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Gulworthy Parish Council

West Devon Borough Council

West Devon Borough Council

4 September 2026

Council News

In this edition:

Supporting West Devon's community buildings and hubs

An aerial view of Milton Abbot Village Hall. A red car is outside and there are fields in the background

Crucial funding supporting village halls and community buildings at the heart of life in West Devon is making a huge difference to communities – and Milton Abbot is one of the places to benefit.

Milton Abbot Village Hall has received £21,888 from the first round of our Community Halls Capital Grant Fund. Grants have been available for one-off capital projects that strengthen the long-term sustainability of village halls and community centres.


Milton Abbot is one of several communities across the borough supported in the first round of grants, which were awarded last year.


Other projects include the preservation of the Long Room at Drewsteignton's community owned pub and hub the Drewe Arms, and installation of solar panels at Sheepstor Village Hall.

Supporting our Community Halls - Milton Abbot Village Hall's kitchen project
Find out more about the funding

Shining the spotlight on West Devon's heritage - Tavistock Guildhall

A picture of Tavistock Guildhall with a clear sky and paving in the foreground

As part of celebrations of the 20th anniversary of becoming a UNESCO World Heritage site, we're highlighting what makes West Devon special.

This week we're focusing on Tavistock Guildhall which has a wealth of character, from the atmospheric cells to the tiered courtroom, stories linger in every corridor.


Built in the mid‑19th century, the Guildhall was one of England's earliest purpose‑built combinations of police station, fire station, and magistrates' court. It was a practical response to a bustling town transformed by the mining boom.


Broaden your knowledge about Tavistock Guildhall


Staying with the topic of heritage, Tavistock recently played host to an immersive 360 full-dome experience screening the 'From Granite to Galaxies' film.


The film took viewers on a journey through the minerals that shaped the transition from ancient stone to a lithium-powered future into the cosmos and shaped the evolution of our region.


The event, which took place at Tavistock Town Hall, was part funded by Cornwall & West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site with 12 popular screenings of the film.


We'll continue to celebrate and share our area's heritage - highlighting engaging stories and insight from the borough.

Wildlife meadow maintenance events  -book now!

A graphic the event details which includes pictures of a lawn mower, flowers and a butterfly

Join the West Devon Wildlife Warden Scheme and Parklife SW, and help maintain the new wildlife meadows in Tavistock created with volunteers in April this year.

This is a wonderful opportunity for all West Devon residents to dive in, work hands-on, and gain real experience in building new habitats.


In this session, we will rake and remove the cuttings and scarify the area to break up the outer surface of the soil.


This will prepare the site for us to sow Yellow Rattle (Rhinanthus minor) seeds recently harvested from Hope Wood, the new community woodland and nature recovery site at South Brent.


Follow the links below to sign up.

Saturday 19 September, Bishopsmead, Tavistock
Saturday 26 September, Monksmead, Tavistock

Ever heard of Heritage Crime?

A picture of tape which has the words Police written on it. There is paving in the background

West Devon is home to many historic buildings, monuments and conservation areas that help tell the story of our communities.

We work to protect and preserve this heritage, providing advice and guidance on listed buildings, conservation areas and other important historic assets so they can be enjoyed for generations to come. So, we're sharing Devon & Cornwall Police's guidance on Heritage Crime.


Heritage Crime is any offence which harms the value of heritage assets and their settings. Some heritage assets are protected by specific legislation to prevent harm caused by damage or unlicensed alteration.


Guidance includes: 

  • Report all incidents expeditiously, utilising the words "heritage crime" and ideally a description of the asset e.g. "listed building".
  • Sign up to Devon and Cornwall Alert for community messaging.
  • Pass on any community intelligence to police that may assist with identifying individuals involved.

Some examples of heritage assets include: 

  • Listed buildings
  • Scheduled monuments
  • World Heritage Sites
  • Protected marine wreck sites
  • Conservation areas

Did you know that each September, historic houses, churches, gardens, castles, museums and archives open their doors for free across Devon?


Many of these places are usually closed to the public or charge admission, so there is a rare opportunity to step inside this month and you can find out more below.

Choose from 112 attractions in Devon!

Job Vacancies


Are you looking for a flexible role in a supportive and open culture? Join the Council! We have a number of exciting roles available for the right person.


Click the button below to see our current vacancies.


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Click here to find out more

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