OKEHAMPTON Town Council has outlined what it would like to achieve in the next five years in its first ever performance plan.

The authority wants to help create a feeling of well-being for all who live, work and visit Okehampton and to this aim has set itself four goals:-

l To support and contribute to the social fabric of the town and to enhance community facilities

l to support and contribute to the economic growth and prosperity of the town through sustainable employment and tourism

l to support sustainable development where this meets local planning criteria

l to be recognised locally and nationally as being a well managed council, representative of the needs of the people it serves and being honest and open in everything it does.

The 14-page document includes what the town council does and does not do, how it spends its money, performance measures, what it has achieved over the past year and how it works with other authorities.

It also sets out what it would like to focus on, such as creating and campaigning for more plays areas in housing developments, encouraging and supporting the farmers' market, vigorous marketing of the town and strengthening partnerships with town groups, agencies and the borough and county councils.

Okehampton Town Council worked with consultant Rod Lane to put together the report which is 'stealing a march' on the rest of the country.

The final plan was approved last week and the go-ahead given to print 100 copies in colour at a cost of £548. They will be sent to councils, agencies and Government departments. Local residents will be able to see a copy in the town council offices, library and other prominent places in town.

Rod Lane said the public tended to whinge about councils and this plan was partly addressing that by keeping the public in the picture about what was going on.

'It's about telling the public what you are there for,' he said to councillors. 'Every council in the country will be producing a plan like this in the near future.'

Town mayor Christine Marsh said 'best performance' and 'best value' were buzz words, but it was basically all about common sense.

'It is a common sense policy to take the town forward and by having a plan it means whenever there is a change in council or councillors they do not have to start again from scratch,' she said.

Cllr Marsh, who has been trying to get local people more involved in their town since she took on the job three years ago, said it was important the town council was seen as approachable.

'We need to be more proactive and talk to people so they do not get the impression we are sitting up there in our ivory tower,' she said.

'Our town clerk John Winchester and Rod Lane have worked very hard on this plan and we hope people will read it and see that we are trying to get things right.'