Appeal by police to help find vulnerable woman missing on Exmoor

AN urgent appeal has been made by police for people to help to trace a high-risk vulnerable missing woman on Exmoor.
Celia Speirs, aged 75, went missing from an address in Dulverton, where she was staying on holiday with relatives, on Wednesday afternoon (May 14).
Mrs Speirs, who is from Scotland, was last seen at about 4.30 pm in Milham Lane, in Musgraves, walking in the direction of Brushford.
She is described as a white woman of slim build, about 5 ft 2 ins tall, with straight collar-length grey hair, and wearing glasses.
When she went missing, she was wearing a navy blue blouse with short sleeves, a navy blue skirt, and navy blue shoes.
Police are concerned that Mrs Speirs suffers with a short-term memory and would not know the area in which she went missing.
Although she might appear confused, it is likely she would speak to people.
She has a Scottish accent.
In addition to police officers and police community support officers searching for Mrs Speirs, the Exmoor Search and Rescue Team and police helicopter were also involved in trying to find her.
Police were concerned because it was believed Mrs Speirs did not have a coat or jacket with her when she went missing and could be vulnerable in bad overnight weather.
They are appealing for anybody in the Dulverton and Brushford area who spots a woman answering Mrs Speirs' description to contact them immediately.
Anybody who is able to help should call Taunton police station on 0845 4567000.

Medals presented to Marines who fought in Afghanistan

ROYAL Marines from 40 Commando will today be awarded their campaign medals following a six-month tour of Afghanistan’s Helmand Province on Operation Herrick 7.
The Commandos will take part in a ceremonial parade in front of hundreds of friends and family.
The parade will be followed by a barbeque for the families, and a number of displays which aim to show the conditions in which the Marines lived and the kinds of tasks they faced while deployed.
The Royal Marines from 40 Commando, based in Norton Manor Camp, worked alongside the Royal Marines of the Armoured Support Group and their colleagues from the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm as part of 52 Infantry Brigade.
Lt Col Stuart Birrell, Commanding Officer of 40 Commando, said: “This day for families is hugely important to us because without their support we simply could not do the job we do.
“It is their letters and parcels that keep us going when times are hard and we have missed them over these past months.
“Today, we have a chance to thank them, with the entire 40 Commando community invited to join us at Norton Manor Camp.”
40 Commando took on the responsibility for Battle Group North in Afghanistan’s
Helmand Province from September, 2007, until April of this year.
They operated from forward operating bases in the Gereshk and Sangin valleys during which they conducted numerous operations and were instrumental in the taking of Musa Q’ala.
Lt Col Birrell said: “The unit worked extremely hard in challenging conditions over a long period, so I am pleased that families have an opportunity to see the men presented with medals they richly deserve.”
After the parade, the Commandos go on a second period of post-operational leave before returning to duty in late June.
The Marines will also parade through Taunton on July 31, having been invited to exercise their Freedom of the Town.

• Our photograph shows 40 Commando Royal Marines at Exeter Airport on their return home from duty in Afghanistan. Crown Copyright/MOD 2008.

Council offers exclusive 'walk on the wild side' for Exmoor visitors

AN exclusive weekend getaway for people wishing to ‘walk on the wild side’ is being launched on Exmoor.
Visitors will experience a red deer and Exmoor pony safari led by the National Trust, and can also enjoy an otter and bird walk in the stunning scenery of Hawkridge with the Somerset Wildlife Trust.
Exmoor National Park will lead a bee and butterfly walk over the moors, while Porlock’s unique coastal and inland flora and fauna will be explored with former park ranger Brian Pearce.
Blue Motor’s vintage Exmoor coach will transport visitors to the locations.
The weekend break is being organised by Porlock Tourist Association and Exmoor Events, and numbers are limited to 30 places.
Visitors are offered a choice of bed and breakfast accommodation in the stunning Vale of Porlock.
Lunches at the Lorna Doone Hotel and at the Anchor Hotel, overlooking picturesque Porlock Weir, are programmed into the action-packed weekend and included in the price.
In the evening, the Home Cook will be serving a three-course meal made from delicious local produce.
Exmoor Events organiser Jill Homewood said: “This is a fantastic, one-off opportunity to for people to experience many aspects of Exmoor and its wildlife.
“The walks and safari are led by experts so it is a great chance for people to learn what makes Exmoor so special.
“Places are strictly limited, so we are advising people to book early.”
The weekend break starts with guests arriving on Friday, July 4, and staying until Sunday, July 6.
The break, including all events, costs £195 per person. Accommodation is allocated on first-come, first-served basis.
To book, contact Porlock Visitor Centre on 01643 863150 or email porlockci@somerset.gov.uk.
For more information visit www.porlock.co.uk.
The new initiative to promote Exmoor has received financial support from Exmoor National Park’s sustainable development fund, provided by DEFRA and SWRDA.
It was organised by in conjunction with the Exmoor Events project, which is funded by the West Somerset Strategic Partnership and supported by West Somerset Council.

