THE Devon Heartlands Community Partnership was boosted recently by winning an award for being the best in the county when it comes to working with other bodies. Devon Heartlands beat off other partnerships across Devon to win an Action for Market Town Award in the ?Partnership and Strategic Working? category. ?We didn?t expect to win anything?, said Cllr Christine Marsh, chairman of the Devon Heartlands Community Partnership, ?But winning this award is a fantastic endorsement of our work and that of our colleagues from Devon County Council, West Devon Borough Council, the MCTA and, of course, our town and parish councils who have worked with us to make Partnership Working a reality?. Steve Blood, director of the North Tawton Development Trust, which is the accountable body for Devon Heartlands said: ?This is a real boost for our partnership and all our colleagues. Devon Heartlands submitted its ?Partnership Working? project for consideration by Action for Market Towns as it forms a key part of its approach to ongoing community planning which is the process whereby Devon Heartlands help the community engage with and influence decision-makers and help develop community-led projects. Cllr Marsh added: ?It?s just common sense really, the community needs to work with the agencies and they need to work with the community and that is where we can help ? our project just explains the benefits of joined-up-working which is what the community rightly expect.? The Devon Heartlands Community Partnership formerly know as the Okehampton Area MCTi partnership has been working with the communities of Okehampton, Chagford and North Tawton since 2001.