South Street Toilets - Was an offer made?

At the Town Council meeting on 6th January 2010 there was a debate about HDC and its decision to stop the service of Public Conveniences in St. Neots. The Town Council was to be offered the ability to take over this service. The Town Council, quite rightly in my view, declined. But something was said by the Acting Town Clerk that perked my brain. Apparently the offer was about 2 of the 3 loos and South Street was not mentioned.

So I looked up South Street Toilets on the Agendas/Minutes on HDC. On 17/09/09 the Cabinet decided the following:

"Agreed to offer to St Neots Town Council the option of improving and maintaining the South Street Public Conveniences before any final decision is made as to their future."

Having read this decision and comparing it with what the I heard the Town Clerk said I thought I would ask the District Council if they had made the offer to SNTC. I put the Cabinet decision in the form provided and I asked HDC for the following:

"Copies of any correspondence between yourselves and St Neots Town Council specifically relating to this decision to offer."

The reply from HDC was:

"Verbal discussions were carried out but there is no documentation of correspondence re the sale of this site with St Neots Town Council."

Well I NEVER asked about the sale of this site to SNTC. But seeing there was just verbal discussions and nothing in writing. So there is nothing in writing to say the decision of the Cabinet was carried out by officers. Indeed the opposite maybe the case.

As the Town Council has decided to decline the offer to take over the Public Loos this is pretty academic. What I do feel is when the Cabinet takes a decision Officers should carry out this decision in a proper way through correspondence/e-mail rather than a couple of undocumented phone calls.