Christmas Bad Weather.

Just a quick note to say despite  DCC delays in getting  Exminster deiced and re gritted  ( l have sent letters of complaint ) and TDC delays in refuse collections ( notices l posted of catch up dates in Tesco/ coffee on corner l hope helped)   the community spirit l saw in our village was  deserved of a mention and a thank you to all those involved!                                                                                                                                   
I helped Pridhams way residents dig out the ice up onto the main Reddaway Drive  and applied what grit l had to the pavements around Lime Grove , it was one of many such actions of Localism in action l saw thank you all it what makes our village special.                                                                                   

I also took the time to write personally to all those farmers and residents brought to my attention in my other Ward Villages like Shillingford for example for their efforts in similar circumstances.

Crablake farm / Kenbury Wood Composting Applications.

I,am hopefully soon be able to announce officially that after much lobbying of DCC and furious correspondence with officers a solution of part has been obtained!                                        
 
This is to limit the use of Exminster Hill for passage of said compost traffic by 50%, by using it only ofr outward bound journeys, inward journeys to the site will bypass Exminster by using the old Dawlish road.

Ideally l would have liked to stop it all together but the application supported by DCC was impossible on any planning grounds to stop altogether so this hard won  measure l think will help to lessen a little the   intrusion upon Exminster Hill residents.                                                                                                                  

When the route is officially passed l have maps available to  send to interested residents or copy's can be downloaded from the DCC website applicable thank you.

Sentrys Orchard

Just  a little update on the next onslaught of housing upon our community!, l attended the action groups weekday meeting where ideas were exchanged, and  they seem to making excellent progress in combating the application which has now gone into Teignbridge District Council and has been validated recently. I wish them all the good luck, and l will asssist in any way l can along with my assistant and Sentry Orchard
John Goody.           
I also have to keep one sad eye on ensuring Exminster if approved gets the maximum benefits out of the 106,s which previous  Ward Councillors did sadly fail to capitalise on when the Midas devedlopment was a\t this stage! ( those same persons who voted in favour of Midas at the TDC Development Control Meeting).  

I met today with DCC Highways who was    able to dispense very useful informations which l and the Parish Council will seek to take full advantage of, in particular to stop the rape of moneys from our village into the Countess Weir road wideninfg scheme£35 million cost  back into the village for the reopening of my long campaign to  see our railway station back in use!      I will keep you posted on developments as they happen.

Reddaway Drive Bus Stop Refuse Bin.

It was excellent once again to have had eventualy such a positive response from Teignbridge District Councils Refuse Department who after a resident kindly brought to my attention a missing litter bin from the  now reinstated Bus Stop .
I,am  pleased to say a new post mounted litter bin is now in situation, this very effiicent  repsonse is a credit to TDC department concerned and, my working relationship with them in making life here in Exminster more comfortable.

Midas Milbury Farm development Exminster

 Just an update to let residents know l have officialy written to Communitys Secretary of State Eric Pickles to revoke the Midas  Development  on the grounds that new Goverment criteria ie Localism Bill renders this unrequired, unwanted ( by all three relevant Councils), and flawed development  irelevant, l will keep everyone posted upon their repsonse.

I have also gone on record officialy with Teignbridge District Council in relation to their Core Strategy,LDF that l oppose further developments in Exminster until the issue of Infrastructure is met financially which currently it is not with paltry finance obtained from current 106 agreements!

However with the New Governments Local ism Bill hope through its suggested 106 replacement the CIL  Community Imposed levy  ( £5,000 per property!) this seems a  way forward for underfunded and, commercially  plundered Communities like Exminster to fund the necessary School. pre School. Doctors surgeries  expansions necessary with further  housing demands.

The New Convex road safety mirror is waiting for funding from my Community Fund     it will be probably January 11 when with the kind offer of a local Builder and my  loyal assistant John Goody l will be able  to install it at the troubled  Westfield area of Exminster, something  l have been campaigning for  prior to my election in Nov 08!

I will shortly be approaching Teignbridge District council to   waive my entitlement to travel allowance to all the Main District Council meetings , l feel this is only decent and, correct in these very austere times when  residents are all facing increasingly difficult financial constraints! ( saving around  £120/200er yr ), some of my Councillor colleagues already decline perhaps all will follow this example!?

Thankyou for now Councillor kevin.A.Lake.

Teignbridge District Council Recycling News!

Dear Residents,  

It was with great pleasure  after asking many questions along this issue to the team  at Teignbridge  that  they now can announce that plastic bottles can now be recycled through the green bin supplied great news for landfill!         

I know many felt it not always possible to travel distances to the nearest recycling bins  for these articles so many ended up in black bins ( landfill).    

I hope my little lobbying helped in this coming about, l must congratulate Teignbridge District Council and, its team/ Department responsible for their great achievements in this area ranking our authority amongst the best in the Country something we all should be proud of .       

Lastly l know Councillor Gordon Hook has played a key role in recycling and, its achievements  and, must be applauded for his involvement.   Lets hope in the not to distant future all plastics incl that supermarket wrapping is all accepted

Thank you.

Crablake Farm composting issue.

Dear Residents,  You will know l have been very active in opposition to this operation using  Exminster Hill which is unsuitable.                Latest news is with my constant lobbying of Devon County Council on this issue the applicant is possibly applying shortly for a new source of this material ( currently Marsh barton ) from  Kenbury Woods, the route already  approved by on site visits from both Highways officers and DCC officers would possibly be along the old dwalish road, then  A379 halfing the ammount needing to  access the village l will keep everyone informed as it progresses.                                        Also those at the difficult to  exit   Westfield Estate l have been badgering way at DCC for some kind of Traffic measures to make exiting from this area easier and, less dangerous.       At last l have made a little headway, l can out of my shrinking community fund hopefully purchase a perspex convex mirror to be mounted on private land, a resident here has offered such a site, a local builder has offered free services to mount it!  lam awaitinf prices from another parish council who source this type of item once  asertained l will hopefully have one in place by the close of the year latest! which l hope will make residents lives here a little safer, DCC will not object providing they do not have to fund it, maintain it, or site it and it is on private land.    keep watching Councillor Kevin.A.Lake