Latest news with #SomersetCouncil
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
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". Follow BBC Somerset on Facebook and X. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. 'No more funds' for youth regeneration project 'Fiasco' youth regeneration project is paused 'Tangible' progress being made on £23m projects Red Brick Centre Glastonbury Town Deal Somerset Council Somerset Council
BBC News
10 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Glastonbury Town Deal chair Dr Lynne Sedgmore resigns
The chair of the Glastonbury Town Deal board has resigned after a damning audit into a government-backed regeneration project in the board has been overseeing 10 projects, delivered by Somerset Council and other organisations, funded by £23.6m from the government's Towns 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 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. Accusations 'without foundation' "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 McKenzie, a community representative who has sat on the board since its inception in 2020, has also vice chair and Glastonbury mayor Councillor Michael White will act as temporary 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".
BBC News
2 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Disruption warning for drivers as works resume in Bridgwater
Motorists are being warned of possible disruption when a partial road closure comes into place.A section of Church Street, in Bridgwater, is expected to remain closed until the end of July as work on the Celebration Mile project closure will also affect the eastern area of Eastover to allow Somerset Council's contractors Taylor Woodrow to install new kerb lines and resurface pavements. Councillor, Mike Rigby, said: "We will make sure that pedestrians and shoppers, businesses and residents, will continue to have access throughout. We will also be installing extra signs to make people aware that Church Street remains open for business." One of 11 projects being delivered as part of the Bridgwater Town Deal, Celebration Mile is being funded through £23.2m worth of government council said a diversion route would be provided for residents of London and residents have been invited to a drop-in session on 12 June to learn more about the project.
The Independent
5 days ago
- General
- The Independent
‘Welcome to Frome' sign moved to a different town 10 miles away
A welcome sign left drivers confused when it was moved to a different town entirely. The road sign welcoming people to the Somerset town of Frome appeared on the B3355 going to Midsomer Norton on Friday, which is 10 miles (16km) away. The mix-up comes after several sign-swapping incidents across the West Country in March. One 'prank' saw a welcome sign for Bradford-on-Avon in Wiltshire relocated more than 60 miles (97km) away to Portland in Dorset. Four signs were also moved from Camerton, near Bath in Somerset, and the Jurassic Coast in Dorset to Bradford-on-Avon, the BBC reported. Following the latest sign swap, Somerset Council said it is 'an act of criminal damage', adding it 'will need to be repaired at public expense'. In a statement, a council spokesperson said: 'If residents see something like this happening, they should contact the police.' Peter, an amused pensioner from Frome who spotted the sign swap and photographed it in Midsomer Norton over the bank holiday weekend, described the prank as a 'professional job'. He told the BBC: 'It seems like an April Fools' Day prank, but obviously we're not in April.' He explained that although he has seen signs covered in graffiti, he has never seen a town sign swapped. 'I knew that it was wrong. Obviously, I should be coming to Midsomer Norton so part of me thought it was some kind of Dad's Army tribute where they changed the signs around to confuse invading armies,' he said. But this is not the first time pranksters have left drivers scratching their heads. In September 2023, road signs in Caithness, Scotland, were removed and replaced.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Road sign welcoming people to town moved to a different town 10 miles away
A welcome sign left drivers confused when it was moved to a different town entirely. The road sign welcoming people to the Somerset town of Frome appeared on the B3355 going to Midsomer Norton on Friday, which is 10 miles (16km) away. The mix-up comes after several sign-swapping incidents across the West Country in March. One 'prank' saw a welcome sign for Bradford-on-Avon in Wiltshire relocated more than 60 miles (97km) away to Portland in Dorset. Four signs were also moved from Camerton, near Bath in Somerset, and the Jurassic Coast in Dorset to Bradford-on-Avon, the BBC reported. Following the latest sign swap, Somerset Council said it is 'an act of criminal damage', adding it 'will need to be repaired at public expense'. In a statement, a council spokesperson said: 'If residents see something like this happening, they should contact the police.' Peter, an amused pensioner from Frome who spotted the sign swap and photographed it in Midsomer Norton over the bank holiday weekend, described the prank as a 'professional job'. He told the BBC: 'It seems like an April Fools' Day prank, but obviously we're not in April.' He explained that although he has seen signs covered in graffiti, he has never seen a town sign swapped. 'I knew that it was wrong. Obviously, I should be coming to Midsomer Norton so part of me thought it was some kind of Dad's Army tribute where they changed the signs around to confuse invading armies,' he said. But this is not the first time pranksters have left drivers scratching their heads. In September 2023, road signs in Caithness, Scotland, were removed and replaced. The Telegraph also reported in February that someone in Glasgow dressed up as a race marshal sent 30 trail race runners on a 1.5-mile detour by hiding park signs.
