THE new open spaces manager at Wellington Town Council will be looking for a band of volunteers to come forward to help keeping the area looking attractive.

With the council taking on more services in the future in response to the financial emergency being faced by bankruptcy-threatened Somerset Council, it has appointed local man Darren Hill to lead the project to keep the town’s parks looking clean and tidy.

Mr Hill comes with bags of experience and is looking forward to the challenge, but he knows he will need help.

He told the council’s annual meeting on May 1 that in the future he could look at getting the Community Pay Back scheme involved as well as asking for local volunteers.

“We need to get policies put in place and the health and safety things sorted, but we could start to drum up some interest,” he said.

Mr Hill is currently working with town clerk Dave Farrow in drawing up proposals for when the council fully takes over responsibility for open spaces in Wellington from 2025-26 – although it is expected that that will happen sooner rather than later.

Councillors gave Mr Farrow permission to spend up to £10,000 from the open spaces development reserves on equipment needed by Mr Hill.

He has already started to draw up a “shopping list” of equipment he and the community warden will require to keep on top of the work needed.

Cllr Marcus Barr said: “We have got the best person in Darren to run this job. So do we outsource the work or do we give Darren the tools he needs to do it?

“I think we are very lucky to have Darren. He will be a real asset to this town and it’s great to have him on board.”

And the new Mayor, Cllr Janet Lloyd, said: “Darren is Wellington born and bred – he knows the town like the back of his hand.”

Mr Hill said he was confident the council will be able to get the job done and a report on his plans will be heard by councillors in September.

Somerset Council approved £35m of funding cuts to services including recycling centres, public toilets and arts, in February. Members voted through its budget, which had faced a £100m shortfall, which is aimed to avoid a S114 notice.

It also included using £36m of council savings and selling off buildings to pay for day-to-day costs.

Residents saw their council tax to the Lib Dem-run Somerset Council rise by 4.99 per cent from April.

The council's 2024/25 budget was voted through with 52 councillors voting in favour, nine against and 31 abstentions.

Council leader Councillor Bill Revans Council Leader Cllr Bill Revans said: “Since declaring a financial emergency in response to the soaring cost of social care, we have done everything in our power to avoid a S114 notice.  

“We have looked at all our non-statutory services to find savings and have taken a series of heart-breaking and unpalatable decisions.”