These are the 24 parks and green spaces in Devon that have been awarded the prestigious Green Flag award for their high standard of quality and cleanliness.

Daniel Clark www.devonlive.com 

The national benchmark for quality parks, the Green Flag award is run by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy.

Each park or open space is judged against set criteria and they need to show improvement every year to be awarded the coveted status.

A record breaking 2,127 green spaces have received the award, and all 24 parks in Devon that that were awarded the Green Flag in 2020 have retained their status, with no new additions to the list

The parks that have been awarded Green Flag status in Devon are:

• Seaton Wetlands
• Seafield Gardens, Seaton
• Manor Gardens, Exmouth
• Connaught Gardens, Sidmouth
• Grand Western Canal Country Park, Tiverton
• Yeo Valley Community Woodland
• Bicclescombe Park, Ilfracombe
• Streatham Campus, University of Exeter
• St Luke’s Campus, University of Exeter
• The Den, Teignmouth
• Stover Country Park, Newton Abbot
• Courtenay Park, Newton Abbot
• Decoy Country Park, Newton Abbot
• Homeyards Botanical Gardens, Shaldon
• Cockington Country Park, Torquay
• Kingsbridge Recreation Ground
• Tothill Park, Plymouth
• Central Park, Plymouth
• Ham Woods, Plymouth
• Devonport Park, Plymouth
• Freedom Fields Park, Plymouth
• Hoe Park, Plymouth
• West Hoe Park, Plymouth
• Drake’s Place Gardens and Reservoir, Plymouth

Both of Devon County Council’s parks of Stover Country Park and the Grand Western Canal Country Park are among the recipients, with Stover is celebrating its 18th consecutive year of gaining the award, and it’s the 13th year that the Grand Western Canal has attained the international quality mark for parks and green spaces.

Cllr Andrea Davis, Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Environment and Transport, said: “Congratulations to the Country Parks at Stover and the Grand Western Canal for achieving the highest standards for parks once again. Making the grade for environmental standards and visitor facilities is no mean feat and maintaining that for so many years takes an extraordinary effort.

“We have seen during the coronavirus pandemic over the past 18 months that these parks play a vital role in help people maintain their health and wellbeing. It’s been lovely to see lots of new visitors enjoying the parks during the pandemic, and the staff have really stepped up to give a great experience to all the visitors.

“Thanks to the staff and volunteers for their commitment and dedication that has made it possible to retain this prestigious award and provide people with green space that everyone can enjoy. We are extremely fortunate to have both parks and I really love both of these special places.”

Stover Country Park has had a productive year working on the development phase of its Restoring Stover Park project. If successful with its second round application to the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the project will improve the water quality of Stover Lake, conserve historic at-risk buildings, recreate a section of the Serpentine Lake along with new opportunities for public access, and improve community engagement opportunities.

The Grand Western Canal Country Park has had another busy year as local people made use of the park during the covid pandemic. Following the lifting of restrictions, the increase in visitor numbers was sustained as staycations boosted domestic tourism. The Park was also pleased to welcome back the horse-drawn barge in late June after 17 months of not operating during the pandemic.

Cllr Ray Radford, Chair of the Grand Western Canal Joint Advisory Committee, Mid Devon District Councillor for Halberton and County Councillor for Willand and Uffculme, said: “This is fantastic news yet again. The Canal Manager, his support crew and all the volunteers have made this award possible again.

“The Grand Western Canal has been such an asset to our local community during the difficult covid times, and our canal has been widely used. As well as attracting visitors to the canal, it has brought with it revenue for the local economy. The green flag scheme sets a high standard and at the same time provides facilities to create healthy lives.”

Green Flag celebrations at the Grand Western Canal Country Park

Cllr Colin Slade, County Councillor for Tiverton East and Vice Chair of the Grand Western Canal Joint Advisory Committee, added: “I am delighted that the Grand Western Canal has repeated its Green Flag award success, 13 is indeed lucky for some! My congratulations to Canal manager Mark Baker and his team of rangers and volunteers in maintaining this standard of excellence, especially in such difficult times. I personally view the Canal Country Park as the jewel in Tiverton’s crown.”

Stover and the Grand Western Canal join other Green Flag Award winning parks and green spaces as diverse as the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, Woodhouse Park in Peterlee and Chiswick Old Cemetery in London.

Bicclescombe Park in Ilfracombe and Yeo Valley Community Woodland in Barnstaple are celebrating award success again this year, flying the flag for North Devon.

