This September and October, Totnes Renewable Energy Society (TRESOC) and Transition Homes Community Land Trust (THCLT) will be holding a series of free public events.  These will be part of TRESOC’s feasibility study into the development of a solar photovoltaic (PV) array plus on-site battery storage and electric vehicle charging points at THCLT’s 31-home Clay Park development.

If the study – funded by a Rural Community Energy Fund grant of almost £30,000 – proves the case for solar, the new socio-eco housing development at Clay Park in Dartington could benefit from its own supply of affordable green energy. A micro-grid would be set up to supply the site, taking renewable solar energy direct to residents at a below-market rate. It is estimated that the PV array could generate 180,000 kWh of energy, worth nearly £30,000 a year, on which residents would save approximately 10%.  As well as improving local energy resilience, this would save an estimated 45 tonnes of CO2 from entering the atmosphere annually.

TRESOC would be invited to become the energy supplier at the progressive development, and to own and operate the system. TRESOC intends to raise the capital to install the solar PV panels, microgrid, and operating system, estimated to cost £180,000, through a community share-offer. Clay Park residents will be able to purchase shares in the scheme if they so wish.

Both TRESOC and THCLT are keen to involve the local community for the two walk and talk events, which are open to everyone. These take place at 10.30am and 12.30pm on Thursday 10th and Saturday 12th September, at the Clay Park site. TRESOC’s Operations Manager, Sally Murrall-Smith said, “Children are very welcome to come to these with their parents, and there will be fun renewable things for them to do while the grown-ups enjoy the tour. Please meet at the Clay Park site – the entrance is opposite the Kingdom Hall on the Dartington road.”

The Green Energy focus groups will be held between 11am and 12.30pm on Thursday 24th and Saturday 26th September. These events will be for prospective tenants of Clay Park. THCLT has planning permission for 31 highly energy-efficient eco-homes, offering a choice of affordable rent or shared ownership for local people in housing need. If you would like to put your name down as a prospective resident of either rented, shared own or market housing, please email info@transitionhomes.org.uk. The venue for these events will be announced nearer the time. To register, email admin@tresoc.co.uk or call 01803 867431.

In October 7th, there will be an online community meeting between 7-8pm. To participate, please email admin@tresoc.co.uk or call 01803 867431.

The Rural Community Energy Fund is delivered by the South West Energy Hub on behalf of the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra). The energy hub is led by the West of England Combined Authority, working in partnership with Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership.

TRESOC is a Registered Society with 550 members, 94% are local to Totnes. As with the 2011, 2012, and 2014 share-offers, the minimum investment will be £20, meaning TRESOC membership is open to anyone, regardless of income. This provides the community with access to a local, ethical, and sustainable investment opportunity. It is expected that TRESOC will buy wholesale electricity from a green energy supplier at such times when the solar PV is unable to meet demand at Clay Park. Any surplus electricity will be sold to the National Grid. TRESOC currently supplies commercial customers at 10% less than grid price but hopes to improve on this during the modelling.

Transition Homes Community Land is a volunteer-led community project with a small staff. Clay Park is its first development and is designed to meet some of the need for affordable housing in the Totnes area. As an offshoot of Transition Town Totnes, its scheme of 31 eco-homes at Clay Park, in Dartington parish, has been designed to be as low impact as possible within the existing planning framework of the South Hams. The majority of the homes (70%) are affordable rental and shared ownership for local people in housing need, with a proportion of market housing required for cross-subsidy.

 

Sally Murrall-Smith
sally.murrall-smith@tresoc.co.uk
www.tresoc.co.uk
01803 867431

Nicola Lang
info@transitionhomes.org.uk
www.transitiontowntotnes.org/transition-homes

 

Event details

Walk & Talks
Come and explore the site and ask questions in an informal setting. This event is open to everyone. Convenient weekday and weekend times. Children welcome; kids renewable energy making activities on site.
Meet at the Clay Park site (entrance opposite the Kingdom Hall on Dartington road)
Thursday 10th Sept: 10.30am and 12.30pm
Saturday 12th Sept: 10.30am and 12.30pm

Green Energy Focus Groups
Interested in becoming a Clay Park resident? Want to pay a fair price for green energy? Fancy borrowing an electric car? Help design how residents will interact with their energy system.
Totnes (venue TBD)
Thursday 24th Sept: 11am-12:30pm
Saturday 26th Sept: 11am-12:30pm

Online Community Meeting
7th October: 7-8pm

[gview file=”https://www.staverton.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Notice-of-Public-Rights-and-Publication-of-Unaudited-AGAR-2019-20.pdf”]

Village Lives is a marvellous book, containing a host of interesting articles which were published in the Parish News between 1975 and 2009. It gives a vivid picture of life in Broadhempston, Landscove, Littlehempston, Staverton and Woodland, their inhabitants, the society and the social changes that have occurred in relatively few years. The Parish News editors were keen to preserve and present the social history just sitting there modestly within all these magazines. Suitable local photos have been included in the presentation. The Village Lives page explains how you can read the book here online, download your own copy from this website, or buy a hard copy.

GOOD NEWS FROM THE SEA TROUT INN

Matt, Clair and our three children are looking forward to welcoming you back to The Sea Trout Inn when we re-open on the 31st July.

