FURIOUS accusations of maladministration were this week levelled at West Devon planners, who have failed to reach a decision regarding repairs to Tavistock Town Hall?s crumbling ceiling. Members of the town council reacted angrily at their meeting last Tuesday when town clerk Roger Howard told them the news. It follows rejection of an application in May to replace the ceiling with modern materials, which planners said would be detrimental to the character of the Grade II Listed building ? though indistinguishable from traditional lath and plaster. Col Howard told the council: ?We put in two listed building consent applications to change the way we were going to deal with the ceiling. We submitted these applications on August 2 ? we were told they would decide within eight weeks. ?We received the planning committee agenda today and when we saw our plan was not on it, we smelled a rat. ?We have now found out they won?t decide on our application until November or even December ? no-one could tell us why.? Col Howard said timing was crucial, because work on the ceiling was to start after Christmas and be finished by April. ?We have been forced into going along the route they wanted us to ? I think it?s a disgrace,? he said. Cllr Betty Batchelor described the delay as ?disgusting?. She said: ?We have had this particular date earmarked for quite some time and the borough knew exactly what it was. ?I do feel we should take this much further. They must be negligent if they can?t deal with this in a set time.? Cllr Norma Woodcock said generally, the town council and the borough council had always worked together extremely successfully. ?It grieves me that we have what I consider absolute maladministration. That we don?t even get a reason for the delay is maladministration and I find it totally incompetent.? She said the repairs to Tavistock?s ?premier building? were of ?vital importance?, the planning of which had involved much time, expense and expertise. ?I find it incredible that such a key issue is being put at risk ? I really find this incredibly serious,? she said. Cllr David Farrant quoted a similar planning argument in the village of Wootten Bassett. In that instance, there was such public outcry over the cost of employing traditional repair methods in a listed building, the local planning authority eventually backed down. Members were told the council?s agents had already informed West Devon?s planning officers of another precedent set in Bodmin, where non-traditional building methods were used in its period town hall. Planning officers also know Tavistock Town Hall ceiling is not actually original ? it was replaced 12 years ago using traditional methods and is now covered in green netting to stop bits falling on people in the hall below. Cllr Alison Clish-Green said the situation was ?disgraceful? and the borough needed to be challenged ? it was agreed a letter should be sent as soon as possible. Stephen Gill, West Devon?s head of planning, said the reason for the delay was due to a lack of communication from consultees of the application. He said: ?We are still waiting for a response to this application from English Heritage, which is absolutely crucial in an application of this nature. ?We are hoping to have their response for the planning meeting on November 8 ? it would be wrong to make a decision on this type of application without their input.? It is believed it will cost Tavistock Town Council at least £25,000 more to replace the ceiling using traditional methods.