POLICY voting by 'dual-hatted' councillors came under fire during a meeting in Tavistock last week.

Tavistock resident Jeremy Davies, who is campaigning against West Devon Borough Council's proposed core strategy document, raised the issue during last week's meeting of the town council.

The core strategy, yet to be adopted by the borough, is a blueprint for the development of West Devon over the next 25 years.

For Tavistock, the strategy includes some 750 new homes, reinstatement of the Tavistock to Bere Alston rail link, a new school, hospital and a link road between Callington Road and the A386, to cut across the Crowndale Valley.

Mr Davies asked why, in light of the fact the town council had voted not to support the core strategy, had some town councillors, who were also members of the borough council, either abstained from voting or voted in favour of the strategy at West Devon's recent meeting.

He also wishes to know the town council's view following that meeting.

Cllr Brian Trew said he would expect dual-hatted members to vote according to which meeting they were attending.

'I would not expect them to consider their borough council responsibilities at a town council meeting, by the same token, as borough councillors, they should not take into account their position as town councillors,' he said.

Cllr Mandy Govier, the town mayor, said as a dual-hatted member she had abstained from voting on the subject during the past two years, after long and careful consideration.

She suggested Mr Davies should raise the subject of a possible conflict of interests with the chairman of West Devon's standards committee.

Cllr Ted Sherrell, another dual-hatted member, said: 'The crucial thing is we are elected representatives of the people, we are not delegates. When it comes to the crunch we have to decide ourselves what is right — and pay for the consequences at the ballot box.'

The town clerk has now sent a letter to Mr Davies explaining that the town council's opposition to the core strategy remains unchanged — a copy of the Standards Board rules has also been sent to Mr Davies.