June 1

ITEMS OF NOTE from the Parish Council June Meeting

Mast for Network Rail

The main item of discussion at the Parish Council meeting on 1st June 2009 was the work that had already been started to erect a 15 metre high communications mast to the north of Lympstone Station, in the middle of the route that has been designated for the next section of the Exe Estuary Cycle Way.

This mast would cause great disruption to the Cycle Way but it would also be a significant blot on the landscape and skyline of the village. There is some flexibility as to its siting as it needs to be between Topsham and Exmouth. As Network Rail has licensed the land to Devon County Council for the construction of the Cycle Way and it is Network Rail that is constructing the mast, this is clearly a case of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing. This lack-lustre attitude has caused anger and distress in the village and cannot go unmarked. There is strong concern from all parties and a strong complaint will go to network rail and their regulator, the Office of Rail Regulator.

Dogs and Dog Fouling is a problem in the village

The Police and Communities Together Panel has as one of its priorities to significantly reduce dog fouling in the area, particularly on Candy's Field. Dogs should be kept on a lead in the field and any mess should be cleared up. There will be enforcement on both of these by the police and Civil Enforcement Officers. The Ministry of Defence are joining in this campaign by reminding their tenants that they need a licence to keep a dog at one of their houses and that local rules must be obeyed.

If you see any instances that give you cause for concern please give the details to the police, via the PACT reporting box (in the post office) or to the Dog Warden and EDDC (tel 01395) 571517, or 01395 517456. You can e-mail them on environmentalhealth@eastdevon.gov.uk Your willingness to do this can help clean up the village.

Crime in the village is on the increase according to the police report. No one wants to suffer a crime or have the fear that crime is on the increase in a village such as ours. The police can only act if they have information to go on. If you see something suspicious it is your duty to report this. You can use the PACT Cards (in the post office) to do this. Your help might lead to solving a crime, punishing the culprit and deterring other criminals from coming to the village.

You may have seen some of the results of Parish Council action. The link from Candy's Field to the Village Hall has now been re-surfaced, most of the cost was met by a contribution from the National Trust arising from a licence for contractors to use part of Cliff Field.

The area under the new Youth Shelter has been surfaced (and suffered mild abuse), the cost of this was met in full by a grant from a local trust.

A close-boarded fence has been erected in the north-east corner of the Burial Ground. This is to prevent this from becoming an unauthorised route into the village. One of the planning applications for the development of St Mary's Meadow included the creation of such a link without asking the owner of the Burial Ground. The Parish Council made it very clear that it would not compromise the peace and tranquility of the area in this way. The fence has been erected to make sure that this does not happen.

At this time of year, over-gro wn hedges can be a problem for pedestrians and road users, especially on some of the narrow sections of road in the village. Please check your hedge if you have one to make sure that it is kept tidy and under control. Highway Engineers will be asked to inspect areas of the village to make sure that there are no obstructions.

Clerk to the Council: A J Le Riche, DMS, 43 Salisbury Road, Exmouth, EX8 1SL, Tel 279665/ 07866 535580 lympstonepc@leriche6.wanadoo.co.uk

I have been asked to produce a fifteen century style copy of the Herald for distribution during late August and September. No, I do not intend to produce every copy by hand but graphics and fonts will certainly be ancient. If you would like to have copy or an advert included in this unique issue then it would help if you could let me know your intentions before the end of June.

Editor: Chris Carter, Hillcrest, Greenhill Ave, Tel 274104. Copy editor – P Acca

Distribution: Jill Newton, Two Jays, Burgmann’s Hill Tel 263809

Herald archive and Lympstone web site – www.lympstone.org

Copy deadline for next issue – Wednesday 8th July – 10 am

Copy by e-mail, if possible, to chriscarterathome@hotmail.com or to

The Editor at Hillcrest, Greenhill Ave, Lympstone EX8 5HW