THE people of Tavistock are to decide where the town's war memorial should be sited.

The memorial, honouring those who died for their country during two world wars, stands in the Guildhall car park and a campaign to move it has been mounting for some time.

After a straw poll at the annual town meeting in March showed an overwhelming majority of residents favoured moving the memorial, a working group was set up to work out the best way forward.

Chairman of the new group, mayor Cllr Judith Williams, proposed a consultation document should be sent to residents to obtain their views.

She said: 'I think this is the only way forward, so we can see what the opinion is of the people of Tavistock.'

Cllr Williams said if the memorial was moved, it would occupy the same geographical position in its new location.

'People's names would be facing the same way — and it's important to realise there are no bones beneath it, it's not a grave,' she said.

If and when the memorial is relocated, Lottery grants would be sought to pay for the operation, added Cllr Williams.

The consultation document, once approved by representatives of interested organisations on the working group, will be sent to every household in the parish. Additional forms could be made available at public buildings such as the council offices and library.

Replies will have to be signed and postcoded to be valid.

'I would ask everybody to reply and sign their document when it goes out,' urged Cllr Williams.

The memorial, originally paid for by public subscription, is the responsibility of the town council.

Dave McDowall, of the Royal Marines' Association, said his colleagues were keen to see the memorial moved to the churchyard.

He said many council meetings were held between 1917 and 1921 to establish where the memorial should be sited. The first choice, the churchyard, had to be rejected because not enough money was raised and the Guildhall car park option was chosen because it was cheaper.

Mr McDowall said: 'We have this memorial to look after, we don't know what's going to happen with the court building, it's bad enough at the moment with the car park and a public loo.

'If we make the move now, nobody is ever going to redevelop the churchyard.'

But George Forbes, chairman of the Royal British Legion in Tavistock, is opposed to moving the memorial.

'It's been there for many years — I see no reason why it should be moved now.

'Many people have been coming up to me and saying "Please don't let it be moved" and I have to respect their wishes,' he said.

Mr Forbes believed the 'story' that there was not enough money to put the memorial in the churchyard was 'rubbish' and he did not feel the busy Guildhall car park was unsafe for those wishing to visit it.

But he had no problem with consulting parishioners about their views.

'If it's going to the town and if the people of the town want it moved, that's fair enough,' he said.

The draft consultation document will be distributed to working group members at their meeting on May 30 — they will then discuss it with their respective organisations.