Edition 16: September 2008 Message from the Mayor

I hope that you have had a pleasant summer, despite the lack of sunshine! Surely we must be due for a glorious Indian Summer! Lately, Margaret and I have been really busy representing you and the Town Council at numerous events and visits. It continues to be a real pleasure for us to meet so many nice people.

Now for something different and potentially very useful. Can I remind you about Residents Associations? These can be set up by any groups to represent an area and can be of real benefit, for example acting as pressure groups or as organisers of local events, such as a street party. They can certainly be social groups having the occasional coffee morning, barbecue or party. They do not have to be big, they are probably best representing a few streets rather than one and are best, though not necessarily so when standing for a geographical area. They could also stand for a feature, for example “The Coombe Valley Residents Association”. Another example could be Latchbrook, if they had a group they could get involved with the green spaces, buses, footpaths, liaise with school and much more. They could, perhaps apart from main meetings get together in someone’s house….that is what the Watersiders do. If you wish to have more advice or help, perhaps from a representative of an established group then please give me, or the Guildhall, a ring.

Councillor Derek Holley, Mayor of

Celebrating 150 years of the Royal Albert Bridge Our most recognised landmark, Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s, Royal Albert Bridge opened in 1859 by Prince Albert will have carried trains for 150 years on May 2nd 2009. Network Rail, owners and custodians of this Grade 1* listed structure report that the bridge is in good condition, a real testimony to Brunel and his workforce who took some 7 years to build this unique design. What it lacks is a fresh coat of paint which should happen later next year, unfortunately not in time for May!

The Town Council is working with the Ashtorre Brunel Bridge Committee (ABBC) who are planning widespread celebrations in the town, and the May Fair Committee who will hold the town’s excellent annual May Fair on the actual anniversary of the opening. Expect the May Bank holiday weekend to be a busy and exciting one in the town, with a Grand Firework display planned for the Saturday night.

As with most events in Saltash, volunteers are vital to the success of such events, and more are always appreciated. If you would like to volunteer to help with these celebrations then please contact the Guildhall with your details. We would also like to appeal for any interesting ideas, stories, pictures or memorabilia that could be used or displayed. Once again the important dates are Saturday 2nd, Sunday 3rd and Bank Holiday Monday 4th May 2009, but celebrations will take place before and after these dates as well.

Christmas is coming!

Plans for the Christmas Event are well underway and this year will be held on Saturday 29th November starting at 2.00pm. There will be entertainment and stalls throughout the afternoon and the lights will be switched on at 5.00pm. Put the date in your diary now!

Published by Saltash Town Council Printed by District Council A First for – Saltash Community Toilet Scheme.

Saltash has become the first town in Cornwall to introduce a Community Toilet scheme. The Town Council initiative, in partnership with two Fore Street public houses, will allow members of the public to use the pub toilet facilities for free. The partner pubs are the Brunel Inn and the Railway Hotel.

Colourful signs promoting the scheme have been placed on each pub and at strategic points around the Town Centre.

Cllr Joe Ellison, Chair of Civic Amenities, says : “In recent years, Caradon District Council closed several public toilets around Saltash, and realistically, there is no prospect of building new facilities in the foreseeable future. Therefore Saltash has shamelessly copied a pioneering initiative which is successfully operating in Richmond-on-Thames to bring some relief for shoppers in the town centre”

Colin Matthews, landlord of the Railway Hotel says : “We are delighted to join with the Town Council in operating the Community Toilet scheme as we have all seen public toilets boarded up in the last few years. The public are welcome to use our pub toilets – who knows, they may even stay and enjoy a drink or a morning coffee. It’s a win-win situation for Saltash”

The Messenger Saltash Walk No.4

Saltash Town Council proposes to ‘Beat the Bounds’ in 2009. Saltash is bounded to the East by the , the South and West by the St. Germans or Lynher River and the North by two small streams. One stream is Cock’s Lake flowing west into the Lynher, the other Clark’s Lake flowing east into Kingsmill Lake and the River Tamar. The only part of Saltash Boundary that’s neither river nor stream is the short distance between Cock’s Lake and Clark’s Lake streams, crossing the A388 road near the Holland Inn. The Holland Inn is outside Saltash’s Boundary.

Most of ‘Beating the Saltash Boundary’ has to be by boat. The Lynher River to Notter Bridge and the Kingsmill Lake to Moditonham Quay can only be navigated by small boat when there’s a higher than normal high tide. Because the two streams are neither deep nor wide enough for use by boat: the northern part of ‘Beating the Bounds’ has to be done on foot.

