To receive any statements made and notice of future questions by Members.
Note: the time allowed for this item is limited to 15 minutes.
Minutes:
· Cllr B Holdman highlighted to Members that he attended the “Meet the Funders” event, this was held to connect local community groups, charities, and social enterprises with key funding bodies and grant providers.The event brought together over 50 attendees from across the district, it offered a unique opportunity to engage directly with representatives from national and regional funding organisations.
· Cllr B Fish highlighted to Members he had been approached by a number of Tiverton residents who were deeply concerned about the deteriorating state of pharmaceutical services in this town. While this issue did not fall directly within the remit of this Council and this was a widespread national issue, he wanted residents to know that this Council stood with them. This was important to be raised as a representative of the community. Members would be aware that following the closure of the Superdrug Pharmacy at Clare House Practice, Jhoots Pharmacy in Market Place had stepped in to fill the gap. This situation had placed immense pressure on the staff at the remaining pharmacies. The teams were doing their utmost to support residents but were stretched to their limits. Many had reached the front of the queue after queueing for some time only to be told that their prescription had not arrived from the GP surgery or that the item was out of stock. This situation was unacceptable and required urgent attention. The local MPs, Richard Foord and Rachel Gilmour, had raised concerns with the Care Minister, Stephen Kinnock. Rachel Gilmour had met with the Devon Integrated Care Board. Tiverton’s pharmaceutical provision required immediate action.
· Cllr J Buczkowski raised an issue concerning the construction vehicles passing through Cullompton, heavy lorries thunder past small children that walked to school. Pavements shake, engines roar, and anxious parents try to guide their children safely along roads never designed for such traffic. These huge vehicles line the residential streets, parked nose to tail, leaving no room for pedestrians to cross safely. The treading of mud onto the roads that endanger cyclists and those on two wheels and the possibility of one of these construction vehicles losing control. The Construction Environmental Management Plan was meant to prevent this issue. This was not nimbyism. This was not opposition to housing or growth. It was about ensuring development was safe, responsible, and lawful. It was about holding developers to account for the conditions they agreed to and for the standards they promised to meet. The consideration of this plan was agreed by this Council and the developers continued to ignore it.
· Cllr S Keable highlighted the following:
Ø On the 26 September he attended the Devon and Somerset Metro board that discussed the Cullompton and Wellington train station. There was still no formal announcement from Government about the funding. National Rail were keen and had allocated a budget for 2026/27 for the development.
Ø On the 3 October he attended Devon County Council Honorary Alderman ceremony where the former Chair of this Council and County Councillor, Frank Letch MBE, received a posthumous award.
Ø He attended a North Devon Line Rail Promotion Group Annual General meeting.
Ø He thanked Cllr B Holdman and Cllr G DuChesne on organising the ‘Meet the Funders’ event.
Ø He attended the Grand Western Railway Transport forum on the 20 October.
· Cllr S Robinson thanked Cllr N Bradshaw on the work she had done for the Impact Sustainable Tiverton.
· Cllr S Clist attend the Housing Task Force Group and highlighted the statistics for Social rented houses and affordable homes.
· Cllr J Downes highlighted to Members that the barriers were now installed at the Leisure Centre in Crediton?
· Cllr G Cochran highlighted that the Crediton Launderette had reopened after 8 years.