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My Journey in a Nissan LEAF

Having heard so much about electric cars, I was excited to get the opportunity to go for a longer journey in the 30 kWh version of the Nissan LEAF (range 120 miles):

Lisa, the V2G EVSE Limited vehicle-to-grid R&D Nissan LEAF
Lisa, the V2G EVSE Limited vehicle-to-grid R&D Nissan LEAF

We started the journey in Tremail, heading for IKEA in Exeter. Once we reached the A30, the car was cruising gently all the way to Exeter. The cruise control was activated at 60 miles per hour, leaving us free to chat during a relaxing journey. Once at IKEA, we headed for the electric vehicle charging point, where we met a fellow electric car fan:

Battery state of charge after our trip from Tremail
Battery state of charge after our trip from Tremail

He was enthusiastic about his Nissan LEAF but also told us that he had recently had a test drive in an electric MG (range 200 miles) which he said was a fantastic experience. He was in the process of charging his car and was kind enough to finish his charging session early to allow us to start charging ours, before we headed for IKEA:

Battery state of charge after charging at Exeter IKEA
Battery state of charge after charging at Exeter IKEA

The journey home was equally pleasant and I arrived back in Tremail a convert.

The future is electric!

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Davidstow Electric Car Hire

At Monday’s meeting of Davidstow Parish Council the chair asked if there was any other business to be added to the agenda. I raised my hand to announce the birth of Davidstow Electric Car Hire, which was duly discussed towards the end of the meeting.

As a pilot for the Camelford Electric Car Club project V2G EVSE Limited are making two of their research and development electric vehicles available for hire by residents of and visitors to the Davidstow area.

Lisa the Nissan LEAF and Zoe the Renault ZOE are now available for hire by the hour, day or week via HiyaCar.co.uk:

If you have never experienced the joys of driving a 100% electric powered vehicle now is your chance to do so at remarkably little cost.

Here’s an extract from a recent Top Gear review of the Nissan LEAF:

The real joy of the Leaf isn’t the money, it’s the motor, and its charming grace. For the way most people drive (if not, literally, for petrolheads), it’s simply a better source of motion.

and here is Top Gear’s opinion of the Renault ZOE:

It’s not for everyone – power can be a little bit reserved, something you’ll notice more if your range-anxiety is under control and you’re brave enough to tackle motorway stints – but for more regular urban use this is more than good enough as an entry to the EV world.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask, using the space provided for that purpose below.

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Surfing ex Hurricane Lorenzo’s swell at Summerleaze Beach in Bude!

As discussed in the article describing my surfing session in Newquay earlier this year, the images below are from beyond the parish of Davidstow. However Summerleaze Beach in Bude is an even easier drive from here for any visitors staying in the Davidstow area:

Not only is there surf when the wind and North Atlantic swells permit, there is also the much calmer Bude Sea Pool (almost) all day, every day:

If you’re very lucky, as I was this weekend, you may even find yourself in the midst of an art installation on your next trip up the A39 Atlantic Highway!

If you’re actually in or near Bude and/or Davidstow this weekend more information about the Reflect Arts+Minds Project can be found at:

https://www.reflectaamp.org

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October Parish Council Meeting

Davidstow Parish Council is back to its regular schedule of meeting on the first Monday of each month.

As far as I can tell the agenda for the meeting on October 7th 2019 is still not available on the Parish Council web site, so I cycled to the noticeboard in Tremail and took this picture:

I shall certainly endeavour to attend the meeting, since I represented Tremail on the meeting between the Parish Council and Saputo (as Dairy Crest is now called) up at the “cheese factory” last week. Here’s a photographic record of my visit:

Earlier in the summer I also attended a meeting where Cornwall Council’s “Climate Change Action Plan” was discussed:

That plan has now been published. According to the County Council web site:

As a Council we have a leading role to play in the climate emergency, but we cannot deliver these ambitious outcomes alone, we will need support from all of our residents – from our communities, businesses, schools, public sector partners, the voluntary sector and many more. You have an important role to play in making change happen, not just as residents but in your working lives too. This is just the start of the journey; please join us in tackling the climate emergency.

