No “legitimate reason or justification” for Sidmouth library rebuild

09:49 21 February 2012

Archant

LIBRARY chiefs say there was no “legitimate reason or justification” for a rebuild that was key to doctors’ hopes of a new health centre for Sidmouth.

The Herald reported last week how GPs and patient representatives were left “flabbergasted” when Devon County Council (DCC) withdrew £500,000 of funding. They said the cash for a library revamp was key to their surgery plans – and the cutback had “dashed” their bid.

DCC bosses this week spoke publicly for the first time on the situation.

A spokesperson for the authority told the Herald yesterday: “We own the library building in Sidmouth, and the freehold land that it is on.

“It is well located for community use and is fit for purpose so we can see no legitimate reason or justification to relinquish this facility, and spend Devon tax payers’ money finding additional capital to build a new library on land we do not own in the town.

“Work to improve the library has been put on hold for a considerable period of time as a result of discussions with the health centre about future joint redevelopment.

“We must now proceed with our refurbishment plans to improve an important community facility in the centre of Sidmouth.”

Sid Valley Patients Forum Group, doctors and health centre committee members said last week that £600,000 - earmarked by DCC for a library refurbishment - has been “scaled back” to £100,000.

GPs had Primary Care Trust funding for the health centre element of their scheme.

They say Sidmouth needs a new health centre as its current Blackmore Drive surgery is unfit for purpose.

0 comments

Other News Stories

Littleham Church

Vandals trashed prayer books and a Bible when they ran riot through a church in Exmouth.

Read more
08:27
Fleece making demonstrations at A la Ronde with the Devon Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers. Ref exe 7922-33-15AW. Picture: Alex Walton

Visitors to a National Trust site in Exmouth were getting in a spin about wool thanks to a demonstration.

Read more
Yesterday, 12:30
The Matthews Hall in Topsham was packed on Sunday for the Flower and Vegetable Show. Ref ext 8406-35-15SH. Picture: Simon Horn

An annual horticultural photographic competition looks set to continue for another year after this year’s event was hailed as the best yet.

Read more
Mon, 16:32
Ray Davison, Labour candidate in the diatrict council election.

The ranks of the East Devon’s Labour Party have swelled by almost 200 per cent in just ten days.

Read more
Mon, 11:00
Woodbury flower show. Jane Greenslade won first class with her orchid. Ref exe 7952-33-15AW. Picture: Alex Walton

There was a great display of botanical delights at the Woodbury Garden Club Flower and Vegetable Show.

Read more
Sunday, August 30, 2015
Kaz Lobendhan of the south devon chilli farm with staff at Darts Farm about to take the chilli challenge. Ref ext 2706-34-15TI. Picture: Terry Ife

People visiting a Topsham-based farm shop were being asked to test their taste buds as part of a chilli tasting test.

Read more
Dame Hilary Mantel: 'As I work my way through the third book it often feels as exciting as the first day I started'

World-renowned author Dame Hilary Mantel has spoken of her love for Budleigh Salterton in an exclusive interview with Devon Life magazine.

Read more
Saturday, August 29, 2015

The most common tactic fraudsters used last year to try to con Devon residents’ out of cash was to offer a ‘free’ trial.

Read more
Saturday, August 29, 2015
Janice is pictured with Managing Partner, Neil Curtis left and Exmouth Partner Ruskin Wilson after receiving her bouquet of flowers and card.

An accountant is celebrating her 30th anniversary with an Exmouth firm.

Read more
Friday, August 28, 2015
Harry Wilkes celebrated his 100th birthday with family and friends at Amberwood Nursing Home on Exeter Road this week. Harry is pictured enjoying his day with his family. Ref exe 8446-35-15SH. Picture: Simon Horn

At least 40 friends and three generations of family turned out to celebrate the 100th birthday of Exmouth’s newest centenarian, Harry Wilkes.

Read more

Local Weather

Partly Cloudy

Partly Cloudy

max temp: 15°C

min temp: 10°C

Most Read News

Great British Life


Great British Life

Advertise in the Paper
Submit a Story
Subscriptions Order
Competitions
Photo Orders
Family notices
iwitness24
Google Plus
Facebook
Twitter
Reader Travel

Family Notices 24

Digital Edition

Image
Read the Exmouth Journal e-edition today E-edition


Exmouth's trusted business finder
http://www.exmouthjournal.co.uk/news/no_legitimate_reason_or_justification_for_sidmouth_library_rebuild_1_1215154
www.exmouthjournal.co.uk
crawl=CC-MAIN-2015-35
155898
application/http; msgtype=response
sha1:IO57CSRDHOKQLJF4CVTOMIA7POIXAHLJ
<urn:uuid:7dd15379-a5eb-4158-9b64-d201779169b0>
2015-09-02T08:33:28Z
54.75.234.6
sha1:NA4U7BSRDQIODI53V677ZM3AXZY43NL5
<urn:uuid:12b0794e-0746-4cca-8552-f5cfe41880b7>
http://www.exmouthjournal.co.uk/news/no_legitimate_reason_or_justification_for_sidmouth_library_rebuild_1_1215154
length
response
<urn:uuid:00ca8d56-fe25-46c4-bed6-666f3cb39649>
robots: classic
hostname: ip-10-171-96-226.ec2.internal
software: Nutch 1.6 (CC)/CC WarcExport 1.0
isPartOf: CC-MAIN-2015-35
operator: CommonCrawl Admin
description: Wide crawl of the web for August 2015
publisher: CommonCrawl
format: WARC File Format 1.0
conformsTo: http://bibnum.bnf.fr/WARC/WARC_ISO_28500_version1_latestdraft.pdf