WATCHET Town Council has demanded a full apology from the district council for the time the town has spent waiting for its new youth club.

An angry Watchet chairman Tony Bowden passed a motion at Monday's meeting calling for the work on the Memorial Ground club to be finished by no later than the end of September.

He said: "This has been going on for some considerable time now and this is on behalf of the young people of Watchet that we find it deplorable that the district council can take this long to raise the money.

"We call upon the chairman of the district council to give a full apology for leaving the young people of Watchet without a base for over a year.

"And we call upon the district council to use its powers to see that the youth club is open by the end of September at the very latest."

The motion was seconded and the councillors voted to have a letter sent to West Somerset District Council. Cllr Sally de Renzy Martin abstained as she is Watchet's ward member on the district council.

Cllr Roger Vincent said he sympathised with Cllr Bowden's sentiments but disagreed with his methods.

"We are likely to achieve better results if we approach the district council in a positive vain. Congratulate them but I feel confrontation is unlikely to improve the situation," he said.

Cllr de Renzy Martin told the council that funding packages take time and said that they were within an ace of obtaining the money.

But Cllr Bowden said: "This was promised to the town for the end of last year and it is now nearing the end of this year."

Cllr David Banks emphasised how vital the youth club was to the town, saying it was a "critical" community facility.

"We have a very important community service here in the youth club but we are coming back saying it is dependant on a funding package," he said.

"When I went to see the then chief executive of the district council Colin Rockall he said it would be put on fast track but along the way it has been dependant on funding.

"The club could have been done by last Christmas and as a result the young people of Watchet have become frustrated and deprived of their natural birth right."

l Councillors agreed it was "appalling" that they had been left in the dark over the appointment of Watchet's regeneration officer.

West Somerset District Council confirmed the position on June 23 but Watchet has not been told who has got the job of breathing new life into the town.

Cllr de Renzy Martin said the officer would probably need a few weeks to settle in and familiarise herself with the town and speak to people.

Cllr Vincent hit back: "What do you mean, does she have to be told where Watchet is?"

Cllr Bowden said: "I think it is appalling. When we spoke to the chief executive he said we would be told what was going on and in good time.

"It is just not good enough that anyone from this council nor members of the regeneration partnership were told."

It was proposed and seconded that a letter be sent to the district council to point out the councillors' grievances.

l Cllr Vincent said a report relating to dog fouling in Watchet in last week's Free Press was "incredible".

"I fail to understand the logic of employing dog warden staff if they are not going to do anything about the offenders," he said.

"Why put up posters around the town saying that dog owners could be fined if they will not?"

The Free Press reported that Watchet resident Sarah David was furious with the district council for dragging its heels after she tipped them off about dog fouling on the Mineral Line.

Cllr Bowden said he found it "absolutely amazing" that the the district council had never sought a conviction. "Do they want people to provide evidence or not?"

District councillor Jenny Hill, who attended the meeting, said the council could not afford to lose a case in court and had to be sure they

would get a conviction because this case was a very delicate issue.

She said she would be going with Mrs David to a meeting between with the council this week to support her.

Cllr de Renzy Martin said: "The only case that the district council tried to prosecute on a few years back was thrown out because it was perceived to be a case of racism.

"That has made them wary of how other elements can come into the argument."

Following Cllr Banks' recommendation, the council went into committee after the meeting to discuss the situation because he said there was "more to it that meets the eye".

l Disappointment over hanging basket displays around the town had been aired by shopkeepers and residents, said Cllr Bowden.

He said some plants on the Esplanade had been dug up and taken away, adding that he hoped the contractor would take the complaints to heart and do something about the floral displays because he could not be contacted by the council.

Councillors agreed they should give him seven days to reply or otherwise put the tender out to another contractor.