A FARMERS' market is likely to be held in Dulverton following the success of a public meeting to explain the idea to townsfolk.

West Somerset Farmers' Market Association chairman Tony Woollaston spoke at the meeting, which was chaired by town council vice-chairman Cllr Chris Nelder.

However, town councillors heard at their monthly meeting it was likely to be next year before the first market could take place.

Cllr Nelder said the markets were seasonal because they were held outdoors.

He said farmers who took stalls would pay a rental fee to the authority.

Council chairman Cllr Pat Skipper said there was demand in other parts of West Somerset and the farmers would only be able to hold two or three markets in Dulverton.

It was agreed to organise a meeting for the town's traders to discuss the issue with the farmers before the first market was planned.

l Councillors were told a public meeting would be held in November to publicise plans by the recently-formed Dulverton Millennium Group.

The group needed to raise funds to help meet its running costs and to enable it to apply for grants.

Group chairman Tim Tarling said it was hoped to form a programme of events before the New Year.

Mr Tarling said ideas currently being looked at included the refurbishment of children's play equipment in the recreation ground and the Barnsclose play area.

"We realise this is very ambitious and would need to seek help from all community groups," he said.

An outdoor community picnic with live music and a weekend of events to make the year 2000 memorable were also under consideration.

l It was also reported the newly-formed Dulverton by Starlight group planned to raise £2,500 to pay for Christmas decorations this year.

Organiser Julie Abbott said 40 traders, businesses, and local groups had combined to form the new organisation after criticism of how the town looked during last year's festive season.

Mrs Abbott said there would be a real effort to make Dulverton "sparkle" for the millennium.

Christmas trees covered in hundreds of tiny white lights would be fitted outside shops and business premises through the town and a large tree would be sited at Kings Corner with star-shape lights to complement the traditional Christmas tree in Banks Square.

Late-night shopping would be organised on December 5 to follow on from an extravaganza day when Santa Claus would lead street entertainment, carol singing, and other activities.

Town councillors agreed to make a £150 grant to add to the £1,200 already raised by Dulverton by Starlight and appealed for anybody with donations to contact Mrs Abbott on 01398 323699.

l Further concern was voiced at the level of policing on Exmoor and it was agreed Insp Rod Price, head of Minehead Police, should speak to the council again next month.

Councillors were unhappy that local officer PC Colin Haddrell appeared to spend 90 per cent of his time on duty in Minehead.

They were also worried about what would happen in Exford now that PC Donny Osmond had retired and new PC Peter Hopkins did not live in the village.

County Cllr John Edwards said rural areas had to press for their share of millions of pounds promised by the Government for extra policing.

Chief Insp Richard Pearce, of Taunton Police, said in a letter the force was committed to providing cover for the Dulverton area even if it had to draft in officers from elsewhere.

He said the Somerset West division had been affected by long-term sickness.

l It was agreed to look again in November at car parking fees for next year.

Town clerk Tom Troake said the lease for the three West Somerset District Council-owned public car parks had been pegged at £15,000.

Mr Troake said a small profit had been made over the five years the town had run its own car parks but it had gradually dropped to a break-even situation.

He said the fees had not been raised for several years and were probably the cheapest in West Somerset.

Any increase in fees would cost the town authority several hundreds of pounds for the legal and technical work involved.

Cllr Mike Balsom said the town council took over from the district because it wanted to do a better job and to keep the charges down.

l It was agreed to pass concerns to South West Water plc and to district council environmental health officers about smells from a sewage treatment plant in Milhams Lane.

Cllrs Bernard How and Brian Allen reported on a tour of the treatment works during which the water company said it did not have any plans to improve it.

They noticed a terrible stench while they were there and understood a plan to install a scent device to mask the smells had failed.

Cllr Balsom said a £4 million new sewerage works scheme had been abandoned and there was now little hope of anything for many years.

l It was agreed to publicise emergency life support training courses to be held by the Westcountry Ambulance Services NHS Trust.

Programme co-ordinator Rachel Whitfield said the trust was working with Somerset and Devon health authorities and the British Heart Foundation.

She said the idea was to train at least 8,000 people in rural communities not covered by regulation requiring an ambulance to attend an emergency within eight minutes.