Cllr to call for public meeting

Just for the record, my comment to Paul Diviani was: It is great that you are present, not as reported. I admire the way he has taken his role so seriously in representing the St Paul s Ward of Honiton.

Just for the record, my comment to Paul Diviani was: "It is great that you are present," not as reported. I admire the way he has taken his role so seriously in representing the St Paul's Ward of Honiton. He is an excellent example of a councillor and I wanted to thank him publicly.

Sara Randall Johnson was asked by me at her selection committee how she would find time to represent St Michael's Ward when she was already Director of PR at Flybe, Leader of East Devon District Council and on the Regional Leaders strategy group, working on regional transport issues.

She assured us all that she would visit and become involved in Honiton, and was duly adopted.

It is not unfair to ask that she might be present when the council was debating a controversial �2million investment in a community complex and seeking to take sweeping and unlimited new powers, which would affect partnership working across the county. We need her very capable insight.

In the latest Talk of the Town, Honiton Town Council says it intends to adopt a "Power of Wellbeing". Defined as "power to do anything they consider likely to promote or improve the economic, social or environmental wellbeing of their area".

This is a major change to the legal powers of a council filled with people who do excellent work, but largely elected unchallenged.

This power is already being challenged in the courts.

At the town council meeting on October 12, I will be asking the council to resolve to call a town meeting to discuss these powers which will allow the council to take on massive liabilities if it so wishes.

I believe that the residents of Honiton, and people like Sara Randall Johnson, should be involved in this very important debate.

Mike Allen

Town councillor

St Michael's Ward

Honiton