On Monday evening it will be interesting to discover what the Camelford area equivalent contains. At the very least I know that Claire Hewlett, the mayor of Camelford, is interested in what the Cornwall Council’s report refers to as “mak[ing] electric vehicles a viable option for many drivers”. She recently visited our courtyard here in Tremail to examine our fleet of electric vehicles and associated charging infrastructure. In the pouring rain!

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Global Wind Day 2019

Today is Global Wind Day!

Global Wind Day is a worldwide event that occurs annually on 15 June. It is a day for discovering wind energy, its power and the possibilities it holds to reshape our energy systems, decarbonise our economies and boost jobs and growth.

In honour of the occasion I waited for the heavy showers to blow away, then went on a bike ride around Davidstow Parish in search of wind turbines and clouds. Here is what I discovered:

There were plenty of sheep and cattle to be seen too!

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Camelford Neighbourhood Plan Consultation

Beginning today Camelford Town Council are holding consultations on the Camelford Neighbourhood Plan. According to the Town Council web site:

The Town Council is organising a public consultation review to gather feedback on specific policies of the neighbourhood Development Plan -such as housing development, transport/infrastructure, employment, landscape and green spaces.

Whether you are an individual, resident or business this is your chance to let the council know what you think. The survey runs from the 30 May to midnight 11 July so please make sure you respond before this period closes.

You can submit your feedback online or by downloading the form and returning it to the Council. Just visit this page of our site to complete the form!

In order to read the proposed development plan you will need to go to the library or download it from the Town Council web site, which points out that:

Camelford Town Council has prepared a NDP for the period to 2018 – 2030. The NDP sets out a vision for the future of the parish and planning policies which will be used to determine planning proposals locally. In 2014, Camelford Town Council (CTC) appointed a local research company “PFA Research” to work with the Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP) team to devise a comprehensive consultation survey, to help understand the make-up of the town’s needs in order to prepare the NDP. This survey was sent to all households in the Parish and on the CTC website, followed by various drop-in events including the Camelford Carnival in 2015, the Camelford Show in 2016 and an on-line survey in 2017.

All this information was used by the NDP Team to outline the policies for a plan which CTC hope will address some key issues around housing, the economy/employment, transport/infrastructure, community facilities/amenities, landscape/green spaces and renewable energy.

Neighbourhood Plans are strengthened by public feedback, so it is really important that you have your say at this stage. During this period, CTC would be grateful for your comments. CTC will also consult developers, community organisations, adjoining parish councils, businesses, land owners and national organisation ( e.g. Natural England, South West Water, Environment Agency).

PUBLIC CONSULTATION EVENTS/FEEDBACK

Thursday 30 May – Enfield Park, 2pm-4pm

Sunday 2 June – Clease Green, 2pm – 4pm

Thursday 6 June – 5pm – 6.30pm @ The Library

Tuesday 18 June – 5pm – 6.30pm @ The Library

Don’t say you haven’t been warned! Make sure to have your say before midnight on the 11th of July.

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Davidstow Parish Council Election

Following the resignation of Keith Goodenough there is now a vacancy on Davidstow Parish Council. At least 10 residents of the parish have requested that an election be held, and if you wish to apply to fill the vacancy the necessary steps are detailed in this document from Cornwall Council’s returning officer, Kate Kennally:

Notice of election Davidstow Parish Council – 9 May 2019

The procedure is rather complicated!

Nomination papers can only be submitted in person on any day after the date of this notice, but not later than 4 pm on Tuesday 9 April 2019 to the following locations on the specified dates and times:-

2-5 April to the Deputy Returning Officer, Room 12, Cornwall Council, St Austell Information Service, Council Offices, 39 Penwinnick Road, St Austell PL25 5DR between the hours of 9.00 am and 5.00 pm and 9 April between the hours of 9.00 am and 4.00 pm

8 April to the Deputy Returning Officer, Deputy Returning Officer, Otho Peter Room 1, Launceston Town Hall, Western Road, Launceston, PL15 7AR between the hours of 9.30 am – 1.00 pm and 2.00 pm – 4.00 pm

POLLING DAY
If the election is contested, the poll will take place on Thursday 9 May 2019.