A PUBLIC consultation on the future of a controversial paving scheme in Dunster – one of England’s best preserved medieval villages – has been slated as biased and a waste of money.

Somerset County Council has come under fire for launching a survey before it decides whether to replace blue lias slabs laid in West Street earlier this year as part of wider highway improvements.

But local people have reacted with anger and claimed that despite being assured their views will take a higher precedence than visitors, they have already made clear their preference to see the blue lias – criticised as urban and out of keeping – replaced with the Brecon Grey put down in Dunster’s High Street more than four years ago.

Cllr Bryan Leaker, who represents the village on West Somerset Council, said local residents had twice overwhelmingly rejected any suggestion of retaining the blue lias.

Yet the idea of keeping the existing footway as it is appeared as the first of four options in the consultation document.

“The survey highlights the advantages of keeping the paving – that there would be no cost to the community or the county council and that there would be no disruption,” said Cllr Leaker.

“And the only disadvantage is said to be that there was negative public reaction to it by some.

“In fact there was a massive local and national reaction against it.”

Other options include “stressing” the blue lias to darken it using a flame treating process and setting additional cobbles at the back, which would cost around £30,000, lead to a two-week loss of parking and close the footway to pedestrians for a similar period.

Option three would see the blue lias replaced with reclaimed Pennant paving stone but the existing kerb would again be flame treated to darken it and have a row of cobbles behind it.

This would cost an estimated £80,000, cause “significant disruption” to residents and pedestrians for between six and eight weeks and again lead to a loss of parking over the same period.

The advantages listed are that the existing kerbs would remain so the new road surface laid as part of the wider highway work would not be affected and that West Street would appear visually different once the work was completed.

The final option would be to replace the blue lias with Brecon Grey slabs, which would feature a similar mix of cobbles as in option three and result in a complete visual change to the street – but at a cost of around £100,000 and six to eight weeks of disruption and loss of parking.

Cllr Leaker claimed the survey was biased towards the ‘no change’ option and the whole document should be withdrawn.

“There has been no consultation over the format or content with either Dunster Parish Council or the Dunster Working Group,” he said.

Cllr Leaker said he had written to county council chairman Cllr Christine Lawrence, who represents Dunster on the authority, to highlight his concerns and his unhappiness with the council’s actions.

“There can be no confidence in the authority when it previously stated it would follow the wishes of residents and then issues another survey.

“The village feels it has been let down again.”

Dunster Parish Council vice-chairman Cllr Douglas Challoner said the solution to the West Street paving problem had been agreed between the county council, the parish council and the working group in July.

“The fourth option on this consultation document is virtually the option agreed in July so why is the county council going to the expense of distributing this document?,” he said.

Cllr Challoner also disputed the estimated £100,000 cost of laying the Brecon Grey slabs, claiming the scheme could be implemented for around half the figure, with a £10,000 contribution from the parish council and working group already pledged.

The consultation also includes a drop-in session in Dunster’s Tithe Barn next Wednesday (October 14) but Cllr Challoner said neither the parish council nor working group had been asked to give their views at the event.

“A question and answer format would have been a more democratic way of hearing all of the people’s views, not just those of the county council.”

Cllr Challoner said he was urging all residents to go along to the event, make their views known and vote for the Brecon Grey option.

And West Somerset and Bridgwater MP Ian Liddell-Grainger said the county council’s move was “an insult to the people of Dunster”.

“Why wasn’t anyone informed about this? Ignoring what the people want is an insult to the people of Dunster,” he said.

“It smacks of being underhanded and it takes us back to square one.”

But county council cabinet member for highways and transport Cllr David Fothergill insisted the authority was only seeking to be as open, transparent and inclusive as possible.

It was previously criticised for failing to consult fully over the decision to replace the West Street cobbles with the blue lias in a scheme that was aimed at improving pedestrian safety.

“After taking feedback on the West Street paving scheme earlier this year and acknowledging that our initial consultation process has room for improvement, I made the decision in July to agree to replace the paving, subject to a scheme securing the support of the community,” said Cllr Fothergill.

He said that as part of the process, the county council was now undertaking a detailed consultation with Dunster residents, businesses and visitors, asking specifically which of the four options they preferred.

“Over 750 surveys have been distributed throughout Dunster to ensure that all interested parties are made aware of the process and are able to have their view heard.”

Cllr Fothergill said he urged everyone to have their say by completing the survey online before the October 28 closing date at www.somerset.gov.uk/have-your-say/consultation-and-engagement/

“After this date the results will be analysed, helping to inform the final decision.”

Members of the parish council and working group were due to meet county council officers to discuss their concerns yesterday (Thursday.)