COUNCILLORS in Watchet charged with reviewing a controversial order banning dogs from the playing fields and pitches on the town's Memorial Ground have pledged to keep an open mind on the issue.

A working group of four town councillors - Hazel Bowden, Ruth Gavenlock, John Irven and Peter Murphy - has met for the first time and confirmed that its remit is to form an opinion on the potential, or not, for reviewing the current dog control order on the land.

The review, which has been welcomed by dog owners, was announced after it emerged that the legislation which supposedly came into force in January had no legal standing because of an error in its wording.

The mistake was only discovered when the council was forced to abandon at the 11th hour its attempt to prosecute local resident Hester Groves after she refused to pay a fixed penalty fine.

The council has since amended the order and the revised legislation came into force last Friday.

Although it cost nothing to make the amendment, the council has racked up £2,400 to date in solicitors' fees in connection with the aborted prosecution.

It says it took advice on the original wording of the legislation from West Somerset Council, which is now also faced with amending legislation on a number of its dog control orders across the district.

But it says it is now questioning the advice received from solicitors in relation to pursuing the legal action against Mrs Groves.

A spokesman for the review working group said it believed adopting an open approach to the issue of the dog control order on the Memorial Ground was important.

"We are seeking the views of interested persons in an appropriate manner. Nothing is ruled in or ruled out at this stage," he said

And in order to provide clarity during the opinion gathering stage, the working group has also asked for the limits of the current order to be marked out.

Under the now enforceable legislation, dog walkers have access to just two sides of the ground but want to be able to use three sides as originally proposed by councillors when the order was first agreed more than a year ago.

During December the working group will invite interested groups to meet them informally to hear their views.

This will be followed by a drop-in session in the council chamber from 10am to 3pm on January 14 when other people will also have the chance to voice an opinion.

But local people can also made representation in writing to the council.

The working group is due to report back to the full council in February with its recommendations.