"A TRIUMPH for common sense" was how one campaigner welcomed this week's district council climb-down over plans for a tourism merger with North Devon.
In what appeared to be a major damage-limitation exercise, West Somerset district councillors at Wednesday's full council meeting unanimously voted to create an in-house tourism marketing and development unit rather than hand over the reins to North Devon.
The decision was in sharp contrast to statements made by a majority of councillors over the last few months who had backed chief executive Tim Howes' call to merge the promotion of West Somerset and Exmoor with North Devon and Torridge by joining the North Devon Marketing Bureau.
But on Wednesday, those behind the controversial merger - which had attracted growing criticism from all corners of the tourism industry - were told that the merger was no longer feasible, for now.
All along the council had claimed the merger was the most likely option to receive European funding, while an independent marketing group for West Somerset and Exmoor was the most likely to miss out on Euro funds altogether.
But, in what could not have been a better timed or more convenient piece of news for embattled councillors, it was revealed this week that the all-important Euro funding had still not been allocated.
The full council was told that the decision on who received Euro grants, which had been expected before the end of the year, had unexpectedly been put back until April 2001.
Council leader Steven Pugsley also conceded in a speech to Wednesday's meeting that European funding may not even be given to the tourism sector at all.
He said the council had only learned of the delay to the Euro funding decision after the last cabinet meeting on October 2 and, as a result, it had put a completely different perspective on the situation and meant the cabinet's recommendation to back the merger was now no longer viable.
He said: "This decision has been delayed now until April next year or maybe even later. It may be that tourism gets no money at all. That decision will be far too late for the North Devon Marketing Board's AGM."
As revealed in last week's Free Press, members of the bureau would have had the final say on whether West Somerset and Exmoor could have signed-up for the merger and it seemed opposition to the move had been growing across the county border.
Mr Pugsley said the delay effectively meant that no start could be made on any prospective merger until 2002 which would leave the council and the industry in "a position of risk and uncertainty".
He added: "Practically and morally we must make a decision. We must maximise tourism in West Somerset and do it without delay."
He recommended that a new marketing development unit be set up within the council's existing enterprise and development department.
That unit would have an "underlying commitment to tourism" and staff would liaise and consult fully with members of the tourism industry.
One of their most important jobs would be to create partnerships with the public and private sectors, both inside and outside of the district, in order to maximise funding - something opponents to the merger had been calling for for months.
Ironically, however, the inclusion of such a phrase also leaves the door open for future merger negotiations with North Devon if the region was to secure European funding next year.
But as Mr Pugsley read out his recommendation, there was a chorus of approval from members of the tourism industry who had gathered to voice their concerns at the start of the meeting.
Exmoor Tourist Association member Ann Tacchi had warned councillors that if they followed the original recommendation to merge the result could "decimate" the region's tourism industry.
She told them: "The guardianship of the Exmoor brand rests with you. The industry does not want a shotgun marriage with North Devon, Exmoor being offered as the dowry.
"The industry looks to you to protect it from this proposed merger and, by working in partnership, improve the future economy of the area."
Butlins resort director Bryan Leaker said the council should work with the private sector and could not run the risk of handing over control of its tourism resources.
Chairman of Minehead Chamber of Trade, Mike Padgett, warned that the merger would inevitably dilute the famous Exmoor brand, while others spoke of the need for a dedicated marketing unit based in West Somerset.
Richard Hunt, acting chairman of the Exmoor Tourist Association, said: "Our association has always recognised the very special nature of our area and firmly believe that its future lies in a marketing partnership of the district council and the private sector exploring new ways to achieve more visitors to the Greater Exmoor area.
"We know that tourism is having a rough time of things, not the least because of intense competition at home and abroad, but we also know that those areas that are doing well are those that have forged just such a partnership that encompasses all aspects of marketing, including the local tourist information centres. So it should be in West Somerset."
Councillors who had long-supported going it alone and promoting West Somerset and Exmoor without the merger welcomed Mr Pugsley's announcement.
Cllr David Banks said he fully supported the "common sense U-turn", while Cllr Peter Humber claimed the change-of-heart was "more of a U-bend than a U-turn".
He said the timing of the Euro funding news had been "fortunate" for the council and he suspected it was more of a case that several councillors had suddenly realised they were about to make a very unpopular decision.
Cllr Simon Stokes added: "It is important to note that not one member of the public stood up and supported the North Devon option.
"I applaud the stage we are at now. It is right and proper that we go forward as a partnership."
Council vice chairman and former supporter of the merger, Cllr Colin Hill, said it was not a case of U-turning, but one of being prepared to back the option which was going to work.
He said a lot of discussions and hard work had gone into finding the best tourism option for the region, with the result that the council was now prepared "to put its money where its mouth is".
Councillors unanimously gave their support to the creation of their own tourism marketing and development unit, and asked for Mr Howes to prepare a report on the proposal for the next cabinet meeting on November 6.
However, one face missing from Wednesday's meeting was the district's tourism officer Tim King, who is the subject of an internal investigation over claims he was biased in favour of the North Devon option.
He was believed to have been in a different meeting in Taunton at the time.
Council spokesman Norman Staples said the investigation was still ongoing.