May draft minutes published
Draft minutes of Stokenham Parish Council’s May Full Council meeting (the Annual Meeting) are now published and available here.
£1.24m funding approved for stage one of Minor Roads Improvement Works
The good news from last Friday’s meeting of the Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority is that Tranche One of the Slapton Line Minor Roads Improvement Works has been approved, at a projected cost of £1.24m. The first stage will see improvements, in the way of more and better passing places, to the south-north routes from Stokenham, Slapton, and Strete towards the A381 at Stanborough Gate. Initial surveying for the improvements has started this week – residents will have noticed temporary closures on the roads north from Stokenham and Slapton – and the work proper is due to begin towards the end of summer. As the Authority concludes, “With the Slapton Line closed and its future uncertain, improvements to the minor road network is essential to maintain connectivity for local communities and support the local economy. Significant investment in FY2026/2027 alongside a phased approach, will deliver early benefits for residents and visitors.”
You can read the full report, including colour maps of the routes involved, here: Slapton Minor Road Improvement Programme
Environment Agency Torcross Project Drop-in, 30 June – save the date!
Our friends at the Environment Agency have booked Stokenham Parish Hall from 1pm to 7pm on 30 June for a drop-in session to share their plans for the Torcross seafront with local residents. Things are still at an early stage but we are hoping that we will also have representatives from DCC and SHDC, to give an update on the A379 Slapton Line, and from the Slapton Line Partnership, to cover broader adaptation topics.
More details will follow as we have them.
Last chance to get your tickets for the People’s Emergency Briefing
The climate we have today is the LEAST EXTREME any of us will experience in our lifetime
This one sentence, uttered by a leading climate scientist near the beginning of the People’s Emergency Briefing film being shown in Stokenham Parish Hall next Wednesday 3 June at 6.30 pm, should be enough to make most people sit up and pay attention. Yet despite the fact that the current climate and nature crisis represents by general agreement the most salient threat to the continued existence of our civilisation, too little attention is being paid to the numerous ways in which it is likely to impact our lives for the worse, unless we take urgent action to turn things around. The film is, to be sure, a sobering watch, but it is not without hope – there is much that can be done.
Come and join us, find out the facts for yourselves, and take part in the post-showing discussion about ways to get involved. Click here for your FREE ticket – and make sure you enter the number of tickets you require.
Would you know what to do in an emergency?
The Civil Contingencies Act 2004 creates an obligation on Local Authorities to prepare a contingency plan for self-help in case of emergency, and parish councils are encouraged to formulate their own emergency plan. Stokenham Parish Council Emergency Plan has been prepared to assist residents of the parish to cope in the event of an emergency or other unforeseen situation that results in the disruption of normal day-to-day life in and across the area. Click here to see the latest version of the Emergency Plan.
The plan is, by its nature, generic, and most of the advice is generalised and what you might regard as “common sense.” In light of recent increasing storm threats to our community, however, much more specific plans are currently being worked up to deal with the eventuality that we might need to evacuate residents of our coastal villages in an emergency. Public consultations are already underway and experts from the emergency services and the Regional Flood and Coastal Committee will be meeting throughout the summer in order to have these plans in place in good time for next autumn’s storm season.
One of the key takeaway from the Emergency Plan is that on no account should residents take any action that would put themselves or others at risk. If you become aware of any situation where you think the Parish Emergency Plan needs to be invoked, you should in the first instance contact the Parish Clerk, clerk@stokenham-pc.gov.uk, telephone 01548 581185, or failing that, any parish councillor.
People’s Emergency Briefing – get your free tickets now
The People’s Emergency Briefing is a public information film that clearly and honestly sets out the facts on the climate and nature crisis facing our country.
It presents the implications of climate and nature breakdown – along with credible, positive responses – in a single, accessible account designed for screening in communities across the UK.
Your parish council feels everyone needs to know the seriousness of the threat, and the actions that must be taken to keep us safe, so that our government has the mandate it needs to act.
