THE bill for repairs and rebuilding of the Watchet harbour sea wall at Splash Point, following its breaches in December and February, will be over £1 million.

Somerset West and Taunton councillors will be told on Tuesday that the authority will need to increase its capital borrowing and use general reserves to fund the costs.

They will be asked to approve a supplementary budget of £900,000 in borrowing and £106,000 from reserves.

West Somerset’s MP Ian Liddell-Grainger is pictured (right) being given a tour of the repair works at Watchet harbour by Somerset West and Taunton Council chief executive James Hassett.

Mr Liddell-Grainger said he was “hugely impressed” by the work carried out: “No-one should underestimate the effect the tides and weather in the Bristol Channel can have on hard sea defences such as this - and neither can we afford to stop monitoring and checking them on a regular and frequent basis,” he said.

“This is even more important now as we face the threat of stormier weather and rising sea levels. But the team at Watchet have really done a first-class job so far and I am relieved and pleased the new council has taken up its responsibilities so seriously.”

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