Ashburton looks set to regain control of its grade ii listed town hall in what has been described as an 'historic handover'. The sale of the Victorian building, for just £1, is expected to be approved by Teignbridge Council within the next few weeks. The agreement puts an end to years of negotiations between town and district councils regarding the the prominent North Street landmark. It also triggers the search for the cash needed to improve the hall if it is to meet the needs of a modern community. News of the deal was broken by mayor, Cllr Wendy Gill, to fellow councillors on Tuesday evening. 'As a council we realise that this is going to be hard work for us but we are confident that by working together we can all look forward to a secure future for Ashburton's town hall with good and improved facilities for everyone to enjoy,' she said. Cllr Gill said that either a loan or mortgage would be needed to fund improvements and that the community must be prepared to pay for something it had requested 'overwhelmingly' within the town plan. 'We must make it clear, it will not come without a cost,' she said. Improvements on the wish list include revamping the downstairs to provide more rooms for hire which could help boost income. Extensions and general improvements are also being considered. The handover, which is expected to be completed next spring, has won the approval of Cllr Jim Grimble, Teignbridge's spokesman for assets and performance. 'We have been discussing the idea for some time and agree that the transfer of ownership will be directly beneficial to the residents of Ashburton,' he said. 'We support the principle of local facilities being directly managed by local communities and are confident the town hall will remain in very safe hands.' District councillor for Ashburton, Cllr Stuart Barker, has helped broker the deal and said the future looked bright. 'This decision will unlock opportunities to deliver other community initiatives highlighted in the new town plan and I look forward to working with the community to achieve its wishes,' he said.
