A dead cat tactic. That was the view of Cllr Phil Harvey about how Sedgemoor District Council have behaved over the handling of the great Apex Park debate.

“This is a dead cat moment,” said Cllr Phil Harvey, “they have thrown a dead cat on the table of ‘let’s get the town council to take over the management of the park’ in order to divert attention.”

He said the park would cost around £100,000 a year to maintain which was too expensive for the town council while councillors agreed Sedgemoor maintained the park to a high standard.

The debate at this week’s Burnham and Highbridge Town Council meeting hinged on whether the council should take over the running of the whole park or part of the park. In December Sedgemoor decided to ask the town if they wished to run the park following objections from residents over the plan to lease the MBX part to Bourne Leisure for use as a caravan park.

Resident Brian Birt said the council should not take over the park due to its size. This was the concensus view of councillors who felt that Sedgemoor should continue running the park and stop the Bourne Leisure plan.

Cllr Janet Keen said it was entirely inappropriate for the town council to take on the “complex and unique” park due to its importance in part to a resting station for migrating birds.

Cllr John Parkes said he had made a Freedom of Information request to Sedgemoor for a transcript of their meeting as letters by Cllr Keen and others had not be considered.

Cllr Martin Cox dissented from the concensus and said the council should look at a renegotiation with Bourne Leisure to see if any income could come from it.

It was proposed to tell Sedgemoor the town didn’t want to take on the park’s running and did not want the Bourne Leisure scheme which was passed with none against and one abstention.