Just under half of respondents are in employment, whether full-time, part-time, or self-employed (1,173 people, or 48% respondents).

There is a large population of retired people in the town (728 people, or 30% respondents).

About 8% respondents are in full-time education or on a Government training scheme (190 people) and 5% (109 people) are unemployed.

A large number of people, while not in formal paid employment, are nevertheless working, whether that involves bringing up children, or performing voluntary service. Most encouragingly, hundreds of voluntary workers (534, 24%) are regularly involved in activities such as charity shops, visiting the sick and elderly, or youth work.

Of those who are employed, about two thirds (61%, or 966 people) work within the town, and only 5% (75 people) work more than 30 miles away.

This suggests that local economy can provide enough opportunities for local job market, and that local employment is popular.

A total of 298 respondents run a business in the town, employing 527 people. The number of employees per firm ranges from 1 to 41.

193 people are currently seeking work, or expect to do so in the next 12 months.

The main reasons given for not taking up job or training opportunities were ill-health (94), lack of transport (45), and looking after relatives, including children (24).

112 people intend to become self-employed in the next 12 months. 335 people cited lack of start-up finance as the main barrier to achieving this ambition.

Most respondents recognised the importance of a solid local industrial base. They favoured growth of both new and traditional industries.

Manufacturing, Information Technology, Riverside Industries, Retail, Education, Agricultural and Forestry and Fishing were the most popular, each gaining the support of over 50% of respondents.

Two thirds of employers who participated in the survey (87, or 65%) thought that promotion of the town was important to improve employment opportunities in the town.

This information will be passed to Totnes Town Council, South Hams District Council, Devon County Council, Regional Development Agency and Department of Employment.

When asked whether they would be interested in taking any vocational training opportunities now or in the future, 940 people (45% respondents) said yes.

The most popular choice would be new technology and computing 542, followed by craft skills 363 and professional/managerial skills 280. Although the other options were not as popular, the interest was not insignificant. About 100 people were interested in either rural/agricultural skills, or technical, supervisory, and clerical/secretarial skills.

Virtually everyone (907) would be able to get to a Totnes centre that would offer the appropriate training, and 347 (41%) could get to Paignton. Training in Exeter and Plymouth would present difficulties since only 191 and 189 respectively (21%) could travel that far.

Current provision for adult learning in Totnes was felt to be good/reasonable by 1366 people (69%). However, criticism was levelled at the programme content and ideas put forward for different kinds of study opportunities.

Over two-thirds of people felt that the service provided by district nurses, emergency ambulances, GPs, chiropodists, health visitors and midwives was good, and up to 99% thought they were good or reasonable). Other services, like Totnes Caring and Piper Lifeline, also came in for praise.

On the other hand, a significant proportion of people (about one in four or five) thought that dental provision and various social services (home help, mental health, and respite care) were poor. Altogether 324 people were unhappy about the dental service, while less than 50 were dissatisfied with some other services.

The major concern by far was the difficulty of registering with a NHS dentist in Totnes (478 people stated that the service was hard to access).

Some commented that they had to travel as far afield as South Brent, Torbay and Newton Abbot for NHS dental care, while others had opted reluctantly for expensive private treatment locally. The frustration this issue causes is very evident.

The other services came out relatively well, with hospital transport, opticians, meals-on-wheels and day-care seen as good or reasonable by four out of five people. That said, 125 people felt that the opticians service was poor, and 47 said the same about hospital transport.

321 people (over one in four service users) consider the transport to Torbay Hospital (and other health services in Torbay) inadequate. Public transport arrangements are complicated, the service is slow and, outside working hours, limited. The cost of transport is high (especially by taxi) and parking can be difficult, with heavy fines for parking illegally.

Other services difficult to get to are the GP’s (229), chemists (166), social services (57 - one in three users) and counselling services (51 - one in four users).

The distance to the nearest service can be far too excessive. This applied especially to NHS dentists and opticians that do ‘the same day replacements’.

Also, services that do not operate outside normal working hours can be difficult to access, especially by people with work/childcare commitments.

Sometimes, getting appointments (especially quick ones) can be very difficult, partly due to high demand, but also because appointments are not necessarily allowed to be made by phone.

Finally, the cost of services (e.g. counselling, or private dental care) can be prohibitive.

This Report was produced by Totnes Community Appraisal Project Steering Group:

Credits for the original paper copies of the questionnaire and report:
Cover drawings of Totnes by Andrew Newland (Thanks for kind permission for use in Report and Questionnaire). Cartoons by Anne Ward. Design and DTP by Milos Erben.