Monday 26 June 2023

Values, interests and politics

 During the last few years I was lucky enough to service my town as a local councillor, I wanted to achieve a progress on cycle and multi use paths, try to achieve social housing, achieve arts funding and raise money to invest in our local communities to create and achieve wealth locally.

 

I was surprised to be asked to chair the Scrutiny Board at Mendip District Council after the conservative member resigned. I also lead on the social deprivation working group.

 

Politics to me is about finding solutions to real problems, based on evidence that works with local stakeholders.

 

I was keen to interview local stakeholders to find out what the issues are for local people. Unsurprisingly, talking to Mendip Citizens Advice, we heard evidence that people on the lowest income needed more resources, needed more sympathetic communication and ending heavy handed bailiffs.

 

In response to this evidence, Mendip increased the hardship fund to support people, looked at how to write to people in arrears and encouraged people to talk about their arrears this allowed people not to be taken to court. Clearly this was not a solution, but at least this mitigated hardship.

 

We wanted to see people use the credit union, small saving allows access to low cost loans, many low income people cannot access financial services and credit unions can help people getting short term help and stop them getting involved with loan sharks.

 

Another major issue, this before the Ukrainian war, was fuel poverty. The housing stock in rural areas has poor insulation and energy efficiency, this causing low income to spend a disproportionate amount of their income on fuel.it is essential that grants were increased and access to low cost loans to improve the housing stock, if this is done, the residents will have lower fuel bills and help with climate change, using less energy.

 

Living in rural areas the lack of public transport is particularly acute, effecting young people and poorer older people the hardest. 

 

In West Somerset access to education is effected by the lack of transport and the high price of it, opportunity is badly effected because of the lack of services. People who live in cities have colleges close with public transport, in rural communities there is a disincentive to go into further education, long days and high costs put barriers in the way of opportunity 

 

Without decent public transport people without access to a car have to use more expensive local shops, those living on low incomes are disproportionately effected by this.

 

In the neighbouring constituency of Somerton and Frome there is a by election, caused by the conservative MP resigning amid allegations of wrong doing. 

 

Imagine the opportunity this offers the opposition parties, rural deprivation has grown in recent years, imagine you are the Liberal Democrat and you are asked a question by John Harris a guardian journalist about deprivation in the area, Sarah Dyke the Lib Dem candidate replied she had drunk her coffee a bit too fast, before asking: “What do you want to know? Something that’s a subject I don’t know anything about … I mean there’s pockets of deprivation.

 

Never mind this question was an open goal, but most deprived people cannot afford a coffee from a coffee shop, if people are unaware of what deprivation is, how can those same people tackle these social ills.

 

This year the cost of food has rocketed with One in five people say they have missed a meal because they cannot afford food, over 2.5 million children receive free school meals, food inflation is 20% those on low income are being badly affected by the rising costs of food.

 

I find it astonishing that someone wishing to represent an area in parliament appears to be unaware of this hardship.

 

We need our representatives to focus with a lazar on supporting the champions of the disadvantaged, Citizen advice are one such champion, as the state withdrawn this community based group offer the safety net for the disadvantaged who cannot access services.

 

More support is required to allow young people to achieve their dreams and aspirations, rural areas need champions to raise these issues, the conservatives have failed our communities who are standing up for a better country for everyone?

Tuesday 20 June 2023

It has to get started

 As many people will be aware I stood back from the council and after 28 years of representing Shepton I needed a rest from the continual circle of meetings and casework.

Shepton is my home town and I’m greatly proud of the place I was raised and have had the pleasure to call home.

This does not blind me to the many challenges that the community face and the opportunities we must seize.

Small market towns like Shepton needs decent public services, a strong economy and a real focus on tackling the real deprivation that faces us.

Shepton has an excellent monthly Sunday market, when Somerset County Council threatened to downgrade our town’s essential Library, the Town Council under my leadership and with the great support of Garfield Kennedy and Jon Hardy and other town councillors used the Sunday market to gain public support to build the successful campaign that kept the library in the heart of our community.

