PROSPECTIVE buyers of an empty building in the centre of Williton have been told they will have to resubmit their bids because the owner -West Somerset Council - failed to ask for enough information.

The property in Killick Way was put up for sale after the authority declared it surplus to requirements last year.

And the results of a sealed bid process were to have been revealed to a meeting of the council's cabinet next Tuesday (May 11) at which the successful bidder was expected to have been announced.

But the council's environment and services group manager Steve Watts has now had to write to the would-be buyers - believed to be nine in total - to tell them that the tendering exercise will have to be repeated.

Williton Parish Council was among the hopeful bidders and wanted the building for a new parish office.

In a letter to the council, Mr Watts said, because of the level of interest and insufficient supporting evidence provided with the tender bids, it had not been possible to select the preferred purchaser.

"The process will need to be repeated in order to ensure that we have made the most appropriate decision," he said.

"The revised invitation papers will request specific details on the regeneration aspects of the proposal and will emphasise how we intend to weigh the cost versus benefit ratio."

In his letter, Mr Watts apologised for the delay and said the new documents would be sent out as soon as they were finalised.

The district council had made clear previously that the winning bid would not necessarily be the highest, as any future use of the building would have to be of benefit to the community.

But parish councillors at their annual meeting on Monday expressed their "disappointment" with the flawed bidding process and said the district council should have made the situation clearer at the outset.

"I think we should express our dissatisfaction with the process and say that we are very disappointed that a decision has not been made," said Cllr Bill Vaughan.

And chairman Cllr Rosemary Woods described it as "bad organisation" on the part of the district council.

Cllr Diane Hooper said she was concerned that the confidentiality of the sealed bids could be maintained.

"The bids have obviously been opened and I wonder how many people know what they are," she said.

"I would hope that the council wouldn't be accepting any new bids and will only ask those who have already taken part in the tendering to resubmit."