WORK to replace Tavistock Town Hall?s crumbling ceiling is to be shelved for another year, councillors decided last week. The project has been the subject of wrangling between the town council, which owns the Grade II Listed building, and West Devon Borough Council, which so far has insisted traditional lath and plaster be used to repair the ceiling ? at considerable extra expense. The town council had set aside the period from January to April next year to undertake the work. But members at last week?s properties committee meeting heard experts now considered the work would take at least six weeks longer to complete than the original estimate. Town clerk Roger Howard told the committee that if the hall was not closed for the extended period, the council ran the risk of the work not being completed, bookings having to be cancelled and compensation paid. He said: ?That will cost at least another £17,000, not to mention mucking around a lot of people. ?We have no bookings for 2007, so we?re not going to upset anybody then.? Col Howard told the committee that at present, there were 16 bookings between the period April 1 to May 31 next year, plus the civic ball which would need to be moved from its traditional early spring date. Cllr Iain Andrews, chairman of the committee, said: ?What we don?t want to do is endanger the success of the town hall by having to cancel events. If people actually know it?s going to be closed for a certain time, we can make alternative arrangements.? The committee agreed to postpone the work until January 2007 ? the decision was due to be ratified by the full council at its meeting on Tuesday night. The project is currently the subject of two more planning applications by the town council, which wants to either replace the ceiling using modern methods, or to under-draw the existing ceiling to make it safe. The council says the repairs would be indistinguishable from traditional materials and has told planners the ceiling is not original anyway, having been replaced 12 years ago. The council estimates it will cost at least £100,000 to undertake the work traditionally ? to use modern methods would save ratepayers around £25,000. The borough?s planning committee rejected the council?s first application earlier this year, claiming use of modern materials would be detrimental to the character of the listed building. The new applications are due to be considered by the committee at its meeting next Tuesday. Both have been recommended for refusal.
