Northam Town Council

02/11/2026

Can Mark Sylvester please contact Northam Town Council about your boat on the boat park at Appledore please on 01237 474976 or email [email protected]

30/10/2026

Torridge District Council receives an update on Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) in Devon, Plymouth and Torbay

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has confirmed that the previous decision of Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) for Devon, Plymouth and Torbay has been withdrawn.

The government has confirmed it is committed to reorganisation and that LGR will still be going ahead, with all existing options and proposals remaining under consideration. An outcome should be announced by early next year.

Yesterday’s announcement follows MHCLG’s decision to pause and review proposals of LGR in September 2026.

Councillor Ken James, Leader of Torridge District Council said:

“Despite the update, it is frustrating that there is still uncertainty over the future structure of local government in Devon. It leaves our residents, communities, staff and councillors still waiting for clarity for the future.

Torridge District Council remains committed to working constructively with partners across Devon to ensure that any future changes to local government can deliver the best outcomes for local people, communities and businesses.”

There has been confirmation that district council elections will continue as planned in May 2027 using existing boundaries. The Government’s revised timetable suggests that Shadow Council Elections will happen in May 2028, with new Councils being established in 2029.

Residents should continue to access Torridge District Council services as usual, and the Council will provide further updates as more information is confirmed.

29/10/2026

Temporary Traffic Notice - IRSHA STREET, Northam (TTRO2774058)
DEVON COUNTY COUNCIL hereby give NOTICE that:
On FRIDAY 15 JANUARY 2027
Anticipated Finish FRIDAY 15 JANUARY 2027
Between the hours of 09:30 and 15:30
No person shall cause or permit any vehicle to proceed on the sections of Affected Roads.
Roads affected -
IRSHA STREET, APPLEDORE
THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE ROUTE.
This temporary restriction is considered necessary to enable -
ACCESS TO UNDERGROUND CABLING
For additional information contact:
SUNBELT RENTALS
Telephone: 03700 500792
Dated: FRIDAY 15 JANUARY 2027

28/10/2026

Torridge District Council votes to support call for Plymouth to join the Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority

Members of Torridge District Council have voted to support Plymouth’s bid to join the Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority.

The Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority (the CCA) was set up in March 2025 under the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 as a vehicle to hold devolved powers from central government and to work with local leaders and communities to take investment decisions.

With the new drive to extend devolution to all areas of the country, a consultation is now underway seeking views on extending the geography of the CCA to include Plymouth and on making application to government to become a Mayoral Strategic Authority (MSA). As part of that consideration, a public consultation has been issued by the CCA and runs until Wednesday 28th October.

The English Devolution White Paper sets out the governments ambition to extend out devolution arrangements. That has been supplemented by announcements since the change in Prime Minister which indicates, through papers such as the “Rewiring the State” cabinet statement, that the government intends to transfer power over issues such as skills, 16-19 education budgets, transport, housing, innovation and public service to local leaders and mayors by 2028.

There are also suggestions that local leaders and mayors will be given the opportunity to raise further funding locally through retaining more of the business rate income and the introduction of visitor levies.

Given that the fullest benefits of devolution will be delivered through MSAs on a county wide basis, consideration is being given to broadening the geography of the CCA to include Plymouth and to approaching government with a proposal to extend the current devolution arrangements to create a MSA.

However, there is a concern as to how the District Councils are currently represented on the CCA. At present, District Councils are represented through two District Leaders – which changes on rotation and they may vote on a range of policy and investment matters affecting district areas including housing, regeneration, skills, business support, environmental sustainability and transport.

District Councils also aren’t allowed to vote on matters reserved to constituent authorities, currently Devon County Council and Torbay Council but would also include Plymouth City Council, including the budget, constitution, major investment decisions and other reserved functions. Currently the Governance section of the consultation suggests that the current arrangement of non-constituent and associate members will be carried over to a MSA and states that the distinction between constituent members and wider local government representation should be preserved.

Councillor Ken James, Leader of Torridge District Council, said:

“Whilst we support Plymouth City Council joining the Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority, any new arrangements that create a MSA should include provisions that allow all District Councils to be fairly represented. We need to have full voting rights through the same number of members as are afforded to the County Council and the unitary councils where permittable.

“However, it is imperative that Torridge, Northern Devon and the wider Devon seek to secure the best outcome for our area, which can be secured via an MSA. Therefore, the inclusion of Plymouth and moving to a MSA is viewed as positive step toward a better deal with Government for Devon.”

