CIVIC leaders in Watchet are making a last-ditch attempt to heal a rift with the town's traders' organisation.

Relations between the town council and WACET have all but broken down in recent months following a series of disagreements on a number of issues, including tourism promotion.

The situation was so fractured that councillors decided to wait until after the recent local elections to decide if they would continue to send a representative to WACET meetings.

But on Monday, at their first monthly meeting since the polls - at which WACET chairman John Richards was elected as a town councillor - they voted to try and improve relations.

Cllr Richards - one of six new members elected to the council - left the room while the issue of appointing a representative to WACET was discussed.

Newly elected chairman Cllr Sally de Renzy-Martin referred councillors to the minutes of a finance and general purposes committee held in April.

They stated that the committee felt that, as the same officers had been re-elected to WACET at the organisation's recent annual meeting and that relations had previously broken down due to the chairman, serious thought had to be given as to whether a relationship was tenable.

Cllr de Renzy-Martin said there had been a decline in relations in recent months and, although the council appointed representatives to a number of outside organisations, it was not obliged to do so.

Cllr Janet Tapp, the council's previous representative on WACET, said 1she had hoped that there would be more harmonious workings between the two bodies.

"But at every meeting, something negative or detrimental was said about the town council," she said.

"We have tried to work together but it hasn't worked - I don't see the point unless something changes.

"We have tried to build bridges but all you hear is continually negative comments and it is not good for the town."

However, newly elected Cllr Linda Hart, who owns a shop in the town and is a WACET member, said she believed it was important that the council was represented on the organisation.

But she said she accepted there had been problems.

Cllr Michael Whetlor, also elected for the first time at the local elections, said half of the council's membership had now changed.

"Maybe we could try once more to work for the benefit of the town - we have to try and work together."

And fellow new councillor John Irven agreed that the relationship should be given one more chance: "It would be a great pity if we severed everything," he said.

Cllr Loretta Whetlor, who is also vice-chairman of WACET, reminded councillors that the organisation had 60 members - the highest number in its history.

"The relationship has broken down but my opinion is that we should try again - everything is worth another try."

Cllr Tapp said she would be willing to serve as the WACET representative once more.

"We could try it for three months - it will be a shame if it doesn't work," she said.