THE postponement of road resurfacing work in Watchet sparked a major row this week with traders' leaders accused of exerting pressure to get it stopped.

The town council has fired off letters to WACET - which represents local shops and businesses - and highways chiefs after the resurfacing of Swain Street was put on hold until early next year.

At the authority's monthly meeting on Monday, it was suggested that an intervention by WACET chairman John Richards had led to contractors pulling out after completing resurfacing work in West Street at the beginning of October.

Council clerk Sarah Reed told councillors that it appeared the authority had been "totally bypassed" in the consultation process because Somerset County Council had failed to inform it the work had been postponed.

In a report to councillors, Mrs Reed said she had contacted David Peake of the county highways team to ask why the decision had been taken without prior notification or consultation with the town council.

She said an email from Mr Peake set out the reasons for the postponement - largely due to time lost because of material supply problems - but with no mention of any involvement by other parties.

However, she said a conversation with county council traffic manager Richard Newby had clarified that Mr Peake had made the decision based on consultation with Mr Richards.

Mr Richards was said to have raised the issue of a WACET meeting scheduled for October 5 at which representatives of energy company EDF would be present and the problems that people might have in getting to the town.

Mrs Reed said Mr Newby had said he would have preferred the resurfacing work to have been completed as it now affected the implementation of yellow lines in West Street/Swain Street.

Councillors backed Mrs Reed's suggestion that a letter should be written to WACET requesting that in future it liaised with the town council "on any matters that concern them with a higher authority."

In addition, the county council's head of highways Ioan Rees would be informed of the town council's dissatisfaction with how the matter had been dealt with.

"It must be emphasised that Watchet Town Council as the statutory elected authority must be given priority with regard to consultation and notification of highway issues affecting the town and not left to unelected bodies," said Mrs Reed.

Cllr Vincent Woods said he had been left embarrassed to find the resurfacing work was not being carried out after twice diverting visitors he was expecting away from the area.

"This puts us all in a silly position - we need to know," he said.

And Cllr Janet Tapp, the council's representative on WACET, said she understood the issue of the WACET meeting and complaints from traders had been raised with highways chiefs and was a deciding factor in the work being postponed.

"When I was a trader, you didn't have a say in what happened. It's hard enough to get things done to roads as it is," she said.

But Mr Richards told the Free Press that he had certainly not told the county council the work should be stopped.

He said the resurfacing work was supposed to have involved the closure of Swain Street and West Street for three days and nights.

But contractors worked for a day and a half and then were missing for the remainder of the scheduled closure.

"We were then told via a hand delivered letter that Swain Street would be closed for a further three days the following week," said Mr Richards.

He said a number of traders had complained to him because they were already concerned at the effect on their businesses.

In addition, he said he was aware of a number of meetings taking place in the town, including the one organised by WACET.

He received an assurance from highways officers that there would be access to the Royal British Legion building, where the WACET meeting was being held, but later was told that the Swain Street work was being rescheduled.

"I certainly never told anyone that the work should be stopped altogether," said Mr Richards.

"Some traders were annoyed that the disruption was continuing into another week, which had not been mentioned previously, and I passed their concerns and their complaints on.

"I act for the benefit of WACET members and that is what I shall continue to do.

"As far as consultation is concerned, WACET is and should be a consultee on these matters.

"It is only right that traders are aware when this sort of work is taking place."

In a statement, the county council said resurfacing work in West Street had been completed but time was lost with the progress due to material supply problems from the quarry.

"The delay was compounded by the amount of resurfacing work still to do on Swain Street and the working time available before the need to start the next scheme in the programme on the A39 at Porlock, which also involved a pre-booked road closure.

"As the work in Swain Street will require a temporary road closure in the evening, it is anticipated that the work is likely to be carried out between January and March 2011."

The town council has been told that the work will probably take place at the end of February.