FRUSTRATED residents fired a barrage of demands for information on the 400 per cent town council tax rise at the annual town meeting in Tavistock last week.

More than 60 people turned up to quiz councillors. Many were concerned about the huge rise in their council tax demands which landed on doormats across the borough during the week.

Beryl Bowles wanted to know when 'much more information' would become available, considering the public were 'coughing-up' so much in council tax.

'Where's all the money going?' asked Jerry Harden. He said the council was property-rich and ought to have enough resources to pay for its outgoings.

Cllr Norma Woodcock, finance chairman, explained the rise of almost 400 per cent in the town's precept was a consequence of the long-drawn out arbitration case involving repairs to council properties.

'The budget was unanimously agreed — I think it would be fair to say it was an unpalatable decision but not difficult,' she said.

'There was one way only we could go, we have a clear purpose and clear direction, of that I am confident.'

John Taylor asked if the repair work had been properly supervised when the dispute started.

He also asked why the council did not insure itself, did it seek a second opinion, what happened if the council lost the case and would the public get a full explanation afterwards?

'The impression is that the town council is being run by a firm of solicitors, not the members,' he said.

The council's legal representative frequently intervened as town mayor Roger Mathew fielded questions from the floor, advising in many cases that answers could not be given as the case was on-going.

Cllr Mathew said 'as far as he was aware' the repair work was supervised. He said the dispute started in 1997, and the council had not taken out insurance or sought a second opinion.

'Of course, we hope we don't lose — we have made adequate provision for that but, obviously, the financial situation the council would find itself in would be quite difficult.'

He said the result of the dispute could only be made public if both parties agreed.

Cllr Mathew promised to be as 'open as possible' but said the council's hands were tied by law.

He said: 'The heavy cost of this complicated dispute has hung like a dark shadow over all our heads — the fact that we remain unable to make public the details has compounded this unhappy situation.'

He explained the council's precept generally covered capital projects — revenues from properties roughly matched other outgoings in a normal year.

'This year we have had to precept for three things — one is the budget deficit, unbudgeted expenditure which we were caught out on, secondly we have to provide for what we now know to be further professional fees, thirdly we have to replace depleted reserves.

'These three things count for the increase this year and this year only,' said Cllr Mathew.

He said next year's precept would be back to normal, or 'quite likely' less — 'possibly' even nil.

The town's precept is the smallest part of the overall council tax figure — the largest section is for county council services such as education, libraries, highways and social services. A smaller amount pays for West Devon Council's services which include environmental health, housing and rubbish collection.