MINEHEAD'S hopes of taking the first steps towards realising an economy boosting vision for the future were dealt a major blow this week.

Plans to appoint an economic development manager for the town and commission a feasibility study to assess the potential for Minehead to win 'Business Improvement District' status failed to win the support of town councillors.

The council has been part of a 'visioning group', whose members also include local district and county councillors, as well as representatives of Minehead Chamber of Trade and other organisations.

The group's aim is to make Minehead a thriving prosperous, safe and attractive town by 2020.

It has come up with the idea of appointing an economic development manager for one year to "focus on the essential task of moving projects forward from inception to delivery".

The BID status, if secured, would involve a partnership between local councils and businesses with the aim of delivering projects or services to benefit the trading environment.

Businesses would be asked to pay an additional levy to help fund any schemes or improvements.

The estimated £25,000 to £30,000 cost of the manager and £10,000 fee for the feasibility study would come from a £200,000 pot of Seaside Strategy funding secured by West Somerset Council.

But at a full meeting of the town council on Tuesday, both proposals were rejected by a majority of councillors.

The only recommendation that won support was a move to see the work of the visioning group more widely communicated within Minehead to ensure that the views of all local stakeholders are taken on board.

Long serving Cllr Stan Taylor said he had been against the proposals from the start.

"We don't need a manager to tell us what needs to be done," he said.

Cllr Taylor said he was extremely worried at the prospect of earmarking between £30,000 and £45,000 at a time when it was unclear what services the town council would have to take over under 'delegation and devolution' plans put forward by the district council.

"I would rather see this money spent on grass cutting or new toilets."

Cllr Taylor said the visioning group had not been elected and questioned why money should be given to it for the proposed appointments.

One of the projects that could be taken up is a scheme to turn the town's former hospital into a community and arts centre.

But Cllr Taylor said he had grave doubts whether the money would ever be found to bring the scheme to fruition: "I have been in touch with the NHS and they want £1.25m just for the building.

"I would love to see the library, the town council and the tourist information centre in that building but in the present day there is every likelihood that we are not going to get the money to do it."

Cllr Taylor said the posts and work proposed were merely short term and would produce little.

"To spend this sort of money on this venture is an absolute waste at this time and we should just forget it."

Cllr Paul Grierson, who also represents Alcombe on the district council, said he had not been overly impressed with a presentation on the issue given to town councillors last month.

He claimed district council economic regeneration officer Corinne Mathews appeared to have worked out figures "on the back of a cigarette packet".

"There did not seem to have been a lot of preparation - she was either not doing her job properly or treating us with contempt."

Cllr Grierson said he had canvassed around 60 people in his ward and not found one in favour of the proposals, with most believing the work should be undertaken by the town council.

Under the BID status, businesses would be asked to pay additional charges but those in Mart Road and Alcombe were not in favour as they did not believe they would see the benefit of any improvements.

Cllr Grierson said he believed councillors should "throw the whole thing back to the visioning group - it is not viable".

Cllr Oliver Harvey also criticised the proposals as "too vague".

"They don't name any projects - we need to know what might be taken forward and what funding there will be."

But deputy mayor Cllr Marcus Kravis, a local businessman and former Minehead Chamber of Trade chairman, attempt some defence of the visioning group's ideas.

"The problem we have is that lots of us know what needs to be done but nothing happens because who is going to do it?" he said.

"If we don't get somebody externally to drive it forward, it won't happen.

"I don't see any other option."

But fellow businessman and newly elected Cllr Fausto Lalomia said he could see both sides of the argument: "What is anyone going to do in one year? We know that we need to generate jobs in the town but one year is too short," he said.

Cllr Les Smith, also a district councillor for the Minehead South ward, described the proposals put forward by the visioning group as too woolly.

"I would like to see some terms of reference," he said.

"Why can't they give us some examples of what the economic development manager would do and the projects."

And Cllr Ron Bridle, who claimed he was "kicked off" the visioning group because he disagreed with what was being put forward, said: "This is like asking us to sign a blank cheque."

Mayor Cllr Terry Venner said the district council had made it quite clear that the responsibility for allocating Seaside Strategy funds lay with it and not the town council.

"I find the fact they have chosen to remind us of that quite offensive - it is like saying we want your opinion but then we are going to throw it in the bin if we don't agree."