MINEHEAD Town Council has hit back at critics who have accused the authority of negativity and failing to support initiatives to boost the town's regeneration.

The council has been the focus of criticism by business leaders, community groups and individuals in recent months over a range of issues, with comments in both the Free Press and on social media sites.

Tensions spilled over last month when Minehead Chamber of Commerce chairman Graham Sizer publicly vented his frustration at the council's failure to actively support his organisation's funding bid to install decorative lighting in around 26 trees in The Avenue.

But this week councillors held an extraordinary meeting to counter the poor public perception of the authority and agree a response to the criticism.

In a statement issued after the meeting on Tuesday, they said they were extremely disappointed with the views expressed by Mr Sizer and others and did not recognise the "allegations" made.

Councillors said they had not at any time rejected The Avenue lights project and in fact had financed a pilot tree of lights outside the Regal Theatre at a cost of more than £1,000.

But a number of issues needed to be resolved before the project could be expanded, including electricity supply issues, licensing and ownership, maintenance and insurance.

Councillors said the trees were owned by Somerset County Council, whose arboriculturist had strongly indicated that the lights could not remain in situ indefinitely as originally hoped.

"This would incur prohibitive cost for removal, reinstallation and storage," said the statement.

"The town council look forward to hearing from the applicants how these issues will be addressed so that the project can be taken forward."

But at the meeting - before the statement was agreed - Cllr Terry Venner said he was unhappy at naming Mr Sizer.

"Sometimes you just need to accept things and move on," he said.

"What has happened has happened and you can't change anything - you have to work towards the future.

"I don't like naming people because it looks as though Minehead Town Council has a vendetta against certain people."

Cllr Venner said communication had been "lousy" on both sides.

But other councillors disagreed.

Cllr Paul Grierson said he thought the statement was "a bit light" and not hard-hitting enough.

But he said Mr Sizer was not the only person to have levelled criticism.

"It's not just one person making comments about Minehead Town Council - there is a slight feeling that we are picking on Graham.

"We have been taking a lot of criticism from West Somerset Council and members of the public."

The council's statement also attempted to clarify the authority's role in comparison with other local authorities.

"Minehead Town Council is not the authority to promote economic regeneration within the town," it said.

"This comes under the remit of West Somerset Council which has a dedicated economic regeneration team.

"Our main responsibility is to the people of Minehead, looking after the town's assets, for example the cemetery, allotments, playing fields, children's play areas and also supporting local organisations."

The statement said the town council also contributed to a number of other services, including CCTV and beach cleaning, as well as having to take on board services formerly provided by the county and district councils, such as weed spraying and grass cutting.

And it also faced having to fund at least £450,000 from its £700,000 reserves to pay for repairs to properties it owned, including the town hall.

Cllr Grierson said it was right that people realised what the town council had taken on and achieved in recent years.

"The regeneration of the business community within Minehead is a task down to West Somerset Council - not this council.

"They employ an officer at quite a high salary, with two other officers beneath, all working for regeneration.

"A lot of money is spent by the district council achieving not a lot and yet we as a town council are being criticised.

"We need to defend ourselves - it's not our duty, it's not our job and it's not our responsibility."

Cllr Ron Bridle said that it was not just a case of outlining what the council did or did not do.

"There has been a lot of misinformation in the statements that people have made about the council."

But Cllr Jean Parbrook said councillors did not want to look as though they were "spoiling for a fight".

"We don't want to fight with the residents of Minehead and we are trying to be positive - you can't expect the person in the street to know what different councils' responsibilities are."

Cllr Parbrook said some of the comments made by people about the council were "horrid".

"But I want to rise above that and be a better person."

The council also formerly adopted a new document outlining procedures for outside organisations, individuals and other councils seeking support for projects in the future.

This includes a questionnaire covering a range of issues, from whether the project contributes towards the town council's priorities to the demand or need for the scheme and funding details.