Chance to have your say on future housing strategy

RESIDENTS of West Somerset are being invited to have their say on future housing needs across the district.
West Somerset Council will hold a public consultation in Minehead Methodist Church on Wednesday, February 4, between 9.30 am and 12.30 pm.
The council’s portfolio holder for housing, Councillor Kate Kravis said: “We are developing a new housing strategy and we want to make sure that it draws on the views of a wide range of people living in West Somerset.
“Residents have valuable knowledge on the reality of the local housing market and of their own housing needs.
“We are urging as many people as possible to speak to us, so we can ensure the views of people of all ages and backgrounds are taken into account during the development of the plan.”
The council hopes to explore what types of housing are needed, how it can extend the choice of housing available, and how it can help young people buy and rent homes.
It will also review how it can help local people keep their homes in good repair, help homeowners keep their homes through the recession, and look at the needs of the district’s older population.
Councillor Kravis said: “The council supports sustainable development across the district and we would like to encourage more eco-friendly initiatives so that future housing stock is not completely dependent on fossil fuels where this is possible and practical.
“We have already examined a lot of existing information and held discussions with a number of organisations involved with housing and related services.
“However, we value local residents’ knowledge and we would like to draw on their housing experience to make sure the housing strategy meets the needs of all people, and helps us to develop healthy sustainable communities.”

Students' views help to shape future of district economy

HUNDREDS of young people have been having their say on the future shape of West Somerset by taking part in a major consultation on the district’s economy.
About 240 sixth form students gave their views to the experts working on West Somerset Council’s long-term economic ‘masterplan’ at a series of workshops held yesterday.
The event at West Somerset Community College, Minehead, was organised by the council and consultancy EKOS, which is developing the plan for the authority.
It is the first time young people have been consulted on the plan in this way.
Last year, the council asked EKOS to develop a 15-year strategy to help regenerate the local economy, retaining and creating jobs in West Somerset and supporting enterprise, training, tourism, and business growth.
EKOS director Adrian Dawson said: “We have been speaking to businesses, community groups, and many other people with an interest in the long-term future of West Somerset.
“It was important to get the views of the young people too, as they will be in work or training in the future and will be directly affected by economic developments in West Somerset over the next 15 years.
“It is vital for them that we get this right, and that is why we have sought their views now.”
The consultation event saw young people take part in two workshops led by EKOS, Somerset Rural Youth Project, and local councillors.
Their views will be used by EKOS to develop an action plan which will form part of the council’s strategy.
The plan’s action will be funded by the Government’s Working Neighbourhoods Fund, the South West Regional Development Agency, European Union funds, and other sources.
The college’s head of sixth form, Jerry Hardingham, said: “This event was well attended and the students found it extremely worthwhile.
“They contributed a number of excellent and imaginative ideas with real enthusiasm.
“They were a real credit to the college.
“Young people are the future of West Somerset, and the best way to ensure that the council’s plans meet their needs is to seek their views now.
“I am pleased that young people have been given the chance to be included in this important consultation.”
Council leader Councillor Keith Ross said: “We aim to create an economy that serves all of our residents and provides high quality, sustainable employment and business opportunities.
“Young people are key to maintaining sustainable communities, so we need to know what economic opportunities we should be providing to help keep our communities healthy, as well as boost the district’s future business prospects.
“This event has played an important part in developing our strategy, and I would like to thank the students and teachers for their enthusiasm and ideas, and for giving us a valuable insight into their aspirations for West Somerset’s economic future.”
The council’s economic development strategy is due to be finalised in March.
Our photograph shows Councillor Keith Ross (right) with college sixth form head Jerry Hardingham. Photo submitted.

