Issued: Wednesday 11 October 2023

10 October 2023

South Hams District Council today pays tribute to long-standing former Ward Member for Marldon and Littlehempston, Trevor Pennington, who sadly passed away over the weekend aged 92.

The longest serving councillor in the District Council’s history, Trevor was elected to the District Council in 1976 before standing down in the recent May elections this year.

During that time, he was Chairman of the Council and held a cabinet post on the Executive until 2003. He held many posts across most Council committees, including the post of Chair of Audit, held from 2009 until 2016. A post he was well qualified for with his background as an Economics Lecturer both locally at South Devon College of Art & Technology and for the Open University, among other institutes.

He also served for many years as a Marldon Parish councillor and as their Chairman.

Outside of council life, he had an interest in dog breeding and exhibited flat coated retrievers and has previously judged in the UK, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Finland and the Netherlands.

In other sad news, it was also heard over the weekend that former Leader of the Council, Owen Masters had also passed away.

Owen was a councillor between 1987 and 2003 and was twice Council Leader during his term of office.

Aged 86, Owen served on many Council committees during his time as a councillor.

In his home life, he was a sub postmaster and a member of the Royal British Legion.

Cllr Julian Brazil, Leader of South Hams District Council, said: “It’s a sad day for the South Hams. Both Trevor and Owen were honourable men who served their communities. I had the pleasure of knowing and working with them both. Committed and passionate in their beliefs, we will miss them.”

The thoughts of all staff and councillors at the Council go to both families at this very sad time.

Issued: 22 September 2023

Around 8,000 homes in the South Hams are set to receive new recycling containers in the next five weeks, as South Hams District Council prepares to improve its recycling and food waste collection service.

From Monday (25 September), the Council will be delivering the containers to the doorsteps and kerbsides of households who currently put out their recycling in blue and clear sacks.

Anyone who receives new containers should keep recycling as they already are (using their blue / clear sacks), until they hear from us by post on when to start using their new containers. Find somewhere safe to keep your new containers until then. Inside each set of recycling boxes is a handy information guide, so please check inside your new containers.

If you are a South Hams resident who already has recycling containers and are using them, you will not receive any new ones. Please continue to recycle as you are for now, until we advise of any future changes.

Each set of containers includes:

• Two recycling boxes with lids
• A white recycling sack
• A kerbside food waste caddy
• A smaller food waste caddy for your kitchen
• An information pack explaining how to use each container and stickers for your boxes

We’re doing this so that in the near future, everyone in the district will receive the same kerbside recycling service, and so we can recycle more than ever before to include food waste.

We’ll be sending a letter to all South Hams residents soon to advise on upcoming changes to the service. For many residents who already have their recycling containers, the main difference will be that the day of their weekly recycling and waste collections may change.

To find out more, visit: www.southhams.gov.uk/article/10149/New-Container-Rollout

21 September 2023

South Hams District Council is to boost its stock of homes to address the district’s immediate and future housing needs, a top priority for the new administration. 

Issued: 21 September 2023

Littering, dog fouling and fly tip enforcement are to get a renewed focus from South Hams District Council as we work to provide better services for residents.

Enforcement of individual offences relating to littering, dog fouling and fly tip enforcement have proven to be notoriously difficult. We know that is frustrating for residents, but the Council has pledged to use Community Protection Notices more widely for persistent offences. This is an additional tool for the Council in the fight against littering and dog fouling.

The changes are just part of several changes being made by the Council to improve its community services across the district, to make sure that our communities ‘look and feel’ the absolute best they can.

At the same time the team will look to work with community and voluntary groups and parish and town councils to keep the South Hams looking and feeling as tidy as possible.

Cllr Victor Abbott, Lead Member for Community Services, said: “I’m pleased to see that we’re reviewing how we serve our communities, and making changes to ensure that we can be more efficient and effective.

“We know that issues like littering and dog fouling have an impact on people’s day to day lives. We want to do more to make the South Hams look its very best. I believe our staff and these changes will make this happen.

“It’ll lead us to using our resources more efficiently, serving the people of the South Hams more effectively, and within our current budgets.”

Issued: 21 September 2023

At their meeting on Thursday 21 September, South Hams District Council’s Executive committee set out their draft aims and ambitions for the next four years in their proposed Corporate Strategy for 2024-2028.

The draft corporate strategy has been developed in response to known challenges, such as the lack of truly affordable housing for local people and the climate and biodiversity crisis.

The strategy being considered is by no means all that the Council will do to support South Hams’ communities. It is aimed as a broad framework, with a number of focus areas which also include supporting the economy and delivering frontline services. Services like street cleansing, planning and enforcement that will improve the District for residents.

