TWO dedicated parking bays will be created close to Minehead's new purpose-built visitor information and interpretation centre (VIIC).

The centre will also open longer on Sundays while staff will undergo appraisals, job descriptions will be reviewed and the possibility of new signs considered in a bid to improve conditions for both employees and visitors.

Members of West Somerset Council's cabinet were told about the changes when they met on Wednesday.

A review of operations at the VIIC was sparked after scrutiny committee members called for action at the end of last year.

They were told a lack of management, no parking and poor signage had all dogged the first 12 months of operation of the seafront centre.

Staff at the centre said they felt isolated from their new employers at West Somerset Council and were concerned the opening hours were wrong and the location was too remote.

Little guidance had also been given about budgets and staff were unsure how much they had to spend and exactly what they were allowed to spend it on.

The overall number of inquiries dealt with by staff had dropped since they relocated from the tourist information centre in Friday Street and the 'control' of Minehead Town Council to the new district council-owned centre on the seafront.

Of the inquiries they had had, some 90 per cent were from people simply popping in to ask for directions to the nearest toilet.

Cabinet members were told steps had been taken to try and monitor customer satisfaction, which included a new visitor survey to send out with brochure requests and another to hand out to visitors who called in to the centre.

The VIIC would also increase its opening hours to include Sundays from the third Sunday in May to the second Sunday in September inclusive.

Currently, the centre only opened on Sundays during July and August.

Cabinet members were told the additional opening hours would cost an extra £1,000 a year.

The creation of two parking bays would also cost £750 for new markings and signs and lead to a loss of £850 in car parking income.

Corporate director Bruce Lang said: "The majority of the points raised in the review have already been addressed, answered or given consideration and hopefully the cabinet will be content to endorse the action taken to date plus adding any additional suggestions/proposals.

"The overall funding position of the VIIC is somewhat fluid and needs to be kept under review.

"It is suggested that this be addressed at the end of the tourist season as part of the ongoing budgeting process."

But finance chief Graham Carne warned councillors that Minehead Town Council would not be financially supporting the centre in future,

meaning it would operate "at an increased loss".

He said the value-for-money offered by the centre could not be gauged "due to a lack of customer data, satisfaction indicators and benchmarking of costs".

Cabinet members were told VIIC staff had agreed to the changes in opening hours.

When the centre's problems were first raised at the council's scrutiny committee, Cllr David Sanders said it was vital VIIC staff were given a manager with tourism experience and said a lack of official leadership had led to concerns about the current opening hours.

He said staff felt the hours were both incorrect and too inflexible and had resulted in the centre being shut on one of the busiest days of the year in Minehead - the annual RNLI raft race.

Cllr Saunders said: "A clear management structure is not in place and the roles of the individuals working at the VIIC and within tourism are not clearly defined.

"This has left many of the staff feeling frustrated and isolated. The VIIC can sometimes feel as though it is a 'stand alone' operation.

"There has been a lack of consistent management since the opening of the centre, which has resulted in a perception of lack of decision-making."

Cllr Sandra Slade said a lack of free parking outside of the centre had contributed to a fall in visitor numbers but said hard facts had been difficult to come by.

She said: "We were asked if the centre offered value for money. We couldn't tell you.

"There wasn't sufficient monitoring in place to be able to tell you."

The then tourism portfolio holder Cllr Michael Downes accepted the seafront location of the centre was "not ideal" and said the issue of parking was still being considered.

He said: "I accept it is not so easy for local people to visit now, but the prime reason it's there is for visitors to help promote the whole district, most of whom pitch up on the seafront.

"We do need to do something to make it more visible and there is a need to bring clarity to the management situation."