Weston-super-Mare Town Council

Finance & General Purposes Committee
2024-12-16 19:00 - 20:30 (Europe/London) | Weston Town Council Office, 32 Waterloo Street, BS23 1LW
The overall purpose of this standing committee is to ensure that the council’s finances, resources and statutory obligations are conducted in accordance with legislation, statutory regulations and good practice, and to administer services, which are not the responsibility of the other standing committees.
Committee Structure, calendar of meetings, committee membership & terms of reