NO record of any meetings nor any legal advice sought ahead of the permanent closure of the B3191 Watchet to Blue Anchor road has been produced by Somerset Council.

Now, Exmoor farming entrepreneur and political campaigner James Wright has accused the council of ‘making it up as they go along’.

Mr Wright said the council had been forced to admit it held no official minutes of meetings nor of legal advice regarding the controversial permanent road closure.

The admission emerged this week after Mr Wright successfully overturned the unitary authority’s refusal to release key documents in response to Freedom of Information questions.

Mr Wright had sought internal correspondence and meeting notes which led to the closure decision but was blocked by the council.

Now, an internal review demanded by Mr Wright has seen it admit the original refusal was ‘incorrect’, resulting in the release of a ‘determination report’ which he said exposed a lack of basic governance.

Mr Wright said the decision to sever a strategic coastal road link was made without a single written record of any meeting.

He said: “Despite previously claiming the closure was ‘legally necessary’, the council admitted the permanent order was ‘handled by the service without the need for legal advice’.

“I forced the council to overturn their refusal because the public deserves to know how this decision was made.

“What we found is they closed the road without a single recorded meeting and did not even consult a lawyer before signing the permanent order.

“They are pinning their hopes on ‘fantasy’ money that does not exist.

“Plans shared by the local MP to get the West Somerset Lagoon to pay for a new road are decades away.

“Our businesses and residents need change now.

“It is simply not good enough to kick the can down the road while West Somerset suffers.”