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Green Watercolor Blank Paper A4 Document - 1
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October 2023
Okehampton Town Residents
If you want to see a change, your action is imperative. Complete the consultation by 1st December!
Go to https://new.westdevon.gov.uk/your-council/community-governance-review
The options as set out by West Devon Borough Council (WDBC):
1.Amend the boundary between Okehampton Town Council (OTC) and Okehampton Hamlets Parish (OHPC)
Council, in accordance with OTC's request through petition to WDBC.
2.Retain the status quo.
Why has OTC requested a boundary amendment?
To incorporate the urban developments and future potential expansion sites into the town - OHPC being historically rural.
Recent urban development, both commercial and dwellings, is almost all outside of the Town boundary and encroaching heavily on the rural hamlets. Comments from social media, correspondence, the petition and consultations to date by WDBC suggests many residents of the new developments believe they are part of the Town.
Residents of greater Okehampton should be able to feel part of the urban area and have a democratic voice in the community they believe they are part of, bringing a sense of community inclusion and identity.
They directly benefit from all of the services and facilities that are offered by OTC including, but not limited to:
- Public toilets at Fairplace and in Market Street
- Simmons Park recreation facilities
- Skate Park/BMX track
- Cemetery (the only cemetery in the Town and Hamlets that is open for burials)
•CCTV in the town and Simmons Park
The Town Hall, a Grade II listed building, is home to DCC's Registration Service who provide a service allowing the registration of Birth, Deaths and Marriages to take place in Okehampton, and the Council Chamber is also often used for ceremonies.
The Charter Hall is owned and managed by the Town Council who hire it out at subsidised rates to local not-for-profit community groups and organisations. This benefits those who live in both the Town and Hamlets equally.
What would an amended boundarv mean for town residents?
Costs for managing the services and facilities provided by OTC would be shared amongst more households.
The OTC's precept (the councils' part of your council tax) for 2023/24 is £421,893 or £186.42 p/annum for a Band D property. Whereas Band D households in the Hamlets pay just £42.54 towards a precept of £27,850. A difference of £143.88 - with some of these properties being adjacent to each other and the same facilities available to all!
Option 1 would:
Spread the costs between more households.
- More funds to maintain / improve Okehampton's infrastructure, utilities and services.
- Larger population may attach/allow access to greater national funding.
- Give ALL Okehampton residents a democratic voice as to how their town is run.
Option 2:
Nothing will change.
The onus on OTC residents to solely pay for infrastructure, utilities and services used by all residents of the Town and Hamlets will continue.