Speak up on private water supply testing before November 3

PEOPLE and businesses on private water supplies in West Somerset are being reminded that the consultation on the Government’s proposed changes to the way their supplies are tested and managed will close in less than a fortnight.
The proposed new Private Water Supplies Regulations, in line with a 1998 EU directive, revise the standards for private drinking water supplies.
The key proposals include categorising private water supplies into three groups:

• Single private dwellings
• Small domestic supplies for fewer than 50 people
• Large domestic supplies for more than 50 people or serving commercial premises

Under the new legislation, councils will be required to sample more often and assess the risk of supplies.
Risk assessments will involve surveying the private water supply to minimise the contamination of source water, reduce or remove contaminants by treatment, and prevent contamination during storage and distribution to consumers’ taps.
The proposals aim to make it easier for councils to take action in the event of a problem, but also to resolve issues informally where possible.
The legislation covers authorisations, improvement notices, restriction notices, appeals, and charges.
More information on the consultation can be found on DEFRA’s website at www.defra.gov.uk/environment/water/index.htm, and responses should be sent to pws.consultation@defra.gsi.gov by November 3.

Survey asks residents for opinion on state of West Somerset

AGENCIES across Somerset have joined forces to find out what matters to local residents in West Somerset.
A new survey, known as the Place Survey, is taking place next month to ask people at randomly selected addresses for their opinions on the current state and their future hopes for the district.
West Somerset Council leader Councillor Keith Ross said: “It has been recognised that no single organisation can tackle complex issues such as reducing crime or achieving sustainable development without support from its partners.
“We hope residents welcome this new approach in identifying what matters to local people.
“We are asking people to complete the questionnaire and return it to us so that we can tackle the issues that people care about.”
Each district needs a minimum of 1,100 responses to validate its research.
The survey results will be available next January and the Place Survey will be carried out again in 2010 to track changes in perceptions and to monitor if any improvements have been achieved.
The West Somerset survey, which forms part of a national survey, is being undertaken in partnership with the five other principal local councils in the county, Somerset Primary Care Trust, and the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service.

