Sticky situation for 'treacle mine' Devon parish

Call to scrap parish council resisted

A pint-sized parish in Devon which is home to one of the county’s best-known landmarks and is reputed to have an underground treacle mine has been hit by a ‘toxic’ political row.

Dunchideock has a population of around 250 people, spread across 970 acres of countryside on the Exeter-facing slopes of the Haldon Hills.

The hilltop Haldon Belvedere tower is in the parish, and local folklore from Victorian times insists that thick, black treacle can be mined from beneath its rocks.

But the tiny parish has found itself at the centre of a sticky political row.

Last August Teignbridge Council received a petition asking it to consider abolishing Dunchideock Parish Council altogether

It followed bad-tempered meetings which were described as ‘toxic’, and was signed by more than half of the parish’s 212 people eligible to vote.

An ‘informal forum’ was suggested instead.

Teignbridge reviewed the situation, bearing in mind that the government is keen to see more parish councils rather than fewer. It said it needed to find evidence of ‘clear and sustained’ local support for scrapping the parish council.

Only 15 households in Dunchideock responded when Teignbridge contacted them. Three were in favour of retaining the parish council and 12 wanted it gone.

Those who wanted to abolish the parish cited ‘divisive characters, cost, volatile and chaotic history, spurious Freedom of Information requests and complaints’ as well as difficulty finding anyone willing to actually stand for the parish council.

Some people said the community had worked better when the parish council had no members.

When Teignbridge published its recommendations - to keep the parish council - not one person submitted a comment until an article about it appeared in a local newspaper. At that point 65 people sent emails calling for abolition while four wanted to keep the council.

Those favouring abolition said they were disappointed that the will of the petitioners was being ignored and government guidelines were being followed instead of simple common sense.

The parish council’s fate was decided at a meeting of the full Teignbridge Council.

A report from officers said there had been no problems getting people to stand for the parish council prior to 2021, and before that a number of elections for places at the council table had been keenly contested.

The report went on: “There is clear evidence even now that residents wish to be involved in parish decision making and taking action to ensure parish needs are met. However, concern has been raised by some residents that those who wish to be involved do not want to formally represent the parish or have accountability to it.”

Officers said the parish’s challenges would not go away if the council was scrapped. And, as 93 per cent of the people living in the village had not even responded to the consultation, there was not enough support for axing the parish council.

Cllr John Farrand-Rogers (Lib Dem, Moretonhampstead) told the meeting: “The problems are to do with toxic personnel somewhere in the parish, and possibly a lack of leadership.”

And Cllr Andrew MacGregor (SD Alliance, Bishopsteignton) agreed: “The people have been let down by a very toxic environment.”

The council agreed that the parish council should remain.