There is not likely to be much love in the air as B&NES Council meets on 14th February to consider its cash-strapped final budget for the 2017/18 year. On Wednesday this week, proposals were considered as part of the Cabinet meeting which will offer some welcome news to local residents, including the potential for over £1 million to deliver a new Radstock Healthy Living Centre, which would combine the library, Children’s Centre and health visitor services, and a proposed investment of £1.68 million to support the transformation of Midsomer Norton Town Hall, expanding and modernising the community facility for the benefit of both the town, and the Somer Valley.

Needing to find a whopping £49 million worth of savings to balance its books over the next four years, the Council faces the biggest financial squeeze in its history, with services expected to be remodelled in future to save money. Despite this welcome news of investment for both Radstock and Midsomer Norton, concern is growing for the latter town, with rumours that the empty Reflections site, rather than go to a national retailer, could very well become another charity shop.

And whilst whoever has bought Casswells remains a mystery and the buildings around it are converted into flats, valuable retail space is fast disappearing. National banks are pulling out, such as HSBC, potentially not the last to go. Midsomer Norton Library could stand empty once the service is moved to the Hollies, and adding to this, the ongoing access issue that Wetherspoon’s is currently experiencing, it seems that regeneration is a remote prospect, far from the grand plans of the South Road site that were put forward by B&NES back in 2011.

Whilst it was an unpopular idea (and one, perhaps at Westfield’s expense as it subsequently lost hope of a new Sainsbury’s), the move to bring another supermarket to the town was one to increase footfall – and this is one of the biggest issues for the national retailers; they will not come unless it is proven it will work. Which brings about a Catch-22 situation that no-one really seems to know the answer to – how to improve footfall and encourage retailers to come back to the town? And are large retailers the answer to improve local High Streets anyway?

The budget about to be debated is all designed, the Council says, to build future prosperity and protect services. Plans to invest up to £30 million to support the Bath and Somer Valley Enterprise Zones, creating 400 jobs in our area by 2020 and 2,500 jobs in Bath are grand aspirations (with the retention of business rates also due to bring more income), and this projected growth is also one of the reasons the Council is pushing for a new East of Bath Park and Ride. But locals will be looking closer to home and hoping that our town’s High Streets will not be left behind.

Councillor Tim Warren, (Conservative, Mendip), Leader of the Council, has said: “This [budget] is all about investing in the services and infrastructure that will be essential to our area, both now and in the future. Alongside this, we will provide additional support for local people wanting to get more involved in their communities – such as delivering improvements to their neighbourhoods, community initiatives and activities. This, in turn, can lead to stronger communities, healthier lives and help more people to maintain their independence for longer.”

Councillor Charles Gerrish (Conservative, Keynsham North), Bath and North East Somerset Council Cabinet Member for Finance and Efficiency, added: “In order to address the financial challenge the Council is facing, we’ve set out how we can do things differently, by working more closely with the community and investing now to reduce costs in the future, whilst protecting the services people need.”

Speaking about the money proposed for Midsomer Norton Town Hall, he said: “In recent years the Town Hall has become a key community hub – attracting thousands of visits to the town centre a year from residents in not just Midsomer Norton, but also the wider Somer Valley. Alongside ongoing regeneration work looking at options for the High Street, being led by the jointly-funded Project Manager since June 2016, B&NES’ backing for the community’s plans to transform the Town Hall represents a vote of confidence in the future of the town. The Council’s proposals will contribute to and support the Town Council’s efforts to secure matched funding at a time when they are taking on the Town Hall as a purchase from B&NES.”

Also of interest in the budget plan is a new £92,000 Community Empowerment Fund being put forward as part of the proposals, to enable local areas to bid for match-funding to improve their public realm and support community initiatives.

So now, more than ever, there is a need for local residents to tell B&NES Council what they think; what the community wants and to spend what little money it has (with Government funding disappearing rapidly), wisely. Town Councils only have limited resources, that of which they are using to promote civic pride in our communities, to try and make the environment in which we live better. But fundamentally, is this enough? Should we be looking at towns such as Keynsham and Frome in comparison – and can more be done?

North), Bath and North East Somerset Council Cabinet Member for Finance and Efficiency, added: “In order to address the financial challenge the Council is facing, we’ve set out how we can do things differently, by working more closely with the community and investing now to reduce costs in the future, whilst protecting services people need.”

Speaking about the money proposed for Midsomer Norton Town Hall, he said: “In recent years the Town Hall has become a key community hub – attracting thousands of visits to the town centre a year from residents in not just Midsomer Norton, but also the wider Somer Valley. Alongside ongoing regeneration work looking at options for the High Street, being led by the jointly-funded Project Manager since June 2016, B&NES’ backing for the community’s plans to transform the Town Hall represents a vote of confidence in the future of the town. The Council’s proposals will contribute to and support the Town Council’s efforts to secure matched funding at a time when they are taking on the Town Hall as a purchase from B&NES.”

Also of interest in the budget plan is a new £92,000 Community Empowerment Fund being put forward as part of the proposals, to enable local areas to bid for match-funding to improve their

public realm and support community initiatives.

So now, more than ever, there is a need for local residents to tell B&NES Council what they think; what the community wants and to spend what little money it has (with Government funding

disappearing rapidly), wisely. Town Councils only have limited resources, of which they are using to help promote civic pride in our communities, to try and make the environment in which we live better. But fundamentally, is this enough? Should we be looking at towns, such as Keynsham and Frome in comparison – and can more be done?