Northam Town Council is awaiting confirmation of the requirements regarding the provision of a physical condolence book for residents to complete, given the current Coronavirus restrictions.

To make an entry in the online book of condolence arranged by Northam Town Council on behalf of residents, please follow this link. 

To read the obituary for His Royal Highness, published by the BBC, please follow this link.

Members of the public may wish to consider making a donation to a charity of their choice, or one of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Patronages in memory of His Royal Highness, instead of leaving floral tributes.

His Royal Highness, the Duke of Edinburgh - 10 June 1921 to 9 April 2021.

On behalf of Northam Town Council and its Councillors I should like to convey our deep sadness at the announcement of the death of HRH Prince Philip the Duke of Edinburgh at the grand age of 99, just two months from his 100^th Birthday.  

Prince Philip dedicated his life to our country and its people, and in our nation’s history will be remembered for the steadfast support he has given to our Queen throughout their long marriage and the 69 years of her reign.  He was a keen environmentalist and protector of the natural world long before we had ever heard reference to a climate emergency.  His Duke of Edinburgh Awards Scheme transformed the lives and gave hope to thousands of young people.

I had the honour and privilege to meet Prince Philip and the Queen at Buckingham Palace in the summer of 2002 when I was presented to them on being awarded The Queen’s Award for Enterprise. We chatted for about 15 minutes about my team’s work in China and the royal visit they had made to China a few years before.  I recall in particular Prince Philip’s comments about how many people there were in China – just everywhere! They were both so warm and welcoming and made me feel like a guest in their home. There were a lot of smiles and laughter all round. It   was a very special day for me and my family, who were so proud at my receiving the Award.  I shall never forget the kindness and generosity of The Queen and Prince Philip in the way they acknowledged my achievement.   

To mark this sad occasion the Union flag will be flown at half mast over the Town Hall and on Bone Hill from today until the morning of the funeral. An online Book of Condolence has been opened on the Northam Town website, where at this moment in history residents are encouraged to pay their respects and record their memories of Prince Philip. With the current social restrictions in force to prevent the spread of the pandemic, there are no plans to have a Book of Condolence available for signing in the Town Hall and no public events are scheduled. On behalf of our whole community, as individual flower tributes are not to be encouraged, I shall as Mayor place flowers on the War Memorials in Appledore and Northam.

Millions will be feeling this loss, but we should not forget that Prince Philip was primarily a much- loved husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather. Our thoughts must be with the whole Royal Family, in particular with The Queen at this difficult and sad time.

Cllr David Chalmers, Mayor of Northam.

Neighbourhood Watch Network Advice

Remember - Leave your car:

> Locked   A simple mistake that can prove calamitous: 44% of cars are broken into via an unlocked door. Leave your car locked video.

> Lit 80% of car crime occurs during the evening or at night. Parking near street lamps or in a busy area can deter thieves. Leave your car lit video.

> Empty (or with no items on show)  Owners often forget that personal belongings within the car are at as much risk of being stolen as the car itself.   Leave your car empty video.

Gradual easing of restrictions for locals begins next week but plea for Tourists to abide by the rules and stay away until 12th April.
Residents are also being encouraged to lead by example ahead of the tourist season and respect the beautiful countryside and parks that surround us here in Devon. As part of the “Clean Devon” campaign people are being reminded to dispose of all litter and waste responsibly in bins provided or take it back home to be dealt with there. The Countryside and wildlife have benefited from the quieter periods during the pandemic and plastic pollution has been well documented in recent TV programmes and campaigns. Much of the work in raising awareness of pollution has originated here in Devon with Westward Ho! becoming the first Town to ban the sale of cheap plastic bodyboards ahead of the summer season.
Steve Hearse – Chief Executive of Torridge District Council said:
“While locals will welcome the unveiling of some of our facilities our message to would be tourists to the area is to stay local to their own home locations for the time being. While we are in a better place than we were last year our plea is for everyone to continue to act responsibly so we don’t jeopardise the summer, which will be so important to our battered tourism sector. Our Holiday destinations, hotels and restaurants and entertainment places are still closed to all but takeaway meals and while they are busy getting ready to welcome everyone back this shouldn’t be until after Easter on 12th April. 
“Residents can also play a part by remembering that no vaccine can be 100% effective and people should continue to follow the guidelines and stay at home as much as possible and continue to avoid contact when out and about.”

While Covid case numbers have dropped to levels allowing the Government to make these changes, Covid is still very active in many communities, with continued sporadic outbreaks and Torridge Council’s message is still one of caution. Despite the relaxing of some rules the advice from the NHS is for people to continue to wear face masks where directed and for frequent hand washing and ongoing vigilance whether vaccinated or not. 

The government’s roadmap for opening can be found here Coronavirus (COVID-19) - Northam Town Council.

Northam Town Council is meeting with representatives of Chichester Developments Ltd, the company proposing to develop the south east corner of the area between Cornborough Road and Buckleigh Road, Westward Ho!

This is part of the land identified by Torridge District Council in policy NOR02 of its Local Plan 2031.

This meeting has been planned to take place in advance of the plans being formally submitted to Torridge. These plans currently propose 128 dwellings, of which 26 are currently planned as affordable homes.

Overall, the scheme proposes predominantly 2, 3, and 4-bedroom houses. In addition, two 1-bedroom flats are proposed along with two 5-bedroom houses.

Members of the public are welcome to attend this virtual meeting, to be held via Zoom.US, as observers. To register your attendance, and to receive the Zoom link, please contact:

Guy Langton, the Deputy Town Clerk by emailing him at deputytownclerk@northamtowncouncil.gov.uk.