CASH-strapped West Somerset Council has rejected calls to partially lift a seasonal ban that makes most of Minehead beach off limits to dogs.

Campaigners handed in a 546-signature petition to the authority last autumn asking for a review of existing legislation under which only the section of beach beyond the town’s golf club is available to dog walkers between May 1 and September 30.

But although the council announced in April this year that it would carry out a three-month consultation to test the public’s views, the estimated £60,000 cost of the process has led to a change of mind.

And it has said that the seasonal ban was reviewed in 2012 and found to be effective, popular and working well.

However, Minehead town councillor Gail Everett, who was at the forefront of the campaign, said she was extremely disappointed by the decision.

“It appears that a 546-signature petition counts for nothing and a decision has been made without even discussing the issue with those who would like to see the ban altered,” she said.

“Basically, the council is saying ‘tough’ and has dismissed our views in a very offhand manner.”

Dog owners had wanted a stretch of beach from opposite the Arkade amusements to the harbour to be opened up all year round because they believed the available area during the summer months was too inaccessible.

“We have a lot of elderly people in Minehead and it’s really difficult to get onto the beach beyond the golf club,” said Cllr Everett.

“You have to clamber over some quite large stones and for many people this is just too difficult.

“Dogs are not allowed in Blenheim Gardens or the town’s recreation grounds so there are very few places that are available if you don’t have a car.”

Campaigners argued that the stretch they wanted to open up for all year round access constituted about a third of the total beach and was not the sandy section where most holidaymakers liked to sit.

And they had pledged to address health and hygiene concerns by setting up a community dog warden scheme to encourage dog owners to act responsibly and clear up after their pets.

In a letter to Cllr Everett, district council environment portfolio holder Cllr Martin Dewdney said the issue had been discussed at an environment policy advisory group in July.

He said he had looked very carefully at the officer resource in West Somerset available to implement a full public consultation across the district.

“It is estimated that it would take in excess of 100 officer hours to manage the consultation process and deal with the responses that would be generated,” said Cllr Dewdney.

He said that, in addition to the resource implications, there would also be the costs of two public consultations, including advertising, public notices, legal costs, paper, postage and printing, bringing the total bill to more than £60,000.

“There are also issues arising from the control of dogs on the beach if the ban were to be lifted, dogs crossing into other areas of the beach and whether any changes to the current dog control order is enforceable,” said Cllr Dewdney.

“In addition there are also public safety issues concerning dangerous dogs, environmental and health issues from dog waste and the cost of removal of dog waste and the cost of new signage.”

Cllr Dewdney said that at present beach patrols were being carried out by the district’s dog warden, checking for dog fouling and dogs running loose on the beach.

And he told Cllr Everett he was sure she was aware of the financial pressures currently faced by the district authority.

Councillors have admitted they are seriously worried about their future spending ability after Government-led changes to the business rates system resulted in scores of firms appealing their ratings – including the district’s most significant employer Hinkley Point B.

The nuclear power plant’s new lower rating will effectively cost the council £313,000 a year in lost income, with councillors having to find an estimated £565,748 in savings in total in the next financial year alone.

Cllr Dewdney said the financial pressures meant the council would have to focus its resources on its statutory functions.

“Unfortunately, implementing a full public consultation in response to the petition is not a statutory function and therefore not something that we are going to be able to proceed any further.”