Problem: If it takes four men to close three roads for half an hour for a Mayor's Sunday parade, how much will it cost Dartmouth's taxpayers?

Answer: Way too much.

That's what town councillors think after being told that South West Highways was going to bill them a whopping £871 to ensure the half hour parade can go ahead.

Now the town has axed its traditional civic parade through the town centre for the second year running.

Furious Cllr Tessa de Galleani said: 'I think it is absolutely and utterly outrageous and I cannot think that we can afford it.'

And equally angry Cllr David Gent added: 'A group of Boy Scouts with flags could do it.'

Meanwhile the council's general purposes committee chairman Felicity Smith added: 'I do think we should keep our traditions but not at this price for marching through the town.'

The traditional Mayor's Sunday parade involves the town council marching in their robes down Victoria Road, into The Quay and Fairfax Place to get to St Saviour's Church for the service.

In past years the parade has included the band of the Royal Marines, a contingent of officers from the naval college and local organisations as townspeople lined the streets to watch.

This year the councillors will hold the church service on a date still to be set but without the parade. They plan to review the matter for the following year.

In previous years the police closed the roads and manned the side roads to ensure there was no danger from traffic.

They no longer carry out that job free of charge and councillors were told that if the police were employed to do the job it would be even more expensive than South West Highways.

The highways operation was quoting for four men – all fully 'Chapter Eight' trained – to close the roads for the half hour the parade is expected to take.

The town council recently had three people 'Chapter Eight' trained but they are the town clerk, deputy town clerk and mayor Paul Allen – all of whom would be taking part in the parade.

At one point the councillors had considered walking along the pavements from the Guildhall to the church so no road closures would be necessary.

Cllr Francis Hawke, who chairs the town council's finance committee, said it would cost around £100 for a band on top of the highways bill.

'We have to ask ourselves is this value for money for the town's taxpayers.'

He warned that the council had already been criticised for bumping up its precept for this financial year.

He said it was important for the town to 'do the job properly' when organising an event but warned: 'With this quote it's a step too far.'