www.launceston-2020.co.uk has an extensive "Whats on" diary plus local information on various community groups including sports clubs, health, youth, news,education etc.

Email: jacki@launceston-2020.co.uk

Information for visitors to Launceston.

www.visitlaunceston.co.uk

The aim of the Launceston Priory Project is to provide a long term means of conserving, celebrating and promoting the Launceston Priory site for the benefit of local people and visitors.  The Friends of Launceston Priory was set up on 2nd July 2008 to encourage people to visit the Priory and to provide them with information and education about the Priory.  The priory ruins are open to visitors on weekdays from about 9am to 4pm (closed earlier in winter). 

www.launcestonpriory.org.uk

 www.thecharlescausleytrust.org

The Charles Causley Trust is seeking to preserve and conserve Cyprus Well, the home of the late poet Dr Charles Causley, and to make it a centre to celebrate his life and writing.

www.lawrencehousemuseum.org.uk

Lawrence House, Launceston, is a fine Georgian house built in 1753, located in a street which John Betjemen described as 'having the most perfect collection of 18th Century townhouses in Cornwall'. It is owned by the National Trust and leased to Launceston Town Council, who use it to house the town museum, and as a civic centre.

www.launcestonbusiness.co.uk

Launceston Chamber of Commerce is made up of local business owners. Members meet once a month, on the first working day of the month, to discuss any issues of concern to traders and shoppers in the town.  Meetings are held at the White Hart Hotel at 5.45pm.

Launceston Town Council is the parish authority for the Cornish town of Launceston. It is the most local tier of government after parliament and the county council.

Cornwall became a Unitary Authority in April 2009.   It is hoped that many of the local responsibilities carried out by North Cornwall District Council will be passed on to town and parish councils to manage.  Launceston Town Council is keen to take on a number of tasks but no decisions have yet been made.

The Council Tax paid by Launceston households includes the spending requirements of Cornwall County Council, North Cornwall District Council, Cornwall and Devon Police and Launceston Town Council.

Many people do not realise that the Town Council does not receive any revenue support from central government, unlike the County and District Councils, neither does it receive any funding from local businesses and retailers via their payment of the non-domestic rate. Each year the Town Council calculates the money it needs to raise to provide its services. Then we deduct the income which we expect to receive from fees and charges such as the income from the car park, lettings of the various halls, etc, to leave the amount we require to spend on the services and any capital projects which are planned for the year ahead. This sum, called the precept, is the amount we levy on the district council and which is collected by them as a proportion of the total council tax paid by Launceston households. In this financial year commencing 1st April 2008, our precept is £274,494.  For the financial year 2009/10 the precept will be £300,750, an increase of 5% per Band D property.  The Town Council has many financial committments: the Town Hall needs modernising so that it can be better used by the community,   Lawrence House needs repairs, the car park requires on-going maintenance.  The council also has to continue to maintain the cemetery in Moorland Road, as well as the closed cemetery in Dockacre Road.  The Roundhouse at Newport is part of the council's portfolio, as is the Southgate Arch and the war memorial.  Many of the parks, open spaces and streets in the town centre are maintained by our staff. Responsibility for the town square will probably be passed to the council with the advent of One Cornwall, as will the Parade Ground below St Mary's Church.  The Council seeks to continually improve the assets it owns for the benefit of the town and the people who live in it.  In 2008/09 the Town Hall roofs were completely overhauled and are now watertight.  The exterior of the building was painted and the historic clock restored.  The Priory ruins have been excavated and conserved, with new paths and interpretation. Some work was carried out on Lawrence House and this will continue in 2009.  Plans for the interior of the town hall are progressing well and we hope that work will commence in late spring.

If you wish to contact one of the Councillors you can do so via the Town Clerk's Office in the Town Hall.  The office is open to visitors between 9am and 5pm Monday-Friday.  If you would like the Town Mayor to attend an event you are organising please contact the office.

Town Clerk:  Rita Skinner

Deputy Town Clerk:  Frances Nally

Administrator:  Nicola Checkley

Telephone/Fax:01566 773693

Email:ltc@talk21.com