SO, by a narrow majority Tavistock Town Council has voted to spend some £210,000 plus on alterations to the present council offices in Drake Road rather than make the town hall its base with supporting offices close by.
Such a decision would, likely, not have the overall backing of ratepayers who fund such expenditure, especially when the current usage of the town hall is only some one third of its letting potential.
While council usage of the town hall (mainly for evening meetings) would only slightly affect the bookings, such usage would defray some of the costs as such meetings have an occupancy cost, wherever they are held. In addition, any upgrading of the town hall would mostly be for the benefit of the ratepayer and potential hirers, thus offering opportunity for increased usage and financial support for this wonderful public/private facility.
Under any reasoning the council's vote to spend such monies and stay put in the present council offices cannot be argued as 'Best Value', in any of its forms, a goal which all councils are charged to demonstrate.
Those councillors who voted against such expenditure cannot, under council procedural rules, raise this matter again for six months and ratepayers have no vote on the matter in question, even at the 'too late' stage of the next elections. Perhaps this sort of situation calls for a parish poll?
A E Mettler
Landfall
Courtenay Road
Tavistock