A NUMBER of Crediton area residents attended a meeting of the Mid Devon District Council on Thursday, October 24 to present their petition asking the Council’s Cabinet to reverse its decision to sell the Crediton council office commercially rather than to Crediton Town Council.

Seven residents used Public Question Time at the start of the meeting to draw attention to defects in the process followed by the Council’s Cabinet when the votes of only three councillors determined that the property would not be sold to the Town Council. They were promised written answers to most of their questions later.

Presenting the petition Mid Devon Alderman David Nation of Crediton said that almost 2,000 signatures had been collected, adding that many more could have been collected.

Ald. Nation attacked the Cabinet for what he described as “ignoring the overwhelming decision of the Council in February” when it voted by 23 votes to three in favour of the building being sold to Crediton Town Council, and two recommendations of its Scrutiny committee to the same effect.

Ald. Nation recalled that when the Cabinet system was introduced there was an understanding that Cabinet would accede to the decisions of Scrutiny. He said: “When the system started it was thought that one’s word was good enough!

“Clearly the system has failed totally this time to work in anything like a democratic way and reflecting the views of local people.”

When Cabinet members responded by criticising the Town Council for their commitment to purchasing the building and their part in the negotiations, Crediton Town Councillors present were visibly angered.

Town Councillor Liz Brooks-Hocking said afterwards: “Mid Devon District Council’s Cabinet refused to approve the sale of the council office building to Crediton Town Council in July 2017.

“We asked to meet them to find a way forward. They refused to meet us. At no time has the Cabinet made any attempt to support or engage with the community of Crediton. We’ve been talking to a brick wall.”

Several speakers spoke of their disgust of the Cabinet system where a few councillors could ignore the wishes of the majority and mention was repeatedly made of a movement to seek a referendum to switch the Council back to a committee structure.

Public meetings about this are planned.

Formal complaints have already been made by several residents and they are now to refer the matter to the Local Government Ombudsman.

Ald. Nation referred repeatedly to parts of the Council’s Constitution and in conclusion told the Council: “I believe that the Cabinet have acted beyond their powers, the Council has failed to address that and a serious injustice is being done to the people of the Crediton area as a result. This authority is guilty of inconsistency and maladministration.”

The Leader of the Council made clear their intention to stick by their decision.