ALTERNATIVE plans for a West Somerset tidal lagoon (WSL) put forward by the recently-formed Friends of Minehead Harbour (FMH) were not approved by members but could be a personal opinion like a ‘dictator’, a former member claimed this week.

FMH criticised a recently-proposed £11 billion scheme as not financially viable and not sustainable as a leisure-led vision.

The group’s alternative plan involved moving the project eastwards, reducing the length of the barrier, and cutting down the number of turbines.

When a report of the scheme appeared in the Free Press, harbour resident Debbie Allum, one of 70 people who had been following FMH on social media, said the plan had not been shared with the group but seemed the personal view of project leader Rod Scotney.

Ms Allum said: “When the article first appeared online, I contacted our project leader and asked him specifically how many FMH members had seen and agreed the alternative plans for the lagoon, as I had not seen or agreed any such plan.

“I said in the interests of transparency, any personal opinion or plan should be presented by the individual proposer and not under the umbrella of the FMH group.

“Mr Scotney refused to say who had actually agreed such a plan and it was not my place to question him.

“I have not spoken to a single person in the group who has seen or agreed any alternative plans for WSL.

“So, to be clear, an alternative plan has not been put forward to the majority of members of FMH.

“I have since questioned Mr Scotney on other claims he has made.

“He has refused to share any information with me.

“Other Quay Street residents have also questioned some actions, and some have been blocked from the group, including myself.

“If you question or disagree, you are removed from the group.

“I believe the whole article is the opinion of Mr Scotney, not the 70 or so FMH group Facebook members, and I would very much like to see specific figures and evidence to prove this was, in fact, a group plan, as is indicated, not the personal opinion of a dictator.”

In response, FMH gave the Free Press a statement which read: “FMH management alone selects and oversees all projects.

“Social media followers do not direct the group’s activities.”

At Mr Scotney’s request, Minehead Harbourmaster Capt Jessica Tyson was asked for a statement on the matter.

Ms Tyson said: “FMH is a community-based group which is trying to improve the aesthetics of the harbour area and work with the harbour authority.

“I am thrilled to get engagement from the community.

“They have been very helpful in suggesting ways in which the harbour might be improved.

“You are always going to get differences of opinion, but the harbour area is for all the community to enjoy and I do not think that saying ‘no’ to anything that is suggested is a very useful way of approaching things.

“Discussion is always good and I am hugely supportive of any community engagement.”