DR Christine Bennetts of Crediton has written the following letter to the Mayor of Crediton, Cllr Guy Cochran and Town Clerk Rachel Avery but she will be pleased that the Town Council has responded to an enquiry from the Crediton Courier.

Dear Cllr Cochran and Mrs Avery

YOU may recall that I wrote in May to your predecessor Cllr Brookes-Hocking regarding my concern at the decision by Crediton Town Council to refuse the offer of a free portrait of King Charles III for the Council Offices.

The survey was conducted via social media and elicited very few responses considering the population of Crediton itself.

Mrs Brookes-Hocking replied to me saying that this decision could be reconsidered in six months and agreed that the social media survey “as a general rule leaves out the older generation” (email from Mrs Brookes-Hocking, 21.05.24).

Whilst personal circumstances as a full-time Registered Carer prevent me from attending a Council meeting or rallying others, I suggest that if for personal reasons the Town Council does not wish to have King Charles’s portrait hanging in the Council Chambers that the portrait could be accepted on behalf of the people of Crediton and hung elsewhere: perhaps in Crediton Library or the Boniface Centre where it would be seen by a wider range of people before this year ends.

Would now be a good time to reconsider this decision and order a copy to allow the public to view the portrait of our King and Head of State? 

I wonder how many Councillors would refuse an Invitation to a Royal Garden Party, or feel it necessary to run a “survey” before accepting/declining another generous invitation? 

Dr Christine Bennetts

Church Street

Crediton

• Editor’s Note: Following an enquiry from the Crediton Courier, Cllr Steve Huxtable, Chair of Oversight and Deputy Mayor, confirmed that the committee will be reconsidering the council’s previous decision at its meeting in September.