IT was a blue Monday for Okehampton town councillors this week as they discussed a new colour scheme for the charter hall and town hall. Members of the property committee voiced concerns that they had not been given a chance to have their say on the change in the colour of paint. Instead, the decision to incorporate the colour Berrington Blue into the colour scheme of the listed building was approved by town mayor Cllr Tony Leech in conjunction with the council?s architect and with the endorsement of a borough conservation officer. Scaffolding is up around the building at present with contractors now around halfway through a schedule of property repair works which includes a new coat of paint for the building?s woodwork, leaving some councillors irked that the new colour scheme is a fait accompli. Speaking at the meeting on Monday, Cllr Christine Marsh said: ?A different colour is a complete change to the outside appearance of the building. ?No disrespect to the mayor, but we are looking at the decision of one councillor, one officer and an architect. I feel it should have gone to committee and the council should have had the opportunity to comment on it.? Town clerk Don Bent offered his apologies to councillors, but said given the ?valuable amount of experience? of working with listed buildings that those involved in the decision possessed, he had not considered councillors needed to be consulted. Mr Bent said the colour scheme of blue, cream and grey had been approved by the local conservation officer and another conservation officer in London with a great deal of experience with listed building colour schemes. Cllr Dave Weekes, chair of the properties committee, said he felt a ?bad choice in terms of procedure? had been made by not bringing the issue to committee. But Cllr Kay Bickley defended the decision, especially given the mayor?s extensive professional experience as a surveyor for English Heritage. ?What the town clerk has done is not unreasonable. It seems to me it?s not an unreasonable colour,? she said.