Residents urged to go along to Seafield Gardens on Monday (Sept 3) and vote on plans to improve and upgrade them

Seaton residents are to get another chance to help decide how the town’s Seafield Gardens should be improved and upgraded.

People can go along and have their say during a two-and-a-half-hour voting session on Monday (September 3).

Voting will take place near the bus shelter, close to Seafield Gardens, between 1pm and 3.30 pm when residents will be able to say which of the two options they would prefer to see on the site of the large water feature in the gardens.

Seaton residents first had the chance to go along and vote on Bank Holiday Monday as part of the Seaton Street Fayre. But due to the terrible weather only 41 votes were cast and no-one voted who was under the age of 40.

Now East Devin District Council is giving people another chance to have their say as they want to make sure levels of representation reflect the population of Seaton.

The ageing water fountain/waterfall, which is owned and maintained by EDDC, has been broken for some time. The council has a budget that was originally put aside to repair the fountain, but which could now be used to provide a new feature for the area.

Last autumn EDDC collected ideas from residents on how this area could be improved and better used. These have been narrowed down to just one alternative design, the other being to retain the old fountain.

The new option includes some amphitheatre-style seating looking out to sea, tables that are also chess/draughts tables and interpretation boards explaining something about the history of the area.

In addition Seaton Town Council has requested that repairing the existing fountain and leaving it in place should be added into the consultation. It has agreed to take it on and pay for all the water, maintenance and future repairs if this is the most popular option.

If the alternative, low-maintenance, option is chosen, then EDDC will continue to maintain the area.

Officials say it may be necessary to organise extra voting events depending on how many take part in Monday’s poll.

The option that gets the most votes at the end of the process will go ahead.