.

He welcomed the current scheme, but suggested after the year-long experiment is over, the council could re-look at making the scheme totally free by simply handing a permit to every household in the district along with their council tax bills.

He pointed out when he had first suggested the scheme, the credit crunch and the current financial crisis had not even appeared on the horizon.

He said many people who lived near council car parks had welcomed the scheme because it meant they were able to park their vehicles off the streets.

But, he said, he hoped it would be taken up more widely by people who would use their permits to go to the towns to shop locally.

This article is from:
http://www.thisissouthdevon.co.uk/news/Council-s-10-permit-plan-free-parking/article-565593-detail/article.html