INSTEAD of standing on the sidelines why not step forward and take an active role in forging the future of your town.

This is the message from Okehampton mayor Christine Marsh who wants to encourage people to consider becoming a councillor.

With elections on May 1 and deadline for nominations on April 1 she is hoping there will be some public-spirited individuals willing to have a go.

?We have 14 councillors and some are standing down. The ones that are there need a run for their money ? me included! We have to be re-elected like everybody else,? said Cllr Marsh.

?Don?t be afraid of putting yourself up to be elected. There is always admiration for someone that will stand up and have a go. Even if they don?t get elected they have taken the time to bother.?

She said people could come and question councillors at the forthcoming Town Assembly meeting on March 31.

?There is a confidence in the town by the amount of money that it being put into it at the moment. It is an exciting time to become a councillor because the town is no longer in the doldrums ? it is going to be a very important town,? she said.

Cllr Marsh said she had children and grandchildren, and liked to think the bits she had done as a councillor would be a help in their future.

?You can become a councillor and have a bit more say about the town. Before I became a councillor I wasn?t aware of how things were done. But since I was elected I have become more interested in the council aspect and also how it works,? said Cllr Marsh.

She said it was not always easy trying to convince people to run for council because there was a lot of disillusion with officialdom.

?People are busy and bureaucracy puts people off. There is a bit of that but there are also a lot of positive things.

?People say you cannot do anything to change matters. But you can influence things, and if enough of you feel strongly it will make a difference. As a council we are working together with other groups in the town,? she said.

?More and more we are being encouraged to work together ? and some council members that are part of other organisations can tie that in with their role as councillor. It can give things another slant because there are other angles which can give a better picture of what is going on.?

For more details contact Okehampton Town Council on 53179.