COUNCILLORS have rescinded their decision to remove the Marine Theatre advertising rotunda following a public backlash.

Lyme Regis Town Council held an extraordinary meeting on Tuesday after six councillors came forward to sign a rescinding motion. Hundreds of locals and visitors signed a petition calling on the council to change its mind after the authority agreed in July to remove the hexagonal structure and replace it with two bollards.

Speaking before the decision was taken, theatre volunteer Julie Critchinson, said: “We just wish to thank the councillors who are making this motion and to thank them for voting for this motion which will delay the removal of the rotunda.

“We want to say thank you for listening to the community in Lyme who love the theatre.”

Cllr Owen Lovell confirmed a discussion and decision on the rotunda will be moved back to the next meeting - but Cllr Daryl Turner argued the council should decide whether a public consultation should be launched into the future of the rotunda after public pressure forced the authority into a u-turn.

Cllr Turner said: “I believe it is up to the meeting and not for officers to go away and get the information for us.

“I think we could discuss it with the public. I would like to see a consultation with the public.”

But Cllr Lovell believed that no discussion should take place until a future meeting.

He said: “I think I am going down that path that a notice of a rescission is final and that is it.

“What I would suggest is that any members that have any information, that should be included in the report.”

Cllr Anita Williams also called for the rotunda to be discussed at a future meeting.

She said: “We don’t have all the facts tonight.

“We would be making a decision on the hoof. We should deal with this properly when everybody has had the chance to get all the information.”

Deputy town clerk Mark Green also spoke out against Cllr Turner’s proposal, stating the authority would be getting into “dangerous territory”.

He said: “It would be normal to go to the next meeting.

“I think we are getting into dangerous territory if we start discussing things beyond that are not on the agenda.”

Cllr Lovell stated that his decision, as mayor, was final, and that the future of the rotunda would come back to the council at a future meeting, likely to be held on Wednesday, September 21.

Town clerk John Wright said: "“The council will consider whether that decision should be rescinded before it may bring another proposal forward about what will be done. It has to be done one step at a time.”