Brian Parker, of Crossparks, writes:

Those familiar with the Letters page of the paper may be aware that I do not draw back from criticising Dartmouth council's handling of financial matters when it appears that mistakes have been made.

Today I am on a different tack, with some sympathy for the council's difficulties in accepting contracts and running with them. 

You report that work is needed on the market to repaint the walls and carry out some roofing repairs. 

The council estimated the work would cost £35,000 but the tenders range from £70,000 to £115,000.  The differences are extraordinary. 

Perhaps the council cannot make proper estimates? 

Perhaps  the tenderers are taking advantage of the council's perceived weakness in financial matters?

There is an interesting precedent for the latter.  Back in 1198 Abbot John de Cella of St Albans decided to take down the west wall of the Abbey and rebuild it using a fund of 100 marks.

Unfortunately, as Matthew Paris tells us, the abbot employed 'a deceitful man and a liar but a pre-eminent craftsman'. 

The wall did not get back up to ground level from the footings before the money ran out and, despite the assigning to the project of 'one sheaf of corn for every field sown' and other money-raising ventures, the 'unfortunate building work absorbed everthing as the sea does rivers'. 

Thirty years on, the wall reached half height.

It is often said that nothing much changes.