The ’Let’s Talk’ consultations will involve a series of engagements, which are proposed to run from Monday 25 September until Friday 20 October, and will include:

•   An online survey on the full strategy

•   A series of ‘short polls’ on social media channels on individual aims

•   Conversations with key partners, including town and parish councils

•   Public consultation sessions at various locations across the District

•   Paper survey (on request) for anyone not online digitally

First viewpoints taken from residents during election campaigns and from local town and parish councils have already been included within the draft strategy. Further conversations with communities, key partners and a wider audience will follow during consultations over the coming months.

Publishing the draft strategy is intended to create a talking point for further conversations with residents.

Leader of the District Council, Cllr Julian Brazil, is encouraging residents to take a look at the draft aims and ambitions and have their say.

Cllr Brazil, said: “South Hams is a very special place, but it also has its challenges. The lack of local affordable housing is an ongoing issue that is a top priority for the Council to address. Together with the environment and biodiversity issues it will all take time to find solutions. But in everything we do, we have South Hams’ communities at the heart.”

“We’ve been listening to our communities and really believe that the strategy being considered reflects those things that matter to our residents. Residents need to know that they’ll have a safe and secure place to call home, they expect us to take steps to ensure we protect the environment and we need to ensure that there is opportunity to have a well-paid job in the South Hams.

“But this isn’t our strategy, it’s a strategy that we all need to get behind. From the end of September, you will get your chance either in person, or online to give your views. You can also contact us for a paper copy if that makes it easier for you.”

The consultation will be open for four weeks to give you a chance to give us your thoughts. Then we’ll look at each and every one of your comments and see if we need to adjust our proposals.

From Monday 25 September you can have your say by visiting ourcorporatestrategy.commonplace.is or emailing your thoughts to: strategy@swdevon.gov.uk

To read the full report, go to: www.southhams.gov.uk/Executive

You can also watch the meeting online at: www.youtube.com/user/southhamscouncil

Issued: 21 September 2023

South Hams District Council has agreed today, Thursday 21 September, that it will consult on its Council Tax Reduction Scheme for 2024/25.

The scheme is reviewed each year to provide support for residents on a low income with paying their council tax.  With the ongoing cost of living crisis the District Council is firm in its aims to offer an extra helping hand to those residents who need it across the District.

The targeted consultation asks residents and partner authorities to have their say on the proposed changes to the Council Tax Reduction Scheme for 2024/25.

The proposals will provide additional support to self-employed residents and those who have a disability or health condition which affects how much they can work.

This will make sure that over 600 residents, or families, will have the extra financial support they need. The Council have costed the total amount for the proposed changes as £236,409 with their share of the cost (8%) being £18,913. The rest being paid by each of the other bodies who combine together to create the combined total of the Council Tax, such as Devon County Council, the Police and Fire and Rescue.

South Hams District Council’s Leader, Cllr Julian Brazil, said: “It’s a really hard time for many of our residents. As a council, we need to support those who are struggling most.

“This annual consultation gives us the chance to talk to our partners to agree a way forward. We can then get to the crux of the matter, helping the most vulnerable in our communities.”

The targeted consultation will run from Monday 2 October 2023 to Sunday 12 November 2023.

To read the full report, go to: www.southhams.gov.uk/Executive

To watch the meeting live, go to: www.youtube.com/user/southhamscouncil

21 September 2023

It’s nearly time for Totnes residents to have their say on whether they want to approve a neighbourhood plan for their town.

Today, Thursday 21 September, South Hams District Council’s Executive Committee has agreed that the Totnes Neighbourhood Plan should proceed to a referendum. This follows scrutiny of the plan by an independent examiner.

If approved by local residents, the plan will be used to help determine planning applications within Totnes parish.

The plan sets out a range of planning objectives and policies reflecting the hopes and aspirations of the community. The process of preparing the plan was led by a working group on behalf of the Town Council and included a variety of public topics groups and engagement events.

The date of the public referendum is to be confirmed and details will be published on the South Hams District Council website.

Cllr Dan Thomas, Deputy Leader and Lead Member for Planning, at South Hams District Council, said: “An awful lot of hard work led by local community groups has gone into the development of the neighbourhood plan. It is so important that every voice across the Totnes community is heard, so please have your say when we go to the polls.

“This is one of many neighbourhood plans being developed across the District, where we are working with communities to help shape the future of their areas across the South Hams.”

 To read the full report, go to: www.southhams.gov.uk/Executive

 You can also watch the meeting at: www.youtube.com/user/southhamscouncil