Residents from all walks of life are invited to have their say about what they would like to safeguard in their town in a bid to help create the first ever Totnes Community Charter.

Community Charters are rights-based documents which set out things in a local area residents agree are fundamental to the present and future health of their community, and related rights and responsibilities.

Totnes Town Council is creating a Totnes Community Charter and urging as many people as possible to come forward and decide what matters most to them.

Totnes resident Isabel Carlisle, who was instrumental in getting the first Community Charter in Falkirk off the ground in 2013 and then helped St Ives, Dartington and Ryedale in Yorkshire create theirs, has been asked by the town council to lead the local initiative.

Isabel said: “The charter is not a legal document and instead gains its power from the number of people that sign up to it and how vigorously it is then used by that community in participatory planning.

“It can be shown to any landowner, local authority, planner or developer.

“It will give us the right to protect and fight for the things that matter to us, from our historic buildings, schools, homes and health services to our rivers, green spaces and the air we breathe.”

Isabel continued: “The first Community Charter in the UK was made by the people of Falkirk who wanted to prevent coal-bed methane extraction (similar to fracking) from underneath their homes.

“In a small way, by ensuring that the voice of the local people was heard in the appeal, it played its part in the Scottish government calling a temporary ban on fracking in 2015 which then became law in October 2019.

“But the point of a Community Charter isn’t just to fight against things - it’s to use the power of the positive to achieve our goals.

“We may want our voices to be heard in protest against inappropriate building development and pollution, but we also want to promote the happiness of our children, have roads that are fit for purpose, good health services and a booming local economy.”

Totnes Town Councillor Amy Oliver urged as many residents as possible to get involved.

“There is widespread concern regarding the unprecedented pressure from developers upon Totnes, our local environs, our infrastructure and green assets.

“There couldn’t be a better time to mobilise our community to create a document outlining what we as residents want to preserve and protect.

“The Totnes Community Charter does just that, and we are aiming to make the process of producing it as accessible as possible.

“This is a great opportunity to have your say, and the more engagement we have from the public, the more firepower we have in our armoury.”

A charter-making event is planned for Saturday March 19 from 2pm to 5pm in the Civic Hall, to which all are invited.

Bob the Bus will shuttle people from Bridgetown to the Civic Hall from Bridgetown Spar at 1.20pm and 2pm, and from Follaton Shop at 1pm and 1.40pm. There bus will also take people home after the event.

Residents can also fill in the short survey on the back of postcard invites being delivered to households this week, which can be returned in one of several special charter boxes being placed around the town including at Bridgetown Stores, St John’s Church, St Mary’s Church, Morrisons, Seven Stars, Happy Apple, Bay Horse Inn and Follaton Shop.

Alternatively, the survey can be filled out online at www.totnestowncouncil.gov.uk