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Which Council does What?

At the start of another new year we thought it might be helpful to give a reminder regarding which tier of Council is responsible for main services within the community of Great Torrington.  We hope you find the below information helpful.

Devon County Council is responsible for the following services;

Education and schools, Highways including potholes, tourism signs, gritting, social services, child protection, libraries, recycling centres, waste management, and trading standards. Your local County Councillor is Andrew Saywell.

Torridge District Council is responsible for the following services;

Rubbish collection and recycling, council tax administration and collection, housing, planning applications, car parks, electoral services, sport and leisure, housing benefit and council tax support, business rates administration and collection, environmental protection, economic development, street cleaning, fly tipping and licensing. Local District Councillors are Cllrs Chris Bright, Margaret Brown, and Cheryl Cottle-Hunkin.  All of these District Councillors are also Town Councillors.

Great Torrington Town Council (GTTC)

GTTC is responsible for grass and hedge cutting, town maintenance, including benches, bus shelters, and the town clock. Acting as consultees for Planning matters, maintenance of GTTC owned parks (Trafalgar Drive, Greenbank and Jubilee Close), and facilitating and participating in working groups for the benefit of the community, (for example, “The Marketing Working Group” and the “Dementia Friendly Community working groups), receiving applications and awarding grants to local organisations, lobbying where appropriate, managing allotments, providing Christmas lights and bunting, events organising, footpaths and verge maintenance under contract, providing Snow and Road Wardens, overseeing Jubilee Wood/Meadow and statutory issues in relation to administration and finance of a Town Council.

GTTC endeavours to work with the above authorities, voluntary groups and individuals where possible when the outcome is for the benefit to the community of Great Torrington. Examples of these collaborations over the past 12 months include working with Devon County Council on an ongoing  project to improve signage. Working with Torridge District Council on “opening up the town centre post lockdown. Working with local volunteers from the community at Jubilee Wood, and community through the GTTC Covid19 support group. The list goes on, but Members are keen to be involved in local matters which do actually, “make a difference” to the town in one way or another.

In more normal times, the Mayor also represents the Town and attends a large number of events throughout the year and endeavours to keep good relations with our local neighbours as well as serve those within the community as and when possible.

A list of Town Councillors is held on the Town Council’s website along with contact details.  There is also a list in the Notice Board at GTTC offices, Castle Hill.