The October Full Council meeting returned to the Council Chamber at The Old Convent, after its outing to Tipton St John the previous month. The Mayor was able to allay public anxieties about the future of the Allotments at Higher Ridgeway following receipt of a communication from the land owners Redrow. Public concern was also expressed about the possibility of a housing development at Great Well Farm.

The Mayor explained that the Council would discuss and comment on the application when it is received but that the Council’s preferred development area would be to the west side of Ottery.

The Council presented its response to the District Council’s Local Development Framework (LDF) Panel in September and has since reiterated it at a  subsequent meeting but has been concerned to hear that the number of houses in the Parish to be recommended by the Panel greatly exceeds what the Council feels appropriate, following Parish-wide public consultations last year and subsequent discussions this year. The Council has also responded to the National Planning Policy Framework. A busy Planning Committee Meeting in October saw a presentation being made by the Communications Manager to explain the addendum to the Exeter Airport Masterplan to provide the Council with more information to inform its response.  The same meeting also considered an outline proposal for land west of Ottery Road, Feniton. The site is partly in Ottery St Mary Town Council’s Parish and partly in Feniton Parish Council’s Parish and many members of the public attended the meeting. Feniton Parish Council subsequently held its own meeting regarding the proposal.

October 12th saw the opening of the Sainsbury’s Supermarket when Mayor Glyn Dobson cut the ribbon at the opening ceremony. He was interviewed by the BBC for its local news programme “Inside Out” which will be broadcast in the coming weeks.

Congratulations go to Mr and Mrs Bull who are this year’s winners of the Bob Johnson Memorial Cup for the best Allotment. It’s been a difficult year for growers with the unseasonable weather in Spring and Summer so I hope that all Allotment tenants have safelyharvested their produce and feel satisfied with the results.

November sees the annual acts of Remembrance. On Armistice Day, Friday 11th November at 11am, rockets will be fired off at Ottery’s Parish Church, in West Hill and at Tipton St John to mark the two minutes’ silence. As last year the Town Council has had to foot the bill for the rockets as EDDC has withdrawn this provision. Do join people as they recognise this important time, particularly this year when the date is the eleventh day of the eleventh month of the year twentyeleven. As well, Remembrance Sunday Services will be held with Town Councillors attending (among other Services) the 3pm Service at Ottery’s Parish Church on 13th November.

Friday 25th November sees late night shopping in Ottery St Mary and the switching on of the Christmas Lights. At this event you will have the opportunity to vote for the design of a free-to-use outdoor gym which is to be located in the Land of Canaan. This facility has been proposed and chosen by the local community. Last year you were invited to put forward ideas as to how sports funding accumulated from recent Ottery St Mary housing developments (Section 106 money) should be spent. You were then able to vote on which ones youwanted and one of the winning ideas was to spend £15,000 on free-to-use outdoor gym facilities. Ottery St Mary Town Council has since been working in partnership with East Devon District Council and the proposer of the project, culminating in this opportunity for you to choose. Voting will take place between 5pm and 8.30pm outside Boots in the Square on Friday 25th November so do go along to look at the designs and vote for which you think will be the best. Whichever one gets the most votes will be installed, so go along and have your say!

By the time you read this, Ottery’s Carnival will have happened, the clocks will have been put back, the days will be getting ever shorter and winter will definitely be on its way.  There is still the spectacular Tar Barrels event to look forward to on 5th November. Do enjoy it, take care while doing so and help the hard-working organisers to let it continue into future years by contributing to its fundraising collection.

Judith Reynolds Town Clerk
Council Offices
The Old Convent
8 Broad Street
Ottery St Mary, EX11 1BZ
Tel: 01404 812252

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www.otterystmary-tc.gov.uk