ALCESTER residents will get the chance to win £200 if they take time out to get involved in community affairs.

Questionnaires are being dropped through letterboxes with the aim of drawing up a parish plan.

Community leaders are urging people to fill them in so they can find out what residents in the town and surrounding villages really want and need in their areas.

Alcester town and county councillor Nina Knapman said: "Residents' views really count because the local authorities will take notice of what's said.

"We will be able to state in advance what we want - and more importantly what we don't want. The aim is to make the Alcester area a better place to live for everyone.

"The more forms we get completed and returned, the better chance we have of making a real difference."

Mrs Knapman is also urging residents to return the completed questionnaires directly to Alcester Town Council's offices at Globe House in Priory Road, rather than post them in the pre-paid envelopes provided, to save costs.

"The exercise is costing the parish and district councils £3,000 each but we think the final total will be more than £6,000 because of the cost of analysing the results and staging an exhibition afterwards," she said.

Each household returning a form will be entered into a free prize draw but the contents of their questionnaire will remain confidential.