Added on Sunday 23rd Feb 2025
Parish Council News February 2025
Issue 8
Our annual assembly will be on April 17th – all welcome.
News since issue 7
• Padley Common. We have now had 3 work parties at Padley Common. There has been a lot of clearance of willow trees, birch saplings and brambles to allow grass areas to regenerate. Currently it looks rather messy and muddy but as the year progresses, we should really begin to see the benefits. The grass areas are important breeding grounds for the rare Marsh Fritillary butterfly, as well as supporting a very wide range of wildflowers. We are very pleased to be able to tell you that Padley Common has now been designated as a County Wildlife Site. County Wildlife Sites are sites of county importance for a wildlife habitat or for special wild plants or animals.
We plan to clear more gorse, and are still hoping to get boardwalks installed over some of the muddiest areas.
• Bellacouch car park. The car park is being very well used and is still free to use. The Parish Council has decided to keep it free until the gas pipe replacement work has finished.
• Gas pipes and Roads. Mains gas pipe replacement is progressing on the roads, and people are being very tolerant of the disruption caused by the top of Mill Street being closed. We hope that part will be soon completed and then Manor Road will be closed but Mill Street will be open. Then Mill Street will be closed when Manor Road opens. In the meantime, potholes on the backroads have become even more widespread than usual in winter, not helped by the weather. Potholes that are more than 4cm deep and 30cm wide are prioritised for repair by Devon County Council. Report large potholes on the Devon County Council ‘Report a Problem’ website and ideally add a photo!
• Trees. We have had plenty of storms this winter and you will all be aware of how many trees have been brought down or damaged by the winds and snow. For some this has been very frightening. If you have trees on your property that could cause damage to other people’s property (or your house) if they fell, they should be regularly checked and maintained. Most insurance companies will ask you to get a certified tree surgeon to check the trees for safety every few years for the insurance to be valid.
• Snow and Ice. Although snowdrops and crocuses remind us that spring is on the way we still have March to contend with. (Remember the Beast from the East). If we do get another freeze, then cooking salt, 1 tablespoon per square metre, is enough to melt the ice – particularly on the pavement outside your door!
• Christmas trees. It seems a long time ago, but we wanted to thank Lark Ash-Matthews and the fire brigade for making such a lovely job of putting up the Christmas trees in the square, and thank Cris Bifani for shredding them afterwards.
• Nature Talks in Endecott House. There are 3 more nature talks planned for the New Year – 7-9pm in Endecott House:
o Tuesday 25th February – Pine Marten, Beaver and wildcat: species re-introductions on Dartmoor
o Tuesday 25th March – Curlew Conservation on Dartmoor
o Tuesday 22nd April – Right to Roam: access and nature on Dartmoor
Other News
• Chagford Community Trust. Funding may be available for community projects in North Dartmoor Parishes through the Chagford Community Trust’s Community Grants programme. Targeted at not-for-profit projects and organisations that aim to support people, communities and the natural environment, we offer grants of up to £1000 (and more in certain exceptional circumstances). The next round of grant giving is coming up soon, with applications accepted from 1st March and closing date of 31st March.
For full details of how to apply and the eligibility criteria please go to our website: www.chagfordcommunitytrust.org.uk and click on “Community Grants”.
• Save the date. VE day is on May 8th and we will be having a beacon on Meldon as well as other events. More news nearer the time.
• Proper Job has plenty of events happening over the next few weeks:
