More than 200 postcards have been returned to the steering group for the Clare Community Plan, full of suggestions for ways of improving public services in the town.

The postcards were distributed in Clare – mainly focused on community groups and organisations – as the first step to drawing up the plan, which will be used as a basis for improving public services and ensuring residents are better involved in any decision making.

Comments on the postcards will be used to draw up a questionnaire, which will be delivered to every household in the town in October or November this year .

The steering group's publicity officer, Alaric Pugh, said: "There was so much consistency in the responses that we think we've got a pretty good steer for what the questionnaire should be like."

A wide range of issues has been raised during the first stage of consultation.

These include improving facilities for the young and old, increasing parking provision, banning HGVs, having a market in the square, keeping the middle school for education and supporting sporting develop-ment.

The questionnaires will be analysed and findings fed back to the town's residents next year, before the community plan is distributed to the parish council and borough council.

To help Clare Community Plan's steering group pay for the work it is arranging a series of fund-raising events in Clare.

The first will be a duck race during the same weekend as Clare Priory Craft Fair, on July 11 and 12.