A STALEMATE was last week reached regarding the vexing choice of new chairs in Tavistock Town Council?s refurbished chambers.

After giving a big thumbs down to chairs on wheels last month, members at the recent properties committee meeting viewed a new selection of seating, ranging in price from £2,100 to £7,000 for 20 chairs.

Cllr Betty Batchelor remained unhappy at making a choice from a catalogue.

She said: ?I would still like the opportunity to sit in one ? could they not send us one for us to see??

Cllr Ted Sherrell said: ?I don?t worry all that much about which one we have, but I would be afraid to walk the streets of this town if we spent seven grand on these chairs ? no way should we dream of spending that much.?

Cllr Peter Jones, chairman of the finance committee, said he was ?totally against? the investment.

?What?s wrong with the ones we have?? he said. He appreciated the chairs were tatty but felt they could be updated, with modern casters added.

Cllr Brian Trew said the council could not justify spending money unnecessarily ? but if councillors were having difficulty with the present seating, action needed to be taken. He suggested buying just a few new chairs, as a compromise.

Cllr Iain Andrews said councillors spent many hours working in the council chamber for the good of the town and therefore needed chairs to be comfortable and practical.

After some debate, councillors decided on a fact-finding trip to some chair suppliers.

?If the chairs can?t come to the councillors, the councillors must go to the chairs,? said Cllr Andrews.