Community Development Meeting

We held the penultimate Community Development Committee meeting of this Town Council, with the elections in May.

There was a number of items of interest;

1. We had Jane Sharp, regeneration officer at MDC, came to talk to us about Shop Jacket, this a scheme that offers business advice to new shops, gives a temporary shop front to attract new shops.
My concern was how we improve footfall in the Town Centre; the Town's street furniture is dirty and needs refurbishment; the lack of future focus from Mendip Council's likely ending of the regeneration function and how was going to lead on regeneration?; the cracked pavements and with Somerset County Council ending spraying who was going to weed the Town, I did apologise for being negative, but with all this going on is Shop Jacket the best investment? I have asked the Town Council to write to Mendip Council to discover if they were to play any part in regeneration after March, or was this left to the Town Council to coordinate in the future?

2.Youth Provision - I asked the Town Council to write to the Youth service for their concrete plans for youth provision for Shepton, with 75% cuts there has to be some loss of service, it would be unrealistic for untrained volunteers to pick up the slack. I asked for a meeting to discuss, this was agreed.

3.Bus Services, I again raised my concerns for those who needs transport for there jobs, 50% cuts are bound to affect after 6pm and weekend bus services.

4. Shepton in Bloom, the funding has been recommended that the funding should be taken off risk list as plants need to be funded, the Town Council is now looking to work with partners to develop a planting scheme for the summer.