TOWN councillors will push forward with policy plans for the next three years including developing seafront gardens and introducing a loyalty card for locals.

Members of Lyme Regis Town Council's strategy and policy committee agreed measures they will take to the full council after holding a public consultation and working groups meeting behind closed doors.

Members of the committee were urged not to earmark proposals for Strawberry Fields, with town clerk John Wright warning the authority would get 'bogged down'.

He said: "Clearly we need to do something with Strawberry Fields, but I suggest we don't force a solution.

"My personal view is that one isolated facility at Strawberry Fields would not work for the town. It has to be a plan for Strawberry Fields. I suggest that we don't try to do Strawberry Fields now as we will get bogged down."

Cllr Cheryl Reynolds agreed with the town clerk, suggesting the council would be wasting 'time, effort and energy' by trying to force a plan for the site.

"If we start putting an odd thing here and an odd thing there, it will look like a jigsaw puzzle gone wrong," said Cllr Reynolds.

"It has to be considered as a whole place in its entirety or we are just wasting time, effort and energy."

The council's objectives will be agreed by the full council next week (7). Included in the proposals are plans to install CCTV to help reduce crime, repairs to the Guildhall and other council-owned property, a strategy to improve toilets and creating a team to market the town.

The council will also push forward with plans to enhance the Lister Gardens and Langmoor Gardens, along with making improvements to traffic management and proposals to carry out repairs to the Lynch.

A plan to maintain a park and ride site for the western side of the town will also be considered, as well as plans for a mixed court sports facility in the town.

Councillors will still have to consider plans from polices between 2018 and 2020, which could include proposals to develop Strawberry Fields.

As part of the proposals to redevelop the seafront gardens, the authority could provide space for a cafe and toilets, along with an outside gym, a play area and boules.

The objectives have not been fully costed, and the authority may be in a position to add to their proposals or may have to prioritise plans, based on budget restrictions.

Cllr Richard Doney said: "We need to be very careful that we don't raise people's expectations that are going to do all this.

"Some of these things may appear very simple, but they may require a lot of resources."