CANDIDATES for the new Somerset West and Taunton Council have pledged to turn the vacant Firepool site into a multi-purpose venue if elected.

Six candidates for the Taunton area gathered at Richard Huish College on Wednesday evening (April 4) to be quizzed over their visions for the county town’s future.

Clive Martin (Green Party) and county councillor Mike Rigby (Liberal Democrats) were joined on the panel by current district councillors Roger Habgood (Conservative), Libby Lisgo (Labour), Ian Morrell (Independent) and John Williams (Conservative).

Candidates for all the parties pledged to create a multi-purpose venue on the Firepool site, which has been vacant since 2008.

But they diverged sharply on other issues in the town, with both Conservative candidates coming in for criticism from an audience which included many opposition members of the current council.

In complete contrast to the climate change-themed hustings held at the same venue on Monday evening (April 1), this was a fractious and argumentative affair, with chairman Paul Jones working overtime to keep the debate moving on and allow each candidate an equal say.

Here are nine things we garnered from an eventful evening:

1. The Conservatives could have a new leader if they win

The ruling Conservative group on the current council is led by John Williams, who is also the leader of the council.

But that may not continue to be the case if the party wins the most seats on this election.

In his opening speech, Mr Habgood threw his hat into the ring, saying: “I will be putting my name forward as leader of the Conservative group.”

Mr Habgood, who is standing in the Monument ward, was a member of the Taunton Deane executive between 2015 and 2018.

Mr Williams remains the leader of the council and the Conservative group until after the election.

If the Conservatives win the most seats, they will vote for their leader within their own group – the same process which applies to all the other parties.

2. Taunton is “falling behind” Bridgwater and Exeter

Several candidates raised concern that Taunton was starting to fall behind other parts of the West Country.

Mr Habgood said it needed to be “the jewel in Somerset’s crown” and “Taunton has to prosper for everywhere to prosper”.

Ms Lisgo described Taunton as “a town without a heart” and said local people’s views needed to be better reflected.

Mr Martin warned about the impact of climate change on the town, stating: “Environmental catastrophe is catching up on us quicker and quicker – we have to do something to change the path.”

Mr Morrell said the Conservatives’ cuts had “propped up ego and obsession”, and called for “leadership with the verve to make the county town a better place to work and live.”

Mr Rigby said Taunton’s “star had faded” as a result of “tired leaders”, adding that it was “totally irresponsible” for the district and county councils not to share offices when both organisations are based in the town.

Mr Williams said the town was “a great place to live, work and play”, but admitted that he and the Conservatives “haven’t always got things right”. 

3. Dynamic leadership is needed on the new council

Rod Williams – who is standing for the Conservatives in the Norton Fitzwarren and Staplegrove ward – asked the candidates what leadership meant to them.

Mr Williams said it was about “being there and bringing people with you”, as well as ensuring resources were made readily available.

Mr Rigby said he had joined the Lib Dems (having previously been an independent) because they “had the skills” and “can form a nucleus to take things forward.”

Mr Morrell stressed the need for accountability and dynamism, saying a strong leader was “someone, or a group of people, who are able to deliver.”

Mr Martin spoke of the need of “a leadership of ideas, not individuals”  and hoped the new council would have “a gentler, more co-operative politics which is respectful of other views.”

Ms Lisgo said she disliked the “personality politics bandwagon” and likened leading a local authority to “herding cats”.

Mr Habgood said “top-down leadership is not fit for this century” and said the role of a leader was to “shine a light on the path for the way forward.”

4. Not enough people know about the garden town scheme

Keith Reed asked the panel what they would to deliver on Taunton’s garden town status within the next two years.

Mr Martin – who grew up in Letchworth Garden City – said he would change the council’s planning policies to make it harder for developers to “do what they do everywhere else.”

Mr Rigby called on the council to “put up a bit of a fight” against developers, adding: “I don’t know how building on all the green bits around the town makes it more ‘garden-y’.”

Mr Williams – a builder by trade – said the council was “at the mercy of developers” and had to demonstrate it could deliver housing before funding for new infrastructure would come forward.

Mr Morrell said plans to build a cancer support centre on the Galmington playing fields “should not be allowed to occur,” and called for a greater role for the public in the planning process.

Ms Lisgo described the garden town as “a gimmick” and said there had been little communication about its aims within the Priorswood ward, in which she is standing.

Mr Habgood disagreed, saying the garden town strategy was “the glue that this town needs” and arguing in favour of pedestrianising the town centre.

