ISN'T it time for South Molton to have a referendum to settle, once for all, the supermarket car park debate that has for so long been rumbling around like distant thunder in the air?

At last, and all of a sudden, it seems, the rumble has got much louder and closer, with deals and decisions about to be made, equally impacting residents and retailers now democratically powerless to favour or refute until the next election.

Of course opinions abound on both sides of the argument, as they did at a packed meeting some years ago in the Community College, where the supermarket in question was Tesco, charged by one objector with the in-house mantra of 'Not only Tesco in every high street, but the high street in every Tesco'; clearly chilling the bones of all local retailers, but not blinding all shoppers present to possible benefits.

Facing deadlock, the reasonable solution of a referendum was proposed from the floor, but dismissed by one of the town's councillors as "too expensive to arrange".

Back to the present, and the recently published interim draft plan for a new Tesco store which appears to sacrifice our recycling centre to customer parking space.

Personally, I see more social value in the concept and service of the Phoenix Re-use Shop than in any additional supermarket, but that is not the point of my letter, which is that the cost of a referendum must be a drop in the ocean compared to the money likely still to be spent on this matter, and would surely be worth the chance for the people of South Molton, not district councillors who neither live nor shop here, to determine the future of our town.

VIRGINIA HOBART,

South Molton.

MAY I thank my South Molton fan club for their contribution ('Our points on 'gagging',' Journal, January 26)

Firstly I am grateful that Councillor John Moore does not challenge my belief that I had given him more time and opportunities to speak at the North Devon Council Executive meeting on January 10 than any other member present.

Having known John all my life I am aware of his disability and after an Officer had advised him he was straying into areas which could only be discussed in private, I repeated the warning from the chair. Unfortunately he continued in the same vein and I then had to stop him speaking.

I confess I found it hard to follow the letters from the two Tonys which jumped all over the place. As a number of people at South Molton have said to me about these two correspondents, who often voice opinions on issues, why did they not offer themselves to the South Molton electorate at last year's elections as they seem so dissatisfied with what others try to do for the town?

The wholly accurate report about South Molton ('Demands over valuation of car park rejected', Journal, January 26) was based on Conservative calls to seek an independent valuation of the central car parking area is interesting.

The Conservatives held a majority on North Devon Council between 2007/11. One of the decisions they took on April 22, 2008 was in respect of the regeneration and development of South Molton Central Car Park when it was agreed "to finalise negotiations with Tesco and prepare detailed legal agreements".

Councillors Harrison and Brailey accepted at the Council Meeting on January 18 that as part of this informal bidding process other supermarket providers had been considered but they still made Tesco the preferred provider.

So why now the change of position by the Conservatives after the local elections last year? They had plenty of time and a majority with which to change the policy before the local elections in May 2011.

Did they get things so wrong that they want us to review their policy position from 2008 or is it they want to see the central car park area owned by NDC sold with a knock on effect to the provision of a new supermarket and threat to the viability of the cattle market and the town centre? Surely it can't be just playing party politics now they are out of office?

My colleagues and I recognise the importance of the central car park to the viability of the town and accordingly will invest in creating nearly 100 additional car parking spaces by converting the old pen area at the rear of the Amory Centre in 2012/13 whether or not a deal is done with Tesco.

I visited South Molton last Saturday, including the Pannier Market, and had several good conversations with people I met. One of these was a leading businessman who was very sceptical of the Conservative valuation claims and expressed the view that after so many wasted years we should get on with things, a view I have received from others.

That is precisely what my colleagues and I are trying to do and if successful the South Molton central car park area can have a new supermarket, a larger number of car park spaces than now, and with the cattle market still operating where it is currently located.

BRIAN GREENSLADE,

Leader, North Devon Council.