Row likely as Independents claim credit for Conservative projects

A POLITICAL row was looming in West Somerset after Independent district councillors elected only in May tried to claim credit for a series of economic development projects – all of which were started under the former Conservative administration.
A number of the now-trumpeted projects were bitterly opposed at the time when Independents and others on the council sought to attract newspaper headlines criticising the Conservative leadership in the months leading up to the elections.
Now, district council public relations officer Stacey Beaumont has issued a press release pointing out that West Somerset had secured more funding from Objective 2 transitional European Regional Development Funding (ERDF) than any other district Westcountry despite being the smallest council.
It followed the start of work on the development of the Barle Enterprise Centre, near Dulverton, and a £203,193 funding award for Minehead’s new Visitor Information and Interpretation Centre (VIIC), bringing the total of European money for West Somerset to more than £6.7 million.
The council’s economic development and tourism portfolio holder, Councillor Michael Downes, claimed: “We have completed, or are in the process of completing, 15 projects thanks to this funding.
“It has benefited a broad range of projects from developing local workspace, ICT provision and food links support through to tourism development via the organisation of events and festivals and the provision of the new VIIC.
“In all cases, the money needed to complete the project has to be at least doubled by the council and its partners so total funding in the district is much higher.
“For example, we have helped access £1.4 million for the New Horizons project but the actual investment by the council and its partners is in the region of £50 million.
“We know that businesses and tourism in the area need our support and we are doing our best to provide sustainable economic and tourism initiatives.
“We are also ensuring that local people’s social, health, and learning needs will be met by assisting with the provision of the new hospital, health complex, and skills and learning centre through New Horizons.”
The present leader of the council, Councillor Keith Ross – considered to have been an architect of many of the previous attacks on the development projects - said: “In the past we have been criticised for not delivering, but as this list shows, our staff have worked hard to deliver a substantial number of high-quality projects to help improve social and economic conditions for people and businesses across West Somerset.
“The workspace in Williton is nearing completion and work on the Dulverton workspace is now under way.
“Our staff are also putting a major amount of work into the provision of affordable housing for local people which is another area in which we are genuinely starting to deliver.
“We intend to build on our successes and prove ourselves as community leaders who deliver meaningful projects which bring social and economic benefits to the whole district.”
The list of projects for which credit was now being claimed included:

• Exmoor & Quantocks Foodlinks (£151,688) – project ongoing
• Exmoor Events & Festivals (£112,500) – project completed
• Rural Learning & Early Years Centre (£636,488) – project completed
• Williton ICT (£51,084) – project completed
• Stage 2 feasibility study into New Horizons (£25,000) – project completed
• Crisis loans for small businesses that suffered as a result of foot and mouth disease (£120,850) – project completed
• South West Wood Fuels (£81,450) – project completed
• Williton Workspace at Roughmoor (£788,672) – project ongoing
• Dulverton Workspace at the Barle Enterprise Centre (£806,711) – project ongoing
• Somerset Broadband (£180,960) – project ongoing
• Technical Assistance for the Broadband project (£84,349) – project ongoing
• Watchet Esplanade Enhancement (£138,380) – project ongoing
• Minehead Visitor Information & Interpretation Centre (£203,193) – application approved
• New Horizons (£1.4m) – application approved

The VIIC on the seafront at Minehead will replace the existing Tourist Information Centre in Friday Street and will be equipped with high-tech interactive touch-screen displays and will provide a centre of excellence for the delivery of tourism information, with the aim of attracting and developing potential and existing customer markets to support the tourism industry of the whole area.
Bridgwater-based H Pollard & Sons has been selected as the preferred developer and contract details are currently being finalised with a view to work starting shortly and being completed by the summer of next year.

• Our photograph taken at the start of work on the Barle Enterprise Centre shows (left to right) Councillor Keith Ross, Councillor Michael Downes, and site manager Jake Carless, of building contractors CS Williams Ltd. Photo submitted.

Britain's Strongest Man contest returns to West Somerset

AS revealed in this month’s The Crier, Britain’s Strongest Man 2007 competition is returning at weekend to Minehead.
The event, which is produced by media company IMG and supported by West Somerset Council, is being staged in Butlins and on the town’s harbour and seafront.
The return to Minehead of the popular event for a third time in seven years was brokered by former council economic development portfolio holder Councillor Nick Messarra.
The competition starts on Sunday, June 24, and qualifying events run until Tuesday, June 26, with the final events taking place on Thursday and Friday, June 28 and 29.
The qualifying schedule is:

• Sunday, on the seafront - the anchor, chain and duck walk starts at 9 am, with the log press at 2 pm, followed by the safe lift.
• Monday, at Butlins - the squat lift at 9 am is followed by the dead lift, with the shield carry at 2 pm.
• Tuesday, on the seafront and beach - the fingal fingers event is at 9 am on the seafront, with Atlas stones at 2 pm on the beach.

The final events schedule is:

• Thursday, on the seafront and at the harbour - the farmers walk starts on the seafront at 9 am, followed by two events at the harbour, which are the car walk at 12 noon and the dead lift at 2 pm.
• Friday, on the seafront and beach - the morning’s events are on the seafront with the tyre flip at 9 am and the overhead log lift at 11 am. The final event will be the Atlas stones on the beach at 2 pm.

Councillor Messarra said: “It is great to see this high-profile and fun event coming back to Minehead again and it shows all the hard work that I put in with the support of the council officers has been worthwhile.
“I believe the competition is being filmed for a television audience across Europe which will be in the millions, so all those viewers are going to be able to see what a wonderful place West Somerset is and hopefully they will be encouraged to come and spend their holidays here.”
Council market towns regeneration officer Pete Vallance, said: “We are keen to support national competitions of this calibre in West Somerset, so we are delighted that Britain’s Strongest Man has returned to Minehead.
“The council and Butlins have worked in partnership to bring this event back to West Somerset because of the boost it provides to tourism and our local economy.
“We wish all the contenders the best of luck in this great challenge.”
Darren Sadler, one of the contenders for this year’s title who also competed in the championship when it was last held in Minehead in 2004, said: “I am really pleased to be returning to Minehead to compete in this year’s competition. It is a great venue.
“I have been training hard and I am looking forward to the competition. I am definitely up for the challenge.”
More information on the event c an be found by going to Britain’s Strongest Man website at http://www.theworldsstrongestman.com/.

• Our photographs show (top) some of the competitors in the 2004 event, and (below) Darren Sandler, who is competing again this year. Photos submitted.

New councillors order eleventh-hour East Wharf rethink

NEWLY-elected Independent councillors on West Somerset Council look set to do a U-turn on aspects of plans to develop Watchet’s East Wharf.
Despite one of the council’s most extensive-ever public consultation exercises, it has now ordered a rethink following an eleventh-hour protest campaign by some town residents.
Together with developers Urban Splash, the council is giving ‘further consideration’ to design aspects of the £12 million scheme.
Objectors were about to force a parish poll to be held on the subject, which would have cost Watchet council taxpayers around £2,000.
However, they have now agreed to postpone the move while the council looks again at the proposals for development.
The development is due to start next spring and at the moment includes 86 one and two-bedroom apartments, commercial space designed to accommodate a bistro and retail units, and community space which could be used to accommodate a museum/cultural area, meeting rooms, and town council and tourist information offices.
There will also be some retail space and enhanced facilities for the marina, including offices, a laundry, and changing rooms.
Council corporate director Adrian Dyer said: “As we have said, consultation with the public and stakeholders is an ongoing process.
“We have had some constructive meetings in recent weeks and we are going to take some time out to consider new information that has come forward.
“The planning application will not be put to the planning committee for determination before the end of June at the earliest, which will give us time to reappraise certain elements if it proves to be in the best interests of the public, marina users, and the development itself.”
Watchet ward Councillor Tony Knight said: “There has already been extensive consultation regarding the development, and we feel it should be recognised that even at this late stage, the council and developers are still willing to listen to ideas that may further improve the viability of the scheme.
“We have been disappointed because it appears that misleading information regarding the development has been circulated.
“However, recent discussions have been able to allay some of the misconceptions.
“It is positive for the project that the council and Urban Splash are continuing to consult with us and other stakeholders over the various issues raised.”
Artist’s impression of the East Wharf development submitted.

East Wharf consultation proves constructive

A PUBLIC information event in Watchet to unveil new enhancements to a planned multi-million pounds East Wharf regeneration project has been hailed a success.
West Somerset Council project manager, Adrian Dyer said: “The event was really constructive and we were delighted by the level of public interest in the scheme.
“People raised various points and it proved to be really useful to have the developer and architects on hand to answer questions.
“A recurring theme raised by local people is whether parking in town will become a problem as it is anticipated the East Wharf development will draw many more visitors to Watchet.
“While this is great for the local economy, we now need to consider the scheme’s impact on future parking arrangements.”
Urban Splash, the scheme’s developer, has financed enhancements on site to ensure the residential, commercial, and retail elements of the East Wharf can function independently of, but in harmony with, the day-to-day activities of a working marina.
The enhancements include:

• Provision of new, flexible boat storage and car parking arrangements in Harbour Road car park
  
• Improvement works to the current boat museum building to allow its conversion as a boat workshop
  
• Demolition and relocation of the taxi kiosk at the entrance to Harbour Road
  
• Purchasing associated installation site works for a fixed boat hoist, including a tractor and trailer/cradle
  
• Works to reconfigure and enhance Swain Street car park, including the proposed demolition of existing garages and public conveniences
  
• Provision of a new bus stop, coach parking, and a new taxi kiosk and associated taxi rank
  
• Replacement public conveniences

Mr Dyer said: “We would like to thank everybody who came to the event.
“We are collating the feedback we received and this will be used to plan ahead so that local people and visitors will all benefit from the rewards that a revitalised East Wharf will bring to Watchet.”
The multi-million pounds scheme is scheduled to start in the spring of next year and is set to transform East Wharf.
The scheme includes 86 one and two-bedroom apartments, commercial space designed to accommodate a bistro and retail units, and community space.
There will be enhanced facilities for the marina, including new offices, laundry, and changing rooms.

• The image above is an artist’s impression of the completed East Wharf development. Image submitted.

£1.75 million business units development underway

WORK has started on redeveloping the former Wrigleys factory site, on the Roughmoor Industrial Estate, in Williton, into 14 new workspace units.
Members of West Somerset Council were on hand to watch the start of the £1.75 million regeneration project, which will create opportunities for start-up businesses and those which want to expand.
The council’s economic development portfolio holder, Councillor Nick Messarra, said: “West Somerset Council has invested over a million pounds in this project, which we believe will transform opportunities for small and medium sized enterprises in the area.
“It is one of a number of workspace developments in West Somerset that will benefit local businesses, residents, and the economy.”
The new workspace has been designed to allow a high degree of flexibility in layout in order to accommodate a wide range of tenants over a prolonged period.
The premises will be serviced, meaning somebody will be on hand to deal with visitors.
There will also be meeting rooms, and all tenants will have access to the Connecting Somerset IT support grant scheme.
Units ranging in size from 495 to 2,260 square feet are being provided in the redevelopment, and estate agent Alder King is putting together a lettings package for prospective tenants.
The development is being carried out for the council by Taunton-based builders Rok, whose area director, Chris Hyde, said: “This is a significant contract for Rok and we are delighted to be bringing our refurbishment and new build expertise to the project.
“It will create much-needed high quality workspace in West Somerset and set high environmental standards by regenerating a brownfield site.”
Williton ward Councillor Eddie May said: “The site had been deteriorating over the last few years and we are delighted that, by refurbishing some parts of the site and demolishing and rebuilding others, we will be able to provide businesses and the local economy with the boost it needs.
“Our contactors, Rok, will be meeting BREEAM energy efficiency standards, which means the project will use sustainable building materials and minimise any impact on the environment.”
The balance of the Wrigleys project funding comes from the European Regeneration Development Fund South West Objective 2.

• Our photograph taken on the Wrigleys site shows (left to right) Atisreal project manager Nathan Heavens, Hugh Davies, Councillor Eddie May, council market towns regeneration officer Pete Vallance, Rok contract team leader Colin Ayres, and Councillor Nick Messarra. Photo by Steve Guscott.