COLEBROOKE Parish Council’s annual parish meeting was held on February 15 when the chairman reported that during the year Colebrooke Parish Council had:

• provided financial support to a number of local organisations which were of benefit to the local community.

• had promoted the establishment of a Steering Group which had consulted widely with the whole parish and had now produced the parish’s first Parish Plan.

• had established a council website to provide improved access to council information

• maintained the cemetery and other public amenity areas; maintained effective links with DCC and MDDC and ensured effective systems for managing and accounting for its spending.

The council had continued to support the Village Hall Committee in its work of refurbishing the Village Hall and extending the range of activities available to the community.

Over the year the council had become increasingly concerned about the state of some of the roads in the parish and had continued to press Devon County Council to respond.

It had set up a focus group within the parish to respond to the concerns of many residents about poor broadband services being delivered to Colebrooke. The work of the group is continuing.

It had increased its precept for the coming year for three reasons, firstly to be able to respond to increases in essential running costs, secondly to be able to respond to the impact of continuing reductions in DCC and MDDC spending and services, and thirdly to provide additional funds for actions required to implement the Parish Plan which are aimed to improve services and the environment in the Parish of Colebrooke.

DS