You are browsing the Blog for Priory.
Update on Parking Problems in Wonford
As mentioned in the last newsletter, a meeting with local councillors and the hospital authorities was finally arranged and Jill Owen attended to explain about the impact hospital workers and other commuters are having on parking arrangements in such streets as Burnthouse Lane and Salters Road. It is clear from what was said at the meeting
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The Path to the Hospital and the New Flats
The 25 one- or two-bedroomed flats on Shakespeare Road should be finished by mid summer, along with the path to the hospital. The flats are intended for people over 55 who wish to ‘downsize’ making larger accommodation available for growing families. They are designed to have high levels of insulation and low energy usage so that
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Wonford Carving Project
Councillor Jill Owen is pleased to report on the excellent progress being made on Ivy Johns’ Field with the carving project. She was able to donate some capital funding to enable this to happen and is very pleased to see the involvement of so many local residents, particularly younger ones. The idea of this scheme
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Housing Refits for Council Properties
The City Council refit programmes are based on the lifespans set out in the Decent Home Programme, which are normally 20 years for a kitchen and 30 years for a bathroom. Across the city, the replacement of 431 kitchens and 275 bathrooms has been completed since April 2012. In Priory ward, a further 46 kitchens
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City Council Leads Way with Flood Protection Funding
The government has followed Exeter City Council’s example and finally pledged money to fund flood defences for our city. This comes after Devon County Council said they would match the £3 million pledged by the City Council. Exeter is in line to benefit from £26 million of flood defence improvements aimed at protecting around 2,850
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Wynstream Primary School
Andy Hannan, Priory & St Leonard’s Labour Candidate for Devon County Council, recently became a member of the governing body of The Children’s Learning Partnership, which covers both Wynstream Primary School and the Chestnut Avenue Nursery School. He has joined at a great time for Wynstream, which has just received the top overall rating of
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Countess Wear Roundabout
After much pressure from Councillor Jill Owen on behalf of residents who are fed up with the rush-hour rat run to Bridge Road through Lower Wear Road, she has received a letter from Devon County Council that gives some hope of respite. In early 2014 it is planned to begin working on a widening of
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Housing Refits for Council Properties
The City Council refit programmes are based on the lifespans set out in the Decent Home Programme, which are normally 20 years for a kitchen and 30 years for a bathroom. Across the city, the replacement of 431 kitchens and 275 bathrooms has been completed since April 2012. In Priory ward, a further 46 kitchens and
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Short Term Loans
Many people need financial help to get by. Pay day loans are seemingly attractive in the short term, but they come with very high rates of interest particularly if you are late with repayments. Borrowing from illegal loan sharks is even worse. These are unregistered lenders who target low-income families and often operate door-to-door. They
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Housing Development at Former Art College Site- Earl Richards Road North
The planning agreement has been finalised and work preparing the site is due to start towards the end of March. Hours of work are limited to 8am-6pm on weekdays and 8am-1pm on Saturdays with no work allowed on Sundays and public holidays. A formal complaints’ system for residents to use in the event of difficulties
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Youth Activities in Countess Wear
Councillor Jill Owen has been pleased to support the youth work in the area and was able to fund two projects at the 100 Club. Her locality budget is now spent! Jill said, ‘I am very keen to support youth activities in Countess Wear and have done all I can to enable extra schemes to take
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Exploring Matters Concerning Disabled Residents
A report from Councillor Gill Tippins During the time I have been a councillor in Priory Ward I have spoken to many disabled residents and am very concerned at the problems some are facing. I am registered disabled myself so I can relate to many of these and was keen to take on the role
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He’s Behind You!
Priory councillors provided support for trips to the pantomime for parties of children from Wynstream and Countess Wear primary schools. Almost 140 children chose to see either Dick Whittington at the Barnfield or Aladdin at the Corn Exchange. Cllr Gill Tippins thought these were valuable outings in several ways, ‘Not only did the children have
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Sheep Field
Priory councillors are concerned about the new signs erected on the fences surrounding the 100 Club and on Sheep field itself. Discussions are to take place with Exeter College, who own the land, in an attempt to meet the needs of both local dog walkers and those using the pitches to play sports.
