IF OFFICERS at Wellington Town Council could be placed in a metaphoric boxing division they would be finding themselves up against the likes of world heavyweight champions Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier and Mike Tyson. 

Council officers have been congratulated and praised for the huge amount of work they have been taking on as the town council looks to take greater control of the local area.

The town council has agreed to fund and manage more services and amenities in a bid to help bankruptcy-threatened Somerset Council which is in the midst of a financial crisis and local councillors have praised officers for the ever-increasing mountain of work which has landed on their laps.

Cllr Sean Pringle-Kosikowsky, speaking at the town council’s policy and finance committee on September 9, said they “owed a debt of gratitude” to town clerk Dave Farrow and his small team of staff for all their efforts in making things happen.

Cllr Mark Lithgow said: “We have the quality of staff that can do the work. We put the work in and we will get the results – we make our own luck.”

He also suggested that the town council was “punching above its weight” and warranted a place in the metaphoric heavyweight division of local authorities.

Cllr John Thorne said the town council was “ahead of the curve” although he joked it was more to do with the “leadership of councillors” rather than hard work from the staff. 

Mr Farrow had earlier given councillors an update on the latest situation with the devolution of services from the county authority.

“We are working through a whole lot of information at the moment,” he said.

Mr Farrow said the council’s devolution working group was reviewing a list of assets under consideration including various play areas and open spaces as well as the likes of Wellington Park, Wellington Playing Field and Wellington Community Centre.

The town clerk also said that staff were ensuring that the council would be up-to-speed with all the necessary legal insurance, health and safety and risk management paperwork associated with the amenities it was taking on.