2021 is the 17th consecutive year that Bicclescombe Park has achieved Green Flag status, with Yeo Valley Woodland receiving the award for the 10th time in a row. Both spaces are owned and managed by North Devon Council, with the help of active community groups including the Friends of Yeo Valley Woodland and the Bicclescombe Park User Group.

Leader of North Devon Council, Councillor David Worden, said: “I am proud of our Parks team and community groups who work so hard to maintain these spaces to a high standard and achieve the prestigious Green Flag award for Bicclescombe Park and Yeo Valley year on year.

“I would like to congratulate everyone involved in achieving this award, especially the community groups for all the hours they dedicate to our parks.”

Looking along the Grand Western Canal in Tiverton.

Local ward member for Ilfracombe West, Councillor Geoffrey Fowler, added: “In yet another difficult year where outside space has been a haven for a lot of people, Bicclescombe has come up trumps once again.

“The limited staff, all credit to them, have maintained the park in extremely good condition under the circumstances, as several of our late influx of visitors have testified. Well done to all concerned.”

Ward member for Ilfracombe West, Councillor Netti Pearson, said: “It is great to see the park receive the award once more and is a credit to the park’s team and volunteers.

“We are still experiencing difficult times and it is a joy to stroll through and appreciate the changes through the seasons. Well done to everyone.”

Ward member for Barnstaple, Pilton, Councillor Ian Roome added: “This is an outstanding achievement by North Devon Council officers and the Friends of Yeo Valley Woodland.

“To achieve the Green Flag status is a testament to all their hard work and dedication. Our community can enjoy this beautiful green outdoor space as a result of many hours given by volunteers. It really is one of Barnstaple’s hidden gems.”

If you would like more information about becoming a volunteer at one of these parks, contact the council’s Parks Team on 01271 388326 or email parks@northdevon.gov.uk.

Three University of Exeter campuses have won a coveted Green Flag Award, in recognition of the outstanding quality of their outdoor spaces.

Streatham and St Luke’s campuses in Exeter and the Penryn campus, near Falmouth in Cornwall, are all raising green flags.

David Evans, grounds and operations manager at the University of Exeter, said: “These Green Flag Awards show the standard of custodianship of the University’s outdoor spaces remains at a high standard.

“It’s been an incredibly challenging 12 months dealing with the difficulties of Covid restrictions. However, we learned some important lessons as a team about how to manage outdoor spaces with a lighter touch, and we adopted and developed this approach in significant areas to support biodiversity.

“The achievement of this award is a direct result of all the hard work and effort of the team, and I’m so proud of them all.”

Toby Nenning, head gardener at the Penry Campus, said: ‘We are very pleased to have been awarded the prestigious Green Flag award for the Penryn campus and this conveys the level of care and dedication the team have to the outdoor spaces.

“As for everyone it has been a challenging 18 months, but with the team working throughout the pandemic the site has become a haven for anyone trying to escape the stresses and strains of the modern world, whether it be a walk with the dog, a jog through the grounds or simply to relax in the hammocks within our orchard.

“We are now working hard to protect and increase the biodiversity of the site with an increase in wildflowers, tree planting and organic gardening’

The two Exeter campuses boast 5,274 mature trees, which remove over two tonnes of pollutants each year. The campuses are home sports pitches, an arboretum, Italianate garden, Magnolia lawn, a collection of wild conifers and Azaleas, a cherry orchard and wildflower meadows. The campuses also contain top quality sports pitches for a range of high performance outdoor summer and winter sports and high levels of active participation in sport.

The Penryn campus is made up of historic sub-tropical gardens, with a walled garden, famous Victorian rhododendron collection, Italianate garden, terraces, parkland, orchards, and woodlands which are open to everyone 365 days a year. In the past year, four new sign boards were installed to highlight the spectacular biodiversity of the Penryn grounds.

Green Flag Award scheme manager Paul Todd said: “I would like to congratulate everyone involved in making parks worthy of a Green Flag Award.

“To meet the requirements demanded by the scheme is testament to the hard work of the staff and volunteers who do so much to ensure they have high standards of horticulture, safety and environmental management and are places that support people to live healthy lives.”

Green Flag awards have been retained by East Devon District Council’s (EDDC) for their Manor Gardens in Exmouth, Seafield Gardens in Seaton, and Connaught Garden in Sidmouth, along with Seaton Wetlands nature reserve on the Axe Estuary.

This is the 17th year in a row that this converted award has been awarded to the work at Manor Gardens, Exmouth and with Sidmouth’s Connaught Gardens now winning the accolade for 18 years in a row, and now the second year for Seaton’s Seafield Gardens.

