MID Devon District Council’s cabinet, at its meeting on Thursday, May 10, decided not, as yet, to sell the Council Offices it owns in Market Street to Crediton Town Council.

Councillor Frank Letch, the Mayor of Crediton, who is also a Mid Devon District Councillor for Crediton, told the "Courier" that he is persuing a new way forward.

Mr Letch said he was the only Crediton Mid Devon District Councillor present at the meeting, which was commented upon by one of the other councillors present.

The decision was taken in secret session called "Part Two", only Mid Devon District Councillors and no members of the public are able to attend.

While Mr Letch was unable to say anything more about the decision due to the district council rules and regulations, he said that he hoped to say more after speaking with the monitoring officer early next week.

Mr Letch was attempting to persuade MDDC to sell the Crediton Council Office Building to Crediton Town Council on the same basis as the sale of Tiverton Town Hall to Tiverton Town Council, where precedent has already been set, which was 50 per cent of the buildings restricted value.

Mid Devon District Council previously advertised the Crediton council offices on the open market for a full asking price.

Previously Mr Letch said he had received support from some fellow Mid Devon District Councillors and from people in the Crediton community.

Of Mid Devon Councillors he said: "To not listen to this decision could really mean the council would have egg on its face if it didn’t allow Crediton Town Council to purchase the building for half the market value as it has done for Tiverton Town Hall.

"If they did it would go against what the people of Crediton and the whole area want and fly in the face of the full council."

A few months ago Mr Letch submitted a petition of almost 650 signatures of support for Crediton Town Council to purchase the Crediton Council offices at the 50 per cent rate.

Mr Letch praised Crediton resident Linda Jones, who launched the petition.

He said he submitted the petition electronically, which was then sent to all the councillors.

FLATS PLAN

MDDC last year advertised the sale of the Crediton Council Offices on the open market as suitable for conversion to three flats.

It currently rents the building to Crediton Town Council, Citizens Advice and Tiverton and District Community Transport.

Crediton Town Council has been in detailed discussions with Mid Devon District Council about the prospective purchase of the building since December.

The Town Council has had offices in the building since the early 1970’s, when MDDC acquired the building, and the town council currently leases the downstairs office.

Surgeries are also held at the offices for Citizens’ Advice, CHAT, the Churches Housing Advice Team and Insight, the charity which provides help and advice to people with sight loss.

The upstairs Council Chamber within the building is used for meetings and sub-committee meetings for both Crediton Town Council and Crediton Hamlets Parish Council. The room is also used for planning consultation exhibitions and for other town and district meetings.

A market value guide price of £250,000 has been stated for the Grade II Listed office building, which was formerly Crediton’s Police Station.

MDDC withdrew its service from the building on April 1, 2016.

Andrew Jarrett, Director of Finance, Assets and Resources at Mid Devon District Council, told the “Courier” in November that: “The Cabinet will ultimately resolve what offer for the building is accepted.”