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

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

Cornwall will become a Unitary Authority from April 2009.  The six district councils will effectively disappear and One Cornwall will remain.  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.  The Town Council has many financial committments: the Town Hall needs modernising so that it can be better used by the community, the costs for the roofs will continue into this financial year, the Priory ruins will be restored,  Lawrence House needs repairs to the roof, 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.  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.

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.

Town Clerk:  Rita Skinner

Deputy Town Clerk:  Frances Nally

Administrator:  Nicola Checkley

Telephone/Fax:01566 773693

Email:ltc@talk21.com