LYME Regis town council flouted its own policy on Wednesday after an astonishing coup by the town mayor Barbara Austin. The council voted in favour of giving a grant to the Girl Guides, even though it was way past the July 5 closing date for grant applications and could upset other grant-seeking organisations who had also missed the deadline, after the mayor all-but insisted that the rules should be bent for the benefit of the Guides. She said: "This is a one off for the Guides, we should be able to do this." Most councillors were against giving the £740, which had unexpectedly become available after the Marder Trust returned its grant, because they said it was against policy and could upset other organisations in the town. Coun Michaela Ellis said: "I'm not saying I don't want to help the Guides, I used to be a Guide, but I think we have a policy and we should stick to it." In her support Coun Daryl Turner said: "We should stick to procedure. We don't reallocate the funds and it goes back to the council coffers." Coun Lorna Jenkin said she knew of at least one organisation that had missed the July deadline and had been sad to miss out on council grants. She said: "We have to be fair to the other organisations that missed out." But against all the odds and in an incredible turn-around, Coun Austin managed to win majority support from key councillors against what appeared to be their better judgement. She secured support from her deputy chairman Coun Peter Bean who only moments before had warned that by giving the Guides this grant, they would be setting a dangerous precedent. He said: "We have closed the list and should treat everybody the same. We do it this once and we're leaving the gates wide open - we've made a decision, we should stick to it." But Coun Bean back-tracked and gave the mayor his vote after she said: "So we're not going to support the Guides, is that what we're saying? Well, if they fall between now and next year, at least I can say it wasn't because of me." Clearly moved by the emotive plea, former mayor Ken Dibben also capitulated and gave Coun Austin his support, even though it was "with reservations." As the vote was won by Coun Austin, Coun Spencer Hogg (who voted against the mayor) laughed out loud with amazement, saying: "The Guides have it! The Guides have it!". Coun Michaela Ellis told the mayor she hoped she would be explaining the situation to all the other groups who would now be writing in to protest. Council agreed to give the Guides the grant of £740, which would be used towards new uniforms and camping equipment.