In brief, the newspaper reports that Mendip Council has done a secret deal to sell the car park to the developers of Holmcroft, the handsome house that I have mentioned several times in this blog.
Here is an extract from the newspaper coverage:
Mendip District Council could find itself in hot water after it confirmed this week that it will sell the Somerton Road Car Park in Street.
The decision was made after the public and media were barred from hearing how much it would be sold for and for what reasons.
Angry residents, who have protested against the lack of parking in Street, are furious that Mendip is withholding the information, and are demanding answers.
There are quotes from local councillors:
Street Parish Council vice-chairman Russell Wright said the "whole business stinks".
Street district councillor Jim Mochnacz said he was appalled the decision had been made in secret.
He said: "It is a slap in the face for the parish council and local residents who are against this back door deal.
The newspaper has promised to get to the bottom of this:
This newspaper will pursue Mendip to release the report which outlines the sale, so that Street taxpayers can be told why their car park has been sold and the price.
There may be good reasons for Mendip's suspicious conduct, but anyone who reads Private Eye regularly will know the Rotten Boroughs feature, and will not be surprised if there is something fishy going on. If Mendip were to come clean straight away, it would do their reputations a lot more good than a protracted Watergate-type investigation.
