Around Exeter area by area, the news down your street edited by Anne Byrne. Contribute by emailing Anne on abyrne@expressandecho.co.uk or give us a call on 01392 442233
Alphington
WILLEYS Avenue residents are increasingly finding that their road is being used as an all-day car park.
Local councillor, Rod Ruffle, is to take the matter up with the city council as it is believed the influx of parked cars is a result of a four-fold parking charge increase at the nearby car park in Michael Browning Way on the City Industrial Estate.
Cllr Ruffle said: "What I intend to do is talk to as many residents as quickly as possible and ask the city council what the take-up of the car park is like now because I suspect that they may have taken a little more money from putting the charges up but they may have lots a bit of money from doing this. I am going to ask them to get the charges reduced, if not to their original level, then back to a more sensible level.
"Some of the businesses have also started to complain that they are noticing less fewer customers so I think it is right to make a sensible adjustment."
Beacon Heath
Chaucer Grove
KEEPING an eye on the weather the city council decided to bring forward the opening of the new play equipment at Chaucer Grove when blue skies appeared above Exeter last week.
The play area is designed to serve the new housing development at Chaucer Grove as well as children and families already living nearby.
There is a basket swing; a climbing and multi-play structure and a unique 'climbing tarantula' which consists of a trampoline within a series of climbing ropes.
Cradle seat swings, a play house and some springy animals have also been provided for younger children.
Cllr Keith Owen, lead councillor for environment, health and wellbeing, said: "The new development at Chaucer Grove has brought many new families and children to an area which is already quite densely populated – we feel that it's really important that new developments like these are properly served with important local amenities like children's play areas."
The play equipment was funded via planning agreements with the developer and was chosen by the parks and open spaces team working with the local community.
Unsafe parking
PARKING issues were raised with police at the latest Have Your Say meeting with the result that PCSO Ed Mitchell is to take action.
PCSO Mitchell told Community News: "The unsafe parking was a residents' perspective issue rather than illegal parking (a large van parked on Beacon Lane obstructing the view of the highway), however despite this it does represent part of a broad parking problem in the area.
"Because it isn't illegal we won't be able to take any enforcement action but instead I will be looking to run an operation that raises the issue as one of safety and community awareness."
City centre
Sailing sign
PERMISSION has been granted for a new sign that will hang outside the Ship in Martin's Lane.
It still features a sailing ship.
City-wide
Housing project
Exeter city council is to spend £30,000 conducting a housing survey in partnership with the University of Exeter.
It will be funded through planning agreements and will take between five to six months.
The results will help form the city council's new housing strategy.
Wild city
A JOINT project between Devon Wildlife Trust and Exeter City Council, has encouraged 1,000 local people to help plant more than 1,000 trees, create 10 orchards and plant 10 new wildflower meadows.
The project, called Exeter Wild City, is also establishing new sources of natural food for important pollinators such as bumblebees and butterflies, and providing shelter and food for hedgehogs, birds, bats and frogs.
Emily Stallworthy, conservation officer at the trust, has been working closely with Exeter school pupils, university students, residents' groups, city businesses and communities to help enhance the city's green spaces for wildlife.
She said: "To help wildlife, the project has spent the winter working with local people to develop wildlife corridors through the city and to create new habitat stepping stones for wildlife to use."
Clyst Heath Nursery and Community Primary School is one of the many schools involved and now has its own orchard with more than 30 fruit trees planted by its pupils.
Kate White, a teacher at the school, said: "We are really excited that every child within the school has been able to plant a tree. It's a great way for pupils to connect with wildlife in the city and understand how important trees are to our everyday lives."
Pupils from Bowhill Primary School helped prepare and sow a wildflower meadow at Cowick Barton Playing Field in the city.
Head teacher Caren Brooks said: "There are a lot of children at the school who are interested in nature and wildlife so it's always great to get involved in practical tasks."
Emily added: "We're planning on planting more trees in autumn as part of the Big Tree Plant Project. "Planting a variety of trees and habitats that exist alongside our living, working, learning and recreational surroundings is really important for our own health and wellbeing as well as wildlife.
"None of the works this winter would have taken place without generous support from our project funders – The Big Lottery Fund, Defra, American Forests and the Alcoa Foundation."
Recovery buddy
RECOVERY buddies are now ready for action (see picture).
They are volunteers who will work alongside those recovering from addiction and will provide them with friendship and support.
The initiative, formed with Addaction, Devon Drugs Service, Devon Drug and Alcohol Team, Exeter Drug Partnership and other local recovery agencies, includes partnering churches in the city. It was recently awarded a grant from the Office of the Crime and Police Commissioner for Devon and Cornwall to extend its work.
