Midsomer Norton’s Mayor, Lynda Robertson, will continue into the civic year 2021/22 after being nominated to stay on for a more ‘normal’ year during the Town Council’s Annual Meeting, held on Wednesday last week, the final day before local authority meetings must cease online.

Councillors voted to meet informally but to delegate decisions to the Clerk until meetings can be held in public under Government regulations from 21st June. The recent legislation has left local Councils scratching their heads about how to continue in the interim, with Radstock Town Council discussing meeting outside until they can be held indoors.

Cllr Mike Moxham was supported by fellow Councillors to become the next Deputy Mayor and will take the reins from long-standing Deputy, Steve Plumley. Cllr Lynda Robertson thanked her outgoing Deputy for his support this past year and said: “Let’s hope this year is a better year and let’s hope we can move on.”

The clerk’s Annual Report has addressed issues of anti-social behaviour in the town, with volunteer litter pickers reportedly being verbally abused, evidence of drugs at the Somer Centre/Town Park area and vandalism on a large scale at Silver Street Nature Reserve. Large fires have been lit with groups gathering there and volunteers are distressed at the damage being caused. The Police have been informed and are responding.

There are also reports of a rat problem in the Hollies flowerbeds, with the Town Council asking B&NES to clarify if it is their responsibility, given it is B&NES land. Information on the river will be on display soon with new river boards that are due to be installed.

There was much debate about the need for public toilets in the town, as the High Street begins to recover from businesses having to close through the pandemic. The previous toilets next to the Town Hall had to be closed due to long-standing vandalism and were expensive to run, similarly those at Gullock Tyning.

Toilets at both the Hollies and the toilet which was opened at the Town Hall are currently closed and Councillors discussed the issues with reopening the facility at the Town Hall which is shared by staff and the difficulties in keeping people safe.

Councillors agreed that the lack of facilities were putting people off from spending any length of time in the town and that it should be brought to the Finance and Operations Committee to put forward suggestions. Councillors also debated the potential extra cost to bring back such facilities, which would include cleaning, protecting against vandalism and opening and closing them.

Cllr Richard Robertson said: “If we take on public toilets we need to alert people that we will need the money to do this.” Cllr Plumley added: “There is definitely a lack of toilet facilities in the town. Full stop.”

Cllr Gordon Mackay highlighted the previous initiative for business to display a sticker to let people know that their facilities could be used, but Councillors raised concerns that smaller traders would be unable to participate due to insurance.

Cllr Mackay added that larger companies, such as Wetherspoons, could be encouraged to help and that money could be saved on expensive toilets as “no money you spend on public toilets will make them anything more than grim.”