Wedmore Parish Clerk update
Hello Friends!
People often say to me, ‘I don’t know how you do your job.‘ I usually laugh it off, but if I am honest, there are days when I wonder the same thing. Being Clerk to the Parish Council is a privilege, but it can also be a lonely role. Outside of meetings, it is often just me: no big office, no team of colleagues to bounce ideas off, and no one sitting beside me to check in with when the inbox is full, deadlines are looming, or a difficult issue lands on the desk.
There are complaints, pressures and moments when people understandably feel frustrated. Parish Council work is very local, very visible and often very personal. But then I look around Wedmore, at the play areas, allotments, footpaths, cemetery, community spaces, volunteers, events and all the people who care deeply about this parish and it becomes very clear to me why I do it. I really would not want to be doing anything else.
Since the last update, work has continued through Full Council and Committee meetings. Much of it is made up of small pieces: a play area checked, a planning response submitted, a faulty streetlight reported, a bench repair progressed, an allotment plot brought back into use. None of these things happens by accident.
At Full Council in April, members approved payments totalling £13,135.08, reviewed the action log and closed completed items. It may sound administrative, but it is part of making sure public money is properly authorised, decisions are followed through, and the Council remains accountable. The Council was also pleased to co-opt
Sarah McGee as a new councillor. Parish councils rely on people being willing to step forward, give their time and bring their experience to the table. It is easy to comment from the sidelines; it is much more valuable to take part in the work.
Highways and road safety remain regular concerns. The Council has adopted a new Speed Indicator Device Governance Framework, helping to ensure SID equipment is managed safely and consistently. Flooding and drainage also remain under review, including the ongoing position regarding the Panborough Drain, where delivery
capacity and long-term responsibility remain uncertain.
The Public Amenities and Facilities Committee has been looking closely at the spaces people use every day: play areas, allotments, benches, noticeboards, the cemetery, public toilets, the Council office and community woodlands. These are the sorts of things that make a parish feel cared for, but they require inspections, maintenance schedules, quotations, repairs and budget planning.
Play area inspections have also continued. The play areas were generally in satisfactory condition, with smaller works needed, including topping up bark beneath the climbing frame at Blackford. These are not glamorous jobs, but they matter. Planning has, as ever, been busy. The Planning Committee met twice in April and considered several applications across the parish. The Parish Council is not the decision-maker, but it does listen, consider local views and submit comments to Somerset Council based on planning policy. Recent applications generating public interest included Yeo Moor Drove, where the Committee objected, and Mill Lane, where the Committee supported the proposal.
At the allotments, members reviewed plot condition, cultivation levels, vacant
plots and outstanding rent. The area behind the community shed is to be mown and
offered initially as two smaller starter plots. I love this kind of practical outcome: a
bit of unused ground, some careful thought, and suddenly there is the possibility of
someone new growing their first vegetables.
Did you know? Wedmore Parish Council spent £2,024.55 last year keeping the parish allotments available for local residents. This covered water services, general maintenance, repairs, knotweed control, skip hire and allotment association membership. The allotments are not simply self-running; they need ongoing care and investment to remain safe, usable and available as a valued community growing space. If you would like to be added to the allotment waiting list, please contact Wedmore Parish Council.
11 June 2026
So yes, there are hard days, and most days the inbox feels bigger than the hours available. But there are also days when a repair is completed; a resident gets an answer; a community space is improved; or a small issue is quietly sorted before it becomes a bigger one. Wedmore is worth the effort!
Thank you to everyone who engages constructively, reports issues, asks questions, volunteers, attends meetings or simply takes the time to understand how local decisions are made. It really does make a difference.
Lindsey Baker, Clerk,
Wedmore Parish Council