North Devon Council Weekly Information Sheet
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MEETINGS BEGINNING WEEK 4TH MAY 2019
10:00 am - Strategy and Resources, Digital Meeting
A message from the Leader of North Devon Council, Cllr David Worden
I would like to say a big thank you to all our NDC staff who have continued to provide services during this national crisis caused by Covid 19. Hardly a waste and recycling round has been missed as NDC has continued to provide the normal service despite having a reduced labour force. In addition the amount of material that has been collected has greatly increased as people who have been at home have had a good turnout, cleaned out their garages or sheds and had more time to tend their gardens. The vast numbers of thank you notes and letters have been greatly appreciated by the staff.
The housing team has also done sterling work in getting the homeless off the streets in often very difficult circumstances. A small number of individuals still prefer to remain in vehicles or tents, but most are now in accommodation.
The customer service team has continued to operate and with the community hub has helped to provide those who are suffering hardship or who are in the vulnerable category with badly needed support. One of the positive things about this whole situation has been how the community has worked together and the tremendous number of volunteers who are helping out.
The communications team has been very active updating Facebook, the NDC website and informing the press and public about what is happening and the ICT department has made it possible for many staff to work at home. The planners have continued in their role and the economic team has been working with others to help lessen the impact on the economy and plans are being made to help with the recovery. Many staff have worked in areas in which they normally are not involved and the flexibility has enabled a lot of the council work to continue and joint working to take place with other agencies and councils.
The Senior Management Team has been doing an incredible job and the finance team have been able to give out grants of over 27 million pounds to small businesses. They and all the staff are giving more than 100% to the Council effort to keep serving the residents of North Devon.
We are not over the peak here in North Devon yet and it is important that we are careful and maintain social distancing and stay at home unless it isn’t possible. Financially we are going to be struggling if the government doesn’t help us out with more money as what we have received so far is only about a third of what we need. So hopefully there will be some more help forthcoming in next few weeks.
Best wishes
David
Small Grant Scheme Open for Applications!
Local Community groups, small businesses and farmers can now bid into the £22,000 pot of the North Devon Coast Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty’s (AONB) small grant scheme, otherwise known as the Sustainable Development Fund.
“Our small grants encourage local people to help deliver the priorities in the AONB Management Plan.” Said Dr Eirene Williams, the AONB Vice-chair overseeing the grant scheme. “The top priority for this year is ‘nature and wildlife’ so we are particularly encouraging communities, landowners and farmers to come forward with new projects – maybe creating a new feature to benefit wildlife such as a small-scale pond, hedge or orchard. Or maybe you want to carry out/commission a wildlife survey or develop new activities to engage people with nature. Our other priority this year is ‘access, health & wellbeing’, encouraging new groups to access the AONB for enjoyment or mental and physical health benefits.”
Last year, eleven projects were funded with grants averaging just over £2,000 matched with cash and in-kind time. The full list of funded projects:
· Red Herring Productions - Stepping Out outdoor performances
· North Devon Museums Partnership – 75th D-Day Commemorations
· Combe Rail – Ilfracombe Railway Heritage Trail
· Braunton & District Museum – Walks around Braunton leaflets
· Plastic Free North Devon – Plastic Free Visitor Campaign
· Woolacombe Village Hall – Installation of solar panels
· Ilfracombe Harbour – Waste Shark Launch System
· Devon Recovery Learning Community – Wild Things activities
· North Devon Coast AONB – Nature’s Tonic – getting outdoors to connect with nature
· Ilfracombe Aquarium – New exhibits
· Nurdlecoasts – Nurdle Prototype the “Basking Shark”
Applications are encouraged from those carrying out projects that bring an environmental, economic, social or educational benefit to the AONB.
“Although Coronavirus is affecting many of us at the moment and will have to be taken into account in how projects will be delivered,” said Jenny Carey-Wood the AONB Manager, “we decided to launch the grant scheme now so people can think about and develop some positive actions for the future, taking time to plan their project carefully.”
Grants can cover up to 75% of the project cost, and range in size from £100 up to a maximum of £4,000 for an exceptional project. Applications are open from April to December 2020 with projects needing to be completed by the end of February 2021. Check out the AONB Management Plan for the full list of policies and priorities - https://www.northdevon-aonb.org.uk/about/management-plan-2019-2024 .
If you have a project idea, see the guidance and application form on our website www.northdevon-aonb.org.uk/our-work/grants or contact Jenny Carey-Wood on 01271 388758 or aonb@devon.gov.uk to discuss.
ADVANCED NOTICE OF MEETING CHANGES
Licensing and Community Safety Committee 12th May 2020 - Cancelled
The meeting of Licensing and Community Safety Committee scheduled for Tuesday, 12th May, 2020, 10.00 am has been cancelled with consent from the Chair.
You can view the meeting details from the link: Full meeting details on intranet
To see the publicly available information, follow the link: Meeting details on public web site
NDC lobbies for more government funding
North Devon Council is lobbying the government for more financial support so it can continue to provide vital community services throughout the coronavirus outbreak and beyond.
The government's announcement of a further £1.6 billion for local government comes as little comfort to the council as the initial £1.6 billion saw NDC receive just £52k - equivalent to just over a pound per household or 50p per resident. Yet it's predicted the council needs around an additional £90 per household in order to just survive the initial three months.
