A CONSTITUTIONAL gaffe has caused anger and confusion this week over the future of Williton's Red Cross hall, with the parish council being accused of backing away from a decision to purchase the building.

And the meeting at which the decision was made was described as "shambolic".

The council had resolved "to purchase the centre subject to a survey and the customary enquiries" at its meeting on December 15.

But on Monday a watered-down amendment inserting the words "to seriously consider" into the original wording narrowly won.

Retired Major Mike Ham, of Half Acre, who was at Monday's council meeting, accused Cllr Eddie May of demonstrating a low standard of chairmanship that was not acceptable.

And he sent a stinging letter of rebuke to all councillors condemning December's meeting as a "hopeless, shambolic, nonsensical and complete jumble of pro-ceedings."

Speaking from the public benches Major Ham angrily attacked Cllr May saying he had disgraced himself on December 15. "Williton deserves better than this."

The confusion had arisen when Cllr May first closed, then mistakenly reopened proceedings. It was after he had restarted the meeting that the controversial decision to purchase the building from the Red Cross was taken.

The council's solicitor has advised that it was a constitutional error to reopen the meet-ing, and that any decision taken by the council follow-ing its close was in-valid.

For the full story, see the Minehead edition of this week's (January 30) Somerset County Gazette.