Planned roll-out of broadband by Connecting Devon & Somerset (CDS)

Following Cllr Wilton-Love’s (Bideford West and Hartland) feedback, in May, about difficulties with Airband’s contract to complete this programme (our parish is part of the cluster F18 contract) CDS have now informed the Parish Council that it has been cancelled.

CDS originally contracted Airband in late 2020 to deliver Superfast Broadband using fibre. There is, however, now well-documented evidence that costs of delivery of local and central Government contracts in predominantly rural areas have escalated. Airband and their investors (like other broadband providers with similar contracts) have restructured and in April it requested a change to its contract to focus on maximising take-up on existing networks and seek alternative revenue away from building new networks.  Since then, CDS has worked to maximise the number of clusters that Airband will deliver. Whilst this process has had some success in allowing further clusters to be built, F18 is unfortunately not one of them.  

 CDS is engaging with the Building Digital UK agency (BDUK), to discuss alternative options including:

a. Project Gigabit Programme;

b. Reinstating the rural voucher schemes  to allow other fibre providers to supply households; and

c. Other investment opportunities.

In the wake of this announcement by CDS the situation in Alwington Parish is far from clear and does not yet address many of the frustrations we’ve experienced locally. Our fibre network is incomplete in Woodtown, Fairy Cross and Ford. Will other providers be able to access the fibre network already installed by Airband? How will that work? Existing subscribers should continue to be supplied but what are the contractual options to change supplier away from Airband?

Before we follow up with CDS to find out how this unsatisfactory situation is resolved please can you contact the Parish Clerk by clicking here or using the website contact form:

a. If your household has not yet been connected and you want to be kept up to date with developments;

b. Similarly if you have other questions or concerns as an existing subscriber.

It would be helpful to have responses by Saturday 30 November 2024.

Gordon Lester

Chair, Alwington Parish Council

The next meeting of the Parish Council will take place in the Village Hall Committee Room at 7:30pm on Tuesday 12 November 2024. The agenda is now available. Click here: Parish Council Meeting Agenda 12 November 2024

South West Water has applied for a road closure on the road from Clovelly Road to Littleham Cross to complete utility works near High Park Cottage. These works will take place between 19 and 21 November 2024.

All efforts will be made to maintain access to properties within the area of the closure and minimise disruption.

For further information contact the Helpline on 0344 346 2020 quoting work reference LM601KR11008121

The October/November edition of Alwington News has been published: click here: Alwington News

Devon Communities Together (DCT), an independent charity, has presented what it describes as “eye-opening results” of an audit of 80% of Devon’s Village Halls. The report is entitled “A Key Moment in the Future of Devon’s Village Halls” and can be found by clicking here: Devon’s Village Halls.

Alison Browning, chair of Alwington Village Hall, states: We are delighted that the team at Devon Communities Together has produced such a positive report about Village Halls in Devon and the beneficial impact they have on their local community. We are very proud of our Village Hall and the role it plays in the life of our community. We work hard to ensure the hall is well maintained and have just had solar panels with battery storage installed to reduce our environmental impact. A huge thank you has to go to all those involved in seeing that this is the case.

Concern has been expressed locally about road traffic accidents that have taken place recently at the bus stops in Fairy Cross. The Parish Council has been concerned for many years about the speeds at which cars and lorries drive along the A39 at Fairy Cross and has made enquiries of Devon County Council (DCC) about traffic calming measures ranging from speed limits to light-controlled pedestrian crossings.

The current advice is that 40/50 mph speed limits can be put in place outside 30 mph limits where there is a speed-related casualty accident history; requests which do not meet these criteria may be considered through the departure from policy procedure. Transitional speed limits may be considered where communities are located closely together (less than 800 metres). 

However, DCC has said that “whilst there is collision data recorded for this location it would not qualify as a cluster site to support a departure from policy”.

The most up-to-date collision data can be views on this website: https://vzsw.traffweb.app/traffweb/1/PublicMap. This includes only collisions recorded by the Police that occurred on a highway, involved one or more vehicles and human death or personal injury and which were were notified to the Police within 30 days of occurrence.

The Parish Council will continue to make representation to DCC as well as considering other options available to us locally.

Devon & Cornwall Police have produced a helpful page on their website entitled “Personal fraud and how to prevent it.” It describes ten golden rules and other helpful information including a downloadable booklet entitled “The Little Book of Big Scams.” The web page can be found by clicking here: Personal fraud and how to prevent it

A vacancy has arisen for a Councillor to sit on Alwington Parish Council. Councillors work together to serve the community and help the Council to make decisions on behalf of the local community.

Applicants must be at least 18 years old and be an elector of the local council; or in the past 12 months occupied land or other premises in the area the local council serves (as owner or tenant); or work in the area local council serves (as your principal or only place of work); or live within three miles of the local council boundary.

For more information please contact the Clerk by email at parish.clerk@alwingtonparish.org or in writing at Alwington Parish Council, Withy Barn, Fairy Cross, Bideford EX39 5DW

Note:

A by-election will be held to fill this vacancy if at least ten electors request it within 14 days (not including weekends and public holidays). If there is no demand for a by-election, the council will fill the vacancy by co-option.

Torridge District Council is able to provide support for those most impacted by the rising cost of living. As well as details of food banks and warm rooms there is also a Household Support Fund that can provide help, primarily with energy bills but also water bills and food vouchers.

For details click here: Cost of Living Help

Torridge District Council offers a loan scheme ranging from £1,000 up to £20,000 with a 4% fixed interest rate, regardless of the amount you borrow. This initiative aims to provide homeowners with accessible financing solutions for essential property improvements and renewable energy measures.

Torridge District Council works closely with Lendology CIC, who understand the challenges homeowners face when funding property repairs and adaptations.

For more information click here: Lendology or telephone 01823 461099

The terms of reference of the sub-committee formed by the Parish Council to develop the Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Gardens can be seen under “Governance” in the “Governance and Planning” drop down menu under “Parish Council” or by clicking here

Our local policing team is based at Bideford Police Station. The team is committed to working with local people and partner agencies to tackle key priorities for the neighbourhood. More details can be found on this flyer which is also on the parish noticeboards: click here Bideford Neighbourhood Police

Further information about the local policing teams can be found on their website: click here Local Policing Teams

The Parish Council regularly reports the existence of potholes in the parish to Devon County Council and updates are provided at each Parish Council Meeting. DCC will only repair potholes that have a 40 mm (4 cm) vertical edge and are 300 mm (30 cm) wide.