Ilfracombe postings

Council Membership Updates

Congratulations to the newest members of the Ilfracombe Town Council. The recent town elections saw a 24.4% participation rate, which is a relatively high number for a local by-election. Elected were: Nicola Jenner (Green Party), Melissa Turnbull (Independent) and Shaun Jennison (Independent). I very am pleased that a fellow Green Party member is joining the council, and am excited to work with all three new members who are enthusiastic and committed to representing their constituents in future town council discussions and decisions.

In other exciting news, I have been selected to serve as the Ilfracombe Town Council Environmental Champion. I am eager to undertake this new responsibility and encourage you to get in touch with questions and suggestions related to local environmental issues.  As a reminder, my council email is: neil.basil@ilfracombetowncouncil.gov.uk. 

A primary focus I will undertake is helping the Council – and Ilfracombe – meet its pledge to address the climate change crisis.  In 2019, the ITC signed on to the Devon Climate emergency pledge which has as its mission “…to empower Devon to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero by 2050 at the latest, prepare communities for a warmer world and improve the resilience of Devon’s environment to the effects of climate change.”  I will be seeking input from the community and leaders of the community to increase awareness of this pledge and taking active steps to meet this commitment.

If you want to read more about the Devon Climate Emergency partnership, you can go to their webpage at: https://devonclimateemergency.org.uk/

This page has links to the Devon Carbon Plan as well as the Devon Adaptation Strategy. There are also useful links to tips on how you can act to reduce your individual carbon footprint.

Photo by Connor Scott McManus on Pexels.com

Upcoming Events

There are some very useful informational events taking place in the next few weeks you might want to check out.

People’s Emergency Briefing

This is a 50 minute film capturing the input and insights of leading scientific experts, presenting the latest evidence on climate crises and needed responses. This presentation was given to UK politicians and other influential national figures in 2025 and is now being shared with the public via theaters and other venues throughout the country. It addresses key climate based risks facing the UK, as well as realistic, constructive responses.

This film will be shown at the Landmark Theater this Sunday, June 21 at 1:00 pm. You can book to attend by going to:  https://landmark-ilfracombe.com/events/peoples-emergency-briefing/

Even if you cannot make the showing, you can learn from this crucial presentation by going to the website: https://www.nebriefing.org/

There is a useful list of summary notes for easy access to key information – go to: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1P9uT3P_EPZ5JP3xk5YuK_OYjGOGGTOES/view

A Sky View of Earth From Suomi NPP by NASA Goddard Photo and Video is licensed under CC-BY 2.0

Finding the Money

Barnstaple Library (3B – use Tuly Str entrance).  Friday, June 26.  7:00 pm

Islington Green Councillor Sheridan Kates, a noted ecological economist, will introduce the showing of Finding the Money (2023), a documentary addressing some assumptions and realities of government debt and spending. Councillor Kates will then lead a discussion and Q and A session following the film. This is a rare opportunity to learn more about contemporary economic issues and a positive vision of a more environmentally sustainable economic future.  This talk is being sponsored by the North Devon Green Party.