City park dedicated to former councillor
Local councillors joined members of the extended family of Ivy Johns to unveil a plaque to celebrate the renaming of a city park after the late Ivy Johns who lived and worked in Wonford for many years. Cllr Geg Sheldon spoke about Ivy Johns, who was the local ward councillor for 30 years and among
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Parking Problems in Wonford
Jill Owen has been requesting a meeting with the RD & E to discuss their role in the parking problems in streets near the hospital – Burnthouse Lane and Salters Road for example. To date, little has happened and the hospital authorities seem unwilling to acknowledge the fact that it is their workers who are
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Homezone Success
The Homezone underwent a great repainting and refurbishment, and is now looking fantastic. Lesley Robson said: “The Community Initiative Week at the end of August was a great success; over 500 hours of community work by people in the area was undertaken around Rifford Road, Shakespeare Road and Burnthouse Lane. The Homezone was repainted silver and
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Community Action Week
Although rain dampened the enthusiasm of those who arrived to work on the first day of our Community Action Week, our spirits were lifted when the sun peeped through the clouds. Many residents came out to help with cutting overgrown grass areas and weeding the planted areas as you enter the Glasshouse Lane estate. A
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Priory Community Funding Available – Autumn 2012
Councillor Jill Owen would like to remind community groups about her locality budget which is to support local causes. There is still money available for this financial year, but quite a lot has already gone on such activities as the following: - transport for the Wonford Luncheon Club - youth service activities in Wonford and
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Dispersal Order in Wonford
A Section 30 Dispersal order is currently in place in the area. This gives the police extra powers to move on any groups or individuals causing a nuisance. Sadly this has been necessary because of an increase in anti social behaviour in the area. Fortunately Wonford still has its full complement of police, unlike some
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Traffic Problems in Countess Wear
In order to reduce the rat run through Lower Wear Road,the suggestion has been floated that the Glasshouse Lane one way stretch be reversed so that traffic could exit on to the by pass using this route. Jill has been contacted by quite a few residents objecting to this idea. Jill says ‘ This proposal
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Cycle Path
The safety of cyclists using the cycle path from the main gates of King George Playing Field has caused much concern as cars were regularly parked on the cycle path. This created a potentially life threatening situation, where cyclists had to leave the path on a blind corner and cycle into the path of oncoming
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New Path
The new path linking Shakespeare Road to the hospital has finally started! It is being built along the side of 25 flats for people who are moving to smaller homes thus allowing new young growing families the chance to move into larger houses. Cllr Lesley Robson said, “I’m so glad that work
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The Renaming of the Wonford Playing Fields
After the Jubilee Celebration, we have a new name for the Wonford Community end of the park: Queen Elizabeth II. This renaming should help to preserve the park as an open area, with no houses. The Topsham Road end is to be named after Ivy Johns, who has been described as a pillar of the Wonford
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Great Grants for the Community
Following the success of the Community Grants scheme last year, a fresh round of funding has been announced. There is more money this time. £2,000 is available for groups and charities to bid for in Priory Ward plus a new £20,000 central pot of funding. This is for projects that work across more than one ward.
