An early reminder that this year Remembrance Sunday falls on the 12th November 2023. The Royal British Legion will once again hold a Remembrance Ceremony at the War Memorial in the Cemetery, commencing at 10.50am.
Further details will be included in the October edition of the Crier (and shared on our website and social media pages).
Ordering of wreaths will be the same as last year and should be ordered direct from the Royal British Legion in plenty of time. A wreath can be ordered by contacting the Royal British Legion on 0345 845 1945, and will be posted out to you.
Sadly, there have been some disappointing incidents over the past couple of months, which have caused damaged to council property, and cost a considerable amount of money in work hours for your council.
Firstly, there was an incident of criminal damage in the skate park, where obscene drawings and writing were drawn all over the ramps in permanent pen. This incident required our technicians to spend several hours attempting to clean off the most offensive words and images, which included having to sand down the boards to remove the damage. Although some people may feel this is part & parcel of a skate park environment, it should be made clear that this was reported to the police as a criminal offence; this wasn’t artwork by any stretch of the imagination. This incident occurred in an area designed to be accessed by children, it involved obscene images and offensive language where individuals within the community were named. The estimated cost of dealing with the incident so far is approximately £400. If anyone has any information about this incident do contact us or Great Torrington School and we can pass it on to the police.
Secondly, over the past few months we have found several small pieces of the Grade II Listed fountain in the town square broken off and scattered in various places. This historic fountain is very fragile; it isn’t suitable for climbing on, or for standing or sitting in the flower beds. Any damage caused is expensive given the specialist skills required for the repair work. As well as the damage caused to the fountain, there is potential for injury if any attempt is made to climb/sit or stand on any parts of the fountain.
As ever, it is the few creating problems for the many, as we are very aware that the majority of people in Great Torrington of all ages behave in a respectful way towards each other and towards their environment. We should all have pride in the lovely town we live in and be glad that these incidents are the exception and not the norm.
N.B. Photos taken prior to the incidents taking place.
We have received reports of a number of ticks being picked up by people over the last few weeks. Please ensure that you are aware of the risks that they can pose and learn how to remove them safely. Here is some useful information to help:-
Great Torrington Town Council is currently part of the Snow Warden scheme with Devon County Council. Our technician Andy is our trained Snow Warden and receives relevant updates from Devon County Council (DCC). Further information about the scheme is available on their website: www.devon.gov.uk/communities/opportunities/snow-warden-scheme
During the spell of snow in December 2022 Great Torrington Town Council officers received several phone calls, social media messages and emails about grit bin locations and problems with ice, which was making it difficult for people to safely leave their homes in various housing estates. The main roads through Torrington are gritted by DCC, and our technicians clear the Square as a priority to allow people to access food and medicines etc. Great Torrington Town Council is in the early stages of considering extending the Snow Warden Scheme to include a small team of volunteers. These volunteers are given some training and would receive updates from the Snow Warden and could potentially grit areas of the town which would not be included in DCCs route, or be gritted as a priority by the Snow Warden. This could help more people to continue to access employment, appointments, and shops more safely.
If you would be interested in volunteering for Great Torrington Town Council as part of the Snow Warden Scheme, please get in touch 01805 626135 or email [email protected]
Great Torrington Town Council is active in keeping the traditions of the town alive, one of those traditions is to have a small team of civic role holders which includes a Beadle, Town Crier and Mace Bearers. Their role is to support the Council at various functions throughout the year. We currently have a vacancy within the team for a Town Beadle.
Duties would include accompanying the Mayor to various functions as well as taking part in events within the town.
In order to carry out the role of Beadle, you would need a car, be willing to obtain the appropriate insurance and be happy to drive the Mayor & Mayoress/Consort to functions etc. The Beadle is provided with a mileage allowance, a small honorarium, plus a uniform. Some of the duties will involve evening and weekend work. This vacancy is open to both men and women.
If you are interested in being the Beadle for Great Torrington Town Council, give us a call on 01805 626135 or contact us by email: [email protected] before Tuesday 15th August 2023.
The Town Council has vacancies for 4 Co-Opted Councillors to join us.
Becoming a Town Councillor will give you the opportunity to get involved with a number of projects and interests within the community of Great Torrington. If you are passionate about the town, prepared to roll your sleeves up and get involved, and meet at least one of the criteria below, we invite you to submit a written application outlining why you are interested in becoming a Town Councillor and what you believe you can bring to the role for consideration.
If the answer to at least one of the below statements is “yes”, you are eligible to apply to be a Town Councillor:
I am registered as a local government elector for the parish; or
I have, during the whole of the twelve months preceding the date of my co-option, occupied as owner or tenant, land or other premises in the parish; or
My principal or only place of work during those twelve months has been in the parish; or
I have during the whole of the twelve months preceding the date of my co-option resided in the parish or within 3 miles of it.
