Swimbridge and Landkey Community Speedwatch on Mount Sandford Road, Landkey
Saturday 13 June
When I became a district cllr in May 2023 there was one thing I really wanted to achieve in my four year term of office. I have received some grand news about this from our county cllr Ed Tyldesley: a drainage survey is being carried out on Mount Sandford Road for the much hoped-for cycleway and footpath between Newport, on the south-eastern outskirts of Barnstaple, and Landkey. Devon County Council Highways are in the design and feasibility stage, and are looking to finalise plans later this year. They will then start bidding for Active Travel funding. If ‘we’re lucky’, Ed says, ‘it’ll get built next year! 2029 at the latest I think’. This project is dear to me as I have talked - as Ed has - with residents in Mount Sandford Road about the lack of a safe way (other than by car) down to the services they need in Newport. Schoolchildren are not safe walking or cycling this road to Park School. Let’s hope that Active Travel funding does not get switched to Defence: cycleways and footpaths are also essential to public safety. Perhaps it should be renamed the Safe Travel fund? Thanks so much to cllr Ed for championing this on our behalf.
Sonia Guerrini, Potted History project lead, at Bridge Hall on Saturday
The Potted Histories symposium on Saturday was fascinating, especially learning about what stood on the site where Barnstaple’s handsome library now stands. In the 11th c it was part of the outer bailey of the Norman castle. Then there was the early 17th c Bridewell, a mixture of house of penitentiary and workhouse, later a prison, later the site of Dornat & Co’s mineral water and bottling plant and finally the library. Tuly Street commemorates St Tuly’s Well, whose site today - we learned - is the toilet at Spill the Beans (19 Tuly Street). The North Devon pots we saw in the various presentations were superb and Sophie Guerrini is obviously a brilliant lead on the project of sorting and cataloguing the huge number of sherds preserved when the site was investigated by archaeologists prior to the building of the library and other sites in the tiwn in the early 1980s.
The Taw Valley from the Codden Hill Road at 6 am on Sunday
Sunday 14 June
The Taw was covered in mist when I looked down on it from the Codden Hill Road a little before 6am. It was a WeBS day - counting wetland birds for a survey organised by the British Trust for Ornithology. I usually scan the valley from the road above and expect to see at least 20 Mute Swans in one of the pasture fields. As I walked to the river at 6am a small, dark bird flew out from under the railway bridge over the its tributary, the Venn - I recognised it as a Kingfisher. I saw it again a few minutes later - this time it flashed blue and orange in the early morning sun. I had a good haul of wading birds on and beside the Taw but no swans, so I drove upstream to Newbridge. That added a fourth Grey Heron to my count, but no swans. Finally, I stopped on the Codden Hill Road again on my way home and saw two Mute Swans flying North over the Taw at 7.15 am. My wading birds count: Cormorant 11, Grey Heron 4, Herring Gull 31 (all flying North,) Kingfisher 1, Little Egret 1, Mallard 26, Moorhen 3, Mute Swan 2, Shelduck 10.
Wildflowers outside North Devon Council offices
Monday 15 June
This morning I attended the Strategy & Resources Committee, not as a committee member but out of interest. I wanted to hear the discussion of this motion:
a) To actively encourage partnerships with private and public sector organisations to maximise the use of existing infrastructure for renewable energy projects.
(b) To call upon government to develop policies that align with these priorities and provide financial incentives for rooftop and car park solar projects as and when funding becomes available.
We heard that an announcement relevant to this is expected soon from Great British Energy. It was interesting to hear that North Devon Hospice has installed solar panels and that these have reduced its electricity bills by £15k a year as well as generating income. Our council aims to be ready to add solar panels to car parks if funding comes forward. Meanwhile, we are looking at installing panels on the Green Lanes shopping centre (plus switching to LED lighting there), which would reduce service costs for users, and on the Tarka Leisure Centre. While some deplore solar farms on agricultural land, it was pointed out that farmers and landowners face tough times and this is a way they can survive economically. It was a good discussion and the motion was passed. However, the most significant agenda item was in Part B, when press and public are excluded. I look forward to sharing what was discussed and decided as soon as an announcement is made.
Cutleaf Geranium in our wildflower patch at home
Tuesday 16 June
I have been weeding our wildflower patch, removing hogweed, nettles and thistles which shade out the smaller plants like cranesbill and knapweed.
Governance committee in the evening - 6pm to 8.15pm. I was pleased to hear that there has been a rise in the council’s income, leading to a modest but welcome surplus. The main cause is higher income from business rates. This is chiefly due to increased activity in renewable energy - the council keeps 100% of the business rates from renewable energy companies, whereas 50% of other business rates goes to central government. Greening the economy = growing the economy.
Wednesday 17 June
From this morning’s Green Press Briefing: Amnesty International has accused Israel of using unlawful mass evacuation orders to forcibly displace hundreds of thousands of people in Lebanon, saying the policy amounts to the war crime of unlawful transfer. Israel's supreme court has rejected an appeal for the release of prominent Gaza doctor Hussam Abu Safiya, meaning he will remain in detention without charge. Barbaric, illegal cruelty.
Photo by Brian Garman: Vigil for Palestine Week 135
George Monbiot nails the government’s dangerous duplicity on what it terms terrorism: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/jun/17/belfast-riots-palestine-action-protests-terrorism?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other
As a North Devon Council appointed trustee, and chair of the Bridge Trust’s Public Benefits and Awareness Committee, I attended the formal opening of the Bridge Hall in the evening. I’m delighted that this Victorian building (1874) at the entrance to Barnstaple has now been refurbished, with a fine new performance space and a bar with outside seating on the Strand. May it thrive!
England 4 v Croatia 2. Halleluja!
Thursday 18 June
The Cultural Partnership Board (the partners being Torridge and North Devon district councils) met. We are now integrated into Northern Devon Futures as one of its action groups, the idea being that culture - broadly defined - will be included in all relevant discussions. The main achievement of the Board so far has been to organise Flourishing Culture Awards to recognise creative individuals and organisations in Northern Devon over the past two years. While many have been honoured I know of many more who deserve to be and I shall return to this when nominations open again. The winners receive really fine pieces of Dartington Crystal made in Great Torrington.
Friday 19 June
Agreed a plan for an Air Source Heat Pump at our house with installation expected late July / August.
Community Speedwatch in Landkey this afternoon: 102 cars, no reckless drivers. Do the observers influence what they observe: that’s the idea!
Keen to support the new Bridge Hall space, I bought a ticket for the first concert there - Small Town Jones, who were highly recommended by Cllr Ricky Knight. Jim Jones is a charismatic singer with wonderful musicians around him: it was a marvellous evening.
Wildlife - our Magnolia Grandiflora is probably 40 something years old. Is that old for a magnolia? It behaves with the freedom of a mature or even late-period artist, producing perfect blossoms seemingly at random. Thank you for reading.