FREEMASONS in Abbots Langley have offered to help pay for the parish council's planting of oak trees as part of the Abbots Langley Golden Jubilee celebrations.

Details of the proposal have yet to be drawn up but the clerk, Mr Philip Truppin, estimated that it would cost a couple of hundred pounds

At a meeting of the authority on Monday, parish councillors decided to decline the freemasons' offer to help cover this cost due to public sensitivities about the secret society.

Parish councillor Mr Keith Peutherer, who said he would be happy to accept such an offer from anybody provided there were no strings attached, asked if the freemasons had requested a plaque to mark the tree or "anything to indicate this body had been involved".

Mr Truppin, said: "They would like to see a small plaque but they would not insist on it."

However, parish councillors Miss Ivy Young and Mr Barry Highland were reluctant to accept the offer.

Miss Young said: "I personally think it's something we should not consider.

"In my estimation it should just be a parish thing."

Mr Highland said: "To a certain extent I agree with Councillor Peutherer and say I would take anyone's money, but if it's such a small amount and it's going to offend parishioners, I would vote against accepting the money under these circumstances."

Parish councillors voted to decline the offer but agreed to thank the freemasons for their generosity.

May 14, 2002 17:30