Main Issues

Separate Councils: Some very outspoken comments in favour of separate councils were made in the Appraisal. Once again this will need a lot of careful work to follow the criteria laid down by the South Hams District Council to establish whether there is or is not a case for a referendum on this matter. A group from both villages would probably have to be formed to steer this through. Some of the problems listed below might be more easily solved with councils able to work single-mindedly in the interests of their village and surrounding area

Public Transport: There are big difficulties here and there may be no solution. One possibility is that some form of public service taxi, possibly in concert with the Harbourne Shuttle,could meet the need of only a very small number of people wishing to travel at a particular time.This problem and that suggestion are passed to the Parish Council.

Traffic: In Harbertonford the high speeds on the A381 are a major problem. There is a very strong feeling that more must be done here. A footbridge or Pelican crossing is wanted by a high proportion of you in Harbertonford as is more parking.These are well aired problems but ones which clearly need more attention

Cables Underground: Both villages stress the importance of getting telephone and power cables underground in the conservation areas. Could a long term plan be put in place to achieve this incrementally, perhaps as new work is done? Possible action by the Parish Council with utilities.

Communications: Lots of activities go on that some of us don’t know about and many of you requested things that already exist. Badminton, gardening clubs and art classes are examples. Communication was better in Harbertonford with the shop and noticeboards there but the main solution may well be the parish magazine. Over 200 of you who don’t see the magazine at present said you would take it if it had a list of events and information about them.Action here could be by club organisers to ensure that their activities are publicised on noticeboards and to get the information into the parish magazine, which could boost its readership.

Trade Directory: Many of you would find this useful. Some expertise will be needed in this field to establish the basis of such a publication.Action group?

Bus Shelter, Post Boxes, Public Telephones: Post Boxes, Public Telephones. These are items which are either ongoing or need the help of outside authorities. An action group or groups may need to be set up and more research may need to be done although the case for all three at Harbertonford looks strong.Suggest the Parish Councillors can advise here

Housing: Your overwhelming response here was that no further housing development should remain the policy in the parish. Some of you question the realism of this.

Rubbish Skips: Many of you are very keen to see rubbish skips made available and also significant numbers of you are prepared to act as volunteer skip wardens.We have the strength of feeling and the volunteers. Time to resolve this issue?

A Shop in Harberton: There was strong support for this with even some of you in Harbertonford saying you would use a shop in Harberton. Some of you in Harberton would take shares in such a venture and the stated levels of anticipated expenditure were quite high.This will need a dedicated group working at it. There is much information available e.g. from the Community Council of Devon and help will be needed to establish the legal, commercial and common sense steps to be taken in establishing its viability or otherwise.Premises? Staff?

Dog Mess: This is a serious problem to many of you. The solution seems to be the provision of dog loos, poop scoops and depositories for their contents. The first and third should be possible through the council and then we need someone to arrange the bulk purchase of scoops (or manufacturing instructions therefor). Then if a poop scooping zone is declared in each village the problem will be, as it were, in our own hands.

Planting Native Trees: This is something which you are very keen on. It would obviously be part of the subject of the next paragraph but should it be a wider policy in our areas?

Green Areas: In both villages there is very strong support for a green area to be set aside for the quiet enjoyment of the countryside. There are lots of people willing to help and, of course, lots of different ideas on how it might work.These projects would need separate working groups to bring the proposals up to the point where they could be put to the authorities for approval.