Honiton Town Council will forge ahead with plans to try and secure a piece of land to transform into allotments.

After a lengthy debate at an extraordinary meeting last night, members voted for the authority to bid for land at Merryfield, at Roundball Lane, at an auction which is being held next Friday.

The motion received eight votes for, five against and one abstention. Those against the bid included both the town mayor, Councillor Henry Brown, and his deputy, Cllr Duncan Sheridan-Shaw.

Following the motion being approved, a discussion was held behind closed doors, where councillors considered the maximum amount that the council should be prepared to bid for the land at Merryfield. If it does purchase the land, the council would have to commit around £50,000 of the reserves it currently has, according to a report by Mark Tredwin, town clerk.

Read a full report of last night’s meeting in next week’s Herald.