AROUND £1,500 is to be spent on a special course to teach Tavistock?s town council members how to work as a team for the future good of the town. The idea was approved at last month?s full meeting, when councillors agreed to invest in an ?away day?, run by consultants. Members believe the development of a team spirit will be crucial in coming months, pending the re-organisation of local government ? the council wants to be able to lead changes in a positive manner. Town clerk Roger Howard said: ?The councillors are very positive about the whole thing. ?The first thing they are going to do is go on a team building exercise on September 9 at the Garden House, when a firm of consultants is going to get them to work together, and from there, they intend to take the lead in all manner of things. ?At the next meeting of the finance committee they are going to look at parish planning.? The council currently has more than £2,600 in its budget set aside for training purposes. The idea of an ?away day? was also highlighted by West Devon Borough Council member Dick Eberlie, who spoke at the recent meeting. He told members there was a new word doing the rounds in local government ? that of ?place-shaping?, in which he felt the town council could play a lead role. Cllr Eberlie said: ?I was fascinated to read your thoughts of an away day to work out your vision for the future of the town. That might be the start of a major initiative for you. ?I really do suggest to you the time is ripe for the town council to give thought to how it wants the town to develop in the next few years. ?What would you like the town to look like in ten years? time? What is your vision for the future? Do you want to conserve or develop? And what steps do you wish to be taken to achieve your vision?? Cllr Eberlie asked what the council thought about future planning for Tavistock ? did it want more houses or shops and what did it think should happen to vacant or likely-to-be-vacant sites in the town? He said the planning aspects could be valuable in influencing borough planners. And ideas or projects from the town?s voluntary organisations could also be fitted in with the council?s vision. Cllr Eberlie said: ?What is important, to me, is that the council should take the lead in this. The borough should be helping you achieve your vision and objectives for the town ? not the other way about. ?The voluntary and business bodies should be supporting you and following your lead ? not the other way around. ?Now is the time for the town council to sieze the initiative and start to shape the future of Tavistock.?