Group wants to put old hospital to use as community and cultural hub

IDEAS are being sought for the best way to use the existing town centre Minehead Hospital after it is replaced by a new hospital on the edge of the town.
Minehead Old Hospital Group (MOHG), which was formed earlier this year, is asking people across West Somerset to contribute their thoughts on its proposal to make the hospital a hub of community and cultural activity.
The group wants to keep the historic listed building for the community and hopes the venture can be underpinned by sound private enterprise to make it a viable and sustainable centre for residents across the district to enjoy and also to provide an indoor attraction for visitors.
MOHG chairman Julian Luttrell said: “The hospital was built as a town hall in 1889, before it was converted into the Luttrell Memorial Hospital and, latterly, the West Somerset Hospital.
“Not only is the beautiful building based in the heart of the town, it has always had the public at the heart of it various functions.
“We would like to keep it this way, and we would like the support of people from the whole area if they feel the same.”
Web pages have been set up on West Somerset Council’s website so that people can track the project’s progress.
There are feedback forms on the page and the group would like to hear local people’s views on their hopes and aspirations for the building, and how they see it benefiting the district’s community in future.
The pages can be accessed at http://www.westsomersetonline.gov.uk/ by clicking on the ‘Minehead Old Hospital’ tab under the popular pages heading on the right hand side of the screen.
MOHG has plans to widen consultation opportunities for local people in the coming months to allow everybody with an interest to have their say on the potential uses of the building, and it will make details available shortly.
An economic regeneration strategy for Minehead and West Somerset identified a need to develop the area’s profile as a leisure destination with tourism, citing culture, arts, and crafts as major drivers.
MOHG group has raised approximately £20,000 in donations for a feasibility study into the old hospital site’s future.
Pledges for the study have come from all sectors of the community, including the Minehead and East Quantoxhead Trust, Minehead Chamber of Commerce, Somerset County Council, and West Somerset Council.
The South West Regional Development Agency, which encourages projects which regenerate local towns and their economies, has also expressed an interest in the project.
And the Grade 2 listed building’s current owner, Somerset Primary Care Trust, has not ruled out remaining stakeholders in any proposals which may arise from the study.
ARTlife chairman Ray Tew said: “As part of this exploratory work, we have also applied to Sea Change for further funding.
“Sea Change specialises in arts and cultural regeneration projects which will bring benefits specifically to coastal towns.
“If this extra funding is won, it would increase the scope of our feasibility study to include other sites in the town, such as the Regal Theatre and Blenheim Gardens.
“Either way, we are committed to exploring all the options we can for the old hospital.”
The hospital, which is in the Wellington Square conservation area, has a Gothic Revival façade which remains largely intact.
In 1898, the ‘old’ police station was built at the rear, and another extension for a nurses’ home was built in 1923.
Minehead Conservation Society spokeswoman Sally Bainbridge said: “It is vital that this architecturally-important listed building which was designed by one of Minehead’s foremost Victorian architects, Piers St Aubyn, is preserved and restored.
“The building has contributed to the cultural, social, and community needs of Minehead for over a century and we would like to see this valuable asset continue to benefit people across the whole of West Somerset.”
The aim of the feasibility study is to establish ways in which the hospital can be developed to play a significant part in social and cultural life locally.
The study will look at the possibilities of incorporating a library, exhibition and museum space, and community arts space, study rooms, and offices.
It will also explore whether the works and theories of Minehead-born author Sir Arthur C. Clarke can be celebrated, and there will be scope to look at commercial and residential aspects of any proposals.
Chamber commerce chairman Graham Sizer said: “We are not naïve and we know that it is hard for cultural and arts centres to make a profit, especially in these hard financial times.
“To underpin the project and make a good business case, we need to explore avenues that will help support the project in the long-term.
“If the study is positive, we will apply wherever we can for capital funding to buy the building and get any viable proposals under way.
“However, we do not want to see it struggle once that funding has run out, so we will consider any packages that will ensure the venture is sustainable for future generations who will live in or visit West Somerset.”
The group expects to hear next month if its Sea Change funding application has been successful.
Although it already has pledges of funding, it is still keen to hear from any other organisations which could be interested in contributing to the study.
West Somerset Council economic development and tourism portfolio holder, Councillor Michael Downes, said: “In the study, we hope to identify that the hospital can play a significant role in the regeneration of Minehead by providing a social and cultural hub, while also providing visitors with a focal point in the centre of town.
“The potential value of the hospital to tourism, as well as to the local economy, should not be underestimated.”
Minehead’s Somerset County Council ward Councillor Ian Galloway, said: “The county council has invested a significant amount in the regeneration of Minehead through projects like work and market space beside the railway station.
“However, we recognise that new opportunities like the hospital will come along and, if they prove to have social, cultural, and economic benefits for the people of West Somerset, naturally we would welcome them and pledge our support to help make them a reality.”
Engage CVS manager Katrina Midgely said: “It would be really exciting to see a range of services under one roof.
“If it is possible, the hospital could provide local people with the chance to experience a range of arts and cultural pursuits as well as give the communities of West Somerset a social centre in which to come together.”

• Our photo shows the present town centre Minehead Hospital. Photo submitted.

