Just months after Midsomer Norton Town Council decided to bring community events back under its own control, the future of the new Community and Events Committee is already in doubt.
The committee was created in April after the Council withdrew support from the independent charity that had successfully organised many of the town’s events. That charity was not operating without council oversight – it included up to four town councillors as trustees, giving the Council a direct voice while allowing volunteers and community partners to play a leading role.
Now, after only two meetings, reports suggest no councillor is willing to chair the new committee. If it is disbanded, the Council will be left explaining how it intends to deliver the extensive programme of community engagement and events it promised when it took the work in-house.
The situation inevitably raises questions about whether the original decision was properly thought through. Replacing an established community organisation with a council committee was always likely to increase demands on councillors and officers. The apparent inability to find someone willing to lead the committee suggests those challenges may have been underestimated.
Residents may reasonably ask whether abandoning a proven community-led model was in the town’s best interests. The Council now faces the task of restoring confidence that Midsomer Norton can continue to enjoy the successful community events that have become such an important part of local life.
