A REFERENDUM or town poll could be held to decide if Watchet's railway footbridge - closed to the public for almost a year following fears over its safety - is replaced.

People in the town are likely to be asked to put their money where their mouths are as the town council considers taking out a one-off loan to fund the cost of replacing the rusting structure - estimated at around £130,000.

The money would have to be paid back by a special precept on Council Taxpayers in the town.

But the town council has made it clear that it would not consider borrowing the money until it had tested the feelings of local people.

Council chairman Cllr Sally de Renzy-Martin told an extraordinary meeting of the authority on Monday that West Somerset Council - which owns the footbridge - had asked the town council to fund the bulk of the cost of replacing it.

She said it was a question that had not yet been answered and the council was not prepared to make a decision until it had sought local views.

She said this could be done by holding a parish poll, which the district council was prepared to service.

Another option would be for the two councils to put together a leaflet, which the town council would be expected to distribute, or for the district council to pay for a leaflet drop through the Free Press's sister paper, The Trader.

Local people have been campaigning to get the much used footpath crossing, which straddles the West Somerset Railway line and in the past provided a safe route from one side of the town to the other, back in action.

Earlier this year the district council was presented with a 1,233 signature petition, representing 40 per cent of Watchet's voters.

A copy of the petition was also given to West Somerset's MP Ian Liddell-Grainger and the West Somerset Railway, which has pledged £9,000 towards a replacement bridge.

The district authority has the funds to demolish the bridge but has made it clear that it cannot afford a replacement.

It made the suggestion that the town council - which is not subject to Government 'capping' restrictions on the level of its Council Tax - could pay for it during recent negotiations between the two authorities.

But Cllr David Banks said his recollection of a meeting he attended was that town councillors viewed the proposal with "total disbelief."

He accused the district council of trying to "slide out" of its responsibilities.

"The people of Watchet would be paying twice and we said we would have nothing to do with it unless it could be proved by a full referendum, the cost of which would be paid for by the district council."

Cllr Banks said the district now appeared to be ducking and diving.

The salient points of the issue needed to be put to people properly and Cllr Banks said he would not support any "mickey mouse fudge."

He said the district council was not passing things over to the town because it was enlightened and wanted local people to have more control.

"It is doing this because it is skint and wants to pass off its responsibilities.

"If it can't maintain its responsibilities than it should declare itself bankrupt."

Cllr Banks said many towns and parish councils across the country were resisting a move for other authorities to offload costs onto them.

"I am not happy with this - it is a disgusting ploy and I will have no truck with it."

But Cllr Jenny Hill, who also represents Watchet on the district council, said if the town wanted the footbridge replaced, it would have to pay for it.

And Cllr Dave Westcott, another town and district councillor, said the district council could not afford to even loan the money, even if it wanted to.

"The important thing is to find out if the people of Watchet are prepared to pay for it," he said.

"It has been closed for almost a year and the sooner we make a decision, the sooner we can get on and put it to the people."

However, councillors stepped back from deciding how, or even if, they would seek local people's views until their September meeting.

Just seven of the 12 member council were at the extraordinary meeting and Cllr Banks - who called for the issue to be deferred - said a number of councillors who might have strident views were missing.