The bleak financial position is due to the fact that the council now relies on income from various sources in order to deliver its services as government funding has reduced over the past 10 years. That income is predicted to drop by 20% which in money terms is between £2 and £3 million over the first three months of the pandemic. Council tax itself only accounts for a small fraction of the council's overall budget.
Council Leader Cllr David Worden says: "The last round of funding saw the lion's share go to the county councils who are providing frontline care in the community. But we also provide essential frontline support to our communities and need to carry on providing essential services such as bin collections and helping vulnerable customers with housing and financial support. If we get a similar share of this latest round of funding, we will be left in a potentially catastrophic financial position so the government really needs to listen to us and understand the severity of the financial position of many district councils.
No announcements have been made yet as to how the government will share out the latest £1.6 billion.
North Devon Council contractors create huge tribute to NHS in Ilfracombe
North Devon Council contractors have created a giant 'Thank you' to the NHS inside a giant heart on an Ilfracombe hillside.
The tribute was cut into the grass on Capstone Hill by workers from Tivoli Services on 27 and 28 April as their way of showing appreciation to healthcare workers during the Coronavirus outbreak.
Leader of North Devon Council, Councillor David Worden says: "We are working with Tivoli to maintain essential grounds maintenance areas during lock down, but are observing government guidelines on social distancing and keeping travel to a minimum. The NHS “Thank you” on Capstone hill is a one off, but we feel it captures the feelings of our local community and is a fitting tribute to our NHS workers."
Local ward member, Councillor Jim Campbell says: "It’s a wonderful gesture on behalf of NDC to thank our marvellous NHS. Well done, what would we do without you?"
Area Supervisor for Tivoli Services, Dean Sims, says: "We came up with this idea as one of our colleagues has COVID-19, he has been in ICU for just over four weeks and is slowly starting to recover. We cannot thank the staff at North Devon District Hospital enough for all they are doing for him and all the people in hospital at this time. The NHS are doing a fantastic job right across the UK and I take my hat off to each and everyone of them."
The feature took Dean and two of his men just over 12 hours to complete. It measures approximately 120 feet high and 100 feet wide and will be maintained throughout the season, or as long as it is appropriate.
Barnstaple pop up Covid-19 testing site operating until Monday
The mobile coronavirus testing unit at the North Devon Leisure Centre car park on the Seven Brethren Industrial Estate will be operating from today, right through the weekend and on Monday from around 8.30am until approximately 4pm, dependent on demand.
The facility is being managed by the Ministry of Defence and there will be approximately 8 to 12 military staff on site.
People eligible for testing are:
• all essential workers including NHS and social care workers with symptoms (see the full list of essential workers)
• anyone over 65 with symptoms
• anyone with symptoms whose work cannot be done from home (for example, construction workers, shop workers, emergency plumbers and delivery drivers)
• anyone who has symptoms of coronavirus and lives with any of those identified above
• social care workers and residents in care homes (with or without symptoms)
If you are eligible for a test and you or someone from your family is displaying symptoms of COVID-19 then you can book in for a test. Once you have your appointment confirmed, make sure you take a workplace form of identification e.g. ID badge and you will be able to get tested.
This is a drive through facility although there is some capacity for walk ins. It's much easier if you come by car and please keep your windows up. Please take instructions upon arrival. This is a self-testing centre so there will be no medical practitioners on site to carry out the test. You must not arrive at the testing site without a scheduled appointment. To find out if you are eligible or book a test go to the government portal.
Current government guidance:
- Only go outside for food, health reasons or work (but only if you cannot work from home)
- If you go out, stay 2 metres (6ft) away from other people at all times
- Wash your hands as soon as you get home
- Do not meet others, even friends or family
Remember, you can spread the virus even if you don’t have symptoms.
Public reminded to help the recycling teams by separating glass
The recycling crews at North Devon Council are reminding people how much it helps them when their glass is separated from the rest of their recycling.
Separating the glass helps them in two ways:
- as glass goes into a separate compartment on the recycling lorries, it means the crews don't have to separate it from the rest of the recycling box at the kerbside, speeding up the rounds which helps with coronavirus-related short staffing
- it gives them extra protection from the virus as they don't have to touch the items, they simply tip the them straight into the correct compartment on the lorry
The recyclers, along with the refuse collection crews, have been so grateful for the support shown to them throughout the outbreak and they're hoping the public won't mind making this minor change in order to make a huge difference to their working day.
Recycling operative Jordan Sluggett says: "The support we've had has just been amazing and we've been blown away by all the feedback and messages we've had. We know that people want to help us and so if they can just do this one small thing, it will help us so much and make it much easier and quicker to collect everyone's recycling."
If the separation of the glass works well, the council plans to give everyone a second recycling box to help people separate it out but in the meantime, people can put their glass in any container from a bucket or a plastic box to a carrier bag or robust cardboard box.
Applications received under the Licensing Act 2003
Application for the Variation of a Premises Licence
An application for the variation of a premises licence has been made by National Trust (Enterprises) Limited in respect of Lorna Doone Inn, Lorna Doone Farm, Oare, Lynton, Devon, EX35 6NU:
- To amend the licensing plan in accordance with the drawings which accompany the application.
- To remove certain existing Annexe 2 conditions.
This application is in the Lynton & Lynmouth Ward.
The closing date for any representations is 22 May 2020.
Any further information regarding these applications may be obtained by contacting the Licensing Team on 01271 388415.