SIR — The district council's key sites policy is in a mess. One way to begin sorting it out is to reconsider the decision to relocate its offices in Minehead. This is a move which needs to be questioned. Why do we need a new site? The existing site in Williton seems an adequate size and could be further developed and improved. Staying there would save a substantial amount of money that would otherwise be spent on a new building. In addition, removal of the need to find a new site would simplify the key sites issue. There would be no need to use a valuable car park, leisure or tourist site for new offices. Why do the offices need to be centralised in one location. Surely, in these days of email and other electronic communications, organisations can operate effectively with employees based in different places. This is true of lots of businesses now and is becoming an increasing feature of modern life. Ratepayers, too, benefit from the choice of local offices rather than having to travel to one main office in Minehead. Is Minehead a better location than Williton? Certainly not. Minehead is on the western edge while Williton is much more central and within reasonable travelling distance of all parts of the district. It is the junction of the two key roads that run through the area and has adequate adjacent parking. Relocation to Minehead will mean that people living in areas in the east such as Stogursey will have to travel 17 miles to council offices. Council employees, too, will have to travel further to deal with outlying areas. This is not really very efficient for the workforce or user-friendly for the ratepayer. Can we really believe that building new offices will save the council from merger with another council in any re-organisation? This seems very naive. Money already spent on offices will not feature in any consideration of how future economies can be made. In fact, spending vast sums on a new status symbol in an inappropriate location, as part of a disastrous key sites policy, does the council no good at all. The strongest case the council can make for survival is to show that it is pursuing policies that are prudent, that are responsive to public opinion and that have the support of the ratepayers. It should start by reconsidering the decision to relocate its offices. Allan Dyer, Fairfield Drive, Williton.