Buddies are people who are part of a church and who can offer their 'recovery friend' the opportunity to be part of a church community, a vital alternative to their old lifestyle.
Scheme coordinator Jane Trethewey says that the social opportunities and community spirit of churches are beneficial as part the recovery journey.
Jane said: "The buddy scheme offers a new environment. A church family is loving and non-judgemental, a place where everyone is accepted."
The Buddy Scheme has been developed through the Exeter group of the national charity Redeeming Our Communities (www.roc.uk.com).
Macular Society
On Tuesday, February 25 Tom McInulty and guide dog Brunel will pay a visit to the Exeter Support Group of the Macular Society.
Tom is the support and development manager for the society in the south.
The meeting is at the St Sidwell's Community Centre, Sidwell Street from 10.30am to noon.
The next bard
COULD you be the next bard of Exeter?
The post of Bardic Chair of Caer Wyse – its official title – lasts for a year and a day and its current holder, Simon Williams is about to step down.
To become bard you have to compete against fellow poets and storytellers at an event which, this year will be held in the Bike Shed Theatre on Sunday, February 23.
The would-be bards will have to perform poems, songs or stories and explain what they intend to do for Exeter as bard.
During his year Mr Williams has produced a new magazine called the Broadsheet which is full of work from poets in Devon and Cornwall.
The Broadsheet was launched at the Exeter Poetry Festival in October.
The event at the Bike Shed begins at 7.30pm.
Clyst St Mary
Limp response
UNFORTUNATELY there were no offers of a false leg for a production of Cinderella by members of the Clyst St Mary Players.
Community news issued an appeal last month but to no avail.
In spite of that disappointment they are pressing ahead with their show.
Player Rebecca Roach said: "We managed to get something to use from one of the local theatre companies so the show can go on!
The stage is looking fab now we have all the equipment in place thanks to the funding we received."
Performances are 7.30pm Thursday and Friday, February 27 and 28 and 2.30pm and 7.30pm on Saturday, March 1 in the village hall.
Tickets are £8 for adults and £5 for children and are available from Claire Ward on 01392 879835.
Countess Wear
New fence
EXETER College is proposing a two and a half metre high fence around the playing fields in Wear Barton Road.
The fence will be two metres further into the field than the present fence.
A spokeswoman for the college said: "Keys for the fence will be made available to agreed community users of the field such as the Countess Wear Dynamos and other approved organised events."
A year ago the college banned dogs from the fields after the number of complaints about dog mess escalated.
A planning application for a chain link fence has been lodged with the city council.
Exwick
Speed checks
IN response to complaints from residents, PCSO Charlene Keefe arranged a speed check operation on Exwick Road.
This involved monitoring drivers' average speeds in this 20mph zone, using speed detection equipment.
Data from the operation has been recorded for further analysis.
Local students, taking part in work experience with Devon and Cornwall police, came along to join the local Exwick policing team to learn all about the importance of residential speed operations and how speed is monitored.
Pictured are Harriet Harper, Jacob Nickels, Dan Bisson on work experience with joined the Exwick neighbourhood team.
Heavitree
Slow down!
RIDICULOUS, is how Councillor Percy Prowse has described the erection of 20miles an hour signs at the entrance to the back alleys between Baker Street and Church Terrace and between barrack Road and Baker Street.
Cllr Prowse said: "These signs are completely unnecessary and must have cost £1,000.
"These alleys are so narrow that you would be lucky to manage 15 miles an hour going down there.
"The county council is always saying it doesn't have any money for things and yet it does something like this."
Cllr Stuart Hughes, Devon's cabinet member for highways management said: "The council is in the process of completing a review of all of its 20mph restrictions in Exeter to ensure that they are fully compliant with regulations.
"As part of this review it was identified that traffic could enter and exit the Wonford and St Loye's 20mph zone via the service roads without passing 20mph/30mph speed limit terminal signs.
"The Department for Transport requires terminal signs on both sides of the road and it was decided to install these at the Magdalen Road end of the service roads to match the signs on the Baker Street and Church Terrace junctions.
"While the signs are a requirement, the council is aware of the need to avoid sign clutter and will therefore be contacting the DfT to explore what alternative signing it would permit the council to use.
"Drivers should be aware that the signs indicate a maximum speed limit however they should drive at an appropriate speed for the conditions. In the service roads this is likely to be significantly less than 20mph."
Polsloe
Graffiti to go
THE city council is to clean graffiti from walls around the ward – free of charge.
Local councillor, Yolonda Henson, said: "I have been asking for this for ages and I am delighted that it is now going to be done.
"Graffiti makes an area look untidy and run down and once you have one piece of graffiti more quickly follows."
Fellow ward councillor, Rachel Lyons, is asking residents to contact her if they would like to volunteer to be part of the teams removing the graffiti.
