A Launceston Town Councillor has said he hopes the town will provide aid to those around them in the event of an emergency. 

Cllr Paul O’Brien expressed his concerns regarding flooding at the most recent full council meeting. He said that a few months prior he had seen news of a local town being affected by flooding, leading him to consider Launceston’s provisions for aid to towns around it in the event of an emergency. 

He said: “Round about the end of May, I saw a report of a flood up in a Devon village… it started me thinking, if we experienced such an event, how would we cope with it, and equally, how would local villages to us cope with it as well. 

“Having had a think about it, one of the things our emergency plan lacks, is any way of seeking or offering assistance to neighbouring communities, it is all inward looking; what can we do when something goes wrong for us? But what about other people? 

“If you look at us as a town, we’re a fair size, we have employees, we have a full time clerk, we have premises, and so forth. Many of the villages and hamlets don’t posses anything like that at all.” 

Cllr O’Brien proposed a plan be drawn up with an aim of  creating a network of towns within and area who would offer assistance to each other in the event of an emergency such as flooding. 

In an effort to organise such a plan Cllr O’Brien contacted a number of councils which are roughly up to 30 minutes drive away from Launceston, including Bodmin, Callington, Bude Camelford, Okehampton, Tavistock, and Holsworthy. All of which, apart from one, agreed to discuss ideas at their council meetings. 

Cllr O’Brien continued, explaining some of the key points which may need to be considered should the plan be considered. 

1. The concept of providing mutual aid and support to neighbouring communities. 

2. The need to create a system to enable the council to contact neighbouring councils out of hours. 

3. The knowledge of neighbouring council’s strengths and weaknesses. 

4. The system needs to be developed for or surrounding patches as well, the villages and the hamlets. 

The concept was agreed to be discussed fully at the next town council meeting.