Please don't drop your guard
Today's announcement by the Prime Minister and the overnight news that millions of people across northern England are facing new lockdown restrictions is a timely reminder of the importance of maintaining social distancing, wearing face coverings in many public indoor spaces and following good hand hygiene.
Although infection rates in Teignbridge are comparatively low, continuing to do everything we can to prevent the spread of the virus is essential if we do not want to be in a similar position. This is especially important as more people return to work, resume sporting and social activities and travel further afield.
It’s easy to feel that these lifestyle changes can be too difficult, or we might even have reservations about some of the measures that we are being asked to follow. However, it is so important that we don’t let individual concerns stop us from adopting what is best for us all. If each of us is not careful we may spread the virus to friends and family when we meet up with them. By keeping our distance, wearing face coverings and washing our hands regularly we will help stop the spread.
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Not only is this important for ourselves, our loved ones and our communities, but also to support our local businesses and the many thousands of people who depend on them for their livelihood.
Across Devon we are working together to make sure we have robust local plans which we can put in place to deal with any rise in infection rates, and are supporting the local tourism industry to encourage visitors to the region to follow the guidelines when they visit.
Taken together these actions mean that we can be confident in opening up our local economy, enjoying our leisure centres, visiting our fantastic beaches and open spaces knowing that we have done everything we can to keep Teignbridge safe.
Managing Director Phil Shears and Council Leader Gordon Hook
It’s great to be open!
Newton Abbot Leisure Centre and Broadmeadow have reopened with lots of users returning to our exercise classes, gym and swim sessions. Tomorrow (Saturday 1 August) Dawlish Leisure Centre also reopens its doors.
We’ve had lots of positive comments about our processes to keep all users safe and more importantly, enjoy getting back to exercising with us.
To swim, gym or join an exercise class download our Free Teignbridge Leisure App from Google Play or the App Store. With it you can make bookings on the go, check schedules, get news and push notifications as well as all the latest offers and more.
The app gives you all your leisure information in your pocket including:
- Reopening updates and centre information
- Your gym, swim and exercise class bookings.
- A simple single sign on
- Your membership and profile details.
The App will soon give you Workout@home, on-demand workouts and Shaldon Approach Golf bookings so don’t miss out – download the app, connect and share with friends and family.
And if you haven’t used our centres, you can still download the app and sign up for a membership or non-member account.
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Take advantage of great cycling routes
This week’s government’s announcement to create miles of new cycle lanes as part of efforts to boost cycling and reduce obesity has probably got more people digging out their bikes and looking for good routes to follow.
The announcement comes in the same week as Public Health England launched its Better Health campaign to support people to live healthier lives and reduce their risk of serious illness.
Living in Teignbridge, we are lucky in Devon to have some fantastic cycling trails such as The Wray Valley Trail which opened at the end of last year and provides a mostly off-road Dartmoor leisure route. The 11km trail takes you from Marsh Mills Park in Bovey Tracey to Moretonhampstead, via Lustleigh. The hills are not too challenging and the southern reaches are relatively flat.
Other routes can be found on Devon County Council’s website, which provides a description of each with links to maps and other useful information.
We have been working closely with Devon County Council to trial new measures such as new crossings in Newton Abbot, a contraflow for cyclists by Forde Park and a signed cycle route via the northern part of Bitton Park in Teignmouth. We’re also asking town and parish councils where we might locate temporary cycle racks in locations that are likely to support cycling commuters and others using bicycles to town.
Under the government’s plans, GPs will be able to prescribe cycling on prescription and a new Fix your Bike Voucher Scheme will provide £50 vouchers to help people get their bikes roadworthy.
Get your garden waste collected
Are you a keen gardener? Have you made use of our garden waste collection service? If you have not previously used the service now is a great time to join!
The fortnightly collection service costs £40 for the subscription year. That's less than £2 per collection to have your garden waste collected from your house. The new subscription year starts on 1st Sept. Find out more and sign up online at:
For those who already subscribe to the service don’t forget to renew to continue to have your garden waste
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Walkway opens at Marine Parade Dawlish
The first section of the new Dawlish seawall at Marine Parade opened this week and gives pedestrian access to Boat Cove, Early’s Wall (the beach huts) and Coryton Cove.
Although there is still some finishing work to be completed by Network Rail, the walkway and the beach are both open for everyone to enjoy.
The Council has worked with Network Rail and its contractors BAM to undertake shrub/cliff clearances, new railings at Lee Mount, clearances at Boat Cove, new conduits to site for power/water and new surfacing which will assist us to look at the way we manage the resort.
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Police and Crime Commissioner to visit Teignbridge
As part of the antisocial behaviour (ASB) Safer Summer Scheme, marshals have started to operate in both Teignmouth and Newton Abbot.
Their role is to help police in deterring crime and antisocial behaviour, helping vulnerable people, and providing reassurance and assistance to local residents and holiday makers.
The Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez will be visiting both towns tomorrow to see at first hand how they are operating.
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New chairman elected
This week’s annual council meeting saw Cllr John Petherick elected to succeed Cllr Richard Keeling as Chair.
After a career in the RAF and roles with Kings Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council and Leicester City FC, Cllr Petherick returned to his home town of Dawlish in 2003 to work for Exeter Hospice. He was elected as both town and district councillor during 2011 and served twice as Mayor of Dawlish. Cllr Petherick’s chaplain will be Dr Mark Jones, the Church Leader of the Dawlish Christian Fellowship Church and his chosen charity is East Teignbridge Community Transport Association which provides specialist and supportive transportation for vulnerable people with mobility issues.
Supporting equality and the fight against racism
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Councillors unanimously supported a proposal by Cllr Nina Jeffries which acknowledged “the current situation facing underrepresented groups in Teignbridge and seeks to support the work that is taking place UK wide to tackle racism and discrimination”
The motion covers a range of issues including:
- the Council's Human Resources and Equalities practices
- the education curriculum and creating resources specific to Teignbridge’s History
- lobbying government to invest resources in supporting organisations such as The Black Curriculum
- setting up an advisory board to link to the Equality Impact Assessment for the Covid -19 recovery plan
- working with Devon County Council to put up information plaques that explain the history of imperialism and links to slavery
- encouraging Teignbridge organisations to contribute to diversity and social mobility supported by community grants.
It was agreed that the proposal would be referred to Audit Scrutiny Committee, Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Executive and then back to Full Council.
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Consultation on GESP paused
The likelihood that East Devon will withdraw from the Greater Exeter Strategic Plan (GESP) means that the consultation which was scheduled for September will be delayed as each council reviews the approach it wants to take.
GESP includes development options and draft planning policies designed to tackle major planning issues such as climate change, meeting the need for new homes, jobs and infrastructure, transport and wildlife protection.
Irrespective of the decision on the best way of planning the future, Teignbridge will still need to meet the government’s assessment for the district which currently requires it to build 760 homes per year.
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Insight into NHS handling of Covid-19
Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust has published the summer edition of its ‘Healthy Futures’ magazine which gives an insight into how the Trust worked with partners to deal with the pandemic and its successes in reducing the worst consequences of the virus.
It highlights some of the experiences of staff and patients and Acting Medical Director Ian Currie sets out the changes the Trust has made to ensure their safety
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Government advice (30 July) on staying alert and safe
Click on the images below for more information about each.
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