​Dunchideock Parish Council Invite You to Become a Volunteer to Assist Our More Vulnerable Residents When We Have Severe Weather
To learn more, please contact our Parish Clerk parishclerk@dunchideock.org.uk or 
Councillor Robin Bean on 01392 833514

Further to our post below and communications with South Hams Motor Rally, we have received an in-depth response from them.  Please view this here on a separate page.

​We have received notification that The South Hams Motor Rally is to pass through our village on 9th-10th February. It is a 140 mile route on metalled and unmetalled roads and will pass through the village at approximately midnight. This stage is estimated to last about an hour and is to follow a route from Dunchideock towards Holloway Barton, with a maximum of 40 vehicles.  Concern has been expressed regarding the safety aspects of this event.  The Parish Council Chairman, Sarah Sharpe has sent the following correspondence to the organisers.  Any responses will be put on this website and advised to those who have raised concerns.

I am writing to you following an approach from a number of our parishioners who have expressed deep concern regarding the South Hams Motor Club 'Primrose Rally' planned for 9th-10th February 2019. The route of the rally goes through the residential area of our village on two way, single track country lanes with some properties that lie directly on the edge of the highway with steps and entrances directly onto the road itself.
These residents will not only suffer disturbance from the noise of the rally cars passing their properties but are naturally concerned about the risk of damage to their properties, should a driver lose control of their vehicle.
Whilst I understand that you have made the statutory notifications to the Police can you advise me of what risk assessment has been made for the section of the rally passing through Dunchideock and what public liability insurance is in place to cover injury to other road users and damage to property or death or injury to domestic and farm animals? Regardless of insurance provision, some of these properties are listed buildings and all of them are people's homes and any damage would be traumatic and upsetting.
Whilst it is appreciated that the roads through our village are subject to national speed limits, users must drive to a speed that is conducive with the conditions of the road. In a timed rally with a competitive element, it is likely that drivers will be driving at excessive speeds, thus increasing the risk and we are not aware of any road closures to preclude oncoming traffic in the narrow sections of our country lanes.
There is little doubt that your rally will be challenging and exhilarating for your competitors, a spectacle for bystanders and enthusiasts but it represents a period of stress and anxiety for some of our residents. In order to work with us and reduce the risk and concern to our householders, would it be possible to impose a restricted speed limit section through our village please?
I look forward to your views and the information requested.
Regards
Sarah Sharpe
Chairman - Dunchideock Parish Council

Update : We have received the attached response from the organisers of the Rally.  Please click here to view it.

Saturday 9th February 2019  10am-1pm
​Dunchideock Parish Council would like to invite you to attend a free First Aid awareness session in the Village Hall
Come and learn how to administer basic First Aid or brush up your skills

​If you are unable to make this date, there will be a similar session at Shillingford St George Village Hall on Saturday 16th February.  You would be most welcome to attend either date. 

Our Parish Clerk presented the budget at the Parish  Council meeting on 15th January and described a serious financial situation largely due to the grant of £2,900 paid to the village hall committee for the repair to the village hall ceiling, the cost of the election in May of £1258 and the necessity to fell the Lime tree on professional advice for public safety reasons at a cost of £540. Cllr Sharpe had been in discussion with the village hall committee as the situation presented a high risk of insolvency.  The village hall committee had not been aware of the impact on Parish Council funds when they accepted the grant and they agreed to pay back half the grant to support the Parish Council finances.  This is an excellent illustration of two community groups working together and is a selfless and philanthropic act by committee members.   The Parish Council really appreciate this financial support, as without it, there would have been a necessity to increase the precept even more. There will be an election in May this coming year. Whilst it is absolutely the democratic right of our parishioners to request elections whenever there is a vacancy on the Parish Council, this needs to be balanced and understood in the context that the cost has an impact on all our householders through subsequent and necessary precept rises to pay for it.
See here for the full Statement from the Clerk.

​The Parish Council would like to thank parishioners and resident businesses for their generosity in grants and donations. So far £3,895 has been pledged of which £550 is still to be deposited into the council bank account. There is a £300 grant application still outstanding and the February Country News newsletter will appeal for further donations. At the Parish Council meeting on 15th January, Cllr Sharpe presented 4 options for Councillors to consider. She recommended locating one unit at the Village hall and in anticipation of this, the VH committee had arranged easy access from the road through the curtilage wall. The second concentration of population is the area around the Lord Haldon Hotel driveway. The challenge is to find  mains power in that area. There is a reliable solar solution available but it is £700 more expensive than a mains powered system. The benefit is that there are no ongoing electrical costs (estimated by Western Power to be approximately £30 per annum). Our chosen provider has confirmed that HMRC view the purchase as a charitable donation and therefore the only item subject to VAT will be the annual management cost which covers insurance, replacement pads and batteries. VAT can be reclaimed but this will assist with the Parish Council cash flow. .  Councillors considered the options presented and it was agreed an order should be placed for one mains powered and one solar powered unit and that fundraising should continue to try to install a 3rd unit when donations allow. 
The defibrillators are semi automatic units which diagnose the condition of the patient and will only administer a shock if it is needed.  They cannot therefore be misused or further harm the patient. They give visual and audible instructions and can be used without any training.  However once they have been installed, the providers will run a community awareness session to give our community an opportunity to handle the defibrillator and understand what to expect should they ever need to use it.

Welcome to Norman Harvey our new Parish Clerk. Norman is a retired bank manager and brings with him a wealth of experience including 16 years as a Parish Councillor in Somerset and a member of a village hall committee for 20 years.  He has a wealth of experience he brings to the role and we really look forward to welcoming him.  Norman can be contacted on the parish clerk email address parishclerk@dunchideock.org.uk or on 01392 422390