Northam Town Council

08/09/2026

Devon Highways will be carrying out works on Churchill Way under Temporary Traffic Lights between Monday 21st September and Friday 23rd October, between 09.30 – 15.30.

A number of works will be undertaken including patching (estimated to take 10 working days), cleaning, siding etc. The team will be working towards Appledore, working under one set of TTLs at a time.

At the junction with Heywood Road, there is a small section of patching by Cleavelands Park, this will be done under ‘stop and go’ on day one between 09.30 – 15.30. One section of patching past Windmill Lane and heading into Appledore will require lights to be up for a 24-hour period.

Given the volume of daily traffic accessing Wooda Road, and in consultation with local businesses, patching works across the junction of Churchill Way and Wooda Road will be undertaken on the afternoon of Friday 25th September.

Information will also available on the Causeway one.network:

One platform to plan, monitor, communicate and analyse traffic disruptions.

08/09/2026

Mayor of Northam Cllr Sam Newman-McKie helps celebrate Eileen Rogers 100th birthday at Primrose House Westward Ho!
Westward Ho! resident Mrs Rogers celebrated with a family birthday party at the Durrant House Hotel with a serenading bagpiper. This was followed by a tea party at Primrose House with staff, fellow residents and a visit from the Mayor of Northam, Cllr Sam Newman-McKie, who delivered a card from King Charles and Queen Camilla and a rose bouquet from Northam Town Council.
Pictured: Mrs Eileen Rogers with her son and the Mayor of Northam

08/09/2026

Could our Town be next?

From a community-owned hotel in Great Torrington to innovative approaches for bringing vacant properties back into use, discover what's possible when local people, businesses and partners come together to shape the future of their town centres.

Join this free webinar 'From Ideas to Action: Building Thriving High Streets & Town Centres' on 6th October 10am - 12pm and hear inspiring real-life examples of communities taking action, practical ideas that are working elsewhere, and the support available to help bring local projects to life.

One of the featured case studies is The Globe Hotel in Great Torrington, where more than 700 shareholders backed a community-led project to transform a long-empty building into a hotel, restaurant, training hub and community asset.

You'll also hear from Vicki Bidwell, High Streets Policy Lead at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and learn about emerging opportunities, including High Street Rental Auctions and new approaches to bringing vacant town centre properties back into use.

Whether you're a business owner, community group or local authority representative, you'll gain fresh inspiration, practical insights and discover new opportunities, support and resources to help turn local ideas into action.

Book your free place today:

Free Webinar for Devon towns and businesses. Be inspired by communities and local partners that are bringing new life to town centres.

03/09/2026

Mission: Compostable, Obl Wan Binobi, and Chitty Chitty Can Can - Coming to a Street Near You!

orridge District Council has announced the winning names for its brand-new recycling vehicles, that have joined the Council’s Waste & Recycling fleet this Summer.

Over 600 entries were received after the competition closed at the end of June, with residents submitting a wide range of creative and humorous suggestions. Following a difficult, yet entertaining, judging process, involving the Council’s Waste & Recycling supervisors and crews, the winning names have been decided. These have been transformed into eye-catching graphics and are now proudly displayed on each of the new vehicles.

The new fleet now features:

Bin Diesel
Binspector Gadget
Chitty Chitty Can Can
Dolly Carton
Johnny Trash
Marcus Trashford
Mission: Compostable
Obi Wan Binobi
Recyclesaurus Rex
Sir-Sort-A-Lot
The Bincredible Hulk
The supervisors and crews thoroughly enjoyed reading through all the entries and ultimately chose names that best reflected waste and recycling, while also capturing the community’s sense of humour.

The new vehicles can be seen travelling all over the Torridge district and residents are encouraged to keep an eye out to see which names they can spot in their neighbourhood!

Torridge District Councillor Chris Leather, Lead Member for Operational Services said:

‘’I would like to thank everyone who took the time to take part in the competition – the Waste & Recycling Team had a tough, but amusing time selecting the winning names due to the outstanding quality and number of entries received. It is great to see that the campaign not only inspired so much creativity but also helped raise awareness of the importance of reducing waste and recycling.’’

‘’I would also like to extend my thanks to our Waste & Recycling crews for their continued dedication and commitment to delivering an excellent service to the Torridge residents. Their hard work and enthusiasm are hugely appreciated, and this competition has been a wonderful way to recognise the invaluable role they play within our community.’’

02/09/2026

Torridge District Council Opens Work Experience Placements ahead of the Next School Year!

Torridge District Council regularly supports students within the District by offering a variety of work experience placements.

If you know a student who is looking for a work experience placement for the next school year, please encourage them to send their CV to the People Team, along with a supporting statement outlining the department(s) they would like to gain experience in and their preferred placement dates.

Please send your applications to [email protected]

These placements fill up fast, so any interested students are encouraged to contact the team as soon as possible!