• Our photographs show (TOP) an Exmoor pony overlooking Bossington Bay, at Porlock, (MIDDLE) a view of Porlock Weir, (BOTTOM) a group of young red deer stags and hinds. Photos submitted.

Excursion trains and motorcyclists bring visitor boost to Minehead

TWO of the busiest days of the year so far were experienced on Saturday and Sunday by the West Somerset Railway as it welcomed 1,000 visitors on excursions to Minehead.
With the sun shining and its own steam trains also running with excellent loadings, the railway’s staff and volunteers had a busy build-up period and weekend which also provided an economic boost for other local businesses.
Saturday was enlivened by the arrival of two excursion trains from the national main line network.
Two Class 67 diesels worked a special from Altrincham on behalf of the Mid-Cheshire Rail Users Group, which was making its second trip to West Somerset.
The second train was a First Great Western local excursion from Westbury, Bath, Bristol, and Weston-Super-Mare, which was a charity fund-raiser for the Railway Children charity which helps orphaned and homeless children who live at railway stations in the developing world.
First reports suggested the special train, where First Great Western staff worked for free, had raised more than £8,000.
On Sunday, there was a return by the members of the Westland Vintage Motorcyclists, whose 2008 visit was in total contrast to last year - exchanging the hottest Sunday of the year for the wettest.
The bikers began their day with a snack breakfast at Bishops Lydeard station at 8 am before riding to Minehead, some by WSR trains and others on their own machines. The railway also ran a special train from Minehead to Blue Anchor and back for the club members, who, after spending time in Minehead, continued their ‘Spirit of the 60s’ day out with a run over Exmoor before heading back to South Somerset and Dorset.
WSR general manager Paul Conibeare said: “We had to do quite a lot of stock movements and shunting before the weekend.
“This was to clear enough space in the sidings at Minehead to allow us to welcome the trains and then keep their stock stabled while the passengers were enjoying themselves in the town and our own steam services were coming and going, bringing in more visitors.
“However, when we saw the platform full of happy faces it felt a very worthwhile exercise and a nice foretaste of the busy summer to come.”
The next special event on the Minehead Station platform will be on Saturday, May 24, when the railway will host a jazz evening featuring the Tone Valley Jazz Band. Later in the summer, the first of the year’s two steam-hauled excursions to Minehead will arrive.

• Our photographs show (TOP) two excursion trains and platform full of people at Minehead on Saturday. Photo by Martin Southwood; (BELOW) the First Great Western charity train passing through Crowcombe Heathfield. Photo by Cameron Walker.
  

New curator takes over at heritage railway museum

A NEW voluntary curator has been appointed by the West Somerset Railway Association for the Gauge Museum, at Bishops Lydeard Station.
Ian Coleby, who lives in Taunton with his wife and teenage daughters, has been a volunteer signalman on the West Somerset Railway for 25 years.
He has been a railway enthusiast since childhood and recently published a book ‘The complete history of the Minehead Railway from 1848 to 1971’ after more than 20 years of detailed research.
Mr Coleby said: “I am honoured to be appointed as curator of the Gauge Museum.
“I have been interested in the history of the railway and the local community for many years and this appointment provides the ideal opportunity to build on that.
“I look forward to building on the good work done in the museum in the past and developing it in the future.”
The Gauge Museum and visitor centre is based in the old goods shed at Bishops Lydeard station.
It houses a collection of historical railway artefacts and archive documentation connected with the history of railways in Somerset.
The goods shed was built in 1862 and thus provides an ideal starting point and interpretation centre for the many visitors to the railway throughout the year.
It is open whenever WSR trains run.
The museum is looked after by a small team of dedicated employees but new faces are always welcome.
Anybody who is interested in helping should contact the curator at Bishops Lydeard Station on 01823 433 856 or museum@wsra.org.uk.

• Our photograph shows Ian Coleby standing alongside a Great Western Railway 1897 sleeping car, which is one of the Gauge Museum’s significant exhibits. Photo courtesy of the WSRA.

