COUNTY councillors were asked yesterday (Thursday) to agree the idea of moving the West Somerset Register Office from Williton to Minehead.

The switch would be a dent in plans for a £2.6 million West Somerset civic centre in the former Williton Workhouse.

A public inquiry which should cover the civic centre issue is due to start next month.

Somerset County Council wants to compulsorily purchase the workhouse building and ground to the rear.

It would then transfer the property to the Somerset Building Preservation Trust, which was recently awarded £744,000 of National Lottery funding to restore the site.

The trust in turn would sell on the restored complex to West Somerset District Council for use as a central headquarters.

The district council would have received income to partly cover its costs through a suggested relocation to the workhouse of the register office and other community facilities, such as Williton Police Station.

However, solicitor Andrew North told county councillors yesterday the workhouse project was a less certain prospect than moving the register office to Minehead.

Mr North said it could be housed in a social services-owned building in Parkhouse Road when its current use as a day centre stopped.

The day centre was in turn being relocated to purpose-built premises on the town's Mart Road industrial estate.

Mr North said: "The self-contained extension at Parkhouse Road could be converted into an attractive register office.

"Funds are available within the service to achieve this.

"It will be important to consult West Somerset District Council on this change of plan as it has been encouraged to expect the registration service would take up more space in Williton Workhouse than would be necessary if this proposal were to proceed."

Mr North said the present register office premises in Long Street, Williton, were of poor quality.

"While Saturday marriages have been allowed in the nearby district council chamber, it has been a long-term aim to relocate the register office to more suitable premises," said Mr North.

He said marriages could continue to take place in the Williton council chamber by licensing it as an approved premises, so providing a quality venue in both towns.

l Councillors were also asked to agree improved payments to register office staff who attended weddings in approved premises, such as hotels.

Mr North said last year there were 287 such marriages across the county, compared to 230 the previous year.

He said staff were already concerned about overtime payments and could become unwilling to attend ceremonies on Sundays and bank holidays.

Mr North said: "They have also made the point that expectations of couples have risen to the extent they need to ensure a very high standard of personal presentation for marriages.

"This in turn means they need to buy suits which are far more expensive than those for normal office work."

Mr North said the clothing issue was under review in several other neighbouring counties, but only Herefordshire actually paid a dress allowance.

It was suggested Somerset should drop its system of an hourly rate of pay and instead adopt Devon's idea of a fixed fee.

The Devon rates were currently £35 Monday to Friday, £69 for Saturdays and Sundays, and £104 on a bank holiday.

All fees were fully recoverable from the charges made to couples for each ceremony, which at present were £170 Monday to Saturday and £220 for Sundays and bank holidays.

Mr North said a small fixed sum of, say, £3 per wedding could be included as a notional contribution to the additional cost of clothing for staff.