WHITCHURCH Town Council has made plans to refurbish the Civic Centre, despite concerns from some councillors over cost.

At the town council's full council meeting, held virtually on Thursday, September 17, Councillor Bev Duffy, Mayor of Whitchurch, put forward a proposal to agree to spend money on refurbishing the centre.

The motion was passed by councillors, and while some members of the authority were concerned a lack of clarity, the Mayor said it was a vote which would allow the council to spend the money when the time was right.

Making the case to full council, she said waiting longer to undergo the refurbishment was 'no longer an option'.

"A council resolution was made many years ago not to refurbish the Civic Centre," she said. "With the freehold coming up that has changed.

"Waiting is no longer an option, there is no logical sense in deferring investment.

"We have the vision, the plans, we just need to get on with it.

"We need to start now."

Cllr Alan Chesters was among those to air concerns.

He said: "I like your optimism, but frankly this proposal is so devoid of the real nitty gritty. It doesn't explain anything.

"Quite where we think we're getting the money from and how it benefits the people of Whitchurch, it beggars belief."

Cllr Andy Hall also had issues with the idea, suggesting the council should actually own the building before beginning large-scale renovations.

"I do believe there are areas of the Civic Centre that do need refurbishing," he said. "Whitchurch Town Council currently don't own the building and to date we haven't agreed who will pay for outstanding work.

"I totally understand maintenance is reasonable. When the mayor talks about logic it isn't logical at all and frankly this isn't the time to be blowing the public's cash in this way.

"We should be waiting until we own the building."

Cllr John Sinnott also suggested the council should be careful about where it spends its money.

Addressing the mayor, he said: "At the recent Civic meeting you said there was £50,000 in the budget to spend. In a resolution from 2019 that money is for repairs once we own the building.

"That £50,000 was budgeted specifically for repairs, it shouldn't be vired for anything else."

Despite these objections some councillors were receptive to the plans, including Cllr Harvey Vasey.

"I think this is about flexibility and common sense," he said. "Now is the time if we do want to invest, but every conversation for investment would need to go to council.

"This is just removing a layer of complexity."

Cllr John Martin moved to clarify the situation, suggesting the dissenting councillors were 'missing the point'.

"This motion is that we can spend the money not that we will," he said. "Any proposal to refurb will inevitably come before the council.

"It's a ridiculous exaggeration to say we will blow the bank account."

His assessment was backed up by Cllr Ruth Shepard, who said: "This [proposal] is an if we need to spend the money. I think this is a very good motion.

"It allows flexibility and allows us to start planning for the future of the Civic Centre."

Cllr Chesters also sought to clarify where to funding would come from, to which Cllr Duffy replied: "We can use CIL, there is £50,000 budgeted for.

"Whitchurch Town Council has a responsibility for the interior of the Civic Centre so it is to invest some money in the Civic Centre."

Councillors then voted in favour of the proposal from Cllr Duffy.