Wells knows what it wants - and has set out its wishes in a survey completed by around half of the town's residents.Over the past 18 months Wells Area Partnership (WAP) has been consulting people of all ages in the town about issues that face the community, local needs and ideas for improvement.

Wells knows what it wants - and has set out its wishes in a survey completed by around half of the town's residents.

Over the past 18 months Wells Area Partnership (WAP) has been consulting people of all ages in the town about issues that face the community, local needs and ideas for improvement.

In a response from about 920 people the three top needs which achieved more than 90 per cent are homes for local people (94 per cent), development of The Maltings into a heritage centre (92 per cent) and more activities for young people (92 per cent).

And already action is being taken on two of the identified needs - Homes for Wells has been established to provide funding for local homes for local people and Wells youth network has been formed to provide activities for young people both in Wells and in the villages.

Wells Area Partnership co-ordinator Fiona MacCallum is delighted with the survey results and says the town folk deserve a pat on the back for their enthusiastic response to the survey.

“I am grateful to the people of Wells for their support and enthusiasm and putting their ideas forward and for ensuring that Wells remains a real and viable community,” said Ms MacCullum.

Other areas identified in the survey a resident traffic warden in the town (85 per cent), provision of re-cycling facilities in a more central location (80 per cent), a fisherman's market (75 per cent), a one-way system around the Buttlands (72 per cent), giving sufficient assets to Wells Town Council to manage public toilets (64 per cent), pedestrianising the quayside (60 per cent), banning parking on both side of the main road on the Quay (58 per cent), North Norfolk District Council should close one toilet block to pay for two new ones (28 per cent).

Ms MacCallum said: “The results of the survey and consultation are really important for the future development of Wells. While it is not a decision making process in itself the results are being feed back to relevant agencies such as Wells Town Council, North Norfolk District Council and others .”

Wells Area Partnership will now prioritise its workload according to the survey indentified needs.

She stressed that, although a start had already been made on two of the top identified needs, achieving other needs would take time and have to be achieved in partnership with various other agencies which were all working for the benefit of the town and its residents.

*What do you think about the ideas for Wells? Write to The Times, 22 Norwich Street, Fakenham, NR21 9AE or e-mail a letter to Julia Carter at julia.carter@archant.co.uk.