El classico

I just spent an enjoyable evening watching Barcelona beat Real Madrid 5-0, Barca play what the Dutch called total football, pass move, cute triangular passing an absolute joy to watch. Nine of the eleven players that finished the game came from Barca's academy, those players understand the philosophy of the club and play accordingly.


Barca is a members club, something I hope all football clubs become.

Keeping the footballing message going, to paraphrase Brian Clough - you can play any formation you like, but if you don't have the players, you won't win anything.

This little message is good for anything in life, if you don't pull together then you'll hang apart.

I sometimes think Shepton fails to understand this; like the appeal made to renovate the Market Cross, for me a none controversial little appeal made by the Shepton Mallet Market Cross trustees, I would of thought this could be supported by everyone.

The wider point is that the renovation of the Market Cross will need all the partners to contribute, but every penny raised by the public appeal will count as matched funding and a sign of community support.

I attended a meeting in June 2006 to discuss the Market Cross, English Heritage took three years to give permission for the works to be carried out on the Market Cross, but as stated English Heritage through the lottery bid now seem a little less helpful.

As an on looker, I hope the public fundraising appeal raises a lot of money, but all those in charge of the Market Cross needs to come forward to all funding partners with the budget to renovate the Cross.

The other point raised when talking about the appeal was the Town Council's capital fund of £220K.

This from the sale of Great Ostry office.

The previous clerk Brian White used to say 'Chris, remember you can only spend a pound once'

This debate around how the Town Council takes Shepton forward has been largely ducked for the previous four years, At a crossroad plan focused on a Community facility, High Street regeneration and Links.

There seems to be a split at the Town Council on spending this capital budget;

• Some want to build a Town Hall/Community facility - there seems two different locations for this facility, a) Commercial Rd Car Park and b) convert and extend the toilet block in Collett Park yard, including refurbish, public toilets in the park
• Use capital sum to use for sporting club in the Town
• Some councillors talk about smaller schemes such as use for the Market Cross, pedestrian crossing outside schools.

These are the debates that will be held before the Council before the May elections.