On Monday, March 4, Sidmouth Town Council held the annual assembly in St Francis’ Hall.

We were pleased to welcome a good number of the public to the event. It was an opportunity to look back on the previous year and reflect on what has been achieved.

There were presentations from Gateway, the charity supporting homeless people and those at risk of becoming homeless in the Sid Valley, and the Sidmouth Jazz and Blues Festival; both of whom are recipients of grants from the Council. We also heard from the Chairs of Committees about Planning, Tourism and Economy, and the Environment. It is a project that combines both Tourism and the Environment that I want to tell you about this month.

The Tourism and Economy Committee has been working hard over recent years to promote Sidmouth as a tourist destination. The Visit Sidmouth website has brought the Town Council and businesses together for the last four years, promoting Sidmouth as a destination for tourism and visitors from our local area. The website has achieved significant success in raising the profile of Sidmouth as a destination and also provides a place where local people can check in to see what events are happening in the area. We have been pleased with positive feedback, not just from residents and visitors who want to come and see what we have to offer, but also from tourism professionals who like the approach we have taken.

We have just finished a project, supported by EDDC, called Coast & Country, where a partnership with neighbouring towns (Honiton, Ottery St Mary, Seaton and Budleigh Salterton) has enabled us all to extend the reach of our shared online presence and present our towns as a connected destination. The thinking is that visitors to East Devon whilst staying in one town may want to visit other local attractions. By cooperating we attract more visitors and encourage them to linger for longer, so we all benefit. If you haven’t looked at the Visit Sidmouth website I would recommend you do so as there is a lot there, not just for visitors but also for locals. (https://www.visitdevon.co.uk/sidmouth/)

A key focus for the Coast & Country partnership is sustainable tourism which is where the link to the Environment Committee comes in. By sustainable, we mean tourism that respects our natural environment and the needs of our community, while ensuring that businesses can continue to benefit from this key economic sector.

To help encourage sustainable tourism, we are promoting opportunities for active travel around our area. Whether they are walking, cycling, kayaking or horse riding, these activities enable visitors and local people to move through our area at a relaxed pace, experience our exceptional natural environment and play a part in safeguarding that environment for the future.

We are developing part of the ‘Things to do’ section of the website to encourage active travel, including walking, something that I know is very popular with lots of people. There are a number of maps showing things of interest. The Sidmouth Arboretum has for a number of years had paper maps showing walks around the Sid Valley where you can appreciate the trees. But these are now being transferred to the Visit Sidmouth website.

If you have a suitable smartphone you can follow one of the walks and learn a lot more about the trees as you stand in front of them. For example there is a walk through the Knowle where you can see a Wedding Cake Tree at the northern end of the Park. The app will allow you to find the tree and then read the details about it. Other tree walks are also available in Salcombe Regis, The Byes and an accessible tree walk that can be used by users of wheelchairs and mobility scooters. As winter moves into spring, this would be an ideal opportunity to get out and appreciate our wonderful Sidmouth Civic Arboretum. We will also be adding a variety of maps over the next few months that will include even more walks and opportunities to explore Sidmouth.