£5.4 million vocational education centre to open in autumn of 2008

A HUGE increase in learning opportunities is on the way for West Somerset with the final go-ahead being given for a new £5.4 million skills and enterprise centre based in the West Somerset Community College, Minehead.
The final element of funding required to create the new centre has been confirmed, which means the first students can expect to enrol for courses as soon as September of next year.
The skills and enterprise centre will give young people and adults in West Somerset an opportunity to access high quality vocational education and training, leading to qualifications and skills which will help them succeed in the future.
The new facilities will be used to provide training in subjects including automotive engineering, construction, health and beauty, hospitality and catering, health and social care, and land-based skills.
The centre has been funded by the Learning and Skills Council and the European Regional Development Fund.
It is the first part of a New Horizons Project which newly-elected Independent councillors on West Somerset Council were campaigning against during the run-up to this month’s elections.
However, the new leader of West Somerset Council, Councillor Keith Ross, said: “Children and adults will benefit from the learning and training opportunities that the new centre will provide, and local businesses will benefit from being able to recruit qualified local people.
“Better career opportunities lead to higher wages which will improve social and economic standards in West Somerset, so we welcome the confirmation of funding for the new centre.”
The project is a partnership between the district council, Somerset County Council, Somerset Primary Care Trust, and the community college.
It aims to create opportunities for people to lead healthy lifestyles and raise their skills levels, which in turn will contribute significantly to the economic development of West Somerset.
College principal Nick Swann said: “This national flagship project represents another major breakthrough for the college.
“For several years, staff have been working with other training partners and potential funding bodies to develop more innovative approaches to the delivery of specialist vocational courses.
“This state-of-the-art centre, with the excellent facilities it will provide, will enable us to extend our curriculum to meet the individual needs of many more students, as well as the wider community.
“The outcome will be a much broader range of career opportunities for learners in West Somerset.”
Minehead’s Somerset county Councillor Ian Galloway said: “The skills and enterprise centre will provide an important and much-needed resource. I am proud that it is set to be built in Minehead.”
County council education portfolio holder, Councillor Gloria Cawood, said: “Currently, students from this area hoping to study subjects such as construction have to travel to Bridgwater or Taunton.
“That is a challenge to their learning and the extra miles travelled increase pollution. I am very pleased that we have secured significant new educational opportunities in West Somerset.”
Photo submitted.

Recycling made easier by revamp of household waste site

RECYCLING in Minehead has been made more efficient and safer for the public after a series of improvements to the town’s household waste recycling centre.
The centre’s layout has been redesigned to improve heath and safety standards and operating procedures at the site in Mart Road.
In particular, it ensures the site is closed for a much shorter period of time when the recycling containers are moved for emptying.
The improvements were carried out by Minehead-based contractors C J Lynch and were completed three days ahead of schedule.
The redevelopment included the removal of a ramp, which has created more space, and eliminating the tandem skip placement which caused long delays when moving the containers and sometimes causing the centre to be closed for up to 45 minutes.
The new layout will mean that the centre has to close for a far shorter time, as the containers are more easily accessible.
The changes have allowed the site to continue operating while an alternative, larger site is sought.
County Councillor for Minehead, Councillor Ian Galloway, said: “We anticipate the changes will mean that recycling will be more efficient and safer for the residents of Minehead.
“Parking spaces at the centre have been properly defined to make it much clearer where people can unload their recyclable material, so there should be less traffic congestion.
“The centre has always achieved a good level of recycling, and we now look forward to seeing even higher levels of recycling at the centre that these improvements are sure to bring.”
Rob Kidson, waste engineer for Somerset County Council, said: “In the long term we plan to relocate the centre to a larger site.
“However, these changes mean that the centre can continue to operate in a safe manner and will make recycling more efficient for the public”.
Members of the public are advised to take care on entering the centre for the first time, due to the layout changes.
For more information on waste and recycling, contact Somerset County Council on 0845 345 9188 or logon to http://www.recyclesomerset.info/.

• Our photograph (top) shows Councillor Ian Galloway (left) and Rob Kidson at the redeveloped Minehead Household Waste Recycling Centre. Photo submitted.

