EVERY household in Honiton will contribute �9 a year, introduced over two years, to pay off a Honiton Town Council loan of up to �975,000 – to meet a shortfall in funding for the Beehive Community Centre complex.

EVERY household in Honiton will contribute �9 a year, introduced over two years, to pay off a Honiton Town Council loan of up to �975,000 - to meet a shortfall in funding for the Beehive Community Centre complex.

Councillors approved the borrowing facility and the centre's new business plan at a special meeting on Monday night.

With interest rates at an historic low, councillors were told the time was right to proceed.

Fresh plans for the �1.75 million centre are likely to be submitted to East Devon District Council after a town council planning committee meeting on March 16.

A period of public consultation has now started and will end on March 15.

Plans for the building, along with the business plan, are available for the public to view at the town council's offices. Opening times are being extended during the consultation period (see page 3).

After more than a quarter of a century of talk, councillors were urged to "be brave" and take action.

Councillor Michael Teare, chairman of the community centre steering group, asked councillors to give the town council a mandate to deliver the project, describing thecentre as "a first class facility".

In all, 10 resolutions relating to the community centre plan were approved.

Students from Honiton Community College attended the meeting and spoke in favour of the centre.

Project management for the building is being provided by East Devon District Council.

The vote was by no means unanimous. How they voted... In favour: Vivienne Ash, Alf Boom, Sally Casson, Peter Corke, Peter Fleming, David Foster, Susan Groves, Peter Halse, John Taylor, Michael Teare, Vernon Whitlock and Martin McGuire. Against: Ron Farnham and Vera Howard. Abstensions: Mike Allen, Jeff Ayes, Roy Coombs and Dianne Morgan.

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