TOTNES has declared itself the first transition town council in the UK.

The town is the birthplace of the internationally-acclaimed transition town movement which has already given Totnes its own eco-pound currency, dozens of food producing nut trees and £625,000 worth of Government cash to shrink its carbon footprint.

Now enthusiastic town councillors have voted to call themselves a Transition Council and work with the eco movement to make it more energy efficient.

The move has been welcomed by Transition Town Totnes – which was launched by Rob Hopkins five years ago and has grown into an international movement embracing more than 300 towns and aimed at preparing communities for a future of scarcer and scarcer fuel and energy resources.

Mr Hopkins saids: "If we are serious about making the places we live more sustainable, more resilient, more entrepreneurial and home to stronger communities and local economies, we need the support and creative engagement of our local councils.

"The response of Totnes Town Council to our 'So what does Transition Town Totnes actually do?' report has been overwhelmingly positive, and bodes very well for the future.

"This is an extraordinary community, and this resolution provides more evidence of this."

Over the last five years the transition movement is reckoned to have put the town on the international map as well as pumping more than £120,000 into the local economy through people visiting the town to find out more about the organisation.

Last year the movement won a massive Government grant to look at sustainable ways of lowering the town's carbon footprint and has embarked on a Transition Streets project to promote neighbourhood schemes to install photo-voltaic cells on roofs and insulate homes.

On top of organising talks and workshops ranging from recycling knitting to sustainable energy sources, the Totnes movement has also produced its own energy descent plan – a guide exploring the different ways a community can take as it reduces it use and dependence on fossil fuels.

At the moment it is uncertain how the council decision to call itself a Transition Town Council will affect the running of Totnes.

But town mayor Tony Whitty said: "The town council was there at the launch of Transition Town Totnes four years ago and it has been supportive of its many activities ever since. In particular we were very pleased to have collaborated on the highly successful Transition Streets project.

"We look forward to seeing this project reaching ever more townspeople who are struggling to keep warm and meet their energy needs in these difficult times.

"It is fitting that it has now voted to call itself a Transition Council. We now look forward to working with the Transition Group on ways we can collaborate on making the town and its community more energy efficient and more resilient."