What has Bideford Town Council been doing in the last year ?
BTC have secured a £1.4 million grant from the government Levelling Up Fund to renovate the Pannier Market fabric and are looking for further grants to improve the interior. We are implementing a consultants report to increase uses for the market hall to include music events ,sport, weddings, festivals and community use.
We have appointed architects surveyors and project managers to carry outthe work and are about to tender the construction contract with a view to start work in the late Spring with an estimated completion by April 2027.
In Butchers Row and Market Place we are working to increase the variety of shops. The arrival of Cork and Vine shop and wine bar and Jack in the Box takeaway have increased business and footfall in Butchers Row.
BTC submitted a number of projects for the Levelling Up Fund including a Community and Performing Acts Centre, improvements to the town centre, additional car parks, a feasibility to study to re-open the Bideford to Barnstaple rail link, proposal for a Petroc Bideford Campus in addition to the renovation of the Pannier Market. Sadly these did not find favour with the government but we are continuing to discuss with landowners the creation of additional car parks in the Town Centre to improve parking for residents and shoppers.
BTC is planning for the future as we recognise that Torridge District Council and Devon County Council will be abolished in May 2028 to be replaced with a Unitary Council which will deliver all local government services currently provided by County and District Councils. The most favoured proposal appears to be a Unitary Council made of 5 Districts, North,East, Mid Devon, Torridge and Exeter. Bideford Town Council will stay unaltered and we see an expanded roll for it. A sub-committee has been approved to identify assets in Bideford currently owned by Torridge District Council which BTC can take over and retain control locally, rather than have a council likely based in Exeter dictate policy to us..
As part of this process we have recommended to all river users Town Parish and District Councils affected that we create a Trust Port which will be locally controlled, self financed organisation which will create jobs, promote leisure use, stop dumping of hulks and protect the environment of the Rivers Torridge and Taw. The alternative is for the Exeter based unitary authority to control our port and river.
Bideford Town Council financed the Christmas lights, organised the Bideford Fair, Chudleigh Picnic, Manor Court and the Remembrance Day celebrations in Bideford and provided grants to 50 local organisations. 5 Councillors including myself are trustees of the Bridge Trust which has made extensive grants to start-up businesses, local organisations and local people in hardship. The Council runs and supervises 4 allotment sites with 180 individual plots. The Council’s staff of rangers maintain some grass verges, the planters containing flower displays, grit certain roads and carry out a wide range of work in our town on parks, gardens allotments and pavements.
BTC have appointed Janine Gardner as Town Clerk following the resignation of her predecessor in the summer. The offices of the Town Council will be closed in March 2026 for a year as the building is being renovated. The Council offices will be found in temporary accommodation at Riverside House, headquarters of Torridge District Council.
Bideford Regeneration Board are about to consider a report on the future of Bideford to which I expect BTC will contribute to after they have had a chance to consider it in the near future and add councillor’s and the public’s views. We will continue to comment on planning applications, roads, housing, parking and economic development all of which are the responsibilities of District and County Councils not BTC.
For the immediate future we see major changes in local government ahead but despite changes, Bideford Town Council will be still there to meet the challenge.
