I FEEL very angry after speaking with many older folk in this area. They inform me that the Corn Exchange is going to be sold, as it appears that the mayor, Councillor Deborah Reynolds, on recent visits to their senior citizen complexes in the area, is a

I FEEL very angry after speaking with many older folk in this area.

They inform me that the Corn Exchange is going to be sold, as it appears that the mayor, Councillor Deborah Reynolds, on recent visits to their senior citizen complexes in the area, is attempting to frighten them into thinking that a re-opened Corn Exchange would mean swingeing increases in Council Tax.

I prefer to believe the five councillors who voted for the ACE proposals, that a joint effort with the community is worth exploring.

I also share the ACE view that, if Council Tax continues to be collected in the same amount per household as in recent years, then the re-opening of the Corn Exchange would involve no increase in Council Tax at all.

I for one am determined that the reluctant majority on the council will not be allowed to capitulate to their own inertia, inaction and indifference to the community.

For your information, £100,000 has been collected annually over the past seven years. This year the sum has been reduced to £50,000 with a further £50,000 for next year, as the past mayor Councillor Doug Dew stated that it could not be justified this year as the Corn Exchange was not an active project.

If the mayor is talking about a 30 per cent increase, it would for example be £25 per annum on a Band D household, or just over £2 per month.

But it certainly will not be for the Corn Exchange, which will never cost more than £50,000 per annum. It didn't even cost that amount when it was losing money hand over fist.

Save our Corn Exchange for the history and future of St Ives.

T M CREIGHTON, West Leys, St Ives

* I AM saddened by the St Ives Town Council deciding to try to sell off our Corn Exchange without the town voters having a say on it.

Over the past six years I have asked individual councillors what is happening to the Corn Exchange and been told that it would be a good thing if it fell down.

Six months ago one said it was to become a lap-dancing club.

Do we need another club to give the police more problems, or yet more town-houses for the new residents to complain about the clubbers keeping them awake and the mess they make, or more shops to sit empty? No.

The mayor said she is for open and capable council business, and then excludes the press and town voters from meetings. She also said we have got plenty of venues for us to use. Maybe she can tell us where they all are, as it is very hard to find one we can use that is suitable at a price we can afford. What we do need is our Corn Exchange back now.

ANDY HUXFORD, Erica Road, St Ives