Our man 'Deadly' Dudley chosen for by-election challenge

THE Post columnist Dudley Seale has been chosen to fight the Alcombe East by-election for a seat on West Somerset Council.
Mr Seale, who is also a Minehead town councillor, will stand for the Conservatives.
He is one of four candidates contesting the vacancy created when former Minehead and Alcombe Mayor Nick Messarra stood down last month.
The others are Tony Bowden (Lib Dem), who has made several unsuccessful attempts at winning a seat in Watchet, Ron Bridlefor the Labour Party, and retired Minehead Town Council employee Sandra Slade, who is standing as an Independent with town and district Councillor Terry Venner acting as her agent.
The by-election will b e held on Thursday, May 1, and anybody living in the ward who is registered to vote will receive a poll card in the weeks running up to the ballot.
Polling will take place at St Michael’s Church, Alcombe, between 7 am and 10 pm, and the count will take place at the church immediately after the close of the poll.
Anybody wishing to have a postal or proxy vote must apply by 5 pm on Wednesday, April 23.
To register for a postal or proxy vote contact Electoral Services Officer Elisa Day on 01984 635272.
A vacancy in the ward for the town council will be decided by co-opting a candidate, possibly as early as next week, after nobody called for a by-election to be held.

Former Mayor stands down to concentrate on business

THE former Mayor of Minehead and Alcombe, Councillor Nick Messarra (pictured, left), has resigned from both the district and town councils.
Councillor Messarra officially stepped down on Friday, after several weeks agonising over the decision.
He had represented the Alcombe East ward as a Conservative councillor on both West Somerset Council and Minehead Town Council since 1999.
Councillor Messarra told The Post: “I have been thinking about this for quite a long time and I am really sad to be standing down as I love helping the town and the people who live and work here.
“But I have to concentrate more on my business, which is taking me all over the country at times, and I am finding it harder and harder to find the time for council duties.
“I also have a young family who are growing up and need me to spend more time with them, which adds to the time pressures on me.
“Being a councillor can be a full-time job just in itself and I am full of admiration for anybody who manages to do it well.
“I have always tried to do everything to the best of my abilities and so I think it is better that I stand down now and let somebody else take over.
“It has really been an honour to serve the public and I have enjoyed being able to achieve lots of things for them, whether it has been the small projects like getting a bus shelter or a seat, or the grander scale of pulling in millions of pounds of investment money from Europe.
“At the end of the day I have helped to make a difference to the quality of life for many, many people, and I am proud of that.”
Councillor Messarra said a highpoint was when he served a term of office as Mayor of Minehead and Alcombe.
He also held the economic development and business liaison portfolio on the district council for four years, and was previously a commissioner for finance.
Before serving on the council, he was chairman of Minehead Chamber of Commerce and Trade for eight years, and he was also a founder-member of Minehead Lions Club.
As a councillor, he was branded the ‘people’s champion’ because of his tendency to cut through red tape in order to make sure community projects were carried out without undue delay.
A by-election is now likely to be held for the district and town council vacancies, which could take place during April.