Town hall
project to
go ahead
A £500,000 scheme to improve the town hall in Torpoint has been given the go-ahead.
The project to update the Council Chambers in York Road has proved controversial among town councillors.
While the majority have been in favour of the scheme others have voiced concerns over the cost and have put forward different options including phasing works on the buildings.
Towards the end of last year the council voted to increase the level of council tax it levies to help fund the scheme. As a result, in the present financial year it is raising £50,000 through council tax towards the project.
Town mayor Stan Martin said: "The town council has decided that the project will be go-ahead with all the works being carried out in one phase.
"The vote was far from unanimous, with eight votes for, five against and one abstention.
"My stance as mayor was that I would love to see the works undertaken in one phase but I did not want to foist the burden of thousands of pounds of extra council tax on the people in the town.
"Since the council, which operates under a best value scheme, has managed to secure a loan at a low interest rate which is fixed over 25 years, it means we can do the whole project within our present budget forecasts. We will not need to raise the annual council tax precept further in the foreseeable future.
"Since we could afford it, the only way ahead was to approve the scheme and get the work done.
"It will give the town a lot of benefit in the long term and will prove to be the cheapest option.
"It is fair to say that over the years all the previous councils, including ourselves, have been a bit lax in having a proper maintenance programme in place.
"This scheme will obviate any long-term major repairs.
"Hopefully now Torpoint will have a hall to match anywhere in the five towns of South East Cornwall, instead of having something that can only be described as shabby.
"It will be what the town deserves."
Trust backing for
town manager idea
THE idea of having a town manager to co-ordinate the regeneration of Torpoint is being backed by the town's community development trust.
However, the trust has warned that the manager should be employed full-time in Torpoint and not shared with another town.
The trust's company secretary, Alan Brimacombe, said: "The trust backs the principle that the town should have a dedicated development officer. A qualified person with the relevant skills should work here full-time. However, it would be a waste of time if the person was only working here for one day a week."
The trust is keen to see a manager put in place to push ahead with projects put forward last year in the Torpoint Regeneration Study.
A firm of consultants drew up the study which was funded in the main by Caradon District Council, European money and the South West Regional Development Agency.
Improvements to the town centre were high on the list of suggestions. They included the formation of a town square, a better riverside walk, better links to the waterfront, opportunities for public art, a new car park, tree planting, improvements to open spaces, the upgrading of buildings and the creation of a "fortified" wall on the edge of the town centre.
"The schemes put forward by Atlantic Consultants would total around £4 million - £5 million," said Mr Brimacombe.
"If a full-time officer was employed there would be an immediate effect with projects being taken forward and money coming in."
The Groundwork Trust and the district council are involved in the process of making a decision about a manager.
Choirs in cabaret evening
A CABARET evening is to be held in aid of the Torpoint and Rame Community Nurses Friends.
The Torpoint Lady Singers and the Allen Valley Singers from Camelford will be providing the entertainment during the evening which will be staged at the Torpoint Council Chambers in York Road on Saturday, October 6, at 7.30pm.
Tickets cost £3.50 each. There will be a buffet and members of the audience are invited to take their own drink and glass.
The Friends is a local group which raises funds to enable healthcare staff to buy equipment which would not otherwise be easily available.