Helston Town Council is to discuss whether to buy a vehicle for council use. The move comes at the request of mayor Jonathan Radford-Gaby, who said: “I have felt for some considerable time that it is necessary for this council to have a vehicle, given the amount of divulged assets we’re managing.

“It’s taking an inordinate amount of time without a vehicle to do this. We’ve been relying for a long time on the good will of the staff to use their own vehicles.”

He described it as an “important issue” that should be debated by the whole council, rather than just the amenities committee whose members had begun discussing the matter but called for more information before making a decision.

Mr Radford-Gaby’s request raised questions over whether to abolish the committee structure altogether.

Martine Knight, a member of the amenities group, said: “Our amenities committee is deciding whether there is a proven need. We are custodians of the public pocket and have to be very sure we only spend on what is genuinely needed and not something that is merely wanted.

“This argument has made me wonder whether it would be better to abolish the committee system and have everything at full council meetings.”
However, she believed the matter should be left in the “capable hands” of the amenities members.

Mark Upton was of the same opinion, saying to abandon the committee process on this occasion opened the door to looking at the whole system.

An amenities committee member who supported the full discussion was Gillian Geer. She said the matter should be considered by all councillors but there should be an end to the feeling that the amenities committee was “not pulling its weight.”

John Boase believed a full council meeting would resolve the matter sooner.
Following a majority vote of seven in favour and four against, a special meeting will take place on January 14