Wild East Devon’s Seaton Wetlands first scooped the prestigious award 17 years ago in 2004 and has been flying the flag proudly ever since.

The awards are the result of the hard work of EDDC StreetScene and Countryside teams, helped tremendously by ‘in bloom’ groups and other volunteers.

The Staff and volunteers that work together in East Devon are already busy on exciting new improvements, with plenty of work being undertaken and new projects with thousands of extra bulbs being planted while they work hard to usher in a new eco-friendly way of working.

Councillor Geoff Jung, EDDC’s portfolio holder for Coast, Country and Environment, said: “We have now flown the Green Flag over Seaton Wetlands for 17 years.

“The Countryside Team are constantly striving to improve this much-loved nature reserve. It’s been a haven for people, and wildlife, in recent years and there are many exciting new changes being planned for next year, too.

“EDDC has been working hard to make its parks as beautiful as ever but to reduce our carbon footprint as well. We have been concentrating, more on putting in perennial plants that come back bigger and better every year, not only making the gardens look more stunning but also helping our bees and insects thrive, encouraging wildlife and nature to prosper.”

“This saves labour, reduces the need for watering and reduces costs long run, and continues the council’s commitment to both the climate change and biodiversity emergencies.”

EDDC has been focusing on being as green as possible, making spaces look interesting and contemporary – taking inspiration, from other leading gardens and shows like the Chelsea Flower Show where there is a lot of sustainable planting ideas to help save the planet and help reduce the carbon footprint.

It is now the bulb planting season, so the authority’s StreetScene staff have most recently been working hard to plant thousands of bulbs in the three Green Flag gardens, as well as across the wider East Devon area. By selecting flowering bulbs of all shapes, sizes and colours, flowering will continue throughout the different seasons, which pollinators will love – providing them with food when it is scarce.

Residents are being encouraged to look out for EDDC’s grand bulbs – “Fritillaria imperialis”– which have large orange flowers on top of a very long one-metre stem that will emerge across East Devon in late spring.

Staff have also been working on nurturing our more mature perennial plants and will soon be working on planting a great many new trees throughout the district.

The Green Flag Award scheme, managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy under licence from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark standard for the management of green spaces across the United Kingdom and around the world.

In celebration of this year’s announcement, Green Flag Award is asking buildings and monuments around the UK to #GoGreenForParks today to show appreciation for the spaces that mean so much to people.

Green Flag Award Scheme Manager Paul Todd said: “I would like to congratulate everyone involved in making these parks worthy of a Green Flag Award. To meet the requirements demanded by the scheme is testament to the hard work of the staff and volunteers who do so much to ensure they have high standards of horticulture, safety and environmental management and are places that support people to live healthy lives.”

The Green Flag Award scheme, managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy under licence from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark standard for the management of green spaces across the United Kingdom and around the world.

In celebration of this year’s announcement, Green Flag Award is asking buildings and monuments around the UK to #GoGreenForParks today to show appreciation for the spaces that mean so much to people.

One of my priorities since the pandemic has been to protect independent local businesses. Strides forward have included persuading a senior Council officer sceptical of a perceived impact on crime to allow pubs and cafes to expand into The Strand. This has been a huge success, and has made The Strand a wonderful place to spend time this summer.

Paul Millar www.exmouthjournal.co.uk

However, there is further investment required in other areas. The Magnolia Centre remains an eyesore and a monument to the very worst of 1970s planning and architecture. Money is needed to buy back this land from the overseas pension fund that owns it, so the area can be improved for the benefit of the community and the businesses which struggle on. I was pleased to see Labour’s new national policy to scrap the business rates system, in that I’ve recently had a case of the unfair tax crippling a much-loved local business in that area.

Meanwhile, Exmouth still awaits the money that Conservative MP Simon Jupp announced he had ‘secured’ from now sacked Cabinet Minister Robert Jenrick for Exmouth from the ‘Future High Streets Fund’ during the 2019 General Election campaign. Being Mr Jupp’s single and flagship election pledge, it is disgraceful that it has been broken without explaining to his constituents the reasons.

In fact, local Councillors only discovered that the pledge might possibly have been broken through a report in the national press, after the Council had attempted to contact Messrs Jupp and Jenrick on the matter without success. Seeking clarity, in March this year, the Minister for Local Government and Regional Growth Luke Hall MP kindly replied to a letter I’d written to him in which he confirmed the press reports were true: the Future High Streets Fund had closed without Exmouth receiving a single penny or being given the opportunity to even bid. I am reminded of the old proverb to be wary of strangers bearing gifts.

