Latest News  

National Lockdown - Council Office Closure 

Due to the national lockdown announced last night, the Totnes Town Council team are mainly home working and the offices are closed to 'in person' visitors. The main line (01803 862147) will be manned Monday to Friday 10am - 4pm. Outside of these times please direct specific queries to the following email addresses:

 

Road Closure Update - 18th December

 At Full Council on 7^th December 2020 Totnes Town Council resolved to apply for a road closure on Sunday mornings between 9am-1pm from 13^th December 2020 until 11^th January 2021 (with the exception of 27^th December 2020). A Temporary Traffic Regulation Order is now on display around the roads affected for Sunday 3rd and 10th January between 9am and 1pm will close upper Fore Street and High Street to enable Covid-safe shopping. For more details see this link 

Those who require access to attend church services at St Mary's and the Gospel Hall will be permitted access. 

 Full Council will review the road closure situation at Full Council on 28th January 2021. The survey commissioned by the Town Council is here.

 

Recycle Bags 

We've had a delivery of recycle bags at the Guildhall. Please only take what you need as stocks are limited, and the system is also due to switch over in the Spring. 

 

Totnes Saturday Morning Road Closure Correspondence Statistics 

Below is a table which sets out the number of representations by individuals in relation to the road closures:

 

	Residents	%	Business	%	Visitors	%	TOTAL	%
No of Correspondents	88		39		26		153
Support Road Closures	52	59.1	1	2.6	19	73.1	72	47.06
Object to Road Closures	24	27.3	38	97.4	4	15.4	66	43.14
No opinion expressed	12	13.6	0	0.0	3	11.5	15	9.80
Support No Right Turn	1	1.1	0	0.0	0	0.0	1	0.65
Object to No Right Turn	23	26.1	13	33.3	2	7.7	38	24.84
No opinion expressed	64	72.7	26	66.7	24	92.3	114	74.51
Support Shared Space	13	14.8	23	59.0	3	11.5	39	25.49
Object to Shared Space	0	0.0	0	0.0	0	0.0	0	0.00
No opinion expressed	75	85.2	16	41.0	23	88.5	114	74.51

The methodology that has been used to compile this table together is:

• to record all emails received;
• determine the number of emails received from an individual (not the number of emails) which aggregates up the various themes of the email(s): road closure; no right turn onto Plymouth Road; and shared space.
• Summarise the information by group (business, residents and visitors) and the overall view on the three big topics – road closure, no right turn, and shared space – with an overall total of views by topic.

 Avian Flu (Bird Flu) Prevention Zone Declared for England

An Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) has been declared across the whole of England effective from 5pm on 11 November 2020.

All poultry keepers in England (whether they have commercial flocks or just a few birds in a backyard flock) are required by law to take a range of biosecurity precautions.

If you keep poultry (including gamebirds or pet birds) or other captive birds, you must act now to reduce the risk of disease in your flock by following the relevant biosecurity measures required within the AIPZ.  Your stock needs to be feed and watered under cover to prevent contamination from wild birds.

Good biosecurity improves the overall health and productivity of your flock by helping keep out poultry diseases such as avian influenza and limiting the spread of disease in an outbreak.

All bird gatherings within the AIPZ are prohibited therefore the general licence that had permitted bird gatherings has been revoked.

For more guidance please visit https://www.gov.uk/guidance/avian-influenza-bird-flu

 

TOTNES TOWN COUNCIL PROMOTING SHARED SPACE

Totnes Town Council have contacted Devon County Council Highways requesting permission to install planters through the Town Centre and improve signage to improve the adherence to the existing 'Access Only' rules from the bottom of Fore Street and to help users of the Town to adhere to the nationally agreed guidelines of 1m plus social distancing - something which is very challenging given the narrowness of the road and the volume of people visiting. With traffic counts indicating approximately 170 cars an hour, implementing access only in the town centre is an urgent consideration, for safety reasons.

       Communication with Local Businesses

Following comments to the Town Council about consultation prior to the road closure on Saturday mornings for a limited time, if you would like your business to informed of any future planned changes or events please see this letter from Cllr Claire Allford about how to register your details or email cllr.allford@totnestowncouncil.gov.uk                                                

   Market Square Improvements - Designs and Comment Deadline

An exciting programme of improvements to uplift the appearance of Totnes Market Square has been agreed by South Hams District Council, in close partnership with Totnes Town Council. 

The enhancement programme designed by local architects Harrison Sutton Partnership, looks to deliver replacement bespoke steps with integrated planters and seating areas. The existing ramp will be widened and re-levelled and clad in oak sleepers with additional improvements to lighting. Mosaic art pieces produced by a local artist and school children will be included in the design, together with a new drinking water fountain.

The entire area will be resurfaced with the improvements being scheduled to avoid peak use in the summer season and during December when the Christmas Markets take place.

The timeline for the improvement projects will be phased over a 12 -18 month period starting in autumn 2019. The steps and ramp are to be completed in early 2020 with the surfacing to follow later in the year.

A tendering process will be undertaken early next year to appoint a contractor to carry out the works.

Cllr John Tucker, Leader of South Hams District Council, said: “This is an exciting opportunity to work in close partnership with Totnes Town Council to improve an important piece of public realm to the quality and standard it deserves. We are delighted help bring this scheme forward and know the improvements will further enhance the town. We will make sure that work will be carried out around key dates for the market area and developed with community use firmly in mind.”

Catherine Marlton, Totnes Town Council’s Town Clerk, said: “The Town Council undertook a Community Budgeting exercise in 2017 which showed just how important the public realm of Totnes is to residents, business owners and visitors. As a result the Town Council has entered into a partnership with SHDC to turn the original resurfacing of the Market Square into a larger scale upgrade of that area, which is high traffic for users and is also the location of the popular markets. I am hopeful that this project can bring real benefits and prove that Councillors are willing to respond and invest in priorities the community raise.”

The designs can be found here.

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Totnes Town Maintenance Officer - Contact Details

The Town Maintenance Officer for Totnes can be contacted for any issues about the town, for example unsafe hand rails, graffiti or cleanliness, on TMO@totnestowncouncil.gov.uk 

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Problem on the Roads? 

Don't forget you can report any of the road problems listed below on this DCC page: https://new.devon.gov.uk/roadsandtransport/report-a-problem/

Pothole
Flooding & blocked drain
Street light
Hazardous or fallen trees
Overgrown vegetation
Trip hazard
Broken manhole cover
Public rights of way
Debris or obstruction
Ice
Defective road markings or signs
Bridge
Retaining walls
Traffic lights
Fences & barriers
Lit signs & bollards