Newton Abbot and District Community Plan has been granted up to £20,000 and accepted into the Market and Coastal Towns Initiative. The plan is one of only two in Devon – the other is Axminster – to succeed in getting the award, and one of 13 out of 31 towns that applied throughout the south west. The award also means the town will receive dedicated support from a community facilitator, professional assistance from consultants and templates and tool kits to help its progress. A regional programme funded by the South West of England Regional Development Agency, the initiative was developed to address the specific needs of the region's market and coastal towns affected by changes to their traditional role and one of its main aims is to be community led. Agriculture, for instance, was badly hit by the foot and mouth crisis which had an ongoing effect on market towns, and the decline in the fishing industry hit coastal communities. The initiative is delivered by the Market and Coastal Towns Association, which was established in October 2004 – three years after the initiative was launched. Newton Abbot town councillor Ken Lewis was 'absolutely delighted' by the news. He has been the driving force behind the Newton Abbot and District Community Plan Committee, which he has chaired since it was set up some three years ago. On behalf of the town council, Cllr Lewis attended a conference in Cardiff, heard about the Market and Coastal Towns Initiative and it all took off from there. 'I had just lost my seat on Teignbridge Council and I was able to devote much more of my time to the town council and the community plan. 'When we started we were originally told we were too large to be a market town and could not be considered for a grant,' he revealed. That did nothing to deter the optimism of getting the plan moving and under Cllr Lewis's leadership it has gone it alone for the past three years bringing together a mixture of councillors, residents, representatives of organisations, churches and adjoining villages. 'Right at the start we said whatever we did would have a big influence on the villages and we needed to consult them and take them with us,' said Cllr Lewis. Throughout it has also been a partnership between the town, Devon County Council and the district authority – the county gave a £6,000 grant and both authorities made available considerable officer time. 'Officers Matt Bell (DCC) and Gary Powell (TDC), and town clerk Rod Tuck have given invaluable help and I would like to thank them,' said Cllr Lewis. The community plan is long-term and eventually Newton Abbot will put its plans to various money suppliers through the government at a brokerage meeting organised through the Market and Coastal Towns Association.