26/10/2026

Northam Mayor Cllr Sam Newman-McKie was invited by the members of Westward Ho! Men’s Shed to cut a ribbon on their new workbench.
The solid beech bench was bought with a donation from Northam Town Council’s Annual Grants Fund.
The Men’s Shed is based at Kingsley Hall and opens on Mondays from 10am.
The deadline for this year’s NTC Grants applications is this Friday, 30th October.

22/10/2026

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/UKTODICO/bulletins/4300cba

Yellow warning of wind affecting South West England Torridge District Council sent this bulletin at 22-10-2026 10:10 AM BST Click here to view this in a browser Dear Subscriber, You are subscribed to Torridge District Council Weather Alerts provided by the Met Office - please find below their most r...

21/10/2026

Constituency MP surgery - Appledore Community Hall this Friday, 23rd October.

An opportunity to meet with our local MP, Sir Geoffrey Cox KC in Appledore this Friday from 2.30pm.

An MP’s constituency surgery is a private, one-to-one meeting where you can ask for direct help with personal administrative problems or lobby them to take action on political issues.

Our MP represents all residents in the constituency, he is there to listen to any local concern, regardless of how someone voted.

21/10/2026

Amber warning of wind affecting South West England: Cornwall, Devon, Isles of Scilly, Plymouth valid from 0200 Fri 23 Oct to 0900 Fri 23 Oct.

Storm Austen likely to bring some disruption and possible damaging winds on Friday morning.

What should we expect?
Longer journey times and cancellations likely, as road, rail, air and ferry services may be affected.
Flying debris is likely and could lead to injuries or danger to life
Probably some damage to buildings, such as tiles blown from roofs
Some roads and bridges likely to close.
There is a good chance that power cuts may occur, with the potential to affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage
Injuries and danger to life are likely from large waves and beach material being thrown onto coastal roads, sea fronts and properties

What should we do?
Driving in these conditions can be dangerous, for yourself and other road users. If you must drive, you can do this more safely by taking the following actions; drive slowly to minimise the impact of wind gusts, be aware of high-sided vehicles/caravans on more exposed roads and be cautious when overtaking, and give cyclists, motorcyclists, lorries, and buses more room than usual.

Being outside in high winds makes you more vulnerable to injury. Stay indoors as much as possible. If you do go out, try not to walk, or shelter, close to buildings and trees. In advance of high winds, check for loose items outside your home and secure them. Items include: bins, garden furniture, trampolines, tents, sheds, and fences.

If you are on the coast, stay safe during stormy weather by being aware of large waves. Even from the shore large breaking waves can sweep you off your feet and out to sea. Take care if walking near cliffs; know your route and keep dogs on a lead. In an emergency, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.

People cope better with power cuts when they have prepared for them in advance. It's easy to do; consider gathering torches and batteries, a mobile phone power pack and other essential items.

Stay up to date with the weather forecast for your area and follow advice from emergency services and local authorities.

Met Office UK weather warnings for rain, wind, snow, ice, fog, thunderstorm, lightning and extreme heat.

20/10/2026

Planning ahead doesn't make you a pessimist. It just means you're more ready for it.

Emergencies happen every day. Often they're unforeseen but sometimes there's more risk of something happening, for example heavy rain or severe winter weather. At best, it's an inconvenience, but at worst, it could put you and your family at risk of harm.

Some emergencies happen instantly or very quickly, and other times there might be a gradual escalating of a situation allowing some notice of what might happen, for example lots of rainfall, swollen rivers, leading to localised flooding.

The Government publishes information online about emergencies, which includes a few simple and effective steps that, with winter approaching, you should consider to prepare for them and the disruption they cause.

Many of these activities can be helpful across a range of different types of emergency. You might not be able to undertake all of the steps, but there are lots of suggestions that won't cost anything and just take a few minutes to do.

Taking some time to plan ahead will give you some confidence that if an emergency does happen, you'd know what you would do, where you would go, or who you would call for help, making it easier to manage and recover faster. It might mean you are better able to help others who need additional support too.

This newsletter doesn't cover all emergency eventualities, but there are some here that you might want to remember or share with others.

Remember to call 999 if you or someone else is in immediate danger.

Emergencies happen every day. Often they're unforeseen but sometimes there's more risk of something happening, for example heavy rain or severe winter weather. At best, it's an inconvenience, but at worst, it could put you and your family at risk of harm.