WHITCHURCH Town Council has deferred a decision to adopt a new energy supplier for the Civic Centre because of concerns over clarity of cost.

Last month, Councillor Simon Hamlyn and the town clerk Nicola Young met and recommend that the town council use green energy to power the Civic Centre going forwards.

In the recommendations that came from this meeting, it was suggested that while the costs would increase, it would not be excessive and would be within the council's agreed criteria.

But at last Thursday's full council meeting, there was uncertainty over the contract provided by potential suppliers Good Energy.

The main concern revolved around the length of the contract provided, in relation to the actual utilities provided.

The council had requested the kilowatt per hour prices for both brown and green energy, for now and the forecast figures for December 2020 be brought before the full council meeting in September 2019.

According to the town clerk, the reasoning behind the figures being presented to the council so soon, was because another energy brokers had been in contact to offer figures.

"The reason why this had been brought before the Council at such an early stage in the process, was that one broker had been in contact to state that they could fix the prices now, for the new contract start date in December 2020," said Nicola.

"Quotes were also received for both brown and green energy from another broker, who gave their best figures now and forecast figures for December 2020 and a solely green energy provider.”

At the meeting itself Cllr Hamlyn defended the costs, saying: "If you want green energy, you have to accept that it's not going to be as cheap as coal or gas."

Councillors then moved to defer the decision, until further figures had been obtained.