Buckfastleigh Housing Needs Survey
What is the point of completing a Housing Needs Survey?
A Housing Needs Survey is an independent report which collates information about the current housing situation, circumstances and need in our community. An assessment of the data collated is then used to identify what housing is needed with an emphasis on affordable housing which can be used by your Town Council, Dartmoor National Park, Teignbridge District Council and community groups to ensure the right number, size and tenure of homes are built.
It is important that residents complete the survey even if you do not have a current need (otherwise developers will not consider it a valid survey and have grounds to ignore it). You should receive a copy in the post, or you can complete it online here. The deadline for completing the survey is 30th September.
Public Meeting about “Wilder-hoods” and Compact Homes on 25th September
More information here
Join the Town Council!
Christmas Lights Fundraising
A new Christmas lights display is coming to town. The Council has appointed contractors who will be responsible for their installation and maintenance. We are now at the stage to ask for donations from our wonderful businesses no matter how small. The estimated installation will be approximately £20,000 followed by an annual hire, storage and electrical testing cost. If you would like to help us reach our target, please visit our GoFundMe page: https://www.gofundme.com/f/Buckfastleigh-Christmas-Lights. All donations and sponsorship will be acknowledged in a prominent place.
Problems with roads, potholes, overgrown vegetation etc.
A reminder that any problems with highways should be reported online to DCC. Read more here.
Ways to Report a Crime
Find out here the different ways to report crimes to Devon and Cornwall Police.
Citizens Advice Outreach Service
Due to the demand for the Citizens Advice Outreach Service which runs in partnership with the Foodbank at St. Luke's Church, the Friday morning video booth at the Town Hall is not being used and is therefore cancelled with immediate effect.
Buckfastleigh Town Council will however continue to fund this valuable service and the door is always open should Teignbridge Citizens Advice wish to return to the Town Hall at a later date.
A representative of Citizens Advice is available at the Foodbank every Friday from 10.00 am until noon. To make an appointment, please telephone 01364 644485 or email: info@ buckfastleigh.foodbank.org.uk.
Advice is also available on freephone: 0808 278 7997
Buckfastleigh Green Fair
Buckfastleigh Green Fair coming up on Saturday 28th September 2024. Save the date! FREE ENTRY
WHAT’S ON
Main Hall – a variety of stalls, advice and information relating to biodiversity, wildlife, the environment and energy
Room 3 Café – a selection of cakes and refreshments
Room 2 - 11.15am – a talk by John Walters our local consultant entomologist, naturalist and wildlife illustrator
12.30pm – Restoring the Balance – a talk by Dr Mateo Ruiz from the Barn Owl Trust
Children’s themed raffle and activities provided by the Clockwork Moth, The Wool Hub, Community Action Devon and more………
Come and meet Kat’s Kreatures including Lizzie the friendly bearded dragon and the Slime Gang: – 3 Giant African Land Snails
Christmas Lights Update
We received recently requests for an update on the Christmas lights display. We hope the update below will satisfy you. If you feel you wish to know more, we will be having a drop-in session with refreshments instead of the October Town council meeting on Wednesday 16th October from 3.00pm to 8.00pm in the Town Hall or alternatively you can always send an email to Judith our Town Clerk: clerk@buckfastleigh.gov.uk
In February 2024, the remaining Christmas lights display volunteers and members of the public met with the town council to talk about the future of Christmas lights in Buckfastleigh.
During that meeting the town council was asked to take over the management of Christmas Lights.
The Town Council had to address the following issues:
- unsafe and unsustainable electricity feed posing risks and impacting the insurance of affected residents and businesses, which they no longer wanted to support
- aged and unmaintained fixings on private buildings for lights, etc
- the need to fix, check, replace, store, install and dismantle the display each year
Between then and now the council looked at all available options including DIY. The progress on the works was discussed at the Town Council meetings which are all open to residents to attend.
The council put forward a proposal taking into account the issues raised at the original meeting.
The proposal and the associated costs were presented and approved at the Town Council Meeting in July and is based on using reputable third party providers already managing Christmas lights in neighbouring towns.
We received donations from the public, businesses and the Buckfastleigh Town lottery for which we are grateful.
Any owners of the buildings who want to install Christmas tress to their buildings are free to do so.
A number of you asked about the 12 days of Christmas boards. Much loved, we need to remember that these boards were attached to private buildings, a lot of which underwent restoration. Any work to display the boards would require permission from owners, new fixings and repair. Taking this into account the council decided that this will not be addressed.
Wildspace Garden Autumn/Winter Opening Times
September: Monday 9am - 4pm; Tuesday & Wednesday - 9am - 1pm; Thursday & Friday - 9am - dusk
October/November/December: Monday 9am - 4pm; Tuesday-Friday 9am - 1pm Closed from 21st December
Weekends closed. January/February closed for annual maintenance
The Town Council & the Town Hall
Defibrillator Locations
Make sure you know where all the town defibrillators are located. Have a look here