The Sunday market is run by a super team that work extremely hard and after COVID has this year had to relaunch this community event. 

This community interest company has many more stalls than the council run Friday market and offers local shopkeepers the opportunity to open to utilise the increased footfall that the Sunday market generates, allowing local people to see what the shops have to offer.

The Town Council is sponsoring the Neighbourhood plan https://sheptonmalletneighbourhoodplan.org.uk/   I genuinely hope the Town Council will be at the market to collect feedback on the consultation document.

Like all small community initiatives they deserve the full support of our councils, as they build community assets and keep local money in our town. One key theme has to be about creating a strong local economy and how we support local business to keep more money within our area to create local prosperity.

We need to find a way of helping local entrepreneurs to build their businesses, through support and advice and to access finance to invest. I see young people desperately trying to launch their businesses and it is obvious they need a helping hand, we must find ways of delivering this support 

Anyway, I look forward to the market this Sunday 




Sunday 28 October 2018

Chairmans Column - 25th October 2018

Town and Parish Councils throughout Britain face the challenge of taking a much more proactive rôle in running local services.  In Shepton, we are no different.  As responsibilities for library provision, support for the Citizens Advice service, and even road surfacing, are curtailed or even cut entirely by higher authorities, we, as local people can either suffer in silence, or step up to the plate and do something about it.

Already Shepton Mallet Town Council is working hard to keep our library in the High Street, and has accepted that we will have to part-pay for the resurfacing of Town Street and the Market Square since the County Council has run out of money.  Services that were once seen to be essential that were provided by authorities including the Police, the Department of Work and Pensions, and the District and County Councils are being reduced or withdrawn.

In South Somerset, Martock Parish Council has hit the headlines in the national Press since they have taken up the challenge of providing services which are no longer available from other authorities.  Despite Martock having a population roughly half that of Shepton, they have successfully tackled anti-social behaviour issues by engaging a private security firm to work alongside the Police.  They have directly helped people on all matters to do with social services with free advice on benefits and jobs, and are considering options to provide housing for local people.

Our Town Council faces many challenges but continuing to make Shepton a safe and special place to live, work in and visit remains the top priority.  If we want to support the services that are on our doorstep, we will have to take on much greater responsibilities as public finances are squeezed again and again.

Last Sunday, local historian, Alan Stone, delighted many visitors to the Town Councils gazebo at the Sunday Market with his display celebrating the 700th Anniversary of our Market Charter.  Again our monthly market attracted a steady stream of browsers and bargain hunters who turned out on a cold grey day to support local traders and learn more about our town and its long history.

With the clocks going back this weekend, we have a lot to look forward to with the Carnival season nearly upon us.  As usual the Shambles and the Highwayman Clubs will do us proud with their impressive floats and their commitment to year-round fundraising to give us an evening to remember in mid-November.

Inspired by the success of the Sunday Market, this year will see the first three-day Christmas market in Shepton. Again the hugely successful Lantern Festival will take place on the Saturday before Christmas, and in the preceding weeks, towns-people will get the chance to build their own lanterns and demonstrate the amazing creativity within our community.

Wednesday 17 October 2018

Chairman’s Column - 18 October 2018

This Sunday sees the return of our ever-popular monthly market.  At the event we will be celebrating the 700th anniversary of the charter given to Shepton by Edward II.  The Town Council gazebo will exhibit a range of historical materials researched by Alan Stone.  It will be your chance to gain an insight into the sweep of history that has led to the town we live in today.

Way back in 1318, Britain was in a constitutional malaise.  England was in dispute with the Scots, and had a load of trouble in Ireland and Wales.  On a more positive note, Edward and the Earl of Lancaster had managed to sign a treaty and resolve some of their differences.  I suspect Mrs May would very much like to have the same sort of breakthrough with the EU in 2018!