Vulcan Road - what you think about council plans

WEST Somerset Council has received a Statement of Community Engagement report from Consensus, the independent consultancy company appointed to consult with local people on the future of Minehead's Vulcan Road Car Park.
Consensus met with interested parties including the Minehead Chamber of Commerce, local pressure group DIRECT and students from West Somerset Community College.
There was also a three-day public display and consultation in The Avenue, one of Minehead's busiest thoroughfares, where local residents and groups such as Minehead Conservation Society had their chance to state their preferences on the car park's future.
The six options put forward included a range of uses and all included affordable housing, an hotel and parking for coaches, with the exception of Option 6. Nearly 400 people responded to the survey and the overall indications are:
OPTION 1. Mixed retail and industrial units 4.8%
OPTION 2. ASDA 15.6%
OPTION 3. Open A1 retail 8.8%
OPTION 4. Sainsbury 24.1%
OPTION 5. Tesco 7.3%
*OPTION 6. None of the above, but… 34.1%
Multiple Choice. (More than 1 option selected). 5.3%
*However, the report gives a health warning relating to the outcome of Option 6.
It states that people should note that the response to Option 6 is not a simple 'no' vote.
Instead, Option 6 aimed to provide respondents with the chance to reply to the question - if none of the above, what would they like to see on Vulcan Road?
The responses to Option 6 showed that some people wanted a 'hybrid' of one or more of the options, while others did not object to developing the site in principle but would like it to be used for a different purpose.
Very few respondents voted in favour of keeping Vulcan Road in its present form.
The aim of the report was to provide West Somerset Council with a qualitative insight into local people's concerns and aspirations for Vulcan Road.
The report also states that there is scope for a further 'hybrid' option, which may involve a combination of aspects of the current proposals and the exclusion of other aspects.
The council's acting head of paid services, Adrian Dyer, said: "The report is a useful insight into how the community would like to see the site developed.
"It also gives us a wider view of topics and issues that influence and impact on the community, and it may help us not only in this decision-making process, but may also help inform future choices in Minehead.
"The report has been sent to members and will be considered by cabinet on April 2.
"Full council will then debate any recommendations arising on April 16 at a venue to be confirmed."
The report is easily available on the 'popular pages' section on the front page of West Somerset Council's website at www.westsomersetonline.gov.uk.

