THE ORGANISERS of an emergency management group in Tatworth and Forton are growing angry at being held up by red tape.

A Community Parish Emergency Manage-ment Group is being formed between the residents' action group, parish council, villagers and other interested parties to look at what they do in the event of a disaster . . . with flooding topping their list of concerns.

Despite the need for the group to be formed so that a plan is in place to deal with any possible disaster, there are problems over who runs it.

Parish council clerk Heather Bryant told last week's council meeting she had taken guidance that it would have to come under their jurisdiction if they were in-volved in the group.

"If it's in the parish council remit it comes under our rules," she said.

But Iris Leake, of Tatworth and Forton Residents' Action Group, said: "It would be sad if this is held up by red tape and the council isn't involved.

"We want the parish council involved, but we seem to be talking about who does what, where, when and why. We should be working together, but we don't have to get the parish council involved at all as this is for the parish."

Cllr Barbara Adams, the chairman of the emergency group, said: "I want to get on with it. We seem to be doing a lot of talking and nothing's being done."

Cllr Andrew Turpin said: "If there was to be a Boscastle cloud burst we aren't going to be wanting to look at red tape to see if we can do something.

"These restraints have to be lifted and allow them to get on with it."

Parish council chairman Cllr Ken Edginton added: "We need to get this worked out because it's important for the village."

Councillors agreed that an emergency plan should be drawn up as quickly as possible.