Previous student feedback includes:

"I've really enjoyed my experience, working with the Communications and Customer Service teams, it's good to be able to get an insight into what it's like working from within the council and talking with all the different people."

‘’This week has helped me think about my future career choices as it has shown me all the different jobs the rangers do, and I now hope to have a similar role in the future. I have found I really enjoy working outdoors and my favourite part of the week was when we looked at the different insects in the dunes with the different school groups.’’

"My favourite departments were Environmental Protection and Customer Services. I really enjoyed going out with the Environmental Protection team and the different jobs Customer Services asked me to complete!"

The Council will facilitate as many placements as possible, and all applicants will be responded to no matter the outcome. For those placements which can be facilitated, students will be invited to attend an informal interview prior to their placement as part of the full experience.

Councillor Ken James, Leader of Torridge District Council said:

‘’At the Council we understand that choosing a future career path can feel like a daunting prospect which is why we’re always pleased to be able to offer work experience placements that give students the chance to explore the diverse roles on offer within local government. Whether you have your dream career in mind, or are still considering your options, we welcome applications from any students who are keen to gain hands-on experience of working at the Council.’’

01/09/2026

Temporary Traffic Notice - WOODA ROAD, Northam (TTRO2672311)
DEVON COUNTY COUNCIL hereby give NOTICE that:
On WEDNESDAY 30 SEPTEMBER 2026
Anticipated Finish WEDNESDAY 30 SEPTEMBER 2026
Between the hours of 08:00 and 18:00
No person shall cause or permit any vehicle to proceed on the sections of Affected Roads.
Roads affected -
WOODA ROAD, NORTHAM
The alternative, signed, route for vehicles will be via - WOODA ROAD AND VICE VERSA
This temporary restriction is considered necessary to enable -
REPLACE 1 X POLE
For additional information contact:
BARR ON BEHALF OF (CIRCET UK/ OPENREACH)
Telephone: 079446525140

01/09/2026

Temporary Traffic Notice - NEW STREET, Northam (TTRO2672230)
DEVON COUNTY COUNCIL hereby give NOTICE that:
On THURSDAY 19 NOVEMBER 2026
Anticipated Finish THURSDAY 19 NOVEMBER 2026
Between the hours of 09:30 and 15:30
No person shall cause or permit any vehicle to proceed on the sections of Affected Roads.
Roads affected -
NEW STREET, APPLEDORE , O/S 51 NEW STREET
THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE ROUTE.
This temporary restriction is considered necessary to enable -
TELECOMS WORKS
For additional information contact:
SUNBELT RENTALS
Telephone: 03700 500792

01/09/2026

NTC has been successful in obtaining sufficient grant funding for a public defibrillator on Westbourne Terrace, Westward Ho! The purchase was funded by councillor grants, with District and County councillors contributing. Thanks go to Torridge District Council for allowing it to be attached to and powered from their building.

https://www.northamtowncouncil.gov.uk/_VirDir/CoreContents/News/Display.aspx?id=85522

01/09/2026

Northam Neighbourhood Plan 2024-2031 receives majority support at referendum

A referendum was held in the parish of Northam on 20 August 2026 about the Northam Neighbourhood Plan 2024-2031. More than 90% of persons voting in the referendum voted ‘yes’, which means that the plan now forms part of the Development Plan for the Neighbourhood Area. This means that, in addition to using the North Devon and Torridge Local Plan 2018-2031, planning officers considering planning applications in the area will also need to use the policies in the plan when making their decisions.

The Northam Neighbourhood Plan was prepared by Northam Town Council, who have engaged with communities over several years to create the vision and policies laid out in the plan. The plan contains 19 policies covering subjects such as design, locally important views, local green spaces and heritage.

Torridge District Council has assisted Northam Town Council with the progression of the plan where appropriate and to meet its statutory duties. Further information about the Northam Neighbourhood Plan 2024-2031 can be found at https://www.torridge.gov.uk/northamnp and https://www.northamneighbourhoodplan.co.uk/

Although the neighbourhood plan already forms part of the Development Plan for the Neighbourhood Area, Torridge District Council Full Council will consider formal adoption of the plan at a future meeting.

Councillor Rosemary Lock, Lead Member for Planning and Development & Chair of the Plans Committee:

“Everyone who has worked or contributed towards the Northam Neighbourhood Plan 2024-2031 should be commended, as the drafting of the plan is a long process which requires much effort and time. The depth and detail that the plan goes into shows the care and consideration that individuals have put into it. The neighbourhood plan has been shaped through engagement with the local community, who have made clear what is most important to them locally, and decision makers will now need to use the policies within the plan when they receive relevant planning applications.”

Discover how Northam residents are guiding local development through the Neighbourhood Plan. Learn about community priorities, sustainable growth, and efforts to preserve the unique character of Northam, Appledore, and Westward Ho!​

01/09/2026

Northam Town Council grants window is now open