THERE was dissent among the ranks when district councillors were asked to approve setting aside £5,000 to help bring the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and the Red Arrows to Minehead.

The airborne attractions form the centrepiece of this year's second Minehead Summer Festival, which is being organised by Butlins.

But on Wednesday, members of West Somerset Council reacted with horror when they were asked to pick up the bill for organising road closures and additional street cleaning as a result of what they felt was someone else's event.

Williton member Cllr Eddie May said the district council was short of money and it was "diabolical" that Minehead Town Council was only putting in £750 when the event was being held on its doorstep.

"We have lots of events here and we don't get anything," Cllr May said.

Dunster and Timberscombe Cllr Alec Chick said it was unlikely Butlins would pull the plug on the event if they were told to find the £5,000, having already spent a good £21,000 securing the services of the Red Arrows.

Porlock and District representative Cllr Jon Freeman went one step further: "If Minehead wants to party, good luck to them. But it is unacceptable to dump the cost of a Minehead party onto the poor hard-pressed residents of places like Watchet, Porlock and Stogursey."

Cllr Les Smith of Minehead South said Butlins should be accountable for all aspects of its own event, from street cleaning to insurance and road closures.

"I don't see why the district and town council should be involved in paying for any of this," he said.

Cllr Richard Lillis of Minehead South secured the support of Minehead North member Cllr Doug Ross when he called on the town's businesses to foot any additional expenditure.

"It is local businesses who are going to benefit mostly from this show," he said. "We should put the question back to the chamber of trade and lobby members for payment of this £5,000."

Councillors were told the £5,000 was an "up to" figure to cover any unforeseen expenses and would largely be needed to cover the £1,500 cost of putting up extra signs for additional road closures and to pay for street cleaning services after the event.

In a report to Wednesday's full council meeting, Corinne Matthews, the district council's economic regeneration and tourism manager, said: "Although any required road closure would usually be the responsibility of the event organiser, neither Butlins nor the chamber of trade feels able to take this on at this stage."

Last year's summer festival attracted some 20,000 visitors to Minehead and this year's event on Wednesday August 10 is anticipated to be even more popular.

Although it is being organised by Butlins, West Somerset Council is a key partner, together with the Minehead Chamber of Trade and the Minehead Events Group - which includes representatives from the district council, the chamber of trade, the town council, the West Somerset Railway, SuperAct, Minehead EYE and Minehead Hoteliers Association.

The council's corporate director Bruce Lang said the council had not been asked to put aside £5,000 but officers were merely trying to "facilitate things".

"If you turn down this money, the council will have to say we cannot administer the road closures," he said.

In the event, nine councillors refused to vote on the issue and the remaining 12 voted 7-5 to go ahead and ring-fence £5,000 for the event.