A PROPOSAL to set aside £30,000 of tax payers' money to investigate a scheme to build new borough council offices in Tavistock's Riverside car park has been shelved after claims the idea was being rushed past councillors.
The scheme was presented by a London-based property developer to the council at a secret meeting last month. It is proposing to construct offices for the borough council and its partners at Riverside in return for the present Kilworthy site, which would be used for housing.
Cllr Ted Sherrell, at Tuesday's meeting of the borough's policy committee, said £30,000 was a 'significant sum' — to set aside this money would score very low on the 'Richter scale of popularity' and would send the wrong message to council tax payers in West Devon.
Cllr Sherrell said: 'So many things are being cut, cut, cut, because of a desperate situation. To put by £30,000, although it might be wise in some senses, would not be a move appreciated by the ratepayers of the borough.'
Cllr Caroline Keane said: 'I feel this was brought before the council in a rush and members were not given time to consider it appropriately or carefully. I would not agree with this £30,000 — I think it is an inappropriate suggestion.'
Cllr Margaret Garton also urged caution. She felt more information was needed, particularly with regard to the council's partners and the implications of best value for ratepayers.
Cllr Roger Mathew said he was happy that £30,000 should be left in the budget — on the understanding this did not constitute a decision to spend it.
'I wouldn't want officers to go haring off and commissioning studies before a more positive decision was made by the appropriate committee,' he said.
But Cllr Noel Cartwright said members should look ahead — the borough needed new houses, the council would need new offices and he felt the project 'probably could be a cash neutral exchange'.
And Cllr Dick Eberlie urged members to be positive about the scheme.
He said: 'We are looking ten or 20 years ahead, with very considerable benefit to Tavistock in terms of housing and offices — there is a lot in it for the town and West Devon. There are problems, but in my view they could be overcome.'
David Incoll, borough chief executive, said that since the December presentation by the developers, the management board had 'greater reservations' than previously and support for the scheme was 'withering to a certain extent'.
Mr Incoll said: 'We need a meeting of the working group to talk about the issue further — I don't want people to have the impression that the management board are going to rush out and spend money on this.'
The committee agreed to defer the proposal to put back £30,000 to investigate the scheme until a working group had examined it in greater detail.