THE civic honour of Freeman of Holsworthy for 2016/17 was deservedly awarded to Mrs Christine Durling at the annual Town’s Meeting, held in the Market Hall last Wednesday evening (April 28), writes Christine Williams.

For 40 years Mrs Durling has quietly gone about raising money for cancer research including £1,500 for the Anthony Nolan fund as well as for Great Ormond St, the Fire Brigade and the Luncheon Club.

She is involved with the HATS theatre, the church and play scheme. She was congratulated and presented with a silver cup by retiring mayor designate Jon Hutchings.

Cllr Hutchings also presented the new mayor’s cadet, 16-year-old Sergeant Jack Heal, with his staff and gloves.

Detachment Commander, 2Lt Jim Harvey’s citation said Jack had been an excellent cadet and role model to his peers.

He had passed his Senior 3 Star training course, spent weekends training on Dartmoor and completed a three-day First Aid in the Workplace course.

He had attended various community activities and was chosen to pay compliments to HRH Princess Anne at the official opening of the Livestock Market.

Jack is currently enrolled in the Silver section of The Duke of Edinburgh. A modest and unassuming young man, Jack was a much respected member of the detachment who gives willingly of his time to support the training of cadets.

Mayor Cllr John Allen then presented an inscribed gavel to 2Lt Jim Harvey, thanking him for the wonderful work he does for the town and for the Army Cadet Force.

The extra burdens and financial demands on local councils because of continued government cutbacks were highlighted by Cllr Allen’s final report as mayor.

He said Holsworthy Town Council would therefore have to take over services such as cleaning road signs, cutting grass verges, filling potholes and possible taking on responsibility for public toilets.

To enable them to do this, provision had been made for a local handyman.

They were in negotiation with Torridge District Council to move the town council offices into the Manor Offices, thereby enhancing the services and making access easier.

In April the town clerk’s assistant, Maureen Fenner, had retired and was replaced by Kerry Punter.

Cllr Allen was pleased to report the reopening of the Youth Centre. In the park an outdoor gym had been installed and Cllr Lyndon Piper was preparing a bid to build a new sports pavilion.

With shopping habits changing and competition from the internet the meeting heard the market was going through a difficult time.

The council had celebrated the Queen’s 90th birthday with a beacon on the church tower.

Following the success of the play in Badock Gardens last year the town council in cooperation with The Plough Arts Centre would be putting on three more productions this year.

Cllr Allen ended: “Despite all the difficulties in the past year the people of Holsworthy can always be relied upon to step up to the plate and support the town, as was highlighted by a very successful crowd funding appeal for the new pavilion when £11,000 was raised in four weeks.

“As this is my last town meeting as mayor I would like to say it has been a pleasure and a privilege to represent this town and I thank all those who have supported me during the last three years.”

Cllr Allen was due to hand over to the mayor designate, Cllr Hutchings on May 4.

Cllr Allen added: “I hope he enjoys his term of office as much as I have mine, and I wish him well.”

Former mayor, Richard Brown thanked Cllr Allen for all he had done for the town.

In response to ‘questions from the floor’ Vanessa Saunders, town clerk replied that they were awaiting the outcome of funding applications for the pavilion, of which the estimated cost would be £300,000.

There had been no applications to buy the Tesco land and plans for the regeneration of the town centre would be published in May.

PCSO Mark James said there would continue to be a police presence in Holsworthy although maybe in another building.