Dear Editor,

I WAS really saddened to hear that the Peasedown Party in the Park has been cancelled. For many of us, it’s more than just an event and its loss will be felt by families and neighbours alike.

While rising costs like insurance, equipment, and general expenses have been given as the reason, I think this also highlights a deeper issue. We rely heavily on a small group of dedicated volunteers to make things like this happen. The Peasedown Community Trust does an incredible amount already and it’s simply too much to expect the same people to keep taking on more.

The reality is that putting on an event like this takes hundreds of hours to organise and we can't keep expecting the same people to make the same sacrifices every year. If we want to see the return of Party in the Park, we need to recognise the pressure we’re placing on volunteers and start thinking about how the wider community and perhaps local authorities, can offer more support.

Yours faithfully,

Lucy Davis

Fosseway

Clandown, Radstock

Dear Editor,

The West of England Mayoral Combined Authority is currently consulting on its ambitions for the region’s bus network, and I have submitted a formal response on behalf of residents in Clutton and Farmborough.

The ambitions document is broadly welcome. But it has a fundamental problem: it is written for people who already use buses, not for people deciding whether to use them at all.

Safety, reliable information, and trust are the conditions that bring passengers to the network in the first place. Modal shift targets, fare caps, and frequency improvements are what keep them there. The document has these in roughly the wrong order — and without the foundations in place, the more aspirational goals will remain out of reach.

In my ward, the consequences of getting this wrong are not abstract. The 172 service has had its morning journeys cut, leaving residents without a realistic way to reach work, college or healthcare appointments by bus. The 522 was retained following sustained community campaigning, but the revised timetable was published with errors and without any consultation with the communities it serves. And parts of the ward — including Hobbs Wall in Farmborough — have been entirely without a bus service for over three years, despite the efforts of the Forgotten Valley Bus Campaign to restore the 179.

The consultation also proposes demand-responsive transport as a rural solution. But the evidence is clear: nearly 95 per cent of DRT services run at a loss, and the variable nature of the service makes it poorly suited to the time-sensitive journeys — work, school, medical appointments — that rural residents most depend on. If there is no budget for fixed routes, it is not clear why a loss-leading alternative that delivers less is a better use of public money. Rural bus provision requires subsidy. The question is whether WECA is willing to say so.

Residents across the region can still have their say at haveyoursaywest.co.uk/betterbuses and I would encourage everyone — particularly those in rural communities who have seen services cut or lost entirely — to do so before the consultation closes on May 10.

Paper copies of the consultation survey are available at Farmborough Shop & Café.

Yours faithfully,

Cllr Sam Ross

Ward councillor, Clutton and Farmborough

Dear Editor,

AS many of you know we lost a u3a member of our group just after Christmas.

Jim Edwards was a huge character in both the Guitar Group and Ukelele Group and will be sadly missed.

To remember Jim, we are putting on a free concert in Chilcompton Village Hall on Saturday, May 9, at 2pm.

Also performing in the Concert are Crazy for Uke and JP7 (a female singing group). All proceeds will go to the Stroke Association. Singing Guitar Group leader: Charmain Gay.

It would be lovely to see as many of you who can make it on this day.

Lucy Edwards

Midsomer Norton

Dear Editor,

A GROUP of schools within the Midsomer Norton Schools Partnership have been recognised among the top-performing schools in the country, following formal commendations from the Secretary of State for Education, Bridget Phillipson.

St John’s, Midsomer Norton Primary, Longvernal, and Westfield Primary Schools, as well as Norton Hill Secondary School, have each received letters praising their exceptional outcomes for disadvantaged pupils at the end of the 2024/25 academic year.

The recognition highlights the schools’ success in narrowing the attainment gap and ensuring that all pupils, regardless of background, are given the opportunity to achieve highly. It reflects a consistent commitment to high standards, inclusive practice, and strong leadership across the partnership.

In her letter to school leaders, the Secretary of State commended the schools’ “ambition and commitment,” noting that their achievements demonstrate what is possible through dedication and high expectations. She added: "Your school’s achievements demonstrate what is possible... Thank you for everything you do to give children the best possible opportunities to succeed."

This simultaneous recognition of five local schools underscores the strength of the education provision across the Midsomer Norton area. While each school retains its own distinct character, together they represent a shared culture of excellence that is delivering outstanding outcomes for pupils.

The commendations serve as a significant endorsement of the work being carried out across the partnership and position these schools as leading examples of best practice nationally.

Mrs Danielle West-Gaul

MNSP assistant director of education and headteacher

St John's Church Of England Primary School

Dear Editor,

THE Greenway has become a dumping ground.

I've been a local resident most of my life and have loved walking the Greenway from Midsomer Norton to Radstock most weeks. It's a lovely path that everyone can enjoy; walkers, runners, cyclists and families with children.

It's also a great place to walk your dog. However, the path has become a literal dumping ground. After walking the path on Saturday, I saw so many piles of dog poo left on the path. I'm so fed up with it.

I find it so frustrating and infuriating. Rather than enjoy the path, I'm finding myself watching my feet to ensure I don't step in anything.

I have a toddler now and I can no longer let him walk freely on the path for fear of him falling in it or picking some up.

I know it's the minority of dog owners who spoil it for everyone else, but the amount I saw on Saturday truly shocked me.

Either those dog owners need to grow a better conscience or the council needs to put in better prevention measures.

Jessica Benjamin, via email