Mid Devon District Council often engage the Parish Council in Consultations for the views of the Parish residents.
We would actively encourage you to get involved, and will endeavour to make these Consultation documents available here.
MDDC would like feedback from residents as to how they can best work through the difficulties that now face them due to the effect of COVID-19.
As all councils large and small look at the options when trying to balance their budgets there are some inevitable questions, do we look to cut services, cut staff or look to create income ?
The reason for this note is to ask if you the public we serve wish to be included in the debate and ask for your ideas / suggestions.
Firstly let’s get a couple of common misunderstandings out the way, as a district council we DO NOT deal with, pot holes, roads, paths, education, health care, schools or street lighting.
We DO deal with, Social and affordable housing, leisure facilities, recreation ( Parks) waste collection and planning, we also collect business rates and council tax, this is as the collector, as an authority we get 10.3% of each £1 collected , other bodies get a share, ie police 11%, fire 4.4% Parish councils about 3.1% with Devon county getting 71.2% .
As a district council we face a budget deficit of around £3m for 2021/22 and so it’s a difficult budget to balance.
I’m/ we are looking for your thoughts and ideas , what if anything would you be happy to see reduced, not cutting the grass so much ? Reducing the leisure facilities ie close leisure centres ? charge more to use them ? Collect waste less frequently? Charge for a more regular collection ? Pay more for parking ? All difficult decisions, all potentially save money or create income, lastly put council tax up, should we, if we could guarantee the money is spent on let’s say grass cutting, how much would you pay, if anything ?
How about looking at income generation, shouldn’t the council be looking to do things not normally associated with councils, although many councils have purchased property, land, works of art, invested in farms ( yes they have ) or as MDDC have done formed a building company to deliver local property.
All the above come with a risk and some people say councils should not take any risks with tax payers money, the issue is unless we cut costs / generate income or take a risk we will simply not survive as a district council.
Let me be clear here, any investment / risk is as expected, mitigated as far as possible, examined, checked, external advice taken, legal documents drawn up, scrutinised by councillors ( several times) examined in public and monitored.
So your thoughts please, what would you like to see, more investment?, charge more for what we have?, cut services?
The truth we need to consider all options and although a strange thing for a local politician to admit, we do not have all the answers no matter how much some councillors believe they do.
Your thoughts/ ideas and dare I say comments would be appreciated.
Please E mail me @ revans@middevon.gov.uk
Thank you
Bob Evans
Lower Culm
Deputy Leader of the Council
Cabinet Member for Housing & Property Services
Open Consultation - Regarding Pavement Parking: Options for Change
Open Consultation
Regarding Pavement Parking: Options for Change
An open consultation regarding the above is currently taking place, with a closing date of this Sunday, 22nd November.
Do you know of an area where there are cars parking on the pavement frequently? Or you or family members struggle to manoeuvre a buggy or wheelchair because cars are parked in the way?
If you do, then please follow this link to raise your concerns.
As with any of these Consultations, the more voices heard, the more likely of change.
*PLEASE NOTE* CLOSING DATE THIS SUNDAY 22ND NOVEMBER 2020
Have your say on the protection of public open-air areas from inconsiderate dog owners
The Council is seeking the views of Mid Devon residents on the proposed strengthening of existing dog control powers to reduce anti-social behaviour arising from dogs.
A consultation on a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO), is being held between today, Tuesday, 12 May and Friday, 17 July 2020 and pending the views of the public, could be in place for the next three years…
Plan views of each of the public spaces proposed for inclusion in the order, along with a copy of the draft PSPO are available to view as follows:
- Draft Public Spaces Protection (Dog Control) Order 2020
- Schedule A – Mapped Plan of District
- Schedule B – Mapped Public Cemeteries
- Cemeteries in Willand
- Schedule C – Mapped Parks & Open Spaces
- Willand areas
- Schedule D – Mapped Enclosed Children’s Play Areas
- Enclosed play areas Willand
An online survey has been setup for residents to have their say at https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/PMYQZGF If residents would prefer to receive an electronic or paper copy of the survey, they can email streetscene@middevon.gov.uk to request one.
Completed copies of the survey can either be returned via the same email address or posted to: Street Scene Services, Phoenix House, Phoenix Lane, Tiverton, EX16 6PP
Read the full press release at: https://www.middevon.gov.uk/have-your-say-on-the-protection-of-public-open-air-areas-from-inconsiderate-dog-owners/
Response to the "Have your say on the protection of public open-air areas from inconsiderate dog owners"
Mid Devon Design Guide Published for Consultation
Mid Devon District Council is carrying out public consultation on a new Design Guide Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) and its Strategic Environmental Assessment and Habitat Regulations Assessment Screening.
The Design Guide will provide guidance that can be used to help inform the design of new buildings in Mid Devon and help raise awareness and standards throughout the planning process. All comments received will be carefully considered by the Council before the Design Guide is finalised. Once the Design Guide has been adopted, it can be used by the Council, alongside relevant policies in the Mid Devon Local Plan and other development plans to help inform decisions on planning applications submitted for determination …
Read the full press release at:
https://www.middevon.gov.uk/mid-devon-design-guide-published-for-consultation/
Impacts and Use of Devon's Bus Network inc Survey
We have been contacted by Chris Burridge-Barney MPhys (Hons), a Graduate Trainee Transport Planner from Devon County Council. He is being sponsored to undertake a part-time degree in Transportation Planning and Engineering at the University of Southampton. As part of this degree, he is producing a dissertation examining the impacts of Devon’s bus network, including removing barriers to employment, reducing congestion and pollution, and improving physical and mental health (by, for instance, reducing social isolation and providing transport for outdoor leisure trips).
Therefore, he is looking for people to complete a Survey, to help him collect data on why people use Devon’s bus network, what they would do if the buses were unavailable, and what impact buses have on users. Clearly, bus patronage levels are significantly reduced at present, but he would like respondents to focus on how they have used buses in ‘normal’ (i.e. pre-COVID) times. This is based on the assumption that the recent changes in travel patterns are likely to be temporary in nature, and so pre-COVID passenger data is likely to be a more robust basis for appraising the typical costs and benefits of the services.
Chris would be grateful for any input you can provide as a bus user however frequent or infrequent you use the service.
To find out more, please click below:-