The Collett Park Charity met last week to discuss our recently commissioned feasibility study into the future of the park.  It’s a once in a generation opportunity to bring the park into the 21st Century.  We have now considered the results of the public consultations that were held over the summer at a series of events including Collett Festival. The vast majority of your responses were very positive.

A key aspect of this exercise was to gain your opinion on the state of the buildings next to the Park Road entrance, including the toilet facilities.  As a result, the charity has agreed to do additional work within its budget to plan a design that will make long-term improvements and increase community facilities.  It will give us the opportunity to reach out to funding bodies for their financial support to redevelop the infrastructure and make the park a haven for all age ranges and interests.

Your feedback in the summer reaffirmed the oft-requested call to make urgent improvements to the play equipment in the park.  Matt Harrison, a leading member of the FreSH group who were instrumental in raising funds for the skatepark and BMX track, now wants to help the Collett Park Charity raise money for an ambitious revamp of the play area.  FreSH has already enlisted a growing group of local people willing to assist with community fund-raising to replace and upgrade the facilities.

Often, we at the Town Council are approached by local residents wishing to donate trees to commemorate loved ones.  We have now agreed a Collett Park tree strategy that identifies the best locations for planting, and specifies the species that are compatible with the overall planting scheme.  We will continue to welcome these touching requests.

Chris Inchley, Chair, Shepton Mallet Town Council

Wednesday 10 October 2018

Chairmans Report  11th October 2018

As the days get shorter and the autumn leaves blow around the town, we start anticipatingHalloween, fireworks and our wonderful Carnival.  Also at this time of year we reflect on the act of remembrance that is held on 11th November.  2018 is of course especially poignant as we commemorate 100 years since the ending of the First World War. 

All the giant red poppies that have appeared in Shepton have been installed by Nick Chambers and Edric Hobbs.  Youll find them everywhere from the impressive display at St Peters and Pauls Church, to the one on the Babycham statue on Kilver Street. They make a real visual statement that reminds us that our freedoms have been won by the courage of others.

Next May, we will be asked once again to elect our Town and District councillors.  Mendip Council will be holding an introductory session for people considering standing as District Councillors. This is an opportunity to meet a panel of district councillors and discuss their rôle and responsibilities. This event will be held at 7pm on 24th October in the Mendip Council Chamber.

Here in Shepton we will also be electing our town councillors. This will give local community-minded people a chance to standand if successful, play an important part in shaping Sheptons future. In the last 4 years many new responsibilities have had to be taken on by the Town Council as the District and County Councils have reduced and cut their services.  

The Town Council now provides the improved flower displays on the High Street and plays a full part in the monthly Sunday markets. We are leading the campaign to keep the library in the town centre and have agreed to part-fund the resurfacing of the town centre with Somerset County Council (otherwise the broken paving will remain hazardous and unsightly)

We have managed, procured and part-funded the rebuilding of the skatepark and also part-funded the newly resurfaced BMX track.  The town council had to increase its staffing to address all these new challengesand is about to appoint a Finance Officer to match the best practice of communities of our size.

Being a Councillor allows a key involvement at a crucial time where we are being asked to do so much more than in the past. I would be delighted if we get talented people willing to be active councillors bringing new skills to join the council next May.  

Chris Inchley, Chair, Shepton Mallet Town Council


Chairman’s Report. 4th October 2018

Last Wednesday it was a pleasure to attend an event organised by the Shepton Snowdrop Festival outlining their plans for the coming months. This Saturday (6th October) there will be a snowdrop sale in Tesco between 10am and 4pm, and on the following Saturday the organisers will be holding a planting day.  People will have the opportunity to buy and plant snowdrops at St Peter and St Paul’s Church and at Highfield House, and then can record their efforts in a memory book.  If you are interested in joining in, please contact the Snowdrop Festival at admin@sheptonsnowdropfestival.org.uk, or to find out more go to www.sheptonsnowdropfestival.org.uk

The Journal recently reported the good news that Collett Park is the first open space in our district to be awarded the coveted Green Flag award. This is a tremendous recognition of the Council’s progression in working with its partners. We have a growing range of activities in our park. This includes the long-standing Drifters Boat Club, but now also the well attended weekly Parkrun (soon to be joined by the Junior Parkrun), other cross-country running events, music concerts, a visiting circus, the Collett Festival celebration in June, through to the Christmas Lantern Festival, and of course the popular Collett Park Café. The Collett Park Management Committee, acting for the Park Charity,  now plans to make important improvements to ensure that our park continues to be the jewel in Shepton’s crown.

