Further to the letter from Cllr Parbrook, the mayor of Minehead, regarding “demeaning behaviour”, I have several points to make.

In no way do I, or Cllr John Malin, make any apology for our actions in undertaking cleaning the toilet at the Jubilee Gardens Café and offering to do so again as part of a rota of volunteers.

We believe that it is our duty as councillors to be fully involved in our community for its benefit.

We both deny the allegation of self-publicity seeking and for the mayor to imply that councillors are demeaned by taking such action is a poor reflection on her vision of a councillor’s duties.

Surely councillors are there to serve their community in whatever way is needed, even toilet cleaning!

In the letter the mayor stated that “Cllrs Malin and Venner voted against taking over the public toilets in Minehead”.

She is absolutely correct in saying that we voted against the proposal that was put to a vote. However she is being disingenuous in saying we did not want to take over the toilets.

In fact, Cllr. Malin put forward an amendment that the council should take over the toilets but should have in place a written business and financial plan for their ongoing maintenance.

This would have reflected the council’s own financial regulations and there was sufficient time for this to be brought to the next meeting on March 30 and for the toilets to still be taken over before the visitor season.

When this amendment was defeated, both Cllr Malin and I could not support the council’s motion to take over the toilets without any business or financial plan, since this was a clear breach of the council’s own financial regulations.

However, at no time did we say or indicate that the council should not take on responsibility for the public toilets.

In fact, we are both extremely pleased that Minehead Town Council is taking on this responsibility and wish to support it in any way we can, provided it meets the council’s own standing orders and financial regulations.

Having looked at the minutes of West Somerset Council’s meeting of February 24 last year, it is quite clearly stated that Cllr Parbrook was one of those who voted to close the public toilets in Minehead in a cost-cutting exercise. In the same meeting, it can also be clearly seen that I voted to keep the public toilets open.

Since that meeting just over a year ago, I have maintained my support for keeping public toilets open and am still doing so as a town councillor.

Cllr Terry J Venner, Minehead Town and West Somerset Councillor.