I’ve noticed that some changes have been made to the SMTC website which make it far more useful and user friendly.  A very welcome step in the right direction. Well done.

Good fun in the Pannier Market yesterday evening.

Pancake races for all age groups. Very well organised, and Stephen White was in his element acting as ‘compere’, ably assisted by Spud as starter and Jeremy Yabsley as judge.  Members of the Friends of South Molton Parish Church  helped in various ways and I think a good time was had by all.

What on earth is going on with the Local Plan?

The first iteration that went out to consultation in 2013 showed 1,100 new dwellings for South Molton and 30 hectares of employment land.

The second iteration published in 2014 had an increase in dwellings of about 10% to 1,208 and a decrease in employment land of about 40% to just 17.6 hectares.

The proposed amendments that went to the NDDC Executive on Tuesday show a further increase in housing to 1,240 and a further massive decrease in employment land to 10.8 hectares with an additional 1.5 hectares being allocated to a re-located cattle market.

Were SMTC consulted at any stage before these further modifications?

It strikes me that the views of local residents have, once again, been totally ignored. So much for consultation!

Having had a look at the Connecting Devon and Somerset web pages it now looks like most of South Molton is due to get superfast broadband in October 2015 – or at least that’s the date for my postcode!

Have a look at here and zoom in, or put in the post-code that you’re interested in.

I’m quite astounded, as the last time I looked – just before Christmas – it said something along the lines of “survey due between October 2015 and March 2016”, and I’m sure my moaning about this to ex-colleagues at BT wouldn’t have made the slightest bit of difference.

I’ve come across some figures showing how council tax arrears in the NDDC area are continuing to rise, with a particularly big jump between 2013 and 2014.

Is Superfast Broadband coming to Pathfields?

I ask the question because I spotted the following in the Roadworks Alerts I get from Devon County Council:

Access To Pathfields Industrial Estate, Pathfields Industrial Estate, South Molton, Devon
30 January — 12 February 
 
Delays possible Traffic control (Stop/Go boards)
 
Works location: (Pcp5) Bduk. Opposite Across Carriageway To Outside Flat Apex House, Access To Pathfields Industrial Estate. 
 
Works description: Install 2 Of 1 Way Power Duct In Verge,Install 3m Of 1 Way Power Duct In Footway,Install 7m Of 1 Way Power
.  .  .
Works description: Install 2m Of 1 Way Poly Duct In Footway,Provide 1 Cabinet And Base (Nga Cabinets) 

I’ve highlighted the clues above:

• BDUK – stands for Broadband Delivery UK which is supposedly rolling out superfast broadband in rural areas in the UK, including Devon;
• Power Duct – unlike ordinary cabinets (those green boxes by the side of the road) fibre cabinets need to have a power supply;
• NGA – Next Generation Access is the step up from copper i.e. fibre.

If superfast broadband is coming to Pathfields this is very good news for the businesses in Pathfields. Let’s hope it makes it to South Molton proper.

Consultation – A process in which a government body tells the public what it is going to do and allows the public to ask questions.

SMTC have decided to form a Working Party to help the swimming pool out of their difficulties. Andrew Collier, chair of the Swimming Pool Trustees, will be a member along with a number of councillors. The first meeting will be held ASAP.

It appears that the contract to rebuild the Community College and build the new primary school would be run as a joint project by the same contractor. Two lots of planning permission, two lots of owners, two different schools. Yet only one tender, one contractor and one contract. This doesn’t give me a warm feeling.

I’m quite astounded at the number of councillors who spoke out against disabled parking in the centre of town. I’ll name and shame, Tracey Lewis, Stephen White, John Moore and Matthew Bushell. Devon County Council can also be named as they apparently have said they wouldn’t support a disabled bay in the town centre.