EDITOR - I'm amazed that the future of our Town Hall has been turned into this battle ground with people like Coun Steve Newton, Richard Barker, Coun Fiona Martin and the Mayor all 'shooting themselves in the foot' with their inaccurate statements.
I believe Sir Peter Tapsell MP summed the situation up very well and ELDC and our councillors should take heed of his remarks.
It is now some 12 years ago that ELDC were prepared to sell off the Wong and Town Hall site for a supermarket develop
ment.
The people of Horncastle gave a very clear message then, as they have done now and periodically ever since that date through public meetings, consultations, a 1,450 signature petition, feasibility studies and representations to the Town Council.
Is it not time to accept this is the wish of the people of Horncastle and the surrounding area and all come together and refurbish the hall and enhance what is left of the Wong?
Coun Michael Clarke in his interview with the Horncastle News (dated July 16) is misleading the public when he states that it will cost £65,000 a year to run the town hall. He is scaremongering and failing to divulge that it includes the cost of the ELDC office staff which will be moving.
The town council have asked ELDC for the running costs and ELDC have not released them - we do know the running costs of two buildings of comparable size, ie the Horncastle War Memorial centre and Spilsby's Franklin Hall.
Both are in the region of £18,000 per annum - consequently smartened up and with a good local management team and the venue promoted it could easily achieve an income well in excess of its outgoings, which would be both sustainable and viable.
So come on Coun Clarke, you may be able to fool some of the people some of the time but not all of the people all of the time - how many times can he keep moving the goalposts?
COUN BILL ARON
Member of Horncastle Town Council
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