Around 60 to 70 residents met for a town meeting at North Kesteven District Council's civic chamber where the wording for a town pool was debated and finalised.

The question asks: Due to the lack of confidence in Sleaford Town Council, should all of the town councillors resign with immediate effect and seek re-election?

A date has now been fixed for the poll as October 23 and will be held from 4pm to 9pm at Northgate Methodist Church hall on Northgate, Sleaford.

The poll is likely to cost the town's electorate around £6,000 to organise, but chairman of the meeting, Douglas Vere-Critcher of Boston Road said that worked out at about 50 pence per elector.

According to the rules governing a town poll, the question must be achievable and any result is not binding upon the 18 members of the town council. There would also be the cost of staging a by election if the councillors did step down.

Issues of concern raised by residents at a previous meeting include:
* The £600,000 cost of new premises and community centre for the town council.
* The closure of the cemetery gate in Millfield terrace.
* The proposed road across the Boston Road recreation ground.
* Allegations that houses could be built on Woodside playing field and on-street parking.

There were several town councillors at the meeting to hear what was said and councillors Brian Watson and Ian Dolby said they would resign if a 'yes' vote won the day.

Resident Sylvia Lawes commented: "The people of Sleaford have got the councillors they have because there were 10 returned unopposed at the last election. If the same thing happened again then you are back to square one.

"It is the people of Sleaford who have got us into this state. Some of the things the Town Council do are good, but they do not listen to the people."

Mr Vere-Critcher added: "If they resign and we allow them to be re-elected unopposed then Sleaford would deserve all that it gets."

Michael Tanner of Castle Causeway said: "This poll is about creating such a landslide in favour of the town council resigning that perhaps their integrity will shame them into considering what the electorate want them to consider." He said the town councillors should be our grass roots representatives to lobby other authorities and should come to the people to ask what they want.

Chris Watson of Old Place seemed to be a lone voice against the poll, warning that many of people's gripes were not within the remit of the town council and they should take them to the proper authority.

He said if a councillor felt the need to resign then why wait for a town poll called by a small group of people: "I have a contract with my councillor through the ballot box and I elected my councillor to serve me for the full term. I find it excessively rude for someone to call my councillor to resign."

* Do you agree with the call for a town poll or do you think it is a waste of tax payers' money? Email your views to andy.hubbert@jpress.co.uk