'Purple Alliance' poll bid to take over district council

A CO-ORDINATED bid to wrest control of West Somerset District Council from the present Conservative administration will be launched at the quadrennial elections due to take place in May.
Around 20 ‘Independent’ candidates will stand for election in a co-ordinated campaign echoing the television comedy-drama The Amazing Mrs Pritchard.
In the television series, a supermarket manageress decides to run for election as an Independent MP, then suddenly finds herself leading a Purple Alliance party, and becomes the Prime Minister.
The parallel West Somerset scenario is being led by retired Dulverton shopkeeper Keith Ross (pictured), who is a sitting district councillor, with the backing of Minehead shopkeeper Graham Sizer.
They have rallied people to put up as ‘Independents’ at the May elections, although the group is closely linked with the Liberal Democrats.
Mr Sizer was formerly chairman of the Lib Dem-created pressure group Direct, and he also nominated the Lib Dem candidate, Ian Galloway, in the controversial Somerset County Council elections of 2005 when sitting Conservative councillor Colin Hill was ousted from his Minehead seat.
Councillor Ross admitted to The Crier that the ‘Independent’ group of candidates had been called together for a first meeting which had been hosted by a Liberal Democrat.
However, Mr Sizer denied being involved in any interviewing of potential ‘Independent’ candidates or screening of them to select candidates in order that they did not stand against each other in a particular ward and split the vote.
Mr Sizer said:” It has been blown up out of all proportion. There is no politics involved.
“There is a group just like any other group of politicians. There are a lot of people out there who are fed up with how the council is being run at the moment.
“They are good people. They just need a help in getting around the protocols of things. There has never been any screening. It is a hell of a broad platform.
“There has been no agenda in anything as far as bringing the ‘Independents’ together under one umbrella.”
Mr Sizer said he did not know how The Crier columnist Dudley Seale had formed the impressed that he had been asked to go before a ‘selection panel’ when he expressed an interest in standing for the council.
Councillor Ross said the next ‘Independent’ group meeting would be on neutral ground at the Queens Hall, Minehead.
However, the premises are owned by former Labour councillor Marcus Kravis – and Labour members at County Hall have helped to keep the Lib Dem administration in power.
Councillor Ross said the meeting on March 21 was for anybody ‘with a mind of their own’, which meant ‘somebody who is not led by a political party’.
He said: “We will give them our support to get them elected, ‘we’ being the existing members of the council who are Independent.
“There is help readily available through the Independent group at the Local Government Association, which is there to help councillors and candidates to get a foot on the ladder.
“They do not become an Independent political party. There are no group meetings. All decisions are made in open debate in front of the community, not behind closed doors as political parties do, and it will include all members of the council in that initial debate.
“Many of the people I have been talking to will be quite happy not to be a controlling group. They are happy for the best person to do the job.
“If that means Roger Webber (Conservative) is the best person to run finance, then that will be his job – if he gets re-elected.
“We have about 20 candidates at the moment. It will be interesting to see if another 11 come out of the woodwork on the 21st and we can cover the whole district.
“We are also keen that people represent the community in which they live. Somebody living in Dulverton, for instance, would not do justice representing the Quantock Vale ward.”
Photo submitted.

Public opinions sought on Seaward Way development plans

AN informal information evening is being held on January 17 to give local residents an opportunity to have their say on a proposed of health and well-being development planned for a site off Seaward Way, in Minehead.
The proposed development includes a £24 million replacement for Minehead Hospital and a leisure centre which will encompass a replacement for the Aquasplash swimming pool as well as a range of other health facilities, plus business services, and some housing for local people.
The information evening is open to the public and takes place from 5 pm to 7:30 pm in the West Somerset Community College.
The public meeting is being arranged in order to inform local residents about the current proposal for the site and to consult on the leisure facilities which should be included in the proposed learning and leisure centre.
The evening will include full graphic displays demonstrating all aspects of the project, known as New Horizons, and the project steering group members will ask attendees about the specific facilities they want to see in the new leisure centre.
Evidence gathered at the information evening will help to influence future design proposals.
A strong attendance will also help to demonstrate local support for the project, which is critical for the securing the remainder of the funding for the project.
District council leader, Councillor Christine Lawrence, said: “This ambitious project is all about positive partnerships.
“It will demonstrate the power of effective partnership working between organisations coupled with the positive partnership forged with local people interested in securing first-class health, learning, and leisure facilities for the residents of West Somerset.
“We actively encourage everybody to attend this meeting because it is their opportunity to see what we are offering, and their chance to influence this development to ensure that it meets the needs of the whole community.”
Community college principal Nick Swann said: “Local people, including college staff, have worked for years to secure this groundbreaking project.
“Close community involvement will continue to be essential to its success. We welcome all local people who would like to give their views on the proposals.”
Minehead ward county Councillor Ian Galloway said: “This meeting will explain the exciting developments that we hope to bring to the site and will give local people a chance to have their say.
“That is absolutely vital in this project and we need to have facilities that meet the requirements of local people.”
County council portfolio holder for economic development, Councillor Paul Buchanan, said: “Engaging the public is an absolute priority for Somerset County Council with regards to this project.
“Demonstrable public support will have a positive effect on gaining future project-critical funding streams, so I hope many people turn out to have their say and influence the future of the Seaward Way site.”
New Horizons is a partnership between West Somerset Council, Somerset County Council, Somerset Primary Care Trust, and the West Somerset Community College.

Active living in Alcombe

THE second of West Somerset’s Active Living Centres has been opened in Alcombe Methodist Church Hall by the Mayor of Minehead, Councillor Ann Foxhuntley. Another centre – the first in the whole of the county – has been running in Washford for the past few weeks. The programme locally has been led by Somerset County Council and West Somerset Council and developed through Age Concern Somerset. In Alcombe, the opening session featured a healthy cooking demonstration and free lunch for the area’s over-50s, marking the start of a journey towards developing a greater range of opportunities for active living in West Somerset. There was also an opportunity to experience a holistic massage taster session and a Tai Chi demonstration. Information about Somerset Active Living was available and attendees were able to suggest other activities they would like to see provided in the future. Fifty Active Living Centres will be established across Somerset by 2008, operating locally from suitable venues on a drop-in basis. Local communities will lead the development of the centres, with the support of Partnerships for Older People (POPP), which also includes Somerset Primary Care Trust, support services, and a range of voluntary and community organisations. The Active Living Centres aim to regularly provide activities, advice, learning opportunities, and events which will promote active living and improve well-being of members of the community aged 50 and older. Minehead’s county Councillor Ian Galloway said: “I am very supportive of this project, which will offer Alcombe’s older people a chance to really enjoy themselves and maintain an active level of fitness and relaxation.” West Somerset Council’s portfolio holder for housing, health and welfare, Councillor Mary Crowley, said: “We welcome these new centres because as well as giving older local people support and advice on health and welfare matters, they also provide an excellent social environment for local people to meet and discuss issues that affect them.” Volunteers from the local community are needed to help make the centres successful by supporting activities and events. Anybody who wants to help or would like to see a similar initiative in their community or who wants more information should contact Alison Tanton, POPP officer for West Somerset, at Age Concern, on 01398 323826 or at alison.tanton@ageconcernsomerset.org.uk.