MINEHEAD Town Council is set to rejoin an organisation it pulled out of six months ago after declaring it had no confidence in it.

The Minehead Vision Group, whose members include representatives from the public, private, community and voluntary sectors, was set up in 2010 to drive the regeneration of the seaside resort after it was awarded £200,000 of Government funding to revive its flagging fortunes.

But town councillors claimed it was not fit for purpose and did not reflect the views of the people of Minehead or the town council, taking the decision to resign from the group in April.

However, this week they agreed to take up their membership again after hearing that the group was set to be ‘reborn’ as the Coastal Communities Team.

Vision group chairman Cllr Roger Thomas told fellow councillors that the town council would play a leading role in the new group.

He said that when he took over as chairman of the vision group last October there was considerable friction among its members.

“It was perfectly obvious to me that things had to change but it was like turning a ship around in the sea – you can’t do it on a sixpence.

“It takes time,” he said.

Cllr Thomas said meetings had taken place with Minehead Mayor Cllr Jean Parbrook to look at how the constitution of the group could be revamped.

And although much would remain the same, the key change would be that the new Coastal Communities Team would consist of Minehead Town Council and stakeholders.

West Somerset Council would only be responsible for ‘holding’ the £10,000 of Government funding awarded to the new group.

“The new set-up will put Minehead Town Council in a lead role,” said Cllr Thomas.

“It is a partnership but it will be led by Minehead Town Council who will be able to have a view on where the Coastal Communities funding is targeted.”

However, he said the council would have to rejoin the vision group to ensure its membership of the new group, which had yet to be formally created.

Cllr Parbrook welcomed the development and said the council had been wary in the past.

“There were faults on all sides but this is a brave new world now and we must move forward.”

And Cllr Maureen Smith, who represents the sustainability promoting organisation Transition Minehead and Alcombe on the vision group, said: “We are all working towards the same goals and this new group is a very good way of doing it.”