THE cost and calibre of professional advice employed by Tavistock Town Council came in for criticism at the annual meeting held in the town hall last week.

Businessman John Taylor, who is also chairman of the Tavistock Forward group, congratulated the 'fantastic' mayor and her council on work carried out during the year.

But he questioned aspects of the council's financial policy.

Mr Taylor said: 'I am very concerned at the way your properties are being run — I must query the professional advice you are getting.'

Mr Taylor said the council had spent £291,000 in litigation costs last year, concerning the long-running arbitration case involving renovation work carried out on council-owned buildings.

He asked how much was spent on advice about moving council offices and on rents received.

'I realise they are old buildings, I realise they are listed, but they should be a major asset,' he said.

Cllr Roger Mathew said that when he first joined the council, the annual sum spent on professional advice was just £600, which 'certainly wasn't enough' when the council ran a £750,000 budget.

Cllr Mathew said: 'We have been spending, for a variety of reasons, rather more than we ought to have recently. A balance needs to be drawn — I would normally expect the council to spend £30,000 to £50,000 a year on professional advice, given the sort of budget we have.'

Cllr Peter Donkin said the best value processes would help in management of the council's properties.

'I think many of us are aware we could probably manage our properties more effectively, so we are going to look at it very closely next year,' he said.

Resident David Farrant wanted assurance that next year's precept would be lower than Okehampton's.

Cllr Marjorie Corner said although the council had spent 'quite a lot' of its reserves, the precept for next year would still be 'significantly lower'.

Rosie Farrant wanted to know why Bannawell Street play area had no facilities for younger children and said some areas had become overgrown with brambles.

And Ian Kilpatrick asked if the council would consider turning the Duke of Bedford statue to face that of Sir Francis Drake in Plymouth Road.

Tavistock's mayor Cllr Norma Woodcock said the council tried to keep undergrowth under control at the Bannawell Street play park. Equipment for older children had been installed at the request of local residents.

She said the council would also consider the possibility of moving the Bedford statue.

Cllr Woodcock said it had been a busy year, which saw the public consultation over the removal of the war memorial to the churchyard, the difficulties of the foot and mouth crisis and exciting new initiatives driven by the Tavistock Forward group.

More changes were due Tavistock, with the refurbishment of the pannier market and East End Stores and the ongoing projects in the Meadows, such as a skatepark.

Cllr Woodcock said statutory obligations to comply with best value processes had proved hard, but worthwhile for such a small council.

She said: 'We are committed, we are open to change and we work hard to get things right.

'We are accountable — and we are very, very privileged to be representatives of the town.'