The Parish Council has deliberated over having town status [Local Government Act 1972 s.245(6)] instead of village status. The decision made was to become a town with effect from 1st January 2009, as the Council, after extensive press coverage over two weeks, received nothing but approval.  

Time has already been allowed for a public reaction and there has been very little response. The Council has taken this as consent rather than disapproval.  Only one Councillor objected saying that a referendum should have been held. Parishioners that attended the Full Council meeting on 5 November, 2008, of which there were five, all gave their approval of the move.  

Reasons for the decision have been based on Kingsteignton retaining its identity and to have its own voice in the future, rather than being considered a part of Newton Abbot. Decisions will have to be made in the current climate of proposed developments in and around Kingsteignton and the Council considers, with the lead taken by the Chairman, Councillor Mike Walters, that now is the time to make our own voice heard. We should be making proactive and visionary considerations towards shaping the future of Kingsteignton. A town council, it is considered will have more meaning, particularly if Devon moves towards unitary local government. Kingsteignton does not wish to be subsumed by Newton Abbot and be part of the 29000 residents of a market town and its cluster of surrounding villages. Kingsteignton deserves to be considered as a town with a voice of its own.  

The cost will be minimal and will be centered on that of changing stationery, signs and alerting various trading associations of the change. There are no legal implications as the Parish Council can change its status under the Local Government Act of 1972 and the change from Chairman to that of Mayor will be a matter of course. Town status will improve the chances of retaining our library and will hopefully improve policing. If Devon becomes a unitary authority is more likely that Kingsteignton, as a town, will have greater powers in the decision making process of local government.  

Kingsteignton has lost out in the past with poor infrastructure in the housing developments and we feel that the time is right for us to have a major say in what is to be the future of Kingsteignton.  

With the help and support of all the residents in Kingsteignton we wish to be proactive in our vision of the shaping of things to come.