We held a series of well-attended and successful public consultations this summer, where we asked people what they want for Collett Park in the future. The Park Management Committee has been considering the range of comments you have made and how best to proceed, combining the best ideas from your suggestions and the feasibility study we had on display.

It is important for the Committee to work with people who love Collett Park and want to see it flourish.  One key aspect of this involvement will be the creation of the ‘Friends of Collett Park’.  The park has a limited staff resource, so it is hoped a new voluntary group will be keen to help us devise a new planting plan for the park, but importantly help carry out the vital tree, shrub and flower border planting, as well as any other tasks the group feels competent to do. The Friends group will also have potential to fund-raise and organise events to benefit the park and park users.  The Friends will be a vital contributor and sounding board for the Committee when developing the park into the future.

I am keen to hear from those green fingered people who love our park and want to form that important Friends team.  Please contact me (cllr.C.Inchley@SheptonMallet-TC.gov.uk) or the Collett Park Committee Chair, Garfield Kennedy (cllr.G.Kennedy@SheptonMallet-TC.gov.uk).  Collett Park is a wonderful asset for our town, and together we can make it even better.

Thursday 27 September 2018

Chairman’s Report  -  27th September 2018

This week the Town Council voted to renew the traditional Town Crier’s uniform.  Andy Neal took on this rôle 4 years ago, and is often seen, and always heard, delivering the town’s proclamations at many of the town’s increasing number of events. Andy does a terrific job, and will now be suitably attired to proclaim all the wonders of Shepton Mallet.

At last week’s Town Council meeting we discussed the future of Collett Festival. This includes the ticketed concert, the Collett Park fête and the very popular free children’s festival on the Sunday. The good news is that this year’s festival had a net income of £1700 over expenditure. This is not counting all the financial and promotional gains by the many local charities and societies who are invited to showcase their activities for free.

However the Town Council are now reviewing the whole way the festival is managed. Many councillors expressed unhappiness with the need for security including fencing the Festival area, and were questioning having a concert in future.

The current organisers have been mindful of safety and security at all the events, and not without reason. Any gathering of a large number of members of the public has to be well managed and made as safe as possible. For example, this year at all of the events, we had lost children emergencies with often very distressed parents, but as the Festival area was contained, our security personnel were able to close the site, find and look after the children and reunite them with their parents.

I also witnessed the professional security staff intervene in a very serious act of violence. They contained the individuals involved, protected the public and then evicted the perpetrators from the Festival site, whilst also keeping the police informed throughout. These and other equally challenging instances have been consistently well managed in recent years. They are the sorts of issues that need to be considered when staging any event where thousands of people are gathered. I’m certain the council will want to hear from a cross-section of residents with their views on the future shape of this keystone event in our summer calendar.

The Town Council is launching a brand new, much improved website this week that offers a more interactive service for our community.  Please go to www.sheptonmallet-tc.gov.uk to see the new design and layout. The website has been created by a local company, and includes photographs and artwork supplied by local people. I would like particularly to thank Will Dunscombe for his brilliant photographs of the town.

Our town council staff do so much more than is seen by the community. The recent data protection legislation, GDPR, is an example that is creating a substantial additional workload. Unnoticed by many residents, demands like this on staff time have to be resourced, while the delivery of some key projects that have visible benefit to the town get delayed. I find this particularly frustrating

Chris Inchley, Chair, Shepton Mallet Town Council