THE first Annual General Meeting of the Launceston Community Transport Partnership (LCTP) was held at the Eagle House Hotel, Launceston, on Tuesday, May 11.

As each officer spoke, it became clear that the LCTP has performed rather better than had been anticipated in its first year of service.

It has fulfilled its aim to provide a wheelchair, pushchair and disabled-friendly community bus service to Launceston for anyone of any age, living in villages, hamlets and isolated properties in the surrounding area who have a poor or non-existent bus service, and has also gained vital revenue by offering excursions to places of interest and

significant Cornish events.

The partnership has been congratulated for employing best practice in all aspects of its activities and has already become an exemplar to emerging community

transport schemes.

Its success is due to a fully flexible and customer focused service, but having a loyal band of volunteers to deliver that service is part of the success.

During her report, the chairman, Lavinia Archer, thanked them for their hard work, before adding: "Even with volunteers, the bus would not run without passengers and I thank them for their support too.

"We're all delighted that the bus has been so well used in its first year and are confident that its service will go from strength to strength."

She also thanked Cornwall Council for their "invaluable support" throughout the life of the project, as well as local sponsors and businesses who had assisted the trustees in the early stages and helped with the birthday celebrations.

The group is not resting on its laurels and plans for the future were briefly discussed before the election of officers. All were returned unopposed, with two drivers, Chris Piesse and Irene Wood, elected to the committee.

To celebrate the first successful year, a birthday cake, iced with a little red bus and donated by Mrs Joan Philp, was very much enjoyed by everyone at the meeting.