by Alan Quick

MORE than 550 signatures of local people have already been gathered on a petition to save Crediton Council Office building from being sold on the public market - and more signatures are being sought!

The petition was started by town resident Linda Jones who is appealing to Mid Devon District Council to not sell the offices on the open market but enable it to be purchased instead by Crediton Town Council at half the restricted value, as happened with Tiverton Town Council offices.

Linda is asking that people call at Crediton Town Council office between 10am and 2pm, Monday to Friday, to sign the petition.

She says it will be presented to MDDC at a meeting in February.

There was public fury in the town when a For Sale sign went up on the Crediton Council Offices building, which is in Market Street, on Monday, November 20.

MDDC has instructed commercial agents, Drew Pearce, to sell the offices for development, which has drawn up plans for conversion of the property to three flats.

DISCUSSIONS

Crediton Town Council is currently in detailed discussions with Mid Devon District Council about the prospective purchase of the building.

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.

The premises is also home to the town’s Citizens Advice service and Crediton and District Community Transport Association office.

Surgeries are also held at the offices for 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.

It is understood that Mid Devon District Council recently sold Tiverton Town Council its offices for half the restricted value, at the discretion of Mid Devon District Council Cabinet, and Crediton Town Council hopes that Mid Devon’s Cabinet, in fairness, will undertake the same half restricted value offer.

Crediton Town Council has confirmed that it has put in an offer and it is unclear whether it is Cabinet or officers who have made the decision not to consider any offers until after April 10, the end of the Right to Bid moratorium period.

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

COMMUNITY HUB

Crediton Town Council, however, says that the building continues to be a hub for community and public services.

Crediton Town Clerk, Mrs Clare Dalley, explained: “The Town Council recently commissioned Devon Communities Together to undertake a feasibility study regarding the building and its use.

“This concluded there is substantive evidence regarding the value of the Crediton Council Office building remaining a community hub and it contributing to the reduction of the negative impacts of rural isolation and its positive contribution towards social, educational and health and well-being of the local community.

“By purchasing the building from Mid Devon District Council the Town Council wishes to secure not only the future of the building but the invaluable community services provided within it.  To do this there will be a financial implication on the Town Council as community organisations and public services are unable to pay commercial rents, therefore, the services provided within the building will effectively be cross subsidised.

FAIRNESS AND PARITY

“The building will also require on-going maintenance and refurbishment to maximise its potential in a modern age.  For example, it is in desperate need of internal redecoration, the tables in the Chamber are broken and require replacement for health and safety reasons as well as to make the space more adaptable for different users needs.”

Mrs Dalley pointed out that The Local Government Act 1972: General Disposal Consent (England) 2003 gives authorities consent to a disposal of land at an undervalue provided that:

a) a local authority considers that the disposal is likely to contribute to the achievement of:

i) the promotion or improvement of economic well-being;

ii) the promotion or improvement of social well-being;

iii) the promotion or improvement of environmental well-being;

and

b) the best price reasonably obtainable for the property does not exceed £2,000,000 (two million pounds).

She said that the sale of the Crediton Council office building to Crediton Town Council at half of the restricted value meets these requirements.

She added: “By Mid Devon District Council agreeing to this proposal it would also be exercising fairness and parity as the proposal is consistent with the sale of Tiverton Town Hall to Tiverton Town Council.”

On behalf of the Town Council, she confirmed that she has written to MDDC asking that Cabinet consider this bid now, rather than waiting until the end of the six-month moratorium period, as under the Community Right To Bid, the owner, in this case Mid Devon District Council, is at liberty to sell the building to a community interest group, which includes the Town Council, during the moratorium period and at whatever price.”

Crediton Town Council’s lease is due to expire at the end of March 2018 and the council has also asked for a 12-month extension to the lease until the on-going discussions and negotiations have been concluded.

Andrew Jarrett, Director of Finance, Assets and Resources at Mid Devon District Council, told the “Courier” in November: “The building is currently being marketed, with the District Council looking to secure the best offer that can be secured for the residents of the District. The District Council has received an initial offer from the Town Council, which it will formally consider against all others, during the current marketing process.

“As the Town Council took the decision to register the Town Council building as a community asset, the prevailing statutory legislation relating to any potential disposal/acquisition is now being followed. This process commences with a statutory six-week period for community groups to express an interest into the potential purchase of the building, thereafter there is a six-month period where the building can be marketed for commercial sale. No exchange of contracts can be made during this six-month moratorium period has elapsed.

“The Cabinet is aware of Crediton Town Council’s initial offer and as per the District Council’s resolution made at a formal meeting held on September 28, 2017 wanted to continue to market the premises on the open market for the six-month period allowed under the prevailing community asset legislation.

“The Cabinet will ultimately resolve what offer for the building is accepted.”