other council’s problems but, according to the report in last Friday’s edition re the current farcical situation with Minehead Town Council, Cllr Norman Hercock pointed out that “Dunster Parish Council had not had a parish clerk for nearly a year but had managed with a minute-taker”.

I do not not know where Cllr Hercock gets his information but I hope it is more accurate than this statement.

Dunster Parish Council has never held a meeting without a parish clerk in attendance. Indeed, when our last parish clerk left in April, we spent a great deal of time and work making sure that this did not happen as we knew that it was against the financial regulations.

We are only a small parish but we take great care that we comply with financial and other regulations and would not make statements such as Cllr Hercock’s without checking the facts.

Doug Challoner, Chairman, Dunster Parish Council.