COUNCILLORS have agreed the cheapest possible option to re-paint Lyme’s Millennium Clock – but think there are ‘more important’ ways to spend taxpayers’ money.

Lyme Regis Town Council has agreed to spend only £40 on refreshing the gold lettering on the clock, which stands in Cobb Gate car park.

Council staff were due to repaint the black timepiece, which bears the names of Coun Owen Lovell, who was mayor in 2000, and former town clerk Mike Lewis.

But members of the council’s town management committee called a halt to the repainting of the lettering until they could see how much it would cost.

A report put before last week’s meeting by operations manager Elliott Herbert showed the most expensive option would be to sign write with gold leaf, which would last up to 50 years and cost at least £1,200.

The cheapest option for the lettering was gold coloured vinyl, which would last up to five years and cost at least £40.

Some councillors claimed it was a waste of money, while others believe it should be preserved as part of the town’s heritage.

Coun Rikey Austin said: “I know this is something people feel really strongly about one way or another but as a town I think we have more important things to think about.

“We have got the highest take up of families needing food from the food banks.

“If you ask me if I want to spend £1,200 on the clock or if families in the town want food on their tables, I’m going to go with food on their tables.”

Coun Terry O’Grady said he would rather see the money spent on the playing field area and would prefer to see the clock stopped for good.

He added: “It’s not part of our history, the two names on our clock are not iconic, they are not historic figures.”

Coun Mark Gage said although he would favour the cheapest option, he believed the names have no relevance.

He said: “Anybody walking into town at the moment would think Owen Lovell was the mayor and that Mike Lewis was the town clerk – clearly they’re not.

“I don’t know what Coun Lovell feels about wanting to retain his name up there but it does concern me that these names are there without context.”

Coun Gage said he was contacted by a former town councillor who said the original painting of the names never went before the council, and that most councillors were surprised to see them at the unveiling.

“It seems to me these names were always slightly controversial,” he said.

Coun Chris Clipson said the council has to maintain it, adding: “Otherwise it’s going to cost us even more money to take down.

Coun Michaela Ellis said: “We have got a clock that was put there for the Millennium, just the same as the clock was put on the seafront and has broken many times.

"I don’t care what anyone says, it’s a part of Lyme’s heritage or it will be in years to come and I believe it should be maintained with the names that are on there.

“It’s not the town council’s position to be funding the food bank.”