CREDITON residents turned up at the full council meeting of Mid Devon District Council on August 29 determined to make their voices heard.

They let the Council know how angry they are over the decision of three members of Mid Devon’s cabinet to sell the council building it owns in Market Street, Crediton to a commercial buyer rather than to Crediton Town Council, which currently occupies the Grade 2 listed building.

Before the meeting the residents met councillors at the door with a chorus of "Save our Town Hall" and immediately prior to the meeting commencing they continued their tuneful rendition up the stairs and into the Council meeting room.

It is believed that this is the first time a protest has been made in song.

During Public Question time the residents reminded the Council that the decision of the Cabinet was contrary to the recommendations of the majority of the Council, its Scrutiny Committee and an influential officers’ group.

They all said that the building should be sold to Crediton Town Council at half the valuation, as had happened with Tiverton Town Hall recently when it was sold to Tiverton Town Council.

Alderman David Nation referred to "the atrocious decision of three members of Cabinet to sell to the highest bidder rather than abide by the clear democratic will of the entire Council".

He asked if they and others who voted against this recommendation, were aware of the strength of feeling and disgust they had caused amongst residents in Crediton and the surrounding villages.

He advised the meeting of his astonishment at receiving confirmation from the other two main occupants of the building, Citizens Advice and Community Transport, that the District Council had not communicated with them at all during the last year or so about its intention to sell the building, which would effectively leave them homeless.

The protesters say that more than 20 other mainly voluntary groups use the building.

In reply the Chief Executive said that the vote at full Council was not a decision and carried no weight. The Cabinet makes the decision.

Presenting a petition from more than 800 residents, Mr Patrick Collier said that these had been collected in only 10 days and were still coming in so the Council could expect many more.

He said that he had lived in Crediton since a child and had never known such anger about this undemocratic decision.

He read the wording of the petition which calls upon the Cabinet to reconsider its decision and instead sell the building to Crediton Town Council.

The Chairman of the Council said that the petition will go through the normal procedure.

Afterwards Alderman Nation said that the fight will continue until the Cabinet reverses the decision or until the building is sold to a commercial purchaser.

If that happens he said that a complaint will be made to the Local Government Ombudsman who will be asked to award substantial damages to the people of the Crediton area.