COUNCILLORS have given a massive thumbs-up to proposals to make £375,000 available for the upkeep and maintenance of the open spaces in Wellington which have been described as the “jewel in the town’s crown.”

Wellington Town Council is to take over the ownership and management of the town’s open spaces from April 1 as part of the devolution of services from cash-strapped Somerset Council.

And councillors agreed unanimously at their town council meeting on Monday (September 2) that if the authority was going to do the job well, then it needed the resources do it – although that comes at a price.

Town clerk Dave Farrow said the 25-page report which went before councillors paled into insignificance in comparison to the reams of paper and spreadsheets which had been compiled by council staff in coming up with a plan.

“It has been a huge piece of work and will be the most significant decision the council will make,” he said.

Mr Farrow said the figures had been based on a proper assessment of what was needed rather than “sticking a finger in the air.”

The council has had to look at staff, equipment and storage and although Mr Farrow said it came with a “health warning” as it could lead to an increase in the council’s precept, he added that things had been looked at in a “worst case scenario.”

Although Mr Farrow said that there was more work to be done on the initiative, he said that a decision needed to be made.

“If you (councillors) don’t go-ahead with this tonight it will be a struggle for us to be ready by April 1,” he said. “We need a decision tonight.”

The plans include Wellington Park, Wellington Rec, Wellington Playing Field and various other open spaces including Burrough Way, Oakfield Park, Hoyles Road, Dobree Park, The Paddocks, Sylvan Road, Laburnham Road, Beechgrove, Barrington Way, Jurston Lane, Andrew Allen Road, Walkers Gate and Swains Lane Nature Reserve.

The works include grass cutting, litter picking, bin emptying, hedge cutting, tree inspections, planting, weeding and general maintenance. 

Councillors were told that the authority is looking at having the open spaces work carried out by its own enlarged in-house team and external contractors. 

An annual indicative budget for open spaces has been compiled by council officers and amounts to £377,450. This includes £170,000 on salaries, £123,000 on outsourced activities, £34,450 on hiring a new depot and £30,500 on vehicles/machinery.

And despite the large amounts of money indicated – councillors were completely in favour of going ahead even if it meant a possible £66.39 per annum increase on the council’s precept for 2025-26, albeit that works out at just around £1.30 a week per Band D household.

Cllr Sean Pringle-Kosikowsky said: “The open spaces we’ve got in Wellington really are the jewel in our town.

“They are a gift for everyone to enjoy and it will be down to us to look after them.

“We will be able to do this better and cheaper and I’m one million per cent in favour of this.”