Lynton and Barnstaple - Operations and Development

I cannot help but feel that the unpleasant actions of certain Trustee Officers has not been resolved by this election. If 'healing' is to be a reality then it behoves these Trustee Officers to accept that they have neither smoothly nor adequately run Trust affairs of late and neither have they been open with the Members. A frank, open, honest and communicated acceptance of their transgressions and shortcomings made at the first Trustees Meeting would, I suggest, go a long way to start any 'healing'. Furthermore Members can reasonably and rightly expect Trustees to be open, honest and truthful and if openness is best kept quiet while delicate negotiations are being undertaken, then this at least can be communicated. I am quietly waiting to see how affairs unfold, a new dawn or more of the same...

 

In some ways I expect there will be a certain amount of time which will be needed to allow the dynamics of the make up of the Trust now to settle.

I would suggest not looking for certain things to be announced or done in the immediate future.

Those who have been elected, especially the new ones, will have to get up to speed and I should imagine there is a fair amount to learn and understand especially where the planning is concerned.

I dare say a large proportion of Trust time has been dominated by the elections, governance, etc etc, and that now perhaps more pressing matters need to be attended to.

The election has been done, we know the results. We all need some calm for awhile, to breathe.

Its mid summer now, a little bit of zen won't go amiss.

 

Ubi pus, ibi evacua

 

Is this to do with squeezing spots in taxis?
Or could we mere mortals have an English translation....

 

Google is your friend here - it'll take you 10 seconds to find the translation ...

 

Possibly. But, having looked quickly at Wikipedia (I know) for the context and translation, there needs to be the opportunity for treatment to work before we assume that this is necessary.

I will also add, having had grommets three times as a child, that sometimes neither medicine nor surgery work, and that time is the key factor.

 

...I believe leeches are back in fashion again

 

Medicinal maggots too, but I'm not sure how the original Latin quoted above relates to the current situation. The board is now a combination of old and new members - it will take them a while to coalesce into the dynamic, forward-looking team we need to move forward.
.

 

That could be wishful thinking, its still 6 v 3, old verses new but hopefully the new will be able to support each other better now, as for the 6 old ones, i really don't think 'dynamic' is the best choice of words

 

It is of course common knowledge that the planning permission to extend the railway has lapsed. However the existing operations also require consent, and such consent can easily be found on the ENPA planning portal. For example, the running shed was granted temporary planning permission on 7th July 2003 for 10 years until 1st June 2013. This was renewed until 1st June 2023 by an application to vary this time condition.
Searching the portal does not show any later applications regarding to the running shed. This appears to suggest that the running shed's temporary planning permission has lapsed. Does anyone know?

https://www.exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk/planning

 

Have you tried emailing the trust and asking?

 

Must admit, I doubt answers will be found here.

 

Thanks @Isambard! for finding this; interesting and concerning.

Under normal circumstances, I'd be relatively relaxed about this - but it does need to be explained. This should be straightforward admin - 9-12 months before the expiration, you put in the application. Unfortunately, we know that admin isn't a strong point, and we need to be squeaky clean on this stuff.

Answers would be helpful!

 

Not sure whether you mean here on this thread or by emailing the Trust, Dave. However, I doubt that either will produce an answer.

 

On here.

 

The application (for the shed, as well as the water tower and miniature railway) was applied for last week (27 July): https://planning.agileapplications.co.uk/exmoor/application-details/24275

I well remember when the water tower first arrived - I spent several days in the carpark with Paul Gower de-rusting it - from the inside!

 

As I recall we ended up taking the thing apart since it was too big for Woody Bay. I am not sure but I have the feeling that the plan was to make a second smaller tank for Killington lane as a top up tank. at the time it was hoped to get to Parracombe and rebuild the old water tank there with the spare parts, but that didn't happen.

I am not sure which would be easier to do for Blackmoor build a replica tank or wait and see if another old tank like the one we have at Woody Bay comes up and use that for now.

 

Yes, it was completely disassembled then the parts used for the new tank. The original tank was 3x3x3 panels - like a giant Rubik's Cube. I believe the spare panels were reused elsewhere away from the L&B.

 

Been away for a couple of weeks, but just spotted this on the L&B website, under Trust Notices:

Following publication of “Next Steps” in the Options Consultation Report circulated with Newsletter 80, this is an update for members.

A pre-application enquiry for advice on a new planning application to extend the operational railway from Killington Lane to Cricket Field Lane was commenced with Exmoor National Park (ENP) during April 2023. The purpose of this is to clarify various planning formalities and to identify what detailed information may be necessary for submission with the planning application.

When ENP’s written response is received, a further notice will be issued to inform members of the outcome and how that may affect the proposals.

John Barton - Trustee

 

I became aware of that through a FB posting last week - I'm surprised there has been no comment about it since then.

IMHO I still think that the Trust is trying to 'push' this too soon after the last debacle (with the attendant risk of inflaming local opinion even more) and - as yet - with no obvious indication of better success, but at least they are now asking questions of ENPA about the basic feasibility of the idea. To that extent therefore I welcome their initiative , as at least in due course we may all be 'better informed' as to how the future may look and where to start some 'real work' on extending the line. I just hope that any 'further notice' will be much more prompt and detailed (and honest!) than previous communications