AS the first snowdrops have appeared in the garden, it makes you think that spring is close at hand but of course it’s not.

I wonder how many New Year’s resolutions still remain intact. My two do, but I’m not telling you what they are, at least not here.

This time of the year sees the three tiers of local government busy drawing up their budgets and precepts.

We all realise that in a few months’ time the dreaded letter will pop through the letterbox telling us how much more we have to pay for our council tax.

As somebody involved at all three levels, town, district and county, I can tell you that it is an exhausting process.

Councillors have to challenge the officers to present the lowest budget to achieve aims and ambitions.

We all want to keep the many services we have. Unfortunately these services are going up with the rise in salaries, utilities and materials. If we want these services to continue at their current levels we need to pay extra.

During the cold winter months I have not been out doing my usual surgeries. I shall start them again in March and would remind you of the order of events. First Saturday is in Crediton, second Saturday in Cheriton Bishop followed by Yeoford, third Saturday in Copplestone and the fourth in Bow.

My email inbox is ever filled with complaints about potholes, condition of the roads, litter and parking.

The only thing a councillor can do is to contact the relevant officer and hope that something will come of it.

As ever I do urge people to email me their complaints as it is easier to forward. I remind you of my email address: [email protected] .

I have a challenge before me at the moment. I do relish challenges. This is to persuade the railway authorities to upgrade Yeoford Station so that trains from Okehampton to Exeter can stop there. This is a challenge that will not be solved in a few weeks or even months but I’m sure with local support we will eventually succeed!

I am a member of the local Speed Watch team and I am always on the lookout for new recruits.

We have a small team in Crediton, too small, which means that we are limited in the number of times we can get out to monitor speeding cars.

So I urge those who think speeding is a problem to put themselves forward and join us.

Cllr Frank Letch MBE