COUNCILLORS in Tavistock have given the thumbs down to a request for grant assistance by a West Devon-based charity. Westden had asked the council to support it by offering use of the town hall to host an event aimed at raising awareness about climate change. In a letter, Nicky Harmer, of Westden, told members at last week?s finance committee meeting: ?As an environmental charity, Westden is carrying out an 18-month project to help communicate to people in West Devon the causes and likely impacts of climate change. ?As part of this work we are hoping to organise an event in Tavistock, focusing on what climate change will mean for our lives here in West Devon and what we can do at a personal and community level to meet this challenge.? The event, to be held in November, would include speakers, presentations and a question and answer session. Ms Harmer said although Westden had funding for the speakers and administration, it did not have funding for the venue. Cllr Norma Woodcock said: ?I am against this. They are earning money by offering to do green audits for people like us, they have a big budget to employ a number of people and I don?t think they are a charity per se.? Cllr Philip Sanders proposed the request be rejected. He said: ?I think it?s a bit cheeky to book the town hall and then say they can?t pay for it.? The committee agreed Cllr Sanders? proposal ? the decision was due to be ratified at Tuesday?s council meeting. Anna Kennedy from Westden said although disappointed, she understood the town council only had a limited grants budget. Ms Kennedy said although Westden was a charity, it did have a profit-making trading arm ? profits made helped subsidise events and programmes which Westden operated throughout the area. The venue for the climate change event will now be changed ? a decision on the new venue will be announced shortly.
