The furore about how much grant the town council should give to a new youth centre scheme in Dawlish took a step forward this week with the calling of a public meeting. Cllr Clive Samuel says he was 'appalled' that Dawlish Town Council granted just £30,000 towards setting up the centre. And as public opinion about the amount hit the stratosphere, he announced there would be an open meeting at the Manor House on Thursday, February 23, at 7pm. The meeting will allow councillors who backed the full grant of £150,000 to hear feedback from the public. It was two weeks ago that the town council – after an interjection by Cllr John Clatworthy – decided to grant £30,000 towards a 600 sq m dedicated youth facility at Sandy Lane, which includes a basement skate park. It had been suggested that a figure of £150,000 be granted, the money being part of the £600,000 sale of the former Leonard Lamb Centre, a building which had been primarily used by youngsters before it was sold off by the town council. The building was becoming a maintenance millstone to the town council. The town council's decision to grant just £30,000 will now cause problems with funding from the youth centre's major sponsor, the National Lottery, which demands evidence of substantial 'local commitments' if it is to release grants. John Anthony, who has worked tireless for years for the town's youth and is a former chairman of Dawlish Action for Youth, described the council's decision as 'an insult to the democratic process that flies in the face of all the evidence put to the council'. This week, Cllr Samuel, who could not attend the town council meeting in question because of illness, described the grant as 'derisory'. In a letter, he said: 'I have been a member of the town council for 15 years, but could not attend that meeting owing to illness. 'In the past, councillors have in the main voted with their conscience. In the best interests of the town, I do hope that councillors, on this occasion, did not vote purely along party political lines, as seems to have been the case.' He added: 'Currently, as the people of the town will be aware, following the sale of the Leonard Lamb Centre, Dawlish Town Council can afford the requested grant of £150,000 and this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. 'We owe it to our young people to give them a building and facilities of which they can be proud. 'Consequently, those councillors who support the allocation of the full grant would welcome feedback from the public and to that end will hold an open meeting in the Manor.' Graham Hessé, mayor from 2002 to 2003, said: 'Can I humbly remind the councillors that this is not their money, but that off all the citizens of Dawlish. 'If they carry on like this, giving money to different councillors' pet projects, they will become like the American Congress, distributing the pork.'