East Devon District Council under a more active-minded administration takes advantage of all major grant opportunities that come our way. Bidding for the new Levelling Up fund, I was proud that my idea to ensure better cycling provision including an E-bike hire scheme near the Imperial Road car park and Jurassic Coast cycle trail was part of our bid, which also includes the long-awaited Dinan Way extension. It’s now being assessed by Jenrick’s replacement, Michael Gove. I am told we stand a chance! But that will never stop the fact a previous major election pledge has been broken.

When I ran in 2019, I saw my pledges written on my leaflet as my duty to simply get done. One of them was to bring the neglected Warren View Sports Ground back into use for our local sports clubs. I committed myself to a great deal of work behind the scenes, to first understand the history, and then convince a Council Leader from Colyton unfamiliar with the history of the site (but thankfully a man who likes football) to agree to instruct officers, during a pandemic, to direct stretched resources into the ground going out to tender. Happily this resulted in Exmouth Town Football Club being granted a long lease at an affordable rent. I’ll write more about the exciting ‘Project Warren View’ in this column next time.

For now, I’ll end with a reflection of my two and a half years as a Councillor and prior to that, three and a half years as an MP’s advisor in Parliament. Committed elected representatives, and all political parties have them, are persistent in following up on pledges and ensuring they are good on their word to their constituents. Those who fail to honour their pledges, for whatever reason, should at the very least be required to explain why what they said during an election campaign didn’t become a reality in elected office. It would help defeat the myth that all politicians are compulsive liars.

As I watched people queuing round local fuel stations the other week, I wondered how Boris Johnson would try to get out of responsibility for the crisis and the other shortages which his extreme Brexit is causing.

Martin Shaw www.midweekherald.co.uk 

I might have guessed – it was all because he was trying to stop “uncontrolled immigration”, and the shortages were the growing pains of a “high wage economy”! 

You’d have to laugh if the issues weren’t so serious. Your government drives away, through xenophobia and totally unnecessary red tape, many of the European lorry drivers who were keeping the UK supplied with food, medicines and goods, just as you’ve driven away many of the nurses and doctors we desperately need in our hospitals. And then you blame the Europeans because they were, apparently, working for too low wages! I believe it’s called gaslighting.  

The “high wage economy” will have raised a grim smile from the tens of thousands of families in the South West who depend on wages which are so low that they have to rely on Universal Credit – and now find their incomes slashed by £20 a week, courtesy of Rishi Sunak. It won’t have seemed very funny to the thousands of NHS staff whose increase Johnson pared down to less than the rate of inflation, and are now looking forward – if that is the right word – to paying even more tax to fund the NHS, while wealthier retired people escape scot-free.  

The Johnson government rules with slogans, rather than policies. The rule is that whatever he says, it means the opposite. “Levelling up” means levelling down the low-paid – and areas like the South West where more people are on low incomes – still further. “Global Britain” means trying to antagonise the rest of the world, and especially our closest neighbours, in the hopes that jingoism will keep some voters onside. And “high wage economy” … well I think you’ve already got the picture on that one. 

Johnson and Sunak obviously take the voters for fools. After six – yes six – consecutive years in which Devon County Council has raised its council tax by an average of five per cent per year, while wages have barely gone up, their “new” idea to fund social care is – you’ve guessed it – to raise Council Tax by a further five per cent a year. That way, of course, they can still turn round and say that apart from the National Insurance rise, they haven’t raised (national) taxes. 

Don’t expect local Conservatives to help make their party see sense. The more serious ones know how bad these ideas are, but they’ll barely utter a squeak of protest. We discovered this month that a full 70 per cent of private rental properties in Devon have been lost to the holiday rental market. Let that sink in – 70 per cent. And what was the response of Councillor John Hart, the Devon Tory leader? “Airbnb has got a lot to answer for”.  

True. But what about the Conservative governments which deliberately destroyed council housing, refused to allow councils to spend the receipts from selling them to build new homes, and pushed even more tenants into the private rental market which has now proved completely inadequate for meeting people’s needs? 

***

When I was county councillor for Seaton and Colyton, one of the biggest items in my postbag was the completion of the Stop Line Way cycling and walking route from Seaton to Colyford. I pressed the Council to issue a Compulsory Purchase Order for the land to complete the missing link in Seaton Wetlands, which was finally done 9 months ago. 

This week we heard that the final objection to the order has been withdrawn, allowing the project to go ahead. This is a fantastic victory for campaigners and the local community – now let’s ask the County to put the rest of the route to Axminster back on the agenda!