5. All parties want a multi-purpose venue on Firepool

Lynn Morley asked the panel about the prospect of a “decent venue for live theatre and music” in the town, “as opposed to the hotel that seemingly nobody wants”.

Mr Habgood said this venue should be on the Firepool site and could be funded through the housing being delivered elsewhere in Taunton.

Ms Lisgo said she would “need convincing” about it being purely an arts exhibition area, speaking in favour of a “multi-functioning space”, including a possible velodrome.

Mr Martin said he was in favour of a new venue, but said its survival would depend on bringing in young people – for instance, by Somerset having its own university.

Mr Morrell said “every idea must be looked at” and said more young people with disposable income would come to the town if better-paid jobs were created.

Mr Rigby also supported having an entertainment venue on Firepool, arguing it would “redress the damage” of building a bowling alley near Junction 25.

Mr Williams said the venue was in the Conservatives’ manifesto, adding: “I don’t know who’s copying whom.”

6. … and agree that the Brewhouse Theatre should stay open

The panel was asked whether the planned refurbishment of the Brewhouse Theatre should go ahead if a new venue is built on Firepool.

Mr Habgood said this was a matter for the current theatre managers, but cautioned: “We don’t want to stop doing something so that we get nothing out of it.”

Ms Lisgo said the Brewhouse could “continue to provide the theatre role” even if the new venue was built on its doorstep.

Mr Martin said the Brewhouse’s capacity made it hard to recruit big-name acts, but warned: “If you shut it to build the multi-use venue, you’d be waiting another 11 years for the multi-use venue.”

Mr Morrell said the new venue had to be reasonably priced and said the council “hasn’t been a friend to the Brewhouse” by reducing car parking on the Coal Orchard site.

Mr Rigby said the two venues could work together but added: “I wouldn’t spend more money on it at a time we’re trying to do something bigger a quarter of a mile away.”

Mr Williams said warned that closing the Brewhouse would “consign Taunton to the wilderness with no stage productions.”

7. Bus services are a big problem

Brenda Weston, a member of the Taunton Deane Labour Party, said the lack of late-running buses was “killing our night-time economy” and asked the panel how they would lobby to improve this.

Ms Lisgo said Taunton’s public transport was “in absolute crisis” and was an essential part of tackling climate change.

Mr Rigby accused the Conservative candidates of hypocrisy, claiming they had wanted to improve local buses while “actively campaigning for the opposite” by supporting the government’s austerity policies.

Mr Habgood said this attitude was “too cynical” and said he would focus on improving the town’s park and ride services.

Mr Williams said buses had to be used “more efficiently” because there was insufficient money to subsidise them.

8. There’s division over whether Taunton needs a town council

Martin Strauss asked the candidates whether Taunton – which is currently unparished – should have a town council, citing the work of independent town councillors in Frome.

Mr Martin said he was in favour of this, arguing decisions should be “taken at the most appropriate level.”

Mr Habgood said it was “up to the residents in the unparished area” but said it was a “good idea” – a view shared by Mr Williams.

Ms Lisgo said she’s been in favour of this for a long time, claiming the trend of “pushing down responsibilities” from district to town and parish councils had led to a “gaping hole” in how services were delivered in Taunton.

Mr Morrell said there was a “democratic deficit” in Taunton, but argued that a town council “will only be more bureaucracy in a chain in which too little is achieved.”

Mr Rigby said the people of Taunton “get a raw deal” and warned the new council could “become the shortest-lived in his country in two years’ time when the unitary authority comes along.”

No formal proposals for a unitary authority have been put forward to date, with leaders of the five existing councils (county and four districts) currently discussing multiple options for the future of local government in Somerset.

9. There could be more coalitions in the new council

In their closing statements, several candidates expressed their desire to work with other parties to achieve the best for the people of Taunton.

Mr Habgood said: “We’ve got to collaborate more across the chamber and across our communities. As long as we are arguing, Exeter is laughing.”

Ms Lisgo said she would consider teaming up with the Greens to ensure “it isn’t just down to one party to decide what is and isn’t going to happen.”

Mr Martin – whose party is fielding four candidates – advised: “If we’re not standing in your ward, you should consider voting for one of the opposition parties.”

Mr Morrell called for the council to be measured by “tangible outcomes” and warned that rising public debt could “leave future generations in sheer, dire straits.”

Mr Rigby pointed to “support and consensus” for Firepool, and said the focus should move away from housing and onto providing well-paid employment.

Mr Williams said he wanted to “bring people in and house them to provide the workforce for the future.”

Elections for Somerset West and Taunton Council will be held on May 2. To register to vote, visit www.gov.uk/register-to-vote by April 12.