If you want to walk some of this Northern part, and visit six Boundary Stones, start at Avery Way (near Waitrose Super Store). Walk along the A388 to Carkeel. Turn right at Thornbank Cottage and follow the road past Windermere and East View downhill: then fork right towards Botusfleming passing East Town Farm. At the bottom of the hill, on the bridge over Clark’s Lake stream there’s a Boundary Stone.

At the ‘T’ junction ahead turn left towards Botusfleming, pass the Old Chapel. Then to visit the next Boundary Stone go downhill at the road junction just before Bidwell Cottage to Clark’s Lake stream at the bottom of the hill.

Return to Bidwell Cottage, pass the Rising Sun, the road to the Church, the Animal Pound: and continue straight on at the cross roads past Clays End Cottage.

At Suncroft follow the Public Footpath alongside the hedge to a footbridge, a stile, another stile and onto the A388 road just north of the Holland Inn. Go past the Holland Inn to the Saltash Twinning Sign. To the left is a Boundary Stone.

Continue past the sign; cross over the road when safe. At the road junction take the Public Footpath, keeping trees and hedge to your right. At the road turn right. Just before the road turns sharp left go through the gate to the right into a grass field on an undefined Public Bridleway. (There is a Public Bridleway sign-post - hidden in the hedge.) Continue downhill across the grass field to the gate near the far left-hand corner and out onto the road. Just to the right, in the hedge, over Cock’s Lake stream, is a Boundary Stone.

At the end of the Public Bridleway turn left: go along the road passing the Notter Mill Country Park and the Notter Bridge Inn. Just past the Inn is the Old Notter Bridge: there is a Boundary Stone in the bridge wall.

From the Notter bridge Inn go up the road to the A38(T). To the right, near a Bus Stop, is the sixth and last Boundary Stone. I suggest you catch a Bus back to Saltash. The Bus Stop is served by Western Greyhound Bus service 592 at 48 minutes past the hour the last bus is at 1848. Also service 572 at 1226, 1426 & 1656. No Bus Sundays or Public Holidays. (Please check the bus timetable as these are Summer-time service times).

Published by Saltash Town Council Printed by Caradon District Council ARE YOU CLAIMING YOUR ENTITLEMENT Many people are not claiming benefits to which they are entitled. The benefits system provides practical help and financial support if you are unemployed and looking for work. It also provides additional income when your earnings are low, when bringing up children, or retired, or caring for someone, or if you are ill or have a disability.

 People of working age: Benefits and services are managed by Jobcentre Plus.  Families and children: Jobcentre Plus also looks after benefits and services for families.  People with disabilities and Carers: The Disability and Carers Service, is responsible for benefits and services for people who are sick or have a disability. Jobcentre Plus is the first point of contact for finding out about these benefits and services.

Saltash’s local Jobcentre Plus is at : Bell House, 7-9 Church Street, Liskeard, PL14 3AG. Telephone: 01579 335000 Pensioners and people planning for their retirement The Pension Service. PO Box 8, Swansea. SA80 8AH telephone 0845 606 0265 looks after these people’s benefits and entitlements or www.thepensionservice.gov.uk

If you have internet access go to: www.direct.gov.uk then click on ‘Money, tax and benefits’ and use the ‘Beginner's guide to benefits’ and ‘Benefits adviser (Do it online section)’ to work out entitlement. It’s also possible to contact Jobcentre Plus on-line from www.direct.gov.uk

For independent advice see: www.adviceguide.org.uk or visit Saltash Citizens Advice Bureau Ground Floor, 18 Belle Vue Road, Saltash. PL12 6ES. Or telephone 08444 99418.

ELWELL LANE PROJECT Saltash Town Council has recently acquired a significant piece of land from Caradon in advance of the transfer of District Council assets to the new Unitary Council next year. We have a 25 year peppercorn lease for a one-off payment of just £25. Elwell Lane is nearly two acres of overgrown scrub woodland close to the Tamar Road Bridge. With full backing from Saltash Waterside Residents Association and Gateway CIC, the Council intends to transform the land into public wildlife parkland for the benefit of Saltash residents.

This big project has major financial backing from the Town Council precept, and we believe we will also attract funding from both Caradon District Council “Legacy” Fund and from the Forestry Commission as a Woodland Improvement grant. Currently we are working with Groundwork Trust to draw up professional “concept” plans, and would welcome ideas from Saltash residents to exploit the potential – for instance to open up the magnificent views up to the Tamar / Tavy estuaries, or to encourage wildlife.

Few people are aware of the woodland, as since the area was cleared in 1960 for the Road Bridge, it has been fenced off with chain link. However, within it are the outlines of Elwell Lane (itself a public footpath no 24), walls of demolished cottages, and reputedly the site of the oldest well in Saltash.

