ABOUT £100,000 in vouchers meant for residents of a Newton Abbot housing estate have finally been delivered after the persistence of a local politician.

Councillor Jacqueline Fry has been pursuing sustainable travel vouchers for Hele Park households for more than a year.

The vouchers, which equate to £200 per eligible household, were linked to an agreement with developer Taylor Wimpey when the homes were built in 2013.

The Section 106 agreement sets out what benefits and contributions developers will when planning permission is granted.

But overstretched council planning departments can sometimes struggle to pursue the pledges and the involvement of multiple councils can also add bureaucracy.

In Hele Park’s case, Teignbridge District Council granted the planning application, but Devon County Council would be responsible for handing out the travel vouchers Cllr Fry has been chasing.

This week, she hand-delivered 20 vouchers to residents.

She said: ‘Many expressed surprise the vouchers were available at all and were grateful the matter had been pursued on their behalf.

‘The reaction from residents was overwhelmingly positive. Many were unaware they were entitled to a voucher, while others expressed genuine appreciation that somebody had taken the time to pursue the matter on their behalf.

‘At £200 per household, some may view the vouchers as a modest benefit.

‘However, across the whole development the value comes to just under £100,000. That is a significant sum intended for local people.

‘The reality is there is no guarantee these vouchers would have found their way into residents’ hands had nobody raised questions and pursued the agreement to its conclusion.

‘Those who know me will understand that when it comes to serving residents, I can be rather like a Jack Russell with a bone. Once I know something is owed to the community, I do not let go easily.’

A Taylor Wimpey spokesperson said the vouchers work through reimbursement, meaning residents have to make eligible purchases and secure repayment.

‘We apologise for the delay in making the sustainable travel funding available, which was caused by an administrative error.

‘Residents can now claim up to £200 towards a bus or rail season ticket, or the purchase of a bicycle, cycling equipment or walking equipment.

‘We will reimburse all eligible claims from Hele Park residents, regardless of their ownership status or when they bought their property.’

While the S106 technically relates to the development’s initial residents, the housebuilder said it would honour eligible claims from all Hele Park residents.

Devon County Council said it had been working with Cllr Fry and Taylor Wimpey to get the vouchers produced and delivered to Hele Park residents.

It added doing this was a joint responsibility between it and Teignbridge District Council.

Residents are entitled to spend £200 on bicycles, cycling equipment or public transport costs.

Cllr Fry added during her work on Hele Park, she discovered a S106 agreement for land at Mile End in Newton Abbot that had expired, with the vouchers in that agreement now no longer available.

‘This raises important questions,’ she said.

‘How many Section 106 Agreements across Teignbridge and Devon have passed their expiry dates without all obligations being delivered?

‘How much money, infrastructure or community benefit has potentially been lost to local residents?

‘And what systems are in place to ensure this does not happen in the future?’