Chair of the Glastonbury Town Deal board resigns
The chair of the Glastonbury Town Deal board has resigned after a damning audit into a government-backed regeneration project in the town.
The board has been overseeing 10 projects, delivered by Somerset Council and other organisations, funded by £23.6m from the government's Towns Fund.
After an independent audit the council confirmed in May that it would not provide further funding towards the upgrade of the Red Brick Building C (also known as The Life Factory) - leaving local contractors in limbo and the work unfinished.
Dr Lynne Sedgmore CBE, who chairs the advisory-only board, has now resigned from her position for "personal reasons", alongside another board member.
In her resignation letter to council chief executive Duncan Sharkey, seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Dr Sedgmore said: "I genuinely believe it is best for the board, in the context of continuing and increasing unsubstantiated public attacks on me, that I stand down."
She added: "During my time as chair, I have willingly given considerable time, energy, skills, commitment and dedication to the effectiveness of the board. It has been a privilege to serve Glastonbury in this way.
"There has been significant progress on all but one town deal project (The Life Factory), and the two projects completed this year have been a huge success. There are many more successes to come before final completion in March 2026.
"I am on the receiving end of personal and professional attacks in the public domain suggesting financial impropriety. While the accusations are without foundation, this is damaging to the board as well as to myself.
"My resignation is not connected to any form of inappropriate fiscal accountability, on my part or that of the board."
Dr Sedgmore had served as chair since October 2021, following the death of original chairman Robert Richards.
Kama McKenzie, a community representative who has sat on the board since its inception in 2020, has also resigned.
Current vice chair and Glastonbury mayor Councillor Michael White will act as temporary chair.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the board said it was hopeful that additional funding could be secured urgently to complete the Life Factory project and pay outstanding creditors.
A spokesman said: "Having read the SWAP report, we understand the rationale for this decision by the council as the accountable body. However, we remain very concerned about the impact this decision will have on our community."
Somerset Council has previously said no more funds will be available for the Life Factory after the audit made clear that despite almost £3m being spent, the project cannot be delivered "in time with the Grant Funding Agreement".
Duncan Sharkey, the council's chief executive, said the authority "accepts the [report's] findings that our level of oversight and monitoring could have been strengthened".
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