Restoration of 700-year-old hall wins chartered surveyors award

PAINSTAKING restoration work on Clerks Cottage, in Spaxton, together with the owner’s social responsibility during its conservation last night saw the building project named as one of the winners in the South West regional heat of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Awards 2008.
Clerks Cottage (pictured) is a Grade II* listed 14th century hall which has been restored from extreme dereliction using traditional craft skills and locally-sourced materials.
Another local project also impressed the judges - Dunster Tithe Barn Community Hall, which was highly commended for the outstanding support of the local community in the rescue and restoration of the barn for community use.
The project at Dunster comprised the restoration and repair of the tithe barn and adapting it for life as a multi-purpose community hall.
The two projects were among four from Somerset which were recognised at the regional finals held in the Bath Pump Rooms and hosted by local broadcaster Bob Constantine.
Now in their 18th year, the RICS Awards celebrate and recognise exemplary projects across five awards categories - building conservation, regeneration, sustainability, community benefit, and project of the year.
The winning projects now have the opportunity to compete in the national final which takes place at the Millennium Hotel, Mayfair, on October 17.
Kevin McCloud, presenter of Channel 4’s Grand Designs, will host this year’s grand final.
RICS regional chairman Tony Westcott said: “The RICS Awards celebrate excellence in managing the wide variety of buildings that make up our rich built environmental heritage.
“The standard of competition for our awards, as always, has been extremely high.
“The achievement of these Somerset projects in winning so many of this year’s awards is truly remarkable.”
Clerks Cottage was a finalist in the building conservation category, where entrants are required to demonstrate particular attention to background research, the construction materials/techniques used, and the project’s long-term prospects.
It was also nominated in the project of the year category, which was sponsored by English Partnership.
Dunster Tithe Barn was a finalist in the community benefit category, where projects must demonstrate outstanding achievements in providing community facilities, and also in the project of the year class.

Steam train test as Britain's Strongest Man contest returns

HEAVYWEIGHTS from across the country will converge on Minehead sea front again next month to battle for the title of PartyPoker.com Britain’s Strongest Man 2008.
Last year’s champion, Terry Hollands, who is returning to defend his title, said: “I have been training hard and I am looking forward to the competition. I am definitely up for the challenge.
“It is great to be coming back to Minehead as it is a fantastic venue.”
This year, as well as lifting cars at the harbour and barrel loading on the beach, the organisers have set up a new challenge of pulling steam trains at West Somerset Railway’s Minehead station.
Terry Hollands said: “That really will be a test of strength.”
The event is sponsored by PartyPoker.com, produced by IMG Media, and supported by West Somerset Council.
It will be televised for Channel 5 and a series of programmes will be broadcast later in the year. Contestants will stay at the town’s Butlins resort.
Qualifying rounds lift off between June 7 and 9, with trials including tyre flips, chain drags, Atlas stones, and keg tossing.
The finals will be held on June 11 and 12 with the challengers lifting cars and pulling trains.
The presentation ceremony to announce the winner of this year’s Britain’s Stongest Man will be held on the beach.
District council economic development and tourism portfolio holder, Councillor Michael Downes, said: “We are delighted that Britain’s Strongest Man is returning to Minehead for a second year running.
“We are happy to support national competitions of this calibre in West Somerset.
“All of the events held on our land are free of charge and give a lot of pleasure to local people and tourists.
“The council are thrilled to bring this event back to West Somerset because of the boost it provides to tourism and our local economy.
“We wish the contestants the best of luck in this great challenge.”
For more information on the event, go to Britain’s Strongest Man website at www.theworldsstrongestman.com.

• Our photographs show (TOP) challenger Darren Sadler (MIDDLE) defending champion Terry Hollands, and (BOTTOM) challenger Ross Stone. Photos submitted.

School is a dinner winner for second year running

SCHOOL dinners at Minehead Middle School have been judged the best in the district for a second year running.
The school was named ‘District Winner’ in Somerset County Council’s annual ‘Best School Dinner Awards’.
The council invited all primary and secondary schools in the county to submit a description of a main course which they serve regularly, to find the ‘Best School Dinner’ in Somerset.
The Minehead lunch will now go head-to-head with winning secondary schools from the other districts in Somerset.
To find the district winners, menus were shortlisted on the basis of healthy ingredients and cooking methods.
Minehead’s menu featured beef en croute, new potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and gravy.
The competition judges, county council chairman Councillor Alan Gloak and healthy schools adviser Dr Kath Wilson will now visit all the district winners to sample the menus and select one primary and one secondary school winner for the overall award.
Councillor Gloak said: “This is the second year that we have run the ‘Best School Dinner’ awards and we are very pleased with the enthusiasm of the local schools.
“The standard of entries is very impressive and reflects our commitment to encourage young people to eat healthily and be active.”
The winning schools will be invited to an award ceremony to be held in July.
There were no primary school entries from either West Somerset or Taunton Deane.
The Sedgemoor district secondary school winner was Brymore School of Rural Technology, in Cannington, while Spaxton Church of England School was the primary winner.
Castle School, Taunton, was the Taunton Deane secondary school district winner.

