Development Proposals for Orchard Lea

Devon County Council are presently engaged in negotiating the transfer of care services to an independent sector organisation - Shaw Healthcare. If the transfer goes ahead Shaw will begin operating all 26 care homes sites later this year. There will be no change in service delivery for about 18 months. Staff working in homes will transfer to Shaw, and their wgaes, terms and conditions and pensions are protected under law.

After 18 months it is planned that an 8 year development programme will begin - resulting in many new build facilities around Devon - concentrating on services for older people with dementia (about 700 beds) and specially designed housing for older people (370 flats).  Devon and Shaw have published proposals that describe new build facilities on 19 sites.  2 sites are in sufficiently good condition to remain untouched during the development period.  On 5 sites, including Orchard Lea, DCC and Shaw have not yet been able to come up with a long term viable proposal that will work economically and will meet local need. A recent meeting was held with DCC, Shaw and interested local people to begin a process of considering what options could be explored using the current site, or another one if that is available and preferable. The purlbished proposals describe a potential development date for Orchard Lea of December 2010.  Therefore it is important that significantly within this timescale proposals are put forward so that they can be considered and analysed.

Staying the same is not considered an option as the building is ageing, is struggling to meet the needs of frail older people (e.g. room sizes that cannot accommodate equipment) and falling behind in relation to the standards expected of care homes (e.g. en suite facilities.)  DCC are committed to exploring any option that might sustainably maintain local services for people in the Cullompton area.

  Details of Shaws Proposals - Word Doc   Adobe Format

Sam Newman Devon County Council

Cullompton has major traffic problems and desperatly needs to address traffic and pollution matters.

There has been consultations by Mid Devon District Council and Cullompton Town Council on alternatives routes around the town, a further option that has been suggested is  to build a new motorway junction (which was originally intended when M5 was first built).

If you support the need for action, then .........

Please visit  Petitions Link  and give your support for a new motorway junction, more than one person from each household can sign, we need at least 200 signatures before the Government will even consider looking at it. 

So the more we can get,  we then show what the public want 

Please tell all your friends to sign as well. 

Cullompton Crier Feb 2008 (pdf) 

Cullompton United Charities is pleased to announce it has set up its own web page

with up to date information on the Charity

Click Here to visit their site