Application forms can be obtained from the Town Council office or downloaded here.
One of our most recently appointed councillors, Cllr Dave Parish says; “I am proud to have been a Town councillor for 18 months now and have immensely enjoyed the experience and learned much in the process.
It has been a pleasure to work with a truly dedicated team who contribute to make Great Torrington a ‘Great’ place to live.
There so much more we can do. Be part of the future, ‘Come and join us.”
For an informal chat with one of the team, please call the office on 01805 626135.
Applications can be posted to or dropped in to our offices: Great Torrington Town Council, Castle Hill, Great Torrington, EX38 8AA or sent by email to [email protected] to be received no later than Tuesday 15th August 2023. Co-options will take place at the Full Council meeting on Thursday 7th September 2023.
Thank you to everyone who sent in their entries to the ‘Portrait of the King’ competition for the Coronation, we were very impressed with the overall standard. After much deliberation the Mayor, Cllr Doug Smith selected sisters Ana and Alexandra Sararu -(Cllr Smith was unaware that they were sisters!)- as winners in their respective age groups, with Tilly Coates and Rita Coysh being awarded second place in their age category.
Northam Burrows Country Park are getting ready for a BioBlitz event on the 15th June being run in partnership with the North Devon Coast AONBs Heritage Lottery Funded Project, “Finding Nature’s Footprints.”
For the BioBlitz to be a success the Team are looking to enlist the help of as many eager volunteers as possible and have issued an open invitation to anyone that can make it along on the day. A BioBlitz involves finding and identifying as many different species of wildlife as possible in a short period of time. The recording will involve a series of free, expert led, guided walks and other activities during which all the wildlife observed will be recorded. From bats, butterflies and bees to rock pool creatures, river flies and birds there will be something for everyone and experts on hand to help you identify and learn more about all the species. There’ll also be the “BioBlitz hub” at the visitor’s centre with stalls set up by a host of environmental organisations, where you can find out about their work and other organised events.
Schools from across North Devon will also be getting involved but the event is a great opportunity for everyone, young and old, to come along with friends and family or just by themselves, and take part in this important conservation work. This is the first of three BioBlitz events which will take place over the next 3 years as part of the Finding Nature’s Footprints project, each at a different location in northern Devon.
The event will start with night-time small mammal trapping, rockpooling, and moth trapping on 14th June with the main daytime events running throughout the day and into the evening on 15th June, and ending with a bat survey. Entry and parking on Northam Burrows will be Free for the whole day on Thursday 15th June.
Joe Newberry, AONB Finding Nature’s Footprints Project Coordinator, said:
“The finding Nature’s Footprints project aims to learn more about the nature in northern Devon’s villages, gardens, fields and shores through surveys, monitoring and mapping of wildlife. It’s important that local communities get involved and have an understanding of what’s in their area and a BioBlitz is a great way to do this. It’s a free, fun way to look at wildlife. No experience necessary, just come along and give it a go”
Mike Day, Northam Burrows Head Ranger, said:
“Northam Burrows is an amazing site for people to visit with many different plant and animal species. This year’s BioBlitz is a great chance for the public to discover the wildlife found here and, with expert guidance, they can make a real contribution to the records we collect that will ultimately help to update the Northam Burrows management plan. This showcase event will be absolutely free as there will be no vehicle entry fee on the day. We want as many people as possible to take advantage of this opportunity to explore the park and get involved with this fantastic Citizen Science event!”
We would like to say a big thank-you and recognise the valuable contribution of all those Town Councillors who stood down this year. Di Davey has been a long-standing councillor and former Mayor, and has worked tirelessly particularly to represent issues around health and well-being. Gill Clayton has chaired the Environment Committee with great passion and given a new direction to considerations included during these meetings. Cheryl Cottle-Hunkin has been a passionate advocate for local issues for many years, but is now out of area. Jonathan Rose, Harry Cox, and Laura Ward have all made valuable contributions to Great Torrington Town Council over the past five years – we would like to thank all of you for your time spent representing the Town Council.
As we say goodbye, we also say Hello! We are welcoming Cllr Lauren Bright & Cllr Penelope Hewitt as new Town Councillors; we look forward to working with you.
Full list of Great Torrington Town Council Members:
The inauguration of the Mayor of Great Torrington Town Council will be held at Great Torrington Community Hall on Tuesday 6th June 2023 at 7.00pm
The meeting is open to members of the public who are most welcome. If you are planning to attend, please let the Town Council know by Tuesday 30th May 2023 so that we can make suitable arrangements for refreshments. Contact details are as follows; phone 01805 626135 or e-mail [email protected]
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