MINEHEAD’S former town clerk signed off a £13,000 contract for emptying dog bins without authority and without it being authorised by council members, the town council was told at its meeting on Tuesday.

After the previous town clerk, Sue Sanders, resigned in May, opposition councillor Terry Venner brought the payment to members’ attention.

He said that any bill over £1,000 should be seen and approved by councillors, and this was the first they had heard of the contract to empty litter and dog bins.

In July, it was agreed that the matter should be investigated and discussed at the August council meeting.

Cllr Venner said on Tuesday: “The last meeting was the first time we had been informed that this council had spent over £13,000 on a contract.

“I am not against the contract itself but I am annoyed that we didn’t have the paperwork in February or March when it was signed off.

“Once again, Minehead Town Council has breached its standing orders and financial regulations. Someone took the decision to sign off the contract without informing this council.”

Temporary town clerk Bryan Howe told Cllr Venner: “The only thing we can find is that Sue Sanders, the ex-clerk, signed the agreement and we can’t find any competitive quotes or anything else so we assume there weren’t any.

“The bin-emptying contract was for one year and, as far as we know, it was not competitive and it was signed by the clerk, who had no authority to sign that particular contract.”

Mr Howe added: “We have met with the contractors to see what the arrangements are and we looked at it in a way that we felt it was value for money although we haven’t got any comparisons.”