The Village Green as viewed from the south & overlooked by the Thatched Tavern |
The run-up to Agenda item #17 Registration of Land within Maidencombe as a Village Green had seen emotive submissions from various residents and strong, contrasting statements from the twenty nine councillors in attendance.
By the time Item 17 was reached, most of the attendees had left the room, leaving only a handful of residents to hear the re-submission of the registration of Maidencombe Village Green. The sole representative for Maidencombe was Jim Campbell, the current secretary of the Maidencombe Community Group and joint architect with Carl Taylor for the strategy of applying for voluntary registration by the landowner, Torbay Council.
Councillor David Thomas, Leader Conservative Group, read out the submission. He stated that since the full council meeting of September 2013 when the councillors had voted unanimously for voluntary registration for the green, Maidencombe residents had been unable to set up a Trust to take over the freehold and responsibilities of the land.
Notwithstanding this, Councillor Thomas proposed that the registration of Maidencombe's green as a TVG should proceed. The TCCT had already generously agreed to continue the maintenance of the green.
The submission was seconded by Councillor Neil Bent who had, in the past, first rate knowledge of Maidencombe and is up for election next May as councillor for the St Marychurch Ward.
The Mayor, Gordon Oliver, then stood up and unreservedly gave his wholehearted support for the registration. He went on to say that, if granted, it would give the residents of Maidencombe a community focus and a centre for recreational pursuits.
The matter was a councillor decision and not as some councillors had previously thought, a mayoral one.
A show of hands by councillors at the voting stage resulted in Maidencombe Green being registered as a TVG on the statute books. The vote was unanimous.
Our Village Green is now protected until the end of time.
Our most grateful thanks go to Mayor Gordon Oliver for his unstinting support for the past three years. He never wavered and saw the application through to the successful outcome yesterday.
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