REMOVAL of Tavistock's war memorial to the parish churchyard came a step closer this week — town councillors agreed to adopt results of a recent public consultation which revealed an overwhelming desire to see the memorial moved.
The council, which is responsible for the memorial, will now put in place a plan of action which can be presented to church commissioners as a first step towards moving the memorial.
Cllr Ted Sherrell said it was vital that having asked the electorate their wishes, the council acted in accordance, particularly with such a 'massive majority' of people in favour of moving the memorial from its position outside the Guildhall.
And Cllr John Wright congratulated the council in tackling such an emotive subject.
He said when he first became a councillor, he had been warned that rights of commoners, rights of allotment holders and the war memorial were issues of which to steer well clear.
'It is quite startling that this council has grasped the nettle on two of these — it shows the wisdom and integrity of this council,' he said.
The war memorial public consultation was carried out this autumn, after a request for such an exercise was voiced at the town's annual meeting in March.
It showed 78 per cent of respondents wanted the memorial moved to the churchyard, with 20 per cent wanting it to stay where it was.