NORTHAM TOWN COUNCIL – THE VISION, ITS ASSESSMENT AND successes 2020-2023

Vision for Northam Town Council 2020-2023

Northam, Appledore & Westward Ho! is a community that values its people, heritage, open spaces, beaches, and extends a warm welcome to all visitors.

Principles: To become a more inclusive Town Council emerging from the Pandemic better and stronger.

What we want to achieve to improve the quality of life for the entire Community.

Deliver the Neighbourhood Plan to ensure that Northam Town Council can influence how our area develops in a way which recognises the needs and aspirations of all our Community. We continue to make progress with this.

Deliver the Climate Emergency Action Plan to be Carbon Neutral in our buildings and to strive to influence all the community of Northam Appledore and Westward Ho! to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030 and increase biodiversity in the Council’s open spaces and generally, as part of the Council’s responsibilities. We have moved ahead at a fast pace with this. Our latest achievement is to instal solar panels on Northam Hall.

Ensure tree planting and flowers shrubs and vegetables are prolific within our parks and open spaces. We are currently working on these matters in Appledore Park and Lords Meadow. Westward Ho! Park has had significant planting including vegetables.

Deliver the Westward Ho! Park project working with Friends of Westward Ho! Park (FOTWHOP). We have achieved Phase 1 (the children’s play area) and are now working on Phase 2 and 3, the pavilion and the tennis courts.

Consider a community Energy Scheme by utilising grant funding for a feasibility study. We are not proceeding with this as there was no appetite from larger premises that we contacted.

In partnership, deliver homes for rent for local families. Also consider a project to develop a community hub in the centre of Northam providing a combination of office space, workstations, coffee shop and/ or rented housing. These projects are very ambitions but remain on the Vision Statement.

Initiate Youth projects: Engaging with schools, encouraging youth engagement in community issues. This has yet to be achieved due to problems with Covid. The Mayor’s cadet for 2021/22 was very willing to take this forward.

Promote buy/shop local to make our community more resilient and our local businesses sustainable for future years. Support and promote local festivals: May Fair, book festival, food festival, Kite festival, Sunset festival, Christmas Festivals et al. Regular farmers market. The provision of Shop Local shopping bags has been very successful. Regretfully festivals have not materialised as the previous promoter can no longer be involved. We will look to appointing someone to run them in the future.

Celebrate and promote the cultural and historical heritage of our area – develop a heritage trail, create leaflets for walks. We are working on leaflets. This matter is in progress.

Engage with partners to actively establish a network of cycle paths linking our villages and into our neighbouring town of Bideford. This is being pursued by “Active Travel”. We contribute information.

Build on Covid volunteer schemes to engage with TTVS scheme to offer a telephone “Stay in touch” befriending service. Age UK has a “Silver Line” programme which matches volunteers with those wanting to chat. We will endeavour to promote this.

Maximise use of the Town Hall and Northam Community Hall to promote opportunities for retraining, skills and digital technology development working in partnership with Job Centre Plus, Petroc and DCC. This has not been progressed. Since the return from Covid Northam Hall is almost fully booked. However, this idea will be retained in the Vision Statement.

Host an annual event to celebrate the work of the entire community, their achievements, and contributions. This will be linked with the Awards for the Community Champions and will now be progressed following the reduction in Covid problems.

Awards for community champions.

How we will achieve our actions: -” Listen consult and involve.”

1. By improving communication with our community by building on networks established during the Covid emergency and engaging with our established partners that have helped in past years. Also, by continuous website development, improved use of social media and newsletters.

2. By continuing to deliver projects that benefit the entire community

3. By using the public purse, ensuring that we achieve good value. taking up every opportunity to secure outside grants and funding streams to achieve the vision of the community.

4. By developing partnerships with District and County Councils and the voluntary sector to enhance the range of services/projects that the Town Council cannot achieve in isolation.

OUR VISION has the potential to help build a more sustainable, self-reliant community of collaboration, connection and strong sense of collective purpose.’

Successfully delivered by Northam Town Council through its Vision and Strategy 2020-23:

At Westward Ho! Park, following its purchase from Torridge District Council, significant renovation and refurbishment works have been undertaken.

Phase 1 had been completed: A new children’s play area has been installed, the work being completed and the play area officially opened in October 2022. Volunteer gardeners work in the parks beds and borders. Compost is collected in a HotBin composter. Water is provided by collecting rainwater from the buildings’ roofs, with a recent addition of a 1520L container behind the pavilion.

Phase 2, the tennis courts: The Tennis Courts are being renovated, with a planned completion date of 24th November 2023. Final works to be completed in Spring 2024 but the facility will be operable in Autumn 2023.

Phase 3, the pavilion: Two strands are being pursued. Sources of funding are being actively pursued for a changing places facility, with a deadline for the opening of the facility on 31st March 2024. Scoping works continue to establish the extent of the work required on the pavilion and sensory garden.

Youth projects have been initiated, with increased engagement with young people through the schools and colleges encouraging youth engagement in community issues.

Building on Covid volunteer schemes and in response to the cost of living crisis, the Council’s Chamber was advertised as a ‘Warm Space’ in winter 2023.

Expanding the provision of defibrillators across the Town area.

Support and promote local festivals: Festive lighting has been erected in Appledore and Westward Ho!. The May Fair has been held with great success following the hiatus during the Covid-19 pandemic. Reusable Shop Local bags

Delivering the Council’s Climate Action Plan: Installing a 12-panel solar array with 11kWh of battery storage, installed in 2022, has been installed at Northam Hall, contributing to a reduction in energy use at the building.

Purchasing an electric powered truck for the Council’s fleet, replacing the oldest of the Council’s combustion engine vehicles.

Purchasing battery powered strimmer to replace a worn out petrol model.

Areas left uncut in Anchor Park have been planted with wildflower plugs, many of which have established.

Engaging with partners to actively establish a network of cycle and walking paths linking our villages and into our neighbouring town of Bideford. Providing £2,000 of the funding towards the production of the Barnstaple and Bidford Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan. Cycle parking facilities have been provided at the Council’s parks and premises across the Town.

Work continues on Public Rights of Way (PROWs) across the Town area, with yearly inspections leading to an agreed maintenance program.

A Council budget identified for drop kerbs, for which licences are sought from Devon County Council.

Ensure tree planting, flowers and shrubs are prolific: The Council’s planters have been planted with perennial drought-tolerant plants which attract insects and other pollinators. Water for the planters is provided, in part, from three 1520L water containers located behind Northam Hall.

Traditional hedging and hedge management has been arranged for Anchor Park to improve the hedge for wildlife and its own integrity.

Deliver the Neighbourhood Plan: The pre-submission consultation exercise has been carried out. Work towards a Plan to be submitted for adoption continues.