OLD MONASTERY MISSES OUT ON LOTTERY BID

9.50.20am GMT Wed 28th Nov 2007

Documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act reveal that the Conservative administration under Mayor Nick Bye have decided not to include the old Monastery in Paignton in a bid for lottery money. The decision was made behind closed doors, which means that the future of the building is still in the balance.

Ward Councillor Ruth Pentney said:

"An excellent report was submitted by a Council Officer which made a cast iron case for the Monastery to be included in the lottery bid. To the best of my knowledge, none of the Cabinet members who made the decision had ever set foot in the Monastery at the time of the decision, or knew where it was. Two bids could have been submitted, but only one bid was made for a Day centre, despite the Committee of Day centre Daycentre not wanting to be involved in the lottery bid.

"I am particularly disappointed that this decision was made in a 'behind closed doors' meeting which meant that neither of the two Ward Councillors or any members of the Friends of the Old Monastery could be present."

Despite the Committee of the Friends of the Old Monastery being told that no decisions had been made, the documents obtained by Councillor Pentney also show that the Old Monastery is a high priority on the Council's Asset Disposal List.