A COMMUNITY building in Buntingford has been renamed – for the second time despite objections. The Seth Ward Centre in Luynes Rise is now called The Seth Ward Community Centre following a meeting of Buntingford Town Council on Thursday. Cllr Pat Whittaker

A COMMUNITY building in Buntingford has been renamed - for the second time despite objections.

The Seth Ward Centre in Luynes Rise is now called The Seth Ward Community Centre following a meeting of Buntingford Town Council on Thursday.

Cllr Pat Whittaker, chairman of the community centre, called for the renaming of the centre in September last year to perpetuate the name of Seth Ward.

He said: "I'm annoyed. We wanted to lose the words community centre because there's a slight stigma attached to them."

A year ago the council voted unanimously to change the name of the building to the Seth Ward Centre.

"Once a name has been voted on it should be kept," Cllr Whittaker said.

The mayor, Cllr John Noades, was also against renaming the centre for a second time.

He said: "I don't like the idea of the word community going back in because the word gives the wrong sort of suggestion about the place."

The Buntingford Civic Society proposed to rename the centre for a second time because it was concerned that naming the building the Seth Ward Centre would have been confusing for the emergency services and visitors to the town.

Derek Cooper, chairman of the society, said: "On balance, the Civic Society is pleased we're honouring Seth Ward and within that, the expression of community is something which the society is actively engaged in.