Plastic and cardboard recycling starts - but not for us

PLASTIC bottle and cardboard recycling collections are being launched next week by the Somerset Waste Partnership – but West Somerset will miss out on the new service.
The partnership is trialling the much called-for service only in parts of Mendip, Taunton Deane, and Sedgemoor.
The Wiveliscombe and Bishops Lydeard areas also miss out on the Taunton Deane trials.
Those residents who are involved in the pilot rounds, which run until March of next year, will receive a new green box for cardboard and plastic bottles which has been designed to stack neatly on their existing green box used recycle paper, glass, food and drinks cans, foil, clothes, shoes, and car batteries.
The pilot service has been named Sort It Plus, and a series of roadshows to explain it will be held in the Taunton area on May 15 and 16.
Somerset county councillor and waste partnership chairman, Councillor Nigel Woollcombe-Adams, said: “The Sort It Plus trials will build on the success of current recycling collections in Somerset, by testing new service options and new collection vehicle designs.
“It is important local residents covered by the trials understand the new system, so all will be sent a service leaflet to explain the trial arrangements and we will hold roadshows to answer questions face to face.”
Taunton Deane Borough Council environmental services portfolio holder, Councillor Melvyn Mullins, said: “A lot of people ask about adding plastic bottles and cardboard to our kerbside recycling collections and the trials will influence the collection system introduced across Taunton Deane.”
The new service involves the collection of cardboard and plastic in addition to the existing collection service which comprises:

• Weekly collections of food waste
• Continued recycling collections for paper, glass, cans, foil, clothes, shoes, and car batteries
• Fortnightly collections for refuse
• Optional charged composting collections for garden waste

The Somerset Waste Partnership provides waste and recycling services on behalf of all local authorities in Somerset: Mendip, South Somerset, Sedgemoor and West Somerset District Councils, Taunton Deane Borough Council and Somerset County Council.

Vintage visitors add to busy time for heritage rail line

VINTAGE cars and motorcycles will feature on the West Somerset Railway during the four days from Thursday to Sunday of this week.
On Thursday, May 8, there will be a visit by a group of French Jaguar car owners who will be making a return journey on the steam railway between Bishops Lydeard and Williton.
At Williton, they will be met and given a guided tour of the facilities of the Williton Engineering Workshops which undertake a wide variety of engineering work on vintage machinery and includes cars in its work portfolio.
On Sunday, May 11, members of the Westland Classic Motorcycle Club will be visiting the railway as part of a ‘Spirit of the Sixties’ outing, taking a special train ride from Minehead to Blue Anchor and back as part of a day out which will see their vintage British motorcycles making a round trip from South Somerset and Dorset around West Somerset and Exmoor.
In between the visits, Saturday, May 10, will be notable for the arrival in Minehead of two excursion trains from the mainline network.
First Great Western is operating one of its High Speed Trains from Westbury via Bristol as a fund-raiser for the charity Railway Children, which provides care for abandoned children who have taken up residence at railway stations in the developing world.
All of the First Great Western staff on duty will be doing so on a voluntary basis to help the charity.
The HST is due into Minehead at 12.30 pm and will leave at 5.40 pm, giving its passengers plenty of time to enjoy their day at the seaside.
The second excursion train will come from further afield as the WSR welcomes back the Mid-Cheshire Rail Users Group, which is starting its day from Altrincham.
The train will be ‘top and tailed’ by Class 67 diesel locomotives and is due to arrive at Minehead at 2.10 pm and to leave at 3.45 pm.
WSR general manager Paul Conibeare said: “The range of visiting groups shows the growing appeal of the railway.
“It is a good tribute that we are welcoming back the Mid-Cheshire folk whose last visit was marred by problems on the mainline network, and the motorcyclists from Westlands whose 2007 trip was on the wettest Sunday of the year.
“Despite that, the West Somerset Railway obviously impressed them favourably enough to prompt a return.
“Two special trains in Minehead Station on May 10 will also make for a challenging day for the station staff who will have to work around shunting movements to make sure that rubbish is cleared from the coaches and the water tanks replenished during their time at the station as well as dealing with passenger queries, taking bookings, and other duties during the day.
“And in a final addition to the visitors on the Saturday, members of the Institute of Railway Signalling Engineers will be paying us a visit and looking around.
“It promises to be quite a day.”

• Our photograph shows an earlier visit to the West Somerset Railway by a Virgin Trains HST, pictured passing through Crowcombe Heathfield Station in 2005. Photo by Dr Peter Darke.