We are currently adding our finishing touches and safety measures to the pub and creating our menus along with our head chef Rob and general manager James.

We have been running pubs for the last 14 years for various pub companies and finally took on our first pub ourselves at The Treby Arms in Sparkwell just over a year ago.

The Sea Trout Inn will be open for breakfast, lunch and evening meals 7 days a week offering various styles of food alongside 11 en-suite B&B rooms.

In the meantime, we hope everyone is keeping well and we are looking forward to meeting everyone and bringing the pub back to life

Matt Littlechild

 

Would you like to be more proactive in helping to combat fly tipping in our Parish?

If Yes, AND YOU CAN DO SO SAFELY,

Please record and report any suspicious activities involving vehicles, which could possibly be connected to fly tipping.

It would helpful if any appropriate information you have could be passed to the Local Authority email address:  Environmentalprotectionauto@swdevon.gov.uk

Or reported on the following link:

https://apps.southhams.gov.uk/webreportit

 

Thank you. 

Over 50 and Without Children?
There will be an opportunity to meet others who do not have children or whose children do not live close by. You will also hear from Sue Lister who runs a group for people ageing without children in York and Kirsty Woodard who campaigns for people ageing without children.
Join This Free Online Event
23rd July, 1pm – 2.30pm
This
event will provide a safe space for attendees to share thoughts and
stories about ageing without children
Register for your ticket online:
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ageing-without-children-tickets-111279363572
Devon Highlights and Ageing Well Without Children are looking to help and support people over 50 without children to live a positive and happy later life.

 

https://www.devoncommunities.org.uk/courses/free-online-event-ageing-well-without-children-devon-highlights

Councillor Vacancy on Staverton Parish Council

-oOo-

 

Are you inspired to get involved in your Parish Council to make a real difference at local level?

 

We are looking for a new Councillor by a process called co-option, which means that people may put themselves forward without going through a local election process.

 

Who can be a Parish Councillor?

You must be:

• At least 18 and a British, Commonwealth or EU Citizen
• On the electoral roll for the area, or have worked or occupied as owner or tenant, any land or premises in the district for at least a year

 

What does a Parish Councillor do?

At a basic level, attend monthly meetings (held on the first Wednesday of the month, alternating usually between Staverton and Landscove, where planning and community matters are discussed.  You can join a Working Group (like the Neighbourhood Plan, Finance or Climate Emergency), advocate for changes in our area by speaking to our District Councillor, look after our public spaces and allotments, and just generally seek to make this Parish continue to be a lovely place to live.

 

Interested?

Please send a brief paragraph about yourself and what you can bring to the role by 26th August, 2020 to the Clerk, Karen Smith, who can be contacted on clerk.stavertonpc@gmail.com

 

If you would like to have an informal chat about what it is like to be a Parish Councillor, then give one of the current Councillors a ring.  Contact details can be found on www.staverton.org

 

 

As the Covid crisis continues to decline locally, the Parish Emergencies Coordination Team are now standing down – at least for the time being. We will, however, remain alert to any signs of a local spike or more widespread second wave and get back into action if and when circumstances require.

Cheryl Loverock is willing to continue collecting prescriptions for anyone vulnerable who is still being shielded, but we ask those not in that group to now make their own arrangements for collecting their prescriptions.

We would like to say a special thank you to Cheryl and Michael Loverock for being the point of contact and for the support they have given many parishioners throughout the lockdown.

And many thanks also to the band of parishioners who joined our pool of volunteers – although, happily, we didn’t need to call on many of them.

Devon County Council have just issued their management plans for coping if there is further outbreak of the virus in Devon. If you are interested, an overview (with links to the full plan) can be seen here.

Let’s hope there won’t be further outbreaks affecting us and life can continue on the road back to normal.

Best wishes – and stay well!

Staverton Emergency Coordination Team

Dog control Consultation – Have Your Say

A Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) deals with potential anti-social behaviour in an area which could have a harmful effect on the quality of life for those in the local community. It can ban certain things, or need specific things to be done, in this case the control of dogs in public areas.

The Council know that most dog owners properly control their dogs and abide by the rules.  However, they want to encourage every dog owner throughout the South Hams to be responsible and these Protection Orders help with that.

PSPOs last for three years before they need to be reviewed and the current orders run out in December this year.  The District Council now need to consult on the next set of Orders for the following three year period.

• The current review affects all existing PSPOs within the District and they want to hear what you think.  The Council is also considering introducing new orders within existing PSPO areas, as follows:
• Dog walkers must carry dog bags or other container to collect dog waste
• Restrict amount of dogs that can be walked at to four at a time

Reduce restriction on access for dogs on specified beaches between 10:00 and 19:00 from 1st may and 30th September inclusive in any year to between 10:00 and 17:00 from 1st July to 31st August in any one year to be consistent with Cornwall’s restrictions.

 

South Hams District Council want your views in a public consultation about Public Space Protection Orders for dog control in the District.

If you would like to share your thoughts about the proposals, please contact the Environmental Protection Team on: pspoconsultation@swdevon.gov.uk

Or by post to:

Environmental Protection Team

South Hams District Council

Follaton House

Plymouth Road

Devon

TQ9 5NE