IMAGINE an emergency scenario where a major traffic incident occurs at the ‘most awkward place’ in Launceston — the roundabout at Newport.

Then add sheep running around ‘all over the place’ — as one of the vehicles involved is used to transport animals.

That is what some members of Launceston Town Council did when recently testing out its new emergency plan.

The Post previously reported that the community emergency plan for the town was adopted in May.

It had been put together by town councillor Paul O’Brien, who was assisted by Adam Chapman, a Foundation Degree Emergency and Rescue Management student at Duchy College.

Cllr O’Brien told the town council last week: “We had a table-top exercise to test how our plan holds up.

“We sited it [the scenario] in the most awkward place we could — outside the White Horse. It basically splits the town into two.

“The plan seemed to hold up reasonably well.”

While not a step by step plan, Cllr O’Brien added: “It gives you a whole host of options of resources that we can call upon and it is your decision which ones you do call on.”

He said a ‘couple of deficiencies’ were identified — for instance the plan lacked the details for the local vets, but this had since been corrected.

“All in all I anticipated the evening concerned with a degree of trepidation but actually we came through it quite well. For most of us it was something totally new.”

Cllr O’Brien is now keen for ‘mini emergency plans’ to be drawn up by smaller communities — such as Lanstephan, Woburn, Stourscombe and Kensey.

He said: “Now is the right time to tackle that particular issue.”

He proposed that in a matter of weeks, an open meeting should be held in the town hall, that could include residents’ associations, police officers, neighbourhood watch coordinators and charitable organisations. Mayor Cllr Brian Hogan seconded the proposal.

Cllr O’Brien said the aim would be ‘to start to try and persuade them to take on the task of creating the equivalent, which is just for their own small area’.

He added: “Having spoken to Cornwall Council, the monies that we are claiming from them because we successfully completed our own will also be available to these smaller community groups.

“If, for argument’s sake, Lanstephan decided to produce one of these, they would be able to claim £500 to spend on emergency planning matters in their own area.”

Referring back to the ‘table-top exercise’, Cllr Hogan expressed his thanks to Launceston Police Sergeant Aaron Ward, and the town’s neighbourhood beat manager Steve Stoppard for attending, adding: “They were fully supportive, as usual.”