URGENT repairs to Okehampton?s civic buildings running to nearly a quarter of a million pounds could be started soon, after councillors gave the green light to a financial compromise deal last week.

Members have been told it could cost £90,000 to tackle dry rot in the Lower Market Hall. There is also more than £70,000 worth of repair work needed here, in the town hall and Charter Hall ? and compliance with the new Disability Discrimination Act will also cost thousands.

Town clerk Don Bent told councillors at the recent property committee meeting: ?I have got some concerns about the state of our properties. The longer we leave them the worse they will get ? we really ought to be getting on with it, it?s quite urgent.?

Mayor of Okehampton Cllr Tony Leech said: ?We are going to have to move quickly to get the work done. From a property point of view, stopping water coming in because of dry rot must be a priority,?

Under a profit-sharing scheme set up five years ago, Okehampton Town Council and West Devon Borough Council receive a share of any turnover bonus Waitrose achieves each year. This year the town council received a £103,537 bonus.

Cllr Charles Letchford, who had been in favour of spending most of the money on projects in Simmons Park, admitted the gravity of the situation after re-examining the level of expenditure needed for property repairs . Cllr Letchford suggested £30,000 should be spent in Simmons Park towards completing works outlined in the Concept Plan, with the remaining £70,000 being put towards meeting the cost of the most urgently-needed repairs in the council?s civic buildings.

Works in the pipeline for Simmons Park include creation of paths and hedges, planting, creation of a shelter, play areas and a paddling pool.

Cllr Mark Slater, speaking at last week?s parks committee meeting, said he was ?slightly astounded? at the £80,000 estimated cost of providing a paddling pool in Simmons Park.

?I think this is an incredible amount for a relatively small project,? he said.

Cllr Pat Snell formally proposed Cllr Letchford?s financial compromise of a £70,000/£30,000 split for the Waitrose bonus between the properties and parks budgets, with the paddling pool project being put on hold.

The committee agreed the proposal, which is due to be debated by the full council at its meeting on September 6.