LET'S work together to do the best for Callington — that was the message from the town's Cornwall councillor this week following the overwhelming opposition to controversial one-way system proposals for the town.

Cllr Andrew Long said it was time to start afresh and move forward with one common goal.

The councillor received a standing ovation from the 50 members of the public at a meeting of Callington Town Council last week where he presented the findings of a consultation in which nearly 80% of public rejected the town centre plans.

He told the Times: 'With hindsight, things could have been done differently but we now have to put the past behind us and start again,' he said. 'Let's concentrate on the positives and work together for the best of Callington — I am pretty sure we can.

'We all love Callington, We all live here by choice and we all want what is best for the town.'

A working group of two town councillors, a representative of Callington Town Forum and the Callington Traders' Association, a member of the town's Lions or Rotary Club and a representative from Callington Community College or Primary School is being set up to find an effective use of the money that was gained through the Tesco development for town enhancement

The total now stands at £106,000 after £34,000 was spent on working up proposals for the one-way system which have now effectively been scrapped. Mr Long has asked for a breakdown of how this money has been spent but it is unlikely that the money will ever be recouped.

Mr Long, who organised the second public consultation after the first proved inconclusive and less than 100 residents responded, said he wanted to make it clear that the one-way proposals did not come from the town council but from the town plan of 2004/2005. The authority was acting on a request from the public but it was clear now that the public no longer wanted such a scheme, he said.

Some 633 people responded to the second consultation. Although a one-way system was written into the legal agreement with Tesco. Mr Long said there was a degree of flexibility in that the money could be used on improvements to the centre as long as they included the highway.

'We want a proposal that everyone can sign up to, where community groups and educational establishments can have an input,' adding that he would not be on the working party. 'I will do my best to facilitate the smooth movement of any agreed proposals through the Cornwall Council legal department.'

Town councillor Denise Winfindale said this week she was utterly devastated by the public's reaction to the one way system because the plans were based on the town plan work that was done in 2004/2005.

'Obviously the people that voted in this consultation did not want it and we have to go with the people's thoughts.

'I was convinced the one-way system would help the town.

'When you see people parked on either side of the main street and the bus not able to get through then it is obvious something needs to be done.'

The plans also included a pedestrian crossing and more on-street parking.