Exmoor micro-generation symposium leads the way on energy from local sources

NEARLY 200 people from all over Exmoor attended the E4Exmoor event held last Friday at the Ralegh’s Cross Inn and organised by the Exmoor Trust.
Both morning and afternoon sessions were packed with people from a wide variety of backgrounds - including householders, communities, businesses, and councils - to receive the best possible advice on the importance of local contributions of micro-generated energy.
Professor Sir Ghillean Prance, former director of the Royal Botanical Gardens, at Kew, spoke with deep insights of the importance of protecting the ecology and bio-diversity of Exmoor.
His attendance as a scientist of international standing demonstrated the importance of the Exmoor area, its habitat, ecology, and diversity.
Mukti Mitchell, a nationally-known expert on low carbon lifestyles, spoke about practical ways of reducing people’s carbon footprints.
Ben Eardley, from Renewable Energy for Devon (RE4D), was a mine of information about cost-effective ways to obtain sources of renewable energy.
Ian Bright, from Somerset County Council, described the authority’s approach to reducing low carbon emissions to meet targets and also covered the remaining technologies.
There were opportunities to raise questions on planning, funding, and all the technologies during a panel discussion and also with suppliers of equipment who displayed all types of energy generation, both of electricity and heat.
Because Exmoor has ample supplies of water, wood, and wind, there was considerable support for improving investment in water and wood.
The conference was an appropriate reminder of the significance of the need for local action to help preserve Exmoor’s unique environment.
Mr Mitchell believed it was the first such comprehensive symposium in the country and felt it should act as a template for a national run-out of such events.
Exmoor Trust chairman Edwin Beckett said that the rocketing price of fossil fuels would mean many people on Exmoor were likely struggle to avoid ‘energy poverty’.
He hoped the trust would continue to help advise on funding and drew attention to the easy reference aide memoire which was now available on www.exmoortrust.org.uk.
Because of the depth of feeling and enthusiasm in both sessions, it was considered important for an action programme to be followed through.
Therefore, a group met immediately to determine how best to carry forward the issues arising from the event.
Archie McIntyre, the business trustee who organised the event, said the success of the symposium was a great credit to the support from his fellow trustees and also to Edwin Beckett, their retiring chairman.

Slimmers' fashion show raises £300 for CLOWNS charity

MORE than £300 was raised for West Somerset charity CLOWNS from a fashion show held in the Hobby Horse, Minehead.
It was organised by the Slimming World girls at Carhampton with consultant Amanda, and Tracy-Anne Fraser, of The Frock Exchange, Minehead.
The evening was a great success with nearly 70 tickets sold, and it raised a total of £305.73.
The models were all from the Carhampton Slimming World group with sizes from 8 to 24 and aged 19 years to older than 70 years, all wearing new clothes supplied by The Frock Exchange.
The cheque was presented to CLOWNS at the Carhampton Slimming World group which is held on Wednesday evenings at 7 pm.
Ms Fraser said: “It was a great chance to show people that we do not just stock dress agency clothes but also brand new.
“The evening wear and wedding outfits were particularly popular with some of the models buying their outfits as they liked them so much.”
The event was supported by local businesses which supplied items for a draw, including Butlins, Minehead, which gave a one-year family pass worth £99.

'Deadly' Dudley romps to election victory

VOTERS in Alcombe gave a resounding expression of support for The Post columnist ‘Deadly’ Dudley (pictured) when they elected him as their district councillor last night.
Dudley Seale, who stood for the Conservatives, won more than twice as many votes as all the other candidates added together.
In a four-way by-election contest for the Alcombe East seat on West Somerset Council, Councillor Seale took 263 votes to claim almost 60 per cent of the polling.
He succeeded former Conservative Mayor of Minehead and Alcombe Nick Messarra, who stood down in February for family and business reasons.
Councillor Seale was already a Minehead town councillor, having won a seat in the full elections which were held in May of last year.
The other candidates were Independent Sandra Slade, who came second with 103 votes, Labour’s Ron Bridle, who was third with 42 votes, and Liberal Democrat Tony Bowden, who was fourth with 35 votes.
There was a healthy 41.3 per cent turnout for the poll, and only two ballot papers were spoiled.

Soloists delight audience with third concert

A THIRD soloists’ concert was presented by instrumental teacher Jeannette Owen at Alcombe Methodist Church.
The performers, ranging in age from nine to 17 years, were invited to the once-a-term event to reward them for their hard work, and to present certificates and give them the experience of performing before an audience.
Pupils taking part were Phoebe Baker, Stephanie Fox and Yolita Di Filippo (piano solos), Lauren Paviour (recorder solo), Felicity Midgley (clarinet solo), Holly Green, Ellie Stone and Maddie Wells (flute solos) and Abi Owen (viola solo), with a trio for flute, clarinet and saxophone played by Jeannette, Wilf and Abi Owen.
The programme included items such as Party Piece: Colin Hand, Largo: Loeilet, Pink Lady: Wedgwood, Fur Elise: Beethoven, and Meditation: Bloch.
Featuring in the concert for the first time was the Minehead Senior Flute Choir, directed by Jeannette Owen, with lively performances of Concertos 1, 2 and 3: Molter.
The choir members were Jessica Chaffey, Gemma Coles, Charlotte Dean, Rosie Gubb, Sophie Lintern, Abigail Munson, Ellie Stone, and Maddie Wells, accompanied by Wilf Owen on bassoon and Jeannette Owen on piano.
Music critic Eileen Ann Moore said: “They were all absolutely delightful, a credit to their parents and their teacher.
“It is good to see so many young people committed to their music, and it was easy to see why they were all invited to take part.”
More information about the senior flute choir is available from Jeannette Owen on 01643 702933.

