There was a packed public gallery and councillors Fred Caygill (Conservative), Brenda Taylor (Liberal Democrat) and Tim Dumper (Liberal Democrat) did what they should do – spoke to represent the views of residents. Exmouth Town Council then voted 4 to 3 against the application. Councillors Caygill, Taylor, Dumper and Masding (Green) voted against.

However, one councillor – Conservative Bill Nash – caused quite a stir.

Councillor Nash was the first councillor to speak after public speaking ended, first requesting a recorded vote and then speaking in support of the application. He turned to the public gallery to speak in what seemed to be a very heated way, and appeared to have the erroneous idea that all the public were worried about was phase 3 (the final stages of development as planned). He seemed agitated and several people thought he spoke somewhat patronisingly, saying that it was “a straightforward demolition”. He did not seem amenable to any discussion with anyone who did not share this viewpoint.

After the recorded vote, and as the public left the gallery, councillor Nash turned to councillor Fred Caygill (who was sitting next to him) and appeared to say to him, in a very agitated and angry way, that he wanted a quiet word with him for a couple of minutes.

Cllr Caygill, to his credit, did not rise to this but – as Chair Councillor Lynn Elson became aware that members of the public were watching this exchange – she advised them to stop.