The manager of the Midsomer Norton Community Trust has been made redundant after more than a decade helping to set up and organise many of the town’s best-known and popular events.
Alex Davis, who had worked full-time for the Trust for 12 years, announced his redundancy last week.
Mr Davis was instrumental in setting up and running many of the town’s community events since the Trust was established, including the Town Fayre and Town Show, the Christmas Fayre, Wassailing, the annual music festival and the community cinema. Over more than a decade, these events became a central part of the town’s community calendar, attracting thousands of residents and visitors to the town each year.
The redundancy follows a decision by Midsomer Norton Town Council taken in mid-January not to provide the Community Trust with an annual grant.
The redundancy also follows a Town Council proposal to increase the rent on Orchard Hall.
The Trustees of the Community Trust deemed it not financially viable to operate Orchard Hall and the Somer Centre with the increased rents and have withdrawn from operating these buildings, losing any income they would have generated.
The Community Trust had also previously run a community cinema programme in the Town Hall which contributed towards the manager’s salary. However, the cinema has not operated for the past four years due to the delayed reopening of the Town Hall.
Without grant funding and the income from Orchard Hall and the Somer Centre, trustees decided that they could no longer afford to employ a manager. It is understood that the Community Trust may now need to sell some of its assets in order to cover the redundancy payment owed to Mr Davis.
The Trust had requested £24,676 for 2026 to support its work, but the grant was refused and the Council took the decision to deliver events itself. Most of the funding requested was intended for events, with just £5,176 allocated towards core costs.
The Midsomer Norton Community Trust was created in 2013 after the Town Council concluded that community buildings needed to offer more events and activities in order to develop audiences and generate income. The council funded the creation of the new organisation, with Mr Davis appointed as its full-time manager.
A local resident said the redundancy was a significant loss for the town and its calendar of events.
“It is deeply disappointing to hear about the redundancy of the Community Trust manager. Alex has provided 12 years of service to the town and has been responsible for setting up and running very popular and well-run events. His skills in planning, coordinating, marketing and networking will be greatly missed. It is a real shame that decisions taken by councillors have led to his redundancy.”
“When the Trust was set up in 2013 it had three cornerstones – management of community buildings, organising community events and having a full-time manager. Those cornerstones have now been virtually eroded by recent decisions taken by councillors.”
The changes have also had a significant effect on the Trust’s volunteers. Of the core volunteers who had previously supported the organisation’s work, around half are understood to have stepped away following the changes.
Those who have left have cited concerns about the council taking direct control of events, the redundancy of the Trust manager and what they describe as a lack of consultation with volunteers and the Trust.
In a recent poll, 306 people said that events should be run by the Community Trust, while only 15 thought they should be run by the council.
Comments on the poll from local residents said that they had no faith in the council directly running events, with many asking: “If it’s not broke, why fix it?”
When making its decision, the Town Council indicated that bringing the delivery of events under its control would improve “council visibility, accountability and strategic alignment”, meaning that events would be delivered directly in line with the council’s priorities and decision-making structures.
As part of the changes, the council stated that it would establish a Community and Events Committee to oversee events. It was said that the committee would have delegated authority to make decisions within an agreed budget, operate transparently through published agendas and minutes, and provide a consistent forum for engagement with community groups and volunteers.
However, only draft terms of reference for the new Community and Events Committee currently exist, and it has not yet been formally established. No members have been appointed.
At the time of writing, neither Midsomer Norton Town Council nor the Community Trust trustees had issued a public statement regarding Mr Davis’s redundancy.
So far the council has only committed to delivering the Midsomer Norton Summer Fayre and has not made any announcements regarding the future of other major community events or the possible return of the community cinema programme.
Meanwhile, the Town Council has recently advertised for a new full-time role of Property and Assets Manager with a salary of up to £42,839. According to the job advertisement, the manager will be responsible for the strategic and operational management of property and land assets owned or managed by Midsomer Norton Town Council and Midsomer Norton Town Trust.
Midsomer Norton Town Council has been approached for comment.
