West Devon March Report 2024
PARISH COUNCIL REPORT MARCH 2024
Small grants for village halls
The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) scheme for those managing rural community buildings has now reopened with lower thresholds for smaller projects such as disability access, toilet upgrades and new kitchens. Grants of between £2,000 and £5,000, and up to 20 per cent of eligible project costs, are on offer to new applicants.
WD Council Tax decision 24/25
Council Tax for 2024/25 will be increased by 2.99% (NB. this would increase a Band D Council Tax for 2024/25 from £254.00 to £261.59 – an increase of £7.59 per year or under 15 pence per week). (This equates to a Council Tax requirement of £5,627,384)
WD COUNCIL PLAN AGREED
On 20th February the council plan was agreed at the full council meeting. This sets out the aims and ambitions for the council for the next 5 years. It is available to view on the West Devon website.
Metal Matters
We’re launching a new campaign promoting the recycling of metal packaging.
In a bid to improve kerbside recycling rates, we’re encouraging our residents to recycle their metal packaging including food and drinks cans, aluminium wrapping foil and foil trays, as well as empty aerosols and metal screw tops.
Spearheaded by the Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation (Alupro), the ‘MetalMatters’ programme will have leaflets distributed to all households within the council area to communicate the widespread benefits of metal packaging recycling.
The campaign will target over 26,000 households across the borough. Since its launch in 2012, more than 121 local authorities have adopted MetalMatters, with recycling rates improving as a result.
Cllr Lynn Daniel, Lead Member for Environment, said: “Our goal is to drive recycling rates up and reduce waste by identifying environmentally responsible ways to meet the needs of our local communities.
“MetalMatters will allow us to engage with residents across West Devon, encouraging them to think about their recycling habits and how best to dispose of their metal packaging. Metal is endlessly recyclable, so it’s one of the most sustainable materials that we have.”
Funded by the metal packaging industry, MetalMatters aims to educate householders about the benefits of metal packaging and encourage them to recycle.
Designed to support kerbside recycling schemes, MetalMatters can be run by any local authority, either region-wide, by collection round or even by demographic targeting.
RENEW Garden Waste Subscriptions
Residents of West Devon can now sign up to or renew their subscription for the borough’s garden waste collection service.
An annual subscription to West Devon Borough Council’s garden waste collection service will cost £55 for 2024/25. One subscription provides four generous reusable sacks, which are collected every fortnight on the same day of the week as your recycling collections, in the opposite week to your black bag refuse collections.
Subscribers can put grass cuttings, hedge trimmings, cut flowers and plants, small branches, weeds, leaves, twigs, and vase flowers in their bags for collection.
You can sign up for 2024/25 collections from now, with collections starting from 1 April 2024. The year’s subscription runs until 31 March 2025
Cllr Lynn Daniel