I FEEL compelled to respond to Peter Furminger's comments in last week's paper regarding the proposed community hall in Market Lavington.

I accept that, under guidelines recently introduced by the Charities Commission, the Trust do not need to hold a meeting. I only found out about this when I attended the last parish council meeting on November 18. However, at the time of the last meeting, he promised that a meeting would be held to discuss the new proposals. One would have expected him to have honoured his promise instead of hiding behind these new guidelines.

With regard to the vote on the proposals, I noticed in the "village and community news" section that you can obtain additional voting slips. I couldn't believe what I read. Surely that could lead to people voting more than once, especially as the slips are not traceable to individuals. Is it any wonder that so many people are angry at the way the whole thing is being run? Is it the "independent adjudicator" happy with it?

Turning to the to the comments, in the paper, that the village needs a hub for social activities, I fear the Trust may have been undermined by the parish council. They have just purchased the Old School for £55,000 and a further £17,000 (of which £2,000 is being provided by Kennet) is being spent on refurbishments. I must admit it was the first I had heard of it. Council tax payers will be pleased to hear that we will be paying for the loans, taken out by the council, for upwards of 25 years. Once the refurbishments are complete, one would assume people will be able to rent the rooms. In view of this, will the village be able to sustain a second large facility that will be chasing the same core business?

One wonders what is going on in the village. In one corner, a Community Hall Trust that seems hell bent on building a hall that no one appears to want. In the other corner, a parish council that spends £70,000 buying the Old School. Both, seemingly, for the benefit of the people of this village. Is it any wonder people get cynical and apathetic?

With regard to the proposed cottages, how can the Trustees sell the land on which they will stand? After all, the Community Trust do not actually own the land. It is actually owned by the parish council.

P WARING

Market Lavington