DR Christine Bennetts has written the following open letter to the Mayor of Crediton, Cllr Mrs Elizabeth Brookes-Hocking.

Dear Mrs Brookes-Hocking

I read with interest that on the basis of a small survey conducted via social media the town council has rejected the offer of a free portrait of King Charles for the town council offices.

Given that I and many other older people do not and never will use social media, it seems very sad that this generous offer has been declined by what is a vote from only those who do use it, and therefore hardly representative of the town in general. 

The article said that more than half of the 250 had voted against accepting the portrait – so that is what 128 or 130 people out of a population in Crediton of how many?

I have to wonder what the figure may have been had this online poll been conducted with a larger cohort who like me will never use social media on principle, or who have no access to a mobile phone or computer, and who would have liked to see a portrait of King Charles in the Town Council Offices? 

It seems churlish and small-minded to have refused this offer on the basis of so few people.  Who deemed the survey necessary anyway?  Why was the offer not accepted with the grace it deserved?

Is there no chance of a re-think on this decision? Or is this decision simply one that mirrors more clearly the politics of the Town Council and not the population of Crediton more generally? 

I for one would be proud to hang it in my home.

Dr Christine Bennetts

Retired Senior Lecturer in Research Methodology

Crediton