HISTORY has been slowed down in Minehead after a devolution deal for the town council to take ownership of open spaces and some buildings and cafes was postponed at the eleventh hour.

Somerset Council was due to devolve a range of services to town councillors on Tuesday (April 1) as it seeks to off-load costs in its battle to avoid bankruptcy.

But now the deal has been delayed by a month and will not go through until May 1, allowing extra time for the thorough scrutiny and completion of all the transfer legal paperwork.

The town council will be taking on ownership and management responsibility for key public spaces in Minehead, including Blenheim Gardens, Parks Walk, and the Ellicombe open space.

Town clerk Ben Parker said the extra month would ensure the legal documentation, asset registers, and service agreements were fully reviewed and properly processed before the transition took place.

The Alexandra Road car park in Minehead (Image: Google Maps)
The Alexandra Road car park in Minehead will soon become owned by the town council. ( (Image: Google Maps))

Mr Parker said: “The complexity of the legal paperwork involved in transferring multiple assets and services requires additional time to complete properly.

“The town council is committed to ensuring all documentation is thoroughly scrutinised and everything is in order before we finalise this significant transition.

“This attention to detail will help protect the interests of our community and ensure the transfer process meets all legal requirements.”

Mr Parker said the scope of the assets transfer remained unchanged and still included numerous open spaces, play areas, and income-generating assets such as some car parks and café facilities.

He said: “This comprehensive package will enable the town council to generate revenue to help toward offsetting costs while investing in improvements that directly benefit residents.

“Proper due diligence with the transfer paperwork is essential for a transition of this magnitude.

“We are working closely with our solicitors and Somerset Council officials to address all the necessary documentation.

“This brief extension gives us the confidence that when we do take over management responsibility, everything will be properly in place from a legal and administrative perspective.”

Mr Parker said the town council’s financial planning remained robust, with a previously announced precept increase of just 6.5 per cent being significantly lower than many of the other towns in the county which were undertaking a similar devolution process.

He said: “This demonstrates the council’s continued commitment to fiscal responsibility while expanding services.”

The devolution deal will see management of Minehead’s most important open spaces come under local control for the first time in more than 50 years.

Decisions on the park and other green areas will be taken locally and the town council’s open spaces team will be able to directly manage the areas.

Mr Parker said there would be a more co-ordinated approach to the town’s open space management and a single point of contact for the public.

Minehead councillors will be in attendance at Sunday’s (April 6) Eat festival in the town centre to share detailed plans and answer questions from people about the transition, and will also be hosting a community engagement event on April 11.