Author: Lesley Webb

time to sign up to a garden recycling collection.

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Somerset residents are being reminded that they can sign up for a fortnightly home garden waste recycling collection. The service run by Somerset Council has more than 56,000 subscribers and with spring well and truly here and gardens bursting into life, now is the perfect time to sign up.

Subscriptions can be started any time during the year and the quickest and easiest way to subscribe is online through the somerset.gov.uk/waste page – just use the ‘Do it online/My Waste Service’ feature.

Collections are made fortnightly year-round (apart from a short break during Christmas and New Year). Residents can either sign up to a pre-paid 180-litre wheeled bin or 90-litre compostable paper sacks. The price of a wheeled bin subscription for 2023/24 is £63.50 for 25 collections and for packs of ten garden waste sacks, £31.10.

All garden waste stays in Somerset, going to one of several composting sites, including Dimmer and Walpole, where it is shredded, and turned into compost. The end-product is sold as revive soil conditioner through all recycling sites.

Residents who already subscribe to the service will be sent a reminder, by email or post, in the month prior to their subscription ending. For example, a May mailing for those expiring in June. However, there is no need to wait until you receive a reminder, subscriptions can be renewed at any time (you’ll still get a full year service). If you are not online, you can also subscribe by calling 0300 123 2224.

Home composting is the recommended option for garden waste and those who have space to do so can order a subsided home composting bin from the council’s partner Get Composting. Garden waste can also be taken to any one of Somerset’s 16 waste recycling sites.

Garden waste should not be put out for collection with refuse. It is also not advised to burn garden waste, as this can cause pollution and local nuisance.

Temporary Road Closure: – Brook Street, Timberscombe

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Please follow the link to view the above road closure; https://one.network/?tm=133259158 and the link for the Notice 2:https://api-gb.one.network/downloads/tm/1111/03-notice-2_133259158_3561126_4e4e14ce52.pdf 
The works are expected to commence on 19th June 2023 and last for 5 days to enable Wessex Water to carry out sewer repairs.

The contractor has indicated that access for Emergency Services through the site is  not permitted on this occasion.

For any further information about this closure please contact Wessex Water on 0345 600 4600 , quoting reference: ttro370789WS 

ENP Response

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In response to questions being asked of the Parish Council, about the tree felling that you can see currently taking place adjacent to the Oway, we asked Exmoor National Park to explain what was happening.
This was their response from Graeme McVittie, their Head of Conservation:-

“The current tree felling at Oway is part of Forestry England’s approved 10-year Forest Plan for the Exmoor Forest Estate covering the period 2021 – 2031. The plan follows the process and format for all similar plans for the Public Forest Estate throughout the country. It complies with current guidelines as laid out in the UK Forest Strategy. The Contractors, Euroforest, will be under an obligation to follow strict environmental conditions to avoid pollution, wildlife impacts and damage to any archaeology or other infrastructure. The areas due to be felled in the current 10-year plan extend to 20.55 ha, the felling at Oway is phase 1 but the precise timing of future phases will depend on the relative value of timber at the time. All the felled areas will be replanted, this is a legal condition placed on FE by the regulatory arm of the Forestry Commission.

 There will be areas retained for longer term retention or subject to thinning or selective felling. Most areas will be planted with a mixture of evergreen conifers including Douglas fir, Sitka spruce, western hemlock, noble fir, and Scots pine. Some smaller areas will be replanted with a mix of broadleaves. Overall, about 10% of the area will be left unplanted as open ground.”

The Parish Council also asked if ENPA were content with the plan.

“Our view is that the plan is approved by the Forestry Commission in the same way that any forestry activity must be and it follows all current National guidelines and standards of good practice. Productive woods and forests have been part of the landscape for many decades, and we recognise the need for a sustainable domestic supply of timber for many different needs. Managed forests sequester carbon, provide good wildlife habits, create spaces for recreation, provide jobs and services and support the local economy. The current Forest Plan recognises the benefits of low impact silvicultural systems, and we fully support this. We prefer to see a move away from larger, regular shaped clear-fells to smaller, irregular units restocked or regenerated with a variety of species such that over time the forest develops a more irregular varied structure, but we do understand that this isn’t always possible.”

The Parish Council are also working with the EXNP  to improve the way Forest England give notice, to the local farmers and the public, of the work they have planned. To also advise on the Environmental benefits of what they are doing.

Updates

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SC Waste briefing 2023 June

Benefice Newsletter 9th June 2023

                                                            Police Notices

  • Please see the attached PDF file relating to OP Scorpion. “Spotting the Signs” of Cannabis Cultivation and Modern Slavery”.  Attachments: operation-scorpion-phase-5-nhw.pdf
  • Fraud – PCC Mark Shelford is urging anyone who receives a call or message from somebody claiming to be from a trusted organisation and who suggests money should be transferred to hang up and dial 159, which connects people safely to their bank’s fraud prevention service.

    Please see the attached document for more information on this service, which could potentially save your life savings. Attachments:  pcc-says-stop-hang-up-and-call-159.pdf

                                             ……………………………………………..

Exmoor National Park Authority (ENPA) wants your views

Exmoor National Park Authority (ENPA) wants your views on proposed changes for our Haddon Hill and Exford Car Parks.

This proposals for each site, form part of a wider scheme for improvements across the Exmoor National Park Authority owned estate, looking at and refreshing everything from dog bin provision, seating and tree-planting to improved signage.

The proposed charging rate will be £3 for 3 hours and £5 for over 3 hours.

You can find all the info on our carparking improvement schemes/proposals/public consultation and car park layout plans here:

Exford https://www.exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk/enjoying/proposed-improvement-works-at-exford-car-park/_nocache

Haddon Hill https://www.exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk/enjoying/proposed-improvement-works-at-haddon-hill-car-park/_nocache

We welcome feedback on these proposals, particularly from our regular users. This project is being managed by our Access and Recreation Manager, Dan Barnett. Please send any comments for his attention to: 

exfordcp@exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk

or haddon@exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk by 7th July 2023. 

Individual meetings or a public meeting can be organised if this is considered helpful, using virtual meeting technology.

For interview requests, please contact djbarnett@exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk

or ccook@exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk