THE cost of removing tonnes of sand blown by storms from the beach onto the Esplanade in Minehead could be up to £5,500.

Town councillors agreed their in-house staff should be used to remove the current accumulation to help keep the sea front clean and presentable during the summer months.

Council clerk Ben Parker said under the devolution of powers from Somerset Council last year the unitary authority was supposed to help keep the Esplanade clean.

But, he said that amounted to routine sweeping and did not cover significant accumulations of sand following storms.

Mr Parker said the day-to-day responsibility for keeping the Esplanade clean, tidy, and presentable rested with the town council, with the unitary authority looking after bins and lighting columns.

He said the town council’s amenities team previously carried out a substantial clearance of sand from the Esplanade in conjunction with the Environment Agency’s reprofiling works, enabling sand to be returned to the beach.

Mr Parker said: “It has always been the intention to adopt a more proactive and reactive approach going forward, preventing sand build-up from reaching levels requiring major intervention and maintaining a high standard of presentation.

“However, due to a combination of factors, including the wetter and milder winter, Environment Agency works to stabilise sea defences, and restricted access to the slipway, the planned follow-up clearance in March did not take place.”

Mr Parker said there were now ‘notable accumulations’ of sand in key areas of the Esplanade, particularly opposite the main entrance to Butlin’s and adjacent to the Trinity Way flats.

He said: “These areas are important access points to the beach and highly visible to visitors.

“The current condition impacts both accessibility and the overall appearance of the seafront.

“As a town that relies heavily on tourism, it is essential that the Esplanade is maintained in a clean and presentable condition, particularly in advance of the summer holiday period, which begins in late July.”

Mr Parker said the town council had an agreement with the Environment Agency for suitable material, after being checked for debris, litter, and other materials, to be returned below the tide line, which provided a practical method of disposal.

He said the options for sand clearance were to hire external contractors or to use the in-house amenities team, potentially through adjusted working patterns and limited overtime, supported by plant hire.

However, Mr Parker said the amenities team was currently operating at peak seasonal demand and any reallocation of their time would need to be carefully managed to avoid impacting other essential services.

He said: “The operational method, timing, and delivery approach will need to remain flexible to ensure the most efficient and effective outcome.”

Mr Parker said final costs would depend on the agreed delivery method, but it was anticipated the work could be completed within a maximum budget of £5,500, which could be covered by the relevant part of the council’s open spaces and recreation budget.

Councillors agreed to delegate powers to Mr Parker to organise the Esplanade sand removal using in-house staff.