TAUNTON Deane Borough Council (TDBC) has voted to loan £80,000 to the Hestercombe Gardens Trust.

The loan was agreed at a meeting on Tuesday evening.

Councillor and leader John Williams proposed the loan as it would provide leverage for the trust to take the next steps in delivering an £8million investment in the site.

The gardens, based in Cheddon Fitzpaine, operates as a charitable trust which is funded from a range of sources, including the Heritage Lottery Fund, local subscribers and grant funding from TDBC.

Cllr Marcia Hill, who is a trustee, said: “What they want to do is doable and this loan gets them off the ground.”

Cllr Ian Morrell raised concerns allowing this loan would set a precedent for other groups and organisation in a similar position, and Cllr Habib Farbahi offered similar concerns that there wouldn’t be any money left for other groups if this loan was granted.

But Cllr Roger Habgood disputed these claims by saying that TDBC was an ‘enabling authority’.

He said: “Hestercombe Gardens is prized nationally, and is becoming increasingly more stable. People are being over-cautious.

“It has gained national significance in a short space of time, it is a real credit to the area.

The motion was passed with one councillor against and four abstentions.