Pillmere Firstly a “thank you” to Saltash Churches Together who ran a much-enjoyed, well-attended Fun Day for the families on the estate. Please do it again, booking the weather in advance for another sunny day! The developers of the roads and other infrastructure on the estate are slowly making progress but there is plenty still to be done. Town and District Councillors more or less continually pressurise for a completion, six years after residents moved in. Nothing seems simple to achieve with legal obstacles, financial arrangements and willingness, it seems, on behalf of the developers all holding things up. For example the financial contribution for the future upkeep of the two bigger play parks only came through at the end of August. We will get there and we are acutely aware that residents have paid their rates for years with seemingly not a lot in terms of road surfaces to show for it. This week as well we have made moves about the uneven surface of the Village Green, caused we believe by strimming rather than proper machine mowing, and about the lack of the promised Infants play park. Feedback is important, from you, directly to the Councillors and better still to the new residents group.

Bus Shelters Do you catch a bus in Saltash? If you would like the Town Council to consider putting a bus shelter at a stop that you use please get in touch with your local Ward Councillor or the Town Clerk at the Guildhall. Published by Saltash Town Council Printed by Caradon District Council Don’t forget if you have any concerns about Saltash Gardens for Allotments scheme grows...... the Town, you can contact your local Councillors In the last Messenger, we appealed for readers to consider donating part (Caradon District Councillors shown in bold) of their gardens for use as allotments, to reduce the considerable waiting list for the few available Council ones. Burraton Ward Peter Clements Tel: 842425 There has been a very promising response, and we are grateful for the Sue Hooper Tel: 843073 offers and suggestions we received. We are currently working to act as Colin Riches Tel: 846843 brokers to put together those with land to offer (many may be elderly or Neil Challen Tel: 242931 infirm, no longer able to keep up with garden work) and those who desperately want to grow their own fruit and vegetables. Essa Ward Adam Killeya Tel: 848691 Saltash Town Council will not act as landlord, but will issue guideline Sheila Lennox-Boyd Tel: 07808164388 agreements to safeguard the interests of both parties, and we hope to Bruce Reid Tel: 308387 have the scheme in operation by the autumn, in time for the 2009 growing Colin Oakes Tel: 845207 season. Pill Ward But we have the demand for more gardens for allotments, so if you want to Joe Ellison Tel: 849340 consider putting your garden to optimum use, contact the Town Clerk at Martin Gee Tel: 513306 the Guildhall. Derek Holley Tel: 845418 Fran Knight Tel: 847970

St. Stephens Ward Quiz - Are You A Green Saltash Citizen? Bob Austin Tel: 844666 Peter Stephens Tel: 846597 1. Is it greener to buy a) Spanish tomatoes or b) Dutch tomatoes? David Yates Tel: 843260 2. Which local institutions collect Yellow Pages annually? Richard Bickford Tel: 841119 3. What weight of Yellow Pages were collected altogether: a) 5 tons b) 12 tons c) 19 tons ? Phil Beamont is a District Councillor 4. What must you do with plastic bottles before recycling? only for the Burraton Ward 5. Who has the best recycling record : Tel: 845802 a) Cornwall b) or c) Devon ? Glenn Renshaw is a District 6. Recycling collections happen every week in Saltash .True or False? Councillor only for the Essa Ward 7. Which is greener? Travelling to Plymouth in: Tel: 01579 351857 a) a full bus b) a full train or c)a full car (assuming you can just get in). 8. Which is greener? Washing a car : Cornwall County Councillors a) with a hose pipe or b) at a car wash? Joyce Mepsted Tel: 845802 9. True or False? Using a shopping list is greener than bargain hunting? 10. True or False? Slugs are an important green element in garden Bryan Preston Tel: 848240 Barbara McTaggart Tel: 01579 320909 recycling? Town Clerk A simple survey: look up and down the street on recycling collection Mrs. Marilyn Small mornings. Approximately what percentage of your street recycles? Please E-mail [email protected] let us know. Tel: 844846 Fax : 840914 Answers in the next edition. Town Council Office Opening Hours: 9.30am – 4.30pm Monday - Friday Answers to last month’s questions : A New Freeman for Saltash 1. The last remaining section of cobbled paving is between the Guildhall On August 8th 2008 the Freedom of the Town of and St Nicholas & St Faith Church, Lower Fore Street. Saltash was awarded to Mrs Mona Tomaszewska-Honywill. She was a town 2. The branch railway never built was to . As you turn left councillor for many years and Mayor twice. The towards Liskeard at Burraton traffic lights there is a gap left in the two presentation took place at the Guildhall on her storey housing filled by a short row of bungalows. The line was due to pass 81st birthday and she is the 17th Freeman to be through there. chosen since 1935.

Published by Saltash Town Council Printed by Caradon District Council