IN response to the letter from Mrs King of Launceston, regarding the old folk's rest room and the council grant: There is no 'grant' that is available from some pot of money, such funds have to be raised through the ratepayers of Tavistock.

All grant requests have to pass three major hurdles. Do we as a town council have the funds? Is there a social or other pressing need? Do those requesting the grant already have the funds to finance this themselves?

There is no money the town council has apart from taking this from reserves. There is undoubtedly a social need but the council looked at the funds available to the rest room organisation and concluded that the 'need for more money' is not there.

It has to be said that if any other organisation had presented accounts such as these, no grant whatsoever would have been given. There are many organisations within Tavistock which need money more desperately and have been refused. Why should we give ratepayers' money to those who have shown that they already have sufficient funds. Money does not just appear, the ratepayers have to provide it — there is no 'government' or other grant.

Regarding the 1,000 signatures. Were the signatories aware of the funds already available to the rest room and, as an aside, how many of these signatories are actually Tavistock residents?

I see part of my role as a councillor to protect ratepayers' funds from being spent when the money is available elsewhere. There are many calls upon the public purse.

In these difficult times elected members have a duty to those who have difficulty in paying their rates, especially, eg, the older members of our community and those who may be unemployed.

We are giving a grant of £1,900 this year to the rest room. I wonder, given their resources, if we really should have even done this.

The matter of the old rest room closing was completely out of our hands and we fought hard to retain it.

Brian A A Trew

Tavistock Town Council Councillor (Independent — South Ward)