• Our photograph shows the Minehead Senior Flute Choir performing at the concert. Photo submitted.

Council cabinet considers backtracking on non-demolition of offices

THE future of West Somerset Council’s current offices in Williton will be reconsidered when the authority’s cabinet meets next Wednesday (May 7).
The council’s purpose-built new offices nearby in Killick Way are nearing completion and staff expect to move in during early June
Previously, the cabinet agreed not to demolish the existing offices and to place the buildings on the open market for sale.
However, having learned more about the risks associated with such a move, and the provision of replacement car parking, cabinet members will next week be recommended to have the property demolished after all.
Risks which have now come to light include:

• The retention of the building could have a negative impact on the original works programme and on other planned work
• Leaving the building as it is, irrespective of its end use, is likely to lead to a demand for increased car parking on site which might exceed the amount which could be provided by purchasing other nearby land – whereas, if demolished, the site will be used to replace car parking spaces
• The retention of the building would require a retrospective planning application for non-compliance with a previously approved planning condition, and although normal planning processes cater for such a situation it was not considered to be good practice

In addition, if the building was retained and a temporary non-compliance approval granted, there would be a significant risk that a satisfactory deal could not be negotiated concerning the purchase of additional car parking land.
The council could then find itself in permanent breach of the condition.
This, in turn, might mean that even if temporary non-compliance approval was agreed, the council could find itself under extreme pressure to pay more than acceptable for additional car parking land and/or accept offers less than reasonable for the building.
The cabinet meeting will be held at 6.30 pm in the in the Council Chamber, Williton, and recommendations from it will then be put to the full council at its annual meeting on Wednesday, May 14.

Secret garden of Sir Christopher opens to public for first time

GARDENS of television fame and famous people are among those open to the public in the new-look line-up for the Porlock Open Gardens event, which starts next week.
Renowned author Sir Christopher Ondaatje is, for the first time, throwing open the gates to his special and hitherto secret garden, Glenthorne.
This unique gem of a sub-tropical terraced garden nestles into a cliff edge and features statues by Henry Moore.
Also open are gardens at Chapel Knapp, which have been featured on national television, while wildlife enthusiasts can enjoy Exmoor Natural History Society’s special wildlife garden at Larkbarrow.
Porlock Tourist Information Centre manager and event organiser Denise Sage said: “As well as the usual delights, this year we have enlisted the help of gardeners from ‘Porlock Outer’ so a host of new gardens are opening at nearby hamlets such as Bossington, Porlock Weir, West Luccombe, and Horner, many of which have never been open to the public before.
“Other gardens open over the weekend include Horner Mill, Worthy Manor, Pitt Farm, and Yearnor, as a many in the village of Porlock itself.
“We are blessed with some of the country’s most naturally beautiful coastline and countryside and we are hoping that more people than ever will come and enjoy these hidden gems.”
The gardens are open over the weekend of May 10 and 11 in aid of Macmillan Nurses and St Nicholas Church, in Porlock Weir.
Weekend tickets cost £4.50 for 23 gardens, excluding Sir Christopher and Lady Ondaatje’s garden, Glenthorne.
Tickets for Glenthorne are limited and must be purchased separately prior to the event as access to the garden is by a 25-minute mini-bus journey from County Gate.
There is no other pedestrian or private vehicular access to this garden.
People wishing to visit Glenthorne need to be able to negotiate steps, and rugged countryside and terraced walks.
Tickets for the weekend and the Glenthorne gardens are available from Porlock Visitor Centre by calling 01643 863150 or emailing porlockci@somerset.gov.uk.

• Our photographs show parts of Sir Christopher's garden at Glenthorne. Photos submitted.

Harbourside craft market opening in Watchet on Sunday

THE first of a series of new craft markets is being launched at the recently refurbished Esplanade, in Watchet, from 10 am to 4 pm on Sunday.
The market will host a wide range of stalls selling locally-produced craftwork, including jewellery, hand-made bags, wood craft and sculptures, paintings, and cards.
Market organiser Naomi Griffith said: “We are really pleased at the level of interest in the market from stallholders keen to take part, as well as local businesses and residents who have been really supportive of this venture.
“I hope that the market will appeal to visitors and locals alike and I am sure that the first market on Sunday will be a great success.
“I would like to thank West Somerset Council for its help in making this happen, and all the other businesses and organisations which have been incredibly helpful with their advice and input.”
Future markets will be held at Watchet Esplanade on the first Sunday of the month in June and July, moving to weekly events during August.
Miss Griffith hoped the market would attract tourists to the town and encourage more people to use the new-look Esplanade.
District council economic development and tourism portfolio holder Councillor Michael Downes said” “We are delighted to have been able to help the market and it is fantastic to see the Esplanade being used by local businesses.
“We think everybody will enjoy the craft markets, and that they will attract more people to Watchet, which will be good for the local economy as a whole.”

Busy times for golf club men

MINEHEAD and West Somerset Golf Club men competed in six different competitions during March and April.
The first Sunday in March saw 60 players competing in two divisions in the Ray Boddy qualifier, where the eight best scorers in each division went forward to compete for the Ray Boddy Cup in a knock-out competition.
The qualifiers from the two divisions were: Division 1 - A Webber gross score 82, playing off a handicap of 12, nett score 70, W J Perkins 82-10-72, W Knight 79-7-72, P Fullbrook 80-7-73, N Bangs 87-14-73, J Malarkey 86-12-74, P Baker 88-13-75, T Hardick 87-12-75. Division 2 - B Chaffey 93-22-71, I Gover 95-23-72, G Stone 96-21-75, D Hewitson 97-21-76, C Corbett 94-17-77, C Peters 96-19-77, D Coles 92-15-77, J Bird 97-18-79.
Sixty-three players then competed for the Martell Cup, which was played as a par competition where the players attempted to better the par on each hole in order to record a plus score, and each worse than par hole recorded a minus score. The player recording the highest plus score wins.
The winner of the Martell Cup was club champion John Fisher with a good +5 score, followed by: 2nd. D Hewitson +3, on count-back from 3rd: P Davies +3, on count-back from 4th: A Dover +3, 5th: W Brown +2, on count-back from 6th: B Waites +2, 7th: W Knight +1, on count-back from 8th:C Sidley-Adams+1.
At the beginning of April, thirty-six pairs competed in the first pair competition of the season, a club fourball better ball stableford competition.
In first place were K Babb & R Green with 24 points followed by 2nd: W J Perkins & T McGann 22, 3rd: B Hogg & D Bickerstaff 21, 4th: P Collins & S Clarke 20, 5th: M Gilbertson & P Baker19.
The Brown Cup having been postponed on Sunday, March 16, due to bad weather conditions, the first major cup to be competed for this season was the Spring Cup.
It was a fiercely contested competition with the winner and runner-up having to be decided on a countback with the cup going to the player achieving the better nett score on the back nine.
The winner was D Shambrook with a gross score of 81 off a handicap of 13 and a nett score of 68 (32.5 on back 9), from 2nd:K Murrell 72-4-68 (35 on back 9), 3rd: P Jenkins 89-20-69 (31 on back 9), from 4th: M Vickery 74-5-69 (31.5 on back 9).
The next best scores in each division were: Div 1: 1st: J Fisher 76-5-71, 2nd: K Babb 75-3-72. Div 2 -1st: M Gilbertson 84-12-72, 2nd: D Norman 85-12-73. Div 3 - 1st: D Hewitson 90-20-70, 2nd:B Hogg 89-18-71.
The second major cup to be competed for this season was the Grant Cup, again it was a very close thing with three players achieving a nett 68 score and the winner having to be decided on the countback.
The eventual winner with a gross score of 88 off a handicap of 20 and a nett score of 68 (30 on back 9) was G Hughes, from 2nd: J Fisher 73-5-68 (30.5 on back 9), 3rd: A Dahl 83-15-68 (33.5 on back 9), 4th: W Knight 75-6-69. Next best scores in each division were: Div 1 - 1st: C Keary 79-8-71, 2nd: P Collins 81-9-72. Div 2 - 1st: P Davies 85-15-70, 2nd: G Cunningham 84-13-71. Div 3 -1st: K Elliott 92-20-72 (31 on back 9), from 2nd: J Gunter 88-16-72 (36 on back 9).
Most recently was the Scorpion Trophy, where 44 pairs contested this popular better ball competition where the stableford points scored on the first nine holes were deducted from the number of strokes taken on the second nine holes, with the lowest scoring pair being declared the winners.
The scorpion ‘sting’ in the tail being that where on the first 17 holes only one of the pair’s scores counted, both had to count on the last.
The 18th hole at Minehead is a challenging hole and many a good round has been spoilt, so the winner of the competition was never certain until the last ball had been holed out.
The Scorpion Trophy for 2008 went to P Baker & M Gilbertson with 31 shots on the second nine, minus 25 stableford points on the first nine, giving a winning score of 6, 2nd: P Salter & J Coomber 31 – 22 = 9, from 3rd: T Hardick & J Fisher, 32 – 23 = 9, from 4th:B Waites & G Whalley 34 – 25 = 9, 5th:P Davies & R Lewis 33 – 23 = 10.
The first singles knock-out competition of the year was decided this month.
At the start of last December, 44 players set out to win the Dawson Thomas Knock-out Cup and the final was between Peter Baker and Paul Rees.
Both players had shown much improvement in their play over the winter months and a keenly contested final was won by Paul Rees.
Peter, who began the year playing off a handicap of 13 is now playing off 11. Paul, relatively new to the game of golf, is now playing off a handicap of 22 having started the year on 28.
May will also be a busy month for the Minehead club with seven competitions to be played and three single knock-outs in progress.

