THE process of selling off a publicly-owned home and a parcel of land has been slammed by an opposition councillor.

A former park keeper's bungalow failed to reach its reserve price at auction, while a plot on an industrial estate has been mired in confusion.

The bungalow at Taunton Green was withdrawn from sale at a London auction house when bidding stopped at £179,000 - just £1,000 short of the reserve price.

Owner Taunton Deane Borough Council also appeared to consider allowing a business to gazump a firm leasing a site at Frobisher Way.

Cooks Commercials believed it had an agreement to buy the land, but the council had second thoughts when neighbouring firm Ministry of Cake said it was willing to pay substantially more than the value of the site.

The latter has since pulled out, but the Deane has still not said whether it intends to sell to Cooks or to auction it off.

Cllr Habib Farbahi (LibDem) said: "The Tory led administration of Taunton Deane Borough Council freely admits that it must raise some hundreds of thousands of pounds from the sale of council-owned assets to enable it to fund the merger with insolvent West Somerset and the capital required for the new technology to run the combined council."

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SLAMMED: Cllr Habib Farbahi slammed Taunton Deane Council's decisions.

Mr Farbahi criticised the decision to use a London auctioneer for the aborted bungalow sale rather than using a local expert.

And he slammed the council for trying to obtain a price of at least 15 per cent over the market value of the Frobisher Way site.

"Why should an existing tenant have to pay a premium of 15 per cent for providing 18 jobs when we are trying to boost employment prospects in Taunton Deane, not lose them? The council remains silent on this point.

"Selling publicly owned assets to pay for a merger with another financially unstable council is a doubtful philosophy.

"Not even managing to sell them when they try to do so, further demonstrates the complete lack of competence this council has in managing their own affairs and those of the taxpayers."

A Deane House spokeswoman said: “The sale of the property in Cheddon Road was agreed by councillors through the democratic process and a London auction house was chosen due to its experience and ability to present the property to a wider audience.

"Since the property failed to reach its reserve at auction, the council is now exploring other options with a potential buyer.

"The council is also holding further discussions with regard to the sale of land at Frobisher Way and will update members at the appropriate time.

"In both cases the council has a duty to achieve the best outcome in the interests of council taxpayers.”