Cllr Lyons said: "They would need to be able to give two to three days to it."
If you would like to volunteer please contact Cllr Lyons on 01392 253649.
Parking zone
CLLR Henson is to push for residents' only parking in Priory Road.
Cllr Henson said: "It is a mix of things causing problems here – commuters as well as people attending matches at St James's Park."
RD&E
Joining board
PROFESSOR David Halpin, a respiratory medicine specialist at the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital, has been invited to join the board of an international body helping to fight one of the most common causes of death worldwide.
He will join 11 other experts on the board of the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) and will serve for four years.
Professor Halpin, the hospital's consultant respiratory physician and clinical lead for respiratory medicine, said: "It is a great honour to have been invited to join the Board of this important global organisation.
"Chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) remains one of the main causes of death worldwide and many millions of people suffer from it. I am delighted that I have been asked to help lead initiatives to improve its diagnosis and management around the world."
About 25,000 people die each year in the UK because of COPD, an umbrella term for diseases including chronic bronchitis and emphysema, and about three million are thought to suffer from it.
GOLD was launched in 1997, a collaboration between the World Health Organisation and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute in America.
St David's
No cycle hub
THERE will be no cycle hub but there will be a new canopy.
Work to improve the entrance to Central Station in Queen Street was completed before Christmas.
The good news, reported to members of the Devon and Exeter Rail Project Working Group, was that it came in more than £100,000 under-budget and now the county council is working with First Great Western to come up with a design for a new canopy for the forecourt. Previously the council had thought that a new canopy was unaffordable.
The bad news is that no tenders came forward at all for the cycle hub when it was advertised in November last year.
The hub would have included secure bike storage and bike hire, and maintenance and repair facilities.
Topsham
To net or not
EXETER Golf and Country Club will appear before the city's planning committee on Monday, February 24 regarding its plans for 30m high netting alongside some of its fairways. The club says the fence is necessary to protect it from insurance claims because of stray golf balls and without it the club will either have to close or relocate.
Against the proposal is developer Persimmon who say that the netting will devalue the homes built adjacent to the course and argue that the best solution would be the re-profiling of a number of the holes.
The issue was last discussed by the planning committee in September and was deferred in the hopes that the two sides could get together and come to a solution.
The two have met several times since, along with the city's chief executive and officers.
The lowest quote for the fencing is £563,000 including VAT which is less expensive than the redesign costs.
Persimmon has agreed to pay £150,000 towards the additional costs of reprofiling but the club has said that it will only undertake reprofiling of the holes if Persimmon pays the whole cost although it has said it is happy to cover the cost of the netting. The club has estimated that some 200 members would leave the club because of the disruption during the reprofiling.
The plan is recommended for refusal.
University
All change
A LIDO style changing facility is being proposed by the university for its outdoor swimming pool.
According to the university authorities, the new changing, showering and toilet facilities are much needed: currently all swimmers have to use the dated facilities in the adjacent Cornwall House.
As the pool is open only in the summer months, open air changing cubicles under a monopitch roof covering are being proposed.
There are no plans to extend the pool's opening times.
Sculpture OK
PLANS for a specially commissioned steel sculpture to enhance the entrance to the Bill Douglas Cinema Museum on the Streatham campus have been approved by the city council.
Created by Scottish artist Kenny Munro, the work will commemorate what would have been the 80th birthday of film-maker Bill Douglas this year. Artefacts collected by Bill and his friend, Devonian Peter Jewell, formed the basis of the museum. The sculpture will be a three-sided framework of mirror-polished stainless steel with visitors being able to film and photograph their reflections.
Whipton Barton
Where to go?
THE city council has refused planning permission for a sign directing people to the Brewer's Fayre, off Honiton Road, to be moved further along Fitzroy Road. Planning officers said that would represent clutter and would set an 'undesirable precedent', giving rise to pressure for other signs when the rest of the commercial site is developed, leading to further clutter.
Meat bingo
WHIPTON Barton Infant and Nursery School are holding a meat bingo in the school on Wednesday, February 26 from 6pm to 8pm. Prizes range from bacon to chicken dinners.
Mobile learning
RECEPTION pupils at St Nicholas School in Ringswell Avenue got the chance to learn on the move when Stagecoach South West provided a double decker bus for 45 pupils to take a trip to Exmouth and back.
The class is currently learning about transport and assistant head teacher, Lauren Pettersen, approached the operator to see if they would help take the lesson out of the classroom and on board a bus.
Helen Scholes, marketing manager for Stagecoach South West, added: "We find organising a short trip with a school is a great way to introduce younger children to travelling by bus. I hope everyone enjoyed it and we'll be seeing them aboard our services very soon!"