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Taking Pride in Your Community is What Makes it Strong
Cllr. Gill Tippins says, “Exciting ideas for the summer came out of a very lively meeting of the Community First Panel which has been set up to work with the community in Priory Ward.” The first Community First Project will be Community Action Week which will see residents working alongside your local councillors, local police and
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Keep Kids Safe on the Roads
At a meeting of Wear United, the community group for Countess Wear, one of the main concerns was various aspects of road safety, in particular for children on the Glasshouse Lane estate. In response to the concerns of local residents Cllrs Marcel Choules, Gill Tippins and Jill Owen have masterminded a plan to help address
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The Play Area at Woodwater Lane
After the opening of the new play area in Ludwell Valley Park, some new equipment for the younger children at the Woodwater Lane end was requested. This was approved in March 2010 with £27,000 set aside to be spent. The request is now near the top of the list and the refurbishment of this area
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Laburnam Road Roundabout
A year after it was expected, the work to remove the stones on the Laburnam Road roundabout has taken place. As agreed by local residents who attended the consultation events, the stones, which are now on the Wonford Playing Field, have been replaced by prickly shrubs. Jill Owen said, “Residents were understandably wondering if this
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Anti Social Behaviour
Marcel Choules has been working with local police and Exeter City Council to address a severe problem of anti social behaviour which is causing much distress to a local family. Tenants behaving in a way which causes distress to neighbours and in particular where this concerns young children will not be tolerated. After numerous complaints
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Waste Not Want Not
The area at the back of Shakespeare Road is being handed over to Sovereign houses on 19th March so that properties, aimed at people down sizing, can be built and also the path to the hospital from Burnthouse Lane. This has been a long time coming but hopefully it will be finished in the near
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Preperation for Jubilee Celebration
With the Queen’s Juiblee fast approaching, progress is being made across Priory with different parties being held to celebrate. On June 2nd an event is being held at the Wonford Community Centre. There will be four Local Pubs competing in a tug of war, strong man and woman competitions, a Grand Draw, a dog show,
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Adult Courses at Countess Wear Village Hall
New funding will give those claiming benefits the opportunity to take part in discounted Adult Courses. Included are things like painting, mosaics, stained glass plus much more. No skill needed just the desire to give it a try and have fun. This help has come from Labour Cllrs Marcel Choules, Lesley Robson, Gill Tippins Community
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The Eastside Outdoors Club
PCSO Percy Giles says that funding from Local Councillor Community Grants has enabled young people involved in The Eastside Outdoors Club to experience things they have not had the opportunity to do before. This includes a visit to Crealy Park, The Royal Albert Memorial Museum, a bit of ice skating and lifesaving at Middlemoor swimming
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Youth Hostel Update
We were sad to hear that last year The Youth Hostel Association announced that they had plans to close Mount Wear House Youth Hostel due to rising overheads. They have now applied for a change of use for the buildings to 10 self contained apartments and a single dwelling. Cllr Choules said, “It’s sad to
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Celebrating the Diamond Jubilee
Priory Ward has traditionally been known for showing the city how to celebrate special events and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee will be no exception. Plans are already afoot for a huge Jubilee Event in The Wonford Community Centre spilling out into Ludwell Valley on Saturday 2nd June. So far we have stalls, competitions, including tug
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Parking Issues Tackled
Following representations by Priory and St Leonard’s Labour county councillor Jill Owen, it has now been confirmed that parking on verges and pavements in Exeter is a civil parking offence. Motorists who do this will now face a fixed-penalty notice. This will be welcomed by pedestrians, particularly disabled people and parents with prams or buggies,
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New Play Area in Dicken’s Drive Opens
The children in the Dickens Drive area received an extra Christmas present when new play equipment was installed just prior to the Christmas holidays. It has given the whole area a facelift and looks new and exciting. The new play equipment includes a basket swing, an super rocking dish, an overhead rotator, a see saw,
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Playtime in Priory
Councillor Gill Tippins went along to the consultation regarding the play area at Dickens Drive. It was a great opportunity to meet residents and find out more about what was possible and what residents wanted in the new play area. “I was amazed at the pictures of the brilliant play equipment on offer. We then
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Update on the Path to the Hospital
Following the delay caused by roosting bats, we are now hoping to hand the land over to Sovereign Housing in the coming month. This means that the new housing development should be starting soon, with the prospect of finishing in 2012. The development will include the building of the path to allow access to the
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Community Grants Funding in Priory
The County Council has given each councillor £15,000 to fund community activities this year. To date,Devon County Councillor Jill Owen has given funding to the following projects: The Harvest Project: this involves working with residents to grow their own garden produce and the Chestnut Centre has also benefitted from this scheme. Wear United: Jill has given funding for
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Sewage Smell Issues
The smell coming from the sewage works have been bad lately, partly due to the building works over the other side of Topsham Road. If the smell is bad, please phone the sewage works on 08001691144. It is a free number, and will put you straight through.
