RECENT revelations that the Heinz Frozen Food factory at Okehampton is for sale should act as the loudest clarion call for the district to ?wake up?. The town and its surrounding area have over recent years permitted extensive residential development, with very little consideration given to employment opportunities. This imbalance becomes more marked with each passing year, now we are faced with possibly a very serious situation. A large workforce, drawn from the whole of the locality, can be by no means certain that their future is assured. The frozen food industry is in obvious turmoil, with even such giants as Findus and Unilever considering its options in Europe. A loss of any job opportunities in this district is of major concern, losses on any large scale will have far reaching repercussions. Action is urgently needed to attract new business into the locality. It is disturbing that the Devon Heartlands Community Forum are unaware of what West Devon Borough Council?s policy on providing work space is. If such a policy exists, the general public are largely unaware of it. We do know that substantial ground is set aside on the Exeter Road Industrial site, but, even this site, with all its many advantages, is very slow to develop. The people who have been elected to represent this district at whatever level have a collective need to address this serious problem now. The continuation of bringing ever more families into this area without thought to where some of them are going to find work will only result in us reaping a whirlwind of disaster. There is not a moment to lose. Ted Cann 11 Exeter Road Okehampton
