PLANS to provide grit boxes at various locations in the Tavistock area are being pioneered by county councillor Debo Sellis to deal with severe weather in the future.

Cllr Sellis said she had been inundated with calls from residents who had real trouble getting out and about during the recent snow and ice.

She is proposing that part of her £10,000 locality budget, which all Devon county councillors get to spend on local projects, is used to provide grit boxes at various locations in electoral division.

The area covers Gulworthy, Lamerton, Sydenham Damerel and the whole of Tavistock.

She said that she had visited the county council's depot during the bad weather and found the team working 'flat out', but despite these efforts, it was obvious from the many enquiries and emails she received that there were many people who felt more could be done.

Cllr Sellis said: 'I am therefore asking residents if they would be kind enough to let me know any locations where they feel a grit box may have helped and will assist in the future,' she said.

'The grit boxes cost £170 each and the council would be happy to fill them because I have discussed it with the councillor who has responsibility for highways.'

She said it would not be possible to provide a grit box at every location as there was insufficient funding available, but she would be visiting suggested sites with the local highways superintendent to see where they would help the most.

'I think we need to be pro-active and I am trying to be practical,' she added.

'We saw great community spirit during the recent severe weather with people helping to shift snow and ice from their roads but having the grit would have made it a lot easier.'

Cllr Sellis can be contacted at: [email protected]">[email protected] or write to her at 46 St David's Road, Tavistock, PL19 9BT.

l The councillor has also said that roads which have been damaged by ice are a 'recognised priority' by the county council and work to fill in large potholes which have occurred as a result will be decided when the budget is set imminently.

She said: 'I am aware there are some whopping potholes in the Courtlands Road area of Tavistock but it is a countywide and countrywide problem.

'We are trying to get some extra funding from the Government to carry out the work that is needed.'