Remembrance Day is always a time for poignant reflection, but last week, in Midsomer Norton, the local British Legion branch suddenly faced the prospect of being unable to hold the annual parade at the Town's War Memorial, simply for not having filled in a form.

The first indication the Royal British Legion Branch had that there was a problem, was when they only recently received an email, via the police, saying that the usual road closure could not take place. This email had, in fact, gone to a member of the forces away on service for two weeks and so it was not seen until last Friday.

In fact, a letter had been sent to the Police by B&NES Council, rather than the Royal British Legion, on 18th August. The Legion had no idea that B&NES required a form called 'Form 2: Street closures for Special Events – made under TPCA 1847' plus a £120 fee. The Police, for as long as anyone could remember, had always closed the road.

"I just felt so terribly sad when I heard from the British Legion, desperate for help, late on Friday afternoon", said Paul Myers, Mayor of Midsomer Norton. "It's quite frankly inconceivable that Midsomer Norton's Remembrance Day Service would have to be cancelled in the Centenary year.

"Although no-one from the Town Council has ever had to be involved before, I met with the Legion Chairman on Sunday morning at the Town Hall, helped him to complete the form and arranged for the local Midsomer Norton Ward Councillors to pay the fee this year.

"B&NES officers came up trumps and have rapidly processed the application. But going forward, with community volunteers being required to take on more and more responsibility for public events, something needs to be done by B&NES Council to make it less stressful – not least with a thorough review/training session to alert community groups of the paperwork required – particularly on high profile events such as this."

As it is, Midsomer Norton's Remembrance Day Parade will go ahead after all, thanks to some swift intervention, as well as local Councillors digging into their own pockets to pay the fees at the last minute.

A spokesperson for B&NES Council told The Journal this week: "We received an application on Monday for the Midsomer Norton Remembrance Day Parade. We are now working very hard with the police to try to ensure that the parade can go ahead safely."

Midsomer Norton's Remembrance Parade will take place this Sunday, 9th November with local groups meeting at Midsomer Norton Social Club at 10 a.m. At 10.40 a.m., the group will march with the band to the town's Cenotaph, arriving at 10.50 a.m. for a service.

Details of other services taking place near you inside this week's Journal.