Tickets are “selling” fast for our showing of the People’s Emergency Briefing on Wednesday 3 June at 6.30pm, but it’s not too late to secure yours – just click here to take you straight to the booking page.
An appeal from The Cornelius Fund
The Cornelius Fund has served the local community for over 20 years, helping local people with their housing needs.
We offer grants to help with first month’s rent and deposit, flooring and white goods to those who find it impossible to save, faced with ever increasing costs.
To remain operational, the charity’s committee is in desperate need of a Secretary and a Treasurer.
Given the current levels of activity, neither need be more than a few voluntary hours per month, but without them Cornelius is at risk of closure, it would be really sad if the area were to lose the unique service we offer.
The Secretary role: Monitoring and managing email traffic, good IT/Media skills to maintain/improve the Cornelius profile in the modern environment.
The Treasurer role: Operation of internet banking and the ability to produce year end accounts to satisfy Charity Commission regulations.
If you think you might be able to help, please contact us, by email initially, by 22 May, on thecorneliusfund@gmail.com.
Annual Full Council Agenda published
The agenda for next Thursday’s Annual Full Council is now published and available here.
News from the Slapton Line Partnership
Many will have already heard the good news on funding for improvements to the sea defences at Torcross, but it’s worth repeating the announcement here for those who haven’t yet seen it:
The Environment Agency Business Case and funding of £19.8m have been approved for the proposed rock armour scheme in front of the Torcross sea defences.
This is a critical first step but delivering this project within 2026 remains a very considerable challenge. The Environment Agency and our contractors are working at pace on design, sourcing materials, and securing the necessary consents, licences and permissions – each of which could affect delivery.
Our priority remains reducing the risk of damage to homes and businesses in Torcross as soon as possible. The approved project is to mitigate for beach loss by installing rock armour from the access steps at the south end of the beach, to the slipway at the northern end.
Discussions with Devon County Council and South Hams District Council are continuing regarding the Torcross car park and road beyond the slipway. Together with Devon County Council and South Hams District Council, we are planning a joint public event before the summer holidays when we expect to have a clearer idea of how the project is progressing and be able to provide more details.
The Slapton Line Partnership continues to work together across Start Bay to help manage coastal change and encourage adaptative planning for the future.
The People’s Emergency Briefing – free public film and community discussion – 3 June, 6.30pm
What does a changing climate mean for everyday life in the South Hams, and what choices do we still have?
Residents are invited to a free public screening of The People’s Emergency Briefing at Stokenham Parish Hall on 3 June, followed by a community discussion. The screening is part of a growing UK-wide programme of events aimed at helping communities engage with the big environmental challenges set to shape everyday life in the coming decades and to consider what they may mean for those of us who live here. The screening is organised by Stokenham Parish Council as part of its ongoing work to improve our environment and protect nature, alongside supporting healthier and more resilient communities.
In November 2025, more than 1,200 MPs, peers and leaders from business, culture, faith, sport and the media gathered at Westminster Central Hall for the National Emergency Briefing. This landmark event brought together leading experts to examine the UK’s exposure to a range of environmental and societal risks, and their implications for the future.
Introduced by Chris Packham CBE, the briefing explored how these connected challenges could affect areas such as food security, public health, infrastructure, the economy and national security, alongside evidence-based options for reducing risk and strengthening resilience.
This national event has now been adapted into a 50-minute public film, The People’s Emergency Briefing, which is currently being screened in communities across the UK. The film brings together leading scientists and thinkers to clearly explain the issues, while creating space for local communities to reflect on what these changes may mean in their own area and what constructive steps could be taken.
Naturalist Chris Packham said: “I’d encourage people everywhere to attend a screening of The People’s Emergency Briefing. It creates exactly the kind of honest local conversation we now urgently need, both about what these changes mean where we live, and about what we can do together to address them.”
Following the film, attendees will be invited to take part in a structured discussion designed to support open, respectful and practical conversation about the themes raised and their local relevance.
The event is intended to bring together residents, community leaders and decision-makers. Councillors and other influential local figures have been invited to attend and take part in the discussion.
Places are limited, so please register in advance to secure your free ticket here.