Here are the background papers for this meeting:

NTTC proposed budget for 2021-22 – Budget Powers and 2021-22 v8

NTTC budget proposal report – Budget Proposal Report Nov 2020v2

NTTC proposed revised financial regulations – NTTC financial regs 2020 – draft

Ted Hughes OM –

90^th birthday on Monday 17 August

Monday, 17 August, marks what would have been the 90th birthday of one of North Tawton’s most celebrated residents, the former Poet Laureate, Ted Hughes, who lived in the town at Court Green for nearly four decades until his death in 1998.

Born in West Yorkshire in 1930, Ted Hughes won recognition for his first collection of poems, The Hawk in the Rain, while still in his twenties and went on to write prolifically for the next 40 years, creating a hugely diverse body of work – from poetry and prose for adults and children to memorable theatre adaptations and translations. He is rated by many critics as one of the 20th century’s greatest British writers.

The natural world and our relationship with it is one of the most abiding themes in his work, from early poems such as The Thought Fox and Pike through to his classic children’s story, The Iron Man – still one of the author’s best-selling books more than 50 years after he wrote it for his own children. His Moortown Diary is of particular local interest – poems recording the years spent farming near Winkleigh in the 1970s with his father in law, Jack Orchard.

Hughes was also a passionate campaigner for the environment, especially the water quality of Devon’s rivers where he spent much time as an avid fisherman. In a long career, he garnered many literary prizes – including the Whitbread Prize for his last poetry collection, Birthday Letters, exploring his relationship with his first wife – the American poet, the late Sylvia Plath. 

In 1970, he married Carol Orchard, who still lives in the home she and Ted shared in North Tawton. Hughes was appointed Poet Laureate in 1984, the last person to hold the position for life, and was awarded the prestigious Order of Merit by the Queen in 1998.

The plaque on the Town Council Office wall commemorating the poet’s life in North Tawton was unveiled by Carol Hughes in 2011.

Photo showing Ted and Carol Hughes outside their NorthTawton home in the 1980s.

Photo copyright Mrs Carol Hughes.

BT Phone Box, The Square, North Tawton

With the posting of official BT notices on the phone box, we’re aware that residents will want to know what is happening to this box.

BT periodically consults with parishes about the future of under-used phone boxes in their area.  At the  last consultation, Autumn of 2019, we said that whilst we don’t feel there is now a need for the phone box at the junction of Mill Lane and Fore Street, we’d  like BT to retain the box in The Square.

It’s the emergency phone for the Town Hall, and also an emergency phone for people in the vicinity of The Square where the mobile phone signal is not always reliable – thinking of schoolchildren getting off the bus and needing to ring home for example.

We only recently became aware that the phone has been out of order,  and asked BT to investigate.  BT have a concern about the bookshelves that have erected being a potential safety hazard, and they can’t access the phone, so they’ve asked for the shelves and books to be removed.  It seems from the newly posted external notice that they are consulting yet again as to whether residents want to retain the box.

We’re aware that the books and DVDs have been a great help to residents especially during the more severe restrictions of the lockdown and we really appreciate people’s enthusiasm in setting up the free books initiative.

We’re waiting to hear back from BT about the consultation issue, and this matter will be on the Agenda for the Council’s next meeting on 7 July 2020.  If you have any comments, please be aware we don’t  have resources to monitor facebook pages and collate comments, but you can easily get in touch with us via the ‘Contact Us’ page on our website, northtawtontowncouncil.gov.uk .

Gov.UK has instructions for really easy to make cloth face coverings – there’s a no-sew option using an old t-shirt, you just need to cut out the relevant shape from the t-shirt.  There’s also a really easy sewn version using fabric.  Please be aware that these face masks are not guaranteed to protect the wearer, but they can help to protect others from  your coughs and sneezes, this is why their use in public is being recommended more and more.

Information from Gov.UK:

Wearing a face covering

A cloth face covering should cover your mouth and nose while allowing you to breathe comfortably. It can be as simple as a scarf or bandana that ties behind the head.

Wash your hands or use hand sanitiser before putting it on and after taking it off and after use. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth at all times and store used face coverings in a plastic bag until you have an opportunity to wash them.

Do not touch the front of the face covering, or the part of the face covering that has been in contact with your mouth and nose. Once removed, make sure you clean any surfaces the face covering has touched.

You should wash a face covering regularly. It can go in with other laundry, using your normal detergent.

When wearing a face covering, take care to tuck away any loose ends.

Face coverings should not be used by children under the age of 2 or those who may find it difficult to manage them correctly. For example, primary age children unassisted, or those with respiratory conditions.

This information is a guide to making a simple face covering. We do not endorse any particular method and other instructions are widely available online. Always take care to use equipment safely to avoid injury. Children should only follow these instructions under the supervision of adults.