Hot TOPICS 
Backtracking on a bad idea?
(February 01, 2010)
A Warminster councillor set to be at the eye of the civic storm
brewing around his colleagues spending spree on moving their home now
claims the role he played was minor and does not mean it will go-ahead.
"I just proposed we apply for the loan," said Cllr. Davis speaking
to community campaigner Paul Macdonald this week.
Warminster Town Council saw the East Ward councillor propose on
behalf of his Tory colleagues a public works loan board advance of
£800,000 that will cost over £1.5million to repay.
(Two other resolutions to take the project forward were proposed by others which will add to cash commitment).
"You did propose the application for the money," asked Paul.
"Yes. I did and I want to talk to you about it for a moment,"
replied Cllr. Davis. "I just proposed we apply for the loan. It doesn't
mean we go ahead with it."
The loan will finance the refurbishment of the assembly rooms to
move the town council from its current home at Dewey House a few
hundred yards away.
"Others actually proposed the project.. Why did you do it? I don't understand.," asked Paul.
"As I say it was just to see if we could get through," argued Cllr. Davis.
His point was that the loan application will have to get the
support of the Wiltshire Association of Local Councils before being
forwarded to a government minister.
"Have you actually been closely involved with this project," enquired Paul.
"No," admitted Cllr. Davis. "No. I haven't. I just proposed it on the night."
The idea has seen letters in favour of the idea outnumbered three to one in the local press.
*Councillor Andrew Davis is an experienced councillor whose latest
role is chairing an area board on behalf of Wiltshire Council.
*Visionforwarminster.co.uk co-author Steve Dancey is writing to
the WALC asking for especial scrutiny of this loan application (see
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