WEST Somerset District Council looks set to employ an "in-house" communications officer after conceding more needed to be done to improve trust between the authority and both the local press and the public. Councillors believed they would have more control over a staff press officer, having relied on the services of Wellington-based consultants M2S since June 2002. Members of the authority's performance committee were critical of the value for money offered by John Thorne, of M2S, and raised doubts about his parity after his recent appointment as editor of The Crier freesheet. In the most recent edition of the freesheet - which is owned and published by Tory district councillor Mike Padgett - Mr Thorne launching a number of attacks on local Liberal Democrats. Both members of the public and councillors said there was now a clear conflict of interests between his role as council press officer and his re- appointment to The Crier. Suspended Cllr Hugh Davies said it was clear M2S had not been up to scratch in the first place as a second firm of consultants, LivePR, had had to be drafted in by the council. He said M2S had not offered value for money and the council needed someone it could control, especially as Mr Thorne was now employed by The Crier. Williton resident and unofficial council watchdog Patricia Holden accused Mr Thorne of spreading "misinformation" and condemned his "grossly offensive and vitriolic attack" on Cllr Martyn Snell in The Crier. The publication accused Cllr Snell of bringing shame to Minehead by forcing the town council's original mayor-making ceremony to be postponed. It also accused former Tory John Malin of handing the Lib-Dems control of Somerset County Council by standing against Tory Cllr Colin Hill, in the recent county elections and branded district council opponents as "Liberal Democrat-minded people". Mrs Holden said: "I question the fitness of a man who puts that offensive, ultra-political rubbish in print to be in this council's employ. "The connection between the man's job here and at The Crier is known. "The article is perceived to be political outreach from this council. The Crier is now an in-house rag." Cllr Keith Ross said it was vital the council's press officer remained apolitical and criticised a £21,000 overspend on public relations and media services during 2004-05, which saw M2S being paid £30,000. Committee chairman Cllr Simon Stokes said Mr Thorne's publicly aired personal views would now make it virtually impossible for Liberal Democrat councillors to have any faith in him. "You cannot have M2S vitriolically attacking any members of this council and then expect those members to then be advised by him," he said. "The reason we employ a media consultant is to improve our image and I don't think that has been the case in the last 18 months to two years." He said there had been a clear "breakdown in trust" between the council and the local media and it was vital that it was re-established But while he accepted the time had come for an in- house communications officer to be employed, council leader Cllr Steven Pugsley refused to "denigrate the work done by M2S". "We must accept where we are and move on to a more positive outcome," Cllr Pugsley said.