Community helps restaurant with graffiti clean-up

RESIDENTS in Wiveliscombe have been praised for coming to the rescue of a soon-to-open restaurant which suffered graffiti vandalism.
The Moorkhana restaurant in Silver Street is due to open mid to-late May, offering authentic Indian food cooked from family recipes.
But owners Mignon and Andrew Johnson were shocked to find that under the cover of darkness one night, vandals had graffiti-sprayed every window of the restaurant frontage.
Although some of the graffiti was particularly offensive toward the couple, Mignon – who is an Indian national - did not believe it was racially motivated.
And she praised local residents who expressed their disgust at the incident and who helped to clean the spray paint from the building.
Moorkhana is currently being converted from a former office and has already created an employment boost for the town by recruiting local staff.
Mignon said: “We have been overwhelmed by the kindness of our neighbours after this happened and quite a few of them came along and offered their help in cleaning it up
“It was quite a shock to see what had been done, but we understand that it was probably just the antics of some high-spirited youths who had been to a local party and had too much to drink.
“It has not put us off and work is now back on schedule for us to be ready to serve our first customers during the middle to late part of May.
“We have a CCTV system being installed in the restaurant and we will now adapt this so that if this sort of thing does happen again we will know who has done it.”
Moorkhana is still keen to hear from people who are interested in pursuing a career in the restaurant trade, especially anybody who could assist Mignon in the preparation of her authentic Indian cuisine.
Mignon said: “There is a shortage of curry chefs in the UK at the moment, so this would be a rare opportunity to acquire a culinary skill which is currently in great demand.”
The couple will be offering samples of their restaurant fayre when they take part in the Milverton Street Faire on the bank holiday Monday.
Moorkhana the trading name of The Saffron Kitchen, which built its reputation over the past few years through private party catering and regularly attending farmers’ markets in Taunton, Wellington, Cotford St Luke, Minehead, Exeter, Crewkerne, and Glastonbury, as well as by supplying select delicatessens.
The business has recently also been awarded five stars under the district council’s ‘scores on the doors’ scheme of inspecting food businesses, which means it is rated as having an ‘excellent level of compliance’ and being ‘highly confident in management of food safety’.
Moorkhana will be a family-friendly restaurant where children will be welcome. It also has a function room which can be used by local organisations. Customers will also be able to order takeaway dishes.
Any chefs who would like to work in the Moorkhana restaurant should contact Mignon and Andrew Johnson by telephoning 01984 623648.
More information about Moorkhana is available by visiting the website http://www.thesaffronkitchen.co.uk/.

• Our photographs show (TOP) Andrew Johnson cleaning away some of the graffiti, and (BELOW) some of the Wiveliscombe residents who have been helping with the clean up at Moorkhana. Photos submitted.
  
  

LETTER: MP criticism of county council 'is political strategy'

Dear Editor - I found your front page report on Ian Liddell-Grainger’s views (£74m venture, The Post April 24) where he implies by implication that the county council is being profligate with ratepayers’ money, very much part of a pattern; perhaps even what passes for a strategy of his.
He appears to be trying to undermine ratepayers’ confidence in the county council’s ability to manage the funds with which they are entrusted.
I am unsure why he has chosen this particular avenue of attack unless it is to associate the county council with the financial catastrophe that was the Conservative-run West Somerset District Council.
I think most people can spot the difference.
It is particularly ironic because during the entire, disgraceful period of the mismanagement of funds and priorities by the Tory-led district council, I cannot recall a single printed criticism by Ian Liddell-Grainger of the district council’s performance.
Had he done so, the outcome might have been very different.
The award-winning and innovative financial team at SCC belongs to all of us and has been independently audited as being a lynch pin of one of the top performing local authorities in the entire country.
I am all for constructive criticism by our Member of Parliament, but let us not begrudge success for political reasons.
Ian Galloway
Somerset county Councillor (Minehead ward)
Glenmore Road
Minehead