Letter from Jocelyn Ponting & Sue Cherry,
Co-Chairmen of the APPRAISAL STEERING GROUP

March 1998

Dear Parishoners,

Nearly 80% of the people in the parish responded to the appraisal in a very positive way which suggests most of us want to participate in decisions about the future development of our community. We thank you all for your contributions. We thank all those who helped to organise, distribute and collect the appraisal questionnaire. We particularly thank the many people who have indicated they will be willing to help with future activities. Help will certainly be needed!!

We would also like to thank Sue Murphy and Helen Vines and the staff at the Community Council of Devon who continue to give us advice and assistance. Thanks also to Mike Glanville, who designed the covers of the appraisal questionnaire and this report

This is a beautiful area in which to live and work and many of your views reflect the need to be very careful in the way we make future changes. There are many pressures on communities as we approach the Millennium. South Hams Councillors have to make decisions in this period about demands for new homes in the area. It is fortunate that we are one of the first Parishes to show in this appraisal the way we want our community to develop.

The real success of the appraisal lies, however, in the future. It is only when we move forward with your views and proposals and begin to put them into action that success can start to be measured. If any progress is to be made it will be up to all of us to get together with our elected representatives to make it happen in our way.

We need to consider carefully the issues raised in this appraisal. We will present the summary at the Annual Parish Meeting on Monday 6th April at 7.30 pm in the Memorial Hall where it will be the main item on the agenda. We ask you to help by identifying your priorities on the inside of the back cover of this summary and bringing it to the meeting. This will enable you, with other Parishioners, to decide on the next steps to be taken.

We hope it will be a positive and friendly meeting. Please remember to fill in the form on page 11 and to bring it with you - see you there!

Jocelyn Ponting
Sue Cherry