Roundswell residents polled over boundary change proposal
Published: 8:16 AM June 13, 2012
Parish 'breakaway' survey will be sent to 2,000 homes in Roundswell and Bickington this week.
PEOPLE living in Roundswell and Bickington are to be surveyed about proposals to form a breakaway parish council.
Two thousands homes will be polled by the Roundswell Residents' Association, which is looking to rewrite the parish boundary by cutting ties with Fremington Parish Council.
Residents were first consulted about the creation of a new parish of Bickington and Roundswell in 2000 but despite some favour for the proposal, the idea was dropped.
Residents' association chairman Graham Turner said a new survey would be posted to homes in Roundswell and Bickington from the end of this week.
The completed survey will be submitted to North Devon Council which can then decide whether to review the parish boundary.
Mr Turner said: "A new parish council will ensure that people's rates are spent in Bickington and Roundswell and not wasted on administration.
"We are currently burdened with paying for a full-time office with three members of staff. Trying to get anything done at the moment is a nightmare because no-one has got any money."
Fremington Parish Council chairman Cllr Rodney Cann admitted the idea had appealed in the past but would now be expensive to set up and administer.
He said: "I did have some sympathy with the idea in the past when I felt that Roundswell was being left out but we have now drawn the area into the centre and are determined to make it a priority.
"In these times of austerity I think this is a backward and expensive step and goes against current thinking."
Mr Turner asked anyone living in Bickington wanting to help deliver surveys in the village to call him on 01271 314851.
People wanting to find out more are invited to come along to the residents' association AGM taking place at 7pm in the Roundswell Community Hall tomorrow night (Thursday).