‘WE don’t do enough to support the voluntary sector’, a Launceston councillor told colleagues at a town council meeting last week.

Town councillor Paul O’Brien at a meeting on June 20 said he wanted the town council to do more to liaise with and support the voluntary sector.

He said: “It is my belief that this town that absolutely thrives on volunteers in all their guises — there’s a huge tranche of people in this town who give up a vast amount of their time — I don’t think we do enough to support them.

“Have we ever sat down with the voluntary sector and said ‘what can we do to help?’”

Cllr Brian Keighley said: “If you got a group together and ask what help they want I think it would be financial,” but Cllr Val Bugden-Cawsey added: “I think there are more areas of help than just financial.”

Cllr O’Brien had pointed out that each year, the town council awards grants to various organisations whose work is considered to benefit the community.

Mayor Cllr Margaret Young suggested writing to organisations and asking what the town council could do to help. She asked councillors to come up with names of voluntary and charitable groups and asked Cllr O’Brien to draft a letter.