General Discussion

At the last Civic Amenities meeting held on 13 September, it was agreed that the decision for TDC to take back the Lease for the War Memorial Garden by St Gregory's Church, should be taken at the next full Town Council meeting to be held on Wednesday 4 October 2017.

To renew this Lease will cost DTC £1 per year and the volunteer gardeners, who have made it look beautiful, are prepared to carry on for the town councIl under the leadership of Margaret Swift.  The major costs have already been paid over the last couple of years by  Dawlish TC.   Therefore,  future costs should be no more than  new plants for the foreseeable future. 

At the  Civic Amenities Meeting, the Town Clerk had been asked to draw up costs to cover the next year- these costs totalled a staggering £9,747.35p!!! She finally admitted that the figures were the worst possible scenario.  These included, Gardening Services by TDC £2,660.  Admin charges £1.040.  Tree inspection £750 to name a few of the laughable figures plucked out of the air.

Is it right, therefore, to make a decision on figures that appear to have been "sexed-up"?

TDC gardeners cannot cope with the lawn gardens (please look at the bed betwen the toilet block and the Children's Society Shop).  Also the amount of bind weed in the beds on the lawn all through the summer were disgraceful.

Don't you think that the brave Dawlish fallen of WWI and WWII deserve better?  If the time comes when we have to lose our existing wonderful volunteers maybe Dawlish Garden's Trust, Dawlish Allotment Group and Dawlish Garden Society could lend a hand.

If you agree that this area of silent contemplation should stay in the hands of Dawlish, please come along to the council meeting next Wednesday 4 October.

We may not get another chance before TDC hack every bush and shrub in 3 years time and allow the garden to become the overgrown mess it used to be when they were supposed to be looking after it.

Questionable figures again?

Utterly ridiculous figures! £500 a month for gardening services??? Who are they using? Toby Buckland??? And what do the Admin costs cover?

So nothing changes. Councillors are being run down and now there are remarks directed at the clerk. Where did the councillors pluck her from?

I remember a long time ago, I was always in dispute with the town clerk at the time, who was imported from Okehampton. Okehampton could not get rid of him fast enough, so they wrote a fantastic reference for him and DTC took the bait. I wonder if the same has happened with this TC. Has anyone done any research on her?

Sadly this Town Clerk uses creative accounting to deal with perceived nuisances like the War Memorial Garden. A power play?  Get rid; less work. A hope that the Town Councillors are sleeping on the job and will not challenge her.  High time her maths and her motives are questioned! Get a grip Dawlish. Stop trying to ruin the best we have, including this special garden, the Lawn and Tuck's plot. Good letter in this week's Gazette.

A town council not fit for purpose, in my opinion:-

The termite

The Manor House

The playpark on The Lawn

Now......The War Memorial Garden

What is this termite that you keep referring to?

I have just looked at the Agendaa for the Council meeting on Wednesday 4 Oct and noted the item in the agenda regarding the Memorial Garden : 

'13 Memorial Garden - To note that the Civic Amenities Committee validated the figures and accepted the updated report by the Town Clerk (attached) and to decide if the lease should be renewed. Members briefing paper to follow. '

This is a travesty! Again the Councillors accept a ridiculous proposition put to them by the Town Clerk as they are too lazy to think for themselves or do any research. Looks like a fait accompli then unless we stand up to them.

ps The Termite is an appropriate nickname given to a monstrous building proposed to replace the Bandstand a couple of years ago. It looked rather like a huge woodlouse, though, imo.