Post Offices - the hit list

THE Post Office has finally announced which branches it intends to close in a review of the service across West Somerset.
Two villages will be left without a postal service at all, while three others will see their branches replaced by a mobile Post Office which will visit for as little as three hours a week.
Bicknoller and West Quantoxhead are the two doomed to be axed completely, while a mobile library-style service is proposed for Brompton Regis, Wheddon Cross, Kilve, and Lydeard St Lawrence.
West Somerset MP Ian Liddell-Grainger has vowed to fight the closures wherever possible.
Ironically, Mr Liddell-Grainger’s wife Jill is a voluntary worker in the sub-Post Office in their home village of Bicknoller.
The branch forms part of the village shop, which is owned by a co-operative of residents and runs entirely on voluntary unpaid help.
Mr Liddell-Grainger said: “I am deeply concerned about any rural service going, especially on the moor and across West Somerset.
“It is inexcusable that the Post Office allows yet another nail in the coffin of rural people.
“Every facility we lose, we become more and more like dormitory villages.
“I have already written to every parish council chairman and postmaster in the villages I am responsible for and I will find out what they want to do.”
In Brompton Regis, postmaster Peter Stringer said the closure would also mean the end of the village stores which he and his wife Jenny also run.
Mr Stringer said: “It will be the death of the shop because the shop cannot stand alone with the loss of income from the full-time Post Office.”
A public meeting is being held in Brompton Regis Village Hall on Friday evening at 7.30 pm for villagers to be fully informed by Mr Stringer of the consequences and to discuss the situation.
Mr Stringer said based on the original criteria used by the Post Office when reviewing its network, he did not expect to be on the closure list.
He said: “I assumed we would not be up for closure, being a remote rural settlement nearly 1,000 feet above sea level which can be cut off in bad weather and no public transport.
Mr Stringer said only last September he had received a 20-year long service award from the Post Office.
“Now, within six months they have given me my redundancy,” he said. “For me, it will mean unemployment and the search for another job, which is difficult in a rural community.”
Mr Stringer predicted the closure programme would see community facilities in many villages being lost as a result.
He said even if the decision was overturned as a result of the consultation process being carried out over the next six weeks, the ‘executioner’s sword’ would continue to hang over them.
“We would like to retire in two to three years’ time, but then we would know the Post Office will not renew the franchise and we would be left with a business which would not have any turnover,” he said. “You know you are on the hit list. You know if you want to sell on, they will not renew it.”
Mr Stringer said the mobile service which in Brompton Regis’ case would visit the village hall car park on Monday and Thursday mornings between 9.30 am and 12 noon, would gradually fade away.
He said customers would not be keen to stand in a queue in the rain when the weather was bad and many would in the meantime be forced to drive elsewhere to use postal services.
Mr Stringer said; “The Post Office is not all about making money. This is a Socialist Government we have, but unfortunately, they have very un-Socialist policies.
“They are ripping the heart out of this community for the sake of a few thousand pounds a year,”
The mobile service proposed for Wheddon Cross will visit the car park beside the Rest and Be Thankful public house for a total of nine hours a week, between 9.30 am and 12.30 pm on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
In Kilve, it will use the village hall car park for three hours on a Tuesday morning, from 9.30 am to 12.30 pm.
And in Lydeard St Lawrence, the village hall car park will be used for six hours, from 2 pm to 5 pm on Tuesday and Thursday.
West Somerset Council’s leader, Councillor Keith Ross, and economic development portfolio holder, Councillor Michael Downes, called on people to speak up for local Post Offices threatened with the chop.
Councillor Ross said: “Public consultation is underway and we will be expressing our concern.
“We would encourage residents in West Somerset to do the same.
“I have already taken up this matter with the Local Government Association, using the Post Office at Brompton Regis as a case study, and I will continue to campaign to keep essential rural Post Offices.
“While I understand that the Government needs to save money and promote efficiency, it should also look at the broader impacts that losing this service is likely to have on rural communities.”
Councillor Downes said: “In outreach service areas, current opening hours are likely to be slashed.
“Village shops and garages will be losing a postmaster or postmistress’s wage which will have a detrimental effect on the whole facility, and may mean that some community shops will have to close.
“This would be a bitter blow for local people who depend on the shops, garages and Post Offices, as well as the local economy as a whole.
“West Somerset has one of the highest elderly populations in the country and many people depend on these shops.
“People who are unable to drive will suffer, and the environment will suffer.
“Drivers will have to use cars to access services that are currently available on their doorsteps, which will increase the local carbon footprint.
“I would urge people to take part in the consultation and make their views known.”
Up to 2,500 Post Office branches are earmarked for closure across the country by the Government following a study which indicated that the public is not using the full range of services offered.
People can take part in the consultation, which runs until April 9, by sending their views in writing to the National Consultation Team, Post Office Ltd, FREEPOST CONSULTATION TEAM (no stamp is required).
The closures are due to take effect from July.
Post Office Ltd regional development manager Tony Jones said: “Taking the decision to close any Post Office branch is always very difficult and we know will cause concern to many of our customers.
“We want to ensure that everybody who uses, relies on or has any concern with Post Office Ltd services is both fully aware of the proposed changes and able to give views on them.”

Working together can save West Somerset environment - and the £ in your pocket

WEST Somerset residents can make a difference to their environment by working together – that is the message emerging from a climate change strategy being drafted by the district’s local strategic partnership.
Loretta Whetlor, chairman of the West Somerset Strategic Partnership, which commissioned the strategy, said the draft document also showed climate change was hitting residents’ pockets as hard as it was affecting the environment.
Mrs Whetlor said: “Because climate change is such a big issue, some people think they do not have the power to influence it.
“Our strategy shows that by working together, we can make a very real difference to the environment locally and our pockets.”
The strategy’s hard-hitting facts about West Somerset reveal:

• Installing insulation into 5,500 electrically heated homes would save the local economy at least £3.5 million and reduce CO2 emissions by 20,000 tonnes per year
• Currently, grid-imported electricity costs the district’s domestic sector an estimated £11 million a year
• Moving five per cent of households to wood fuel would prevent £300,000 leaving the district’s economy
• If 10 per cent of diesel transport switched to biodiesel, expenditure would be reduced by £1.4 million

The draft strategy showed climate change was happening - and happening now.
West Somerset should expect milder, wetter winters, while sea levels were predicted to rise.
By reducing CO2 emissions, West Somerset’s reliance on fossil fuel energy would also be reduced.
The draft climate change strategy, entitled ‘Developing a Low Carbon Economy’, explains the issues and suggests ways in which people can reduce CO2 emissions.
West Somerset Council’s economic development and tourism portfolio holder, Councillor Michael Downes, said: “Rising energy prices and climate change affect everybody.
“More than £60 million is spent on energy in West Somerset every year, and all this money leaves the local economy.
“We need to encourage cleaner, greener businesses, and help develop and promote eco-friendly tourism options
“Every person living in West Somerset can do their bit to help.
“By making relatively easy lifestyle changes, we can all reduce our carbon footprint.”
‘Developing a Low Carbon Economy’ has been sent to a wide range of consultees, from parish councils to big businesses.
Forum 21, which drafted the document, is keen to hear the views of local residents so that everybody’s view is considered and incorporated into the final strategy.
Lorna Scott, of Forum 21, said: “A lot of time and research has gone into the strategy and we feel it will be quite an eye-opener when local people realise just how much money and energy is wasted at the expense of our environment - much of it unnecessarily.
“Climate change is often associated with gloomy news, but our strategy shows how we intend to turn this challenge into a positive story for the people of West Somerset, our environment, and our economy.”
The strategy can be found on West Somerset Council’s website at www.westsomersetonline.gov.uk/climatechange.
There is a questionnaire which can be completed online, or downloaded and returned to Sarah Wilsher, West Somerset Council, Killick Way, Williton, TA4 4QA, or emailed to swwilsher@westsomerset.gov.uk.
The deadline for comments is Wednesday, April 30.
There will also be a series of presentations for businesses and the public on the draft strategy which include:

• For the business sector - Thursday, February 14, from 6.15 pm at the Queens Hall, Minehead, hosted by Minehead and District Chamber of Commerce
• For everybody - Tuesday, February 26, from 7 pm at the Forum 21 meeting in the Methodist Church, Watchet
• For everybody – Thursday, March 6, at a public meeting from 7 pm to 9 pm at Exmoor House, Dulverton.

Envision, a partnership of not-for-profit independent environmental business support organisations in the South West, is also running free training in February on how businesses can implement environmental measures, use sustainable design and construction, manage waste, and discover more about renewable energy.
For more information on the February training options visit www.envisionsw.org.uk or call 01823 366830.

• Our photograph taken on Minehead sea front shows (left to right) s Loretta Whetlor, Councillor Michael Downes, Lorna Scott, and strategic partnership manager Simon Hankinson. Photo submitted.

It's official - Tesco wants Aquasplash

SUPERMARKET giant Tesco has confirmed it is interested in buying the now-closed Aquasplash leisure pool in Minehead as part of a larger deal involving the town’s Vulcan Road car park site.
Following a story leaked a fortnight ago from inside cash crisis West Somerset Council, Tesco corporate affairs manager Tony Fletcher gave The Post a ‘categorical denial’ that the company had purchased the sites.
But Mr Fletcher confirmed the company had submitted proposals as part of the current consultation exercise over the future use of the Vulcan Road site.
Mr Fletcher said: “The company is awaiting feedback from the council’s consultation exercise and believes that its proposals for a larger foodstore, along with a much-needed hotel, coach parking, and further residential units, are essential to meet the future needs of both local residents and visitors to the town.
“A larger foodstore - comparable to that in Tiverton - will offer shoppers a wider range and more choice, especially of local produce and specialist foods such as organic products.
“It will also draw shoppers to Minehead from outlying areas, thus preventing them having to drive further afield to other destinations, whereas a second foodstore of comparable size to the existing one will not be able to offer such a wide variety.
“A new, larger Tesco would also act as a magnet to new shoppers and, importantly, to other new retailers as a result of the redevelopment of the existing store site for retail use.”
Mr Fletcher said Tesco looked forward to being part of the Minehead community for many years to come, irrespective of whether or not it was chosen for the Vulcan Road site.
He said: “Tesco’s existing store in Seaward Way has served Minehead for more than seven years, employing nearly 180 local people, and has played an integral part in the local community.
“During this time, the store has proved extremely popular to both local residents and visitors to the town.
“As part of our on-going process, the company is always reviewing its product range and store performance.
“The store is already handling more customers than it was designed for and thus is operating under severe constraints.
“This is confirmed in the initial feedback from a survey currently being undertaken among our customers which also suggests customers would like to see more locally-sourced and organic produce, a range of clothing, and a café.
“The full results of the Tesco survey will be published shortly.”
Council PR and media officer Stacey Beaumont said: “The council, like the public, has learned of this apparent interest through the media and has not had any contact regarding this matter from Tesco.
“In any case, we would like to point out that Aquasplash is not on the market and, with regards to Vulcan Road, no decision has been made or will be made until councillors have received and considered the consultation results.”

Delay in naming PO closures

AN announcement of which West Somerset communities stand to lose their sub-Post Offices under swingeing Government cuts in Royal Mail services has been delayed until late next month.
Public consultation is due to start in February on the proposed closure programme - but as yet nobody outside Post Office Ltd and the Government knows which services are at risk.
The Government has ordered the Post Office to cut its network of offices over the next 18 months by 2,500 nationwide.
However, it still wants to ensure that almost nobody in a rural area such as Exmoor is more than three miles from their nearest Post Office ‘outlet’.
So, it is proposing to replace some rural offices with part-time or mobile postal services to help meet the new standard.
Now, The Post has learned that a six-week consultation on proposed closures locally will not start until ‘towards the end of February’.
And the identities of the threatened Post Offices will not be made public until the actual day the consultation starts.
A Post Office spokesman told The Post: “What happens is that on the first day, in the morning, we will send out a press release which will give a list of the offices proposed for closure and a list of those proposed to close and have an outreach facility put in their place.”
The spokesman said no firm date could be given because the details of the proposals were still being prepared.
He said the process of engaging local councils, MPs, and the Postwatch consumer body in the programme had begun in December.
Campaigners fighting the cuts programme were not optimistic of any success, after hearing that only 10 of the first 230 offices earmarked for closure in other areas had been saved through the consultation process.
But West Somerset MP Ian Liddell-Grainger told The Post: “Whatever the announcement is, I will be fighting every single one in conjunction with the postmasters.
“It is not acceptable for an area such as ours, which has enormous rural tracts, to be deprived of services.
“The Government is well aware of my feelings already. I have made it plain to them in letters and meetings. I will continue to fight the issue.”

Chance to have a say in how to manage global warming threat to coastal areas

RESIDENTS of West Somerset are being invited make their views known on the future of shoreline management.
The district council is looking at devising a plan to manage the risks and help protect more homes and businesses in future.
A consultation on behalf of the North Devon and Somerset Coastal Authorities Group (NDASCAG) is currently being run by the Environment Agency in an area stretching from Hartland Point, in Devon, to Weston-super-Mare, in North Somerset.
It is part of a review of a 10-year-old strategy for managing flooding and erosion along the coast due to be completed in 2010.
The management plan will provide large-scale assessments of flooding and coastal erosion and their associated risks, with options for dealing with the risks posed to people and the environment.
Former chairman of Exmoor National Park Authority, Humphrey Temperley, who is now the NDASCAG and also Wessex Regional Flood Defence Committee chairman, said: “The coastline is going to come under increasing pressure over the coming years from sea level rise and increased storms due to climate change.
“We need to plan now for changes in the future. It is important that local people take part in the consultation. This is their chance to have their say.
“Climate change and sea level rise pose significant challenges. The Government spends large amounts of money every year trying to minimise the risk of coastal flooding and erosion.
“Because of the diverse coastline, the same approach cannot be used in all locations and we have to develop approaches that are appropriate to the area at risk.”
The NDASCAG is currently compiling a list of people and organisations which might be interested in being involved with the consultation process.
The aim is to compile a list of these stakeholders and then send out further details to them of the next stage.
For more information and to register as a stakeholder online, people can visit the website www.ndascag.org.

• Our photograph shows a typical summer scene on Minehead beach. Photo submitted.

It has to be Tesco - Vulcan Road and Aquasplash set to be sold

THE fate of the Vulcan Road car park site in Minehead looks set to be decided by West Somerset Council’s urgent need to resolve its dire financial crisis.
And The Post can reveal that the council appears ready to sell not just its Vulcan Road land but also its adjoining Aquasplash site, in a single giant deal worth up to £11 million.
The buyer is said to be Britain’s largest supermarket firm, Tesco.
Despite a supposedly ongoing public consultation by the council on the future of the land, the Independent-led council looks to have reached a deal behind closed doors.
The move would be a massive slap in the face to the public who voted out the last Conservative administration after a prolonged campaign by pressure group Direct against the council doing such a deal with Tesco’s main rival ASDA.
The ruling Independent group of councillors finally abandoned the previous scheme last November and ordered a new round of consultation with the public before making up their minds on what to do.
But five weeks after the consultation was carried out, councillors have not been given any results.
Council Media and PR officer Stacey Beaumont could not give any timescale for producing a report on the consultation findings.
She said it would happen ‘in due course’.
However, she denied that any decision ‘has been taken or will be taken’ before councillors considered the report.
The move would help to explain why the council’s cabinet has been so reluctant to try to repair and re-open the Aquasplash leisure pool, and why staff in Tesco’s Minehead store have been told the firm is buying it.
While councillors are thought to have started the recent consultation from a position of genuinely wanting to find out what the public had to say, their wishes look to have been overtaken by events.
The Post understands that council leader Councillor Keith Ross is under increasing pressure to bridge a £1 million funding gap after budget overspending by his administration in the past nine months.
In a bid to keep a lid on the escalating crisis, some councillors are even said to have been barred from receiving financial figures.
Nobody was available from Tesco’s press office to comment as The Post went to press.

More public consultation on new supermarket for Minehead

A NEW public consultation exercise is to be carried out to again test residents’ views on the future use of Minehead’s Vulcan Road car park (pictured).
The move comes as Independent councillors on West Somerset Council look for justification for backing out of an agreement for a supermarket and other units to be built on the site.
The Independents were elected on the back of a Direct-orchestrated campaign to stop shoppers in West Somerset being given greater choice of supermarket shopping.
Now, despite previous consultation showing people wanted Vulcan Road to include a supermarket - preferably ASDA - councillors have demanded development partner Chelverton Developments Ltd should further research the public’s views on six possible options for the site.
The consultation will be carried out by independent specialists, Consensus, which is owned by former Minehead student Mark Crosby.
Mr Crosby said: “Our task is to provide local stakeholders groups and the wider community with an opportunity to examine each proposal and then record their views.
“The feedback from the consultation will then be collated in a statement of community involvement and submitted to the council for their scrutiny and deliberation.
“It will be for them to determine which option, if any, best meets the future needs of the community.”
The exhibition will be open to the public at the former Ceci fashion shop in The Parade, Minehead, from 10 am to 5 pm on Saturday, December 1, and from 10 am to 1 pm the following day, Sunday, December 2, and again from 10 am to 5 pm on Friday, December 7, to coincide with the farmers’ market in the town centre.
Four of the options involve Tesco, Aldi, Sainsbury’s, or ASDA, each of which also includes an hotel.
A fifth option is for a smaller scheme of mixed retail and employment units.
All of the options contain some affordable housing.
There is also a ‘none of the above’ option.
All options will be displayed with a plan showing how the development would be laid out, together with an indication of the amount of money that each proposal would generate for the council.
Mr Crosby said: “I believe people want to be provided with accurate and straight-forward information about each option in order that they are able to make a properly informed decision.”
Consensus is also meeting with representatives of Direct, Minehead Chamber of Commerce – which is run by ex-Direct chairman Graham Sizer, Minehead Town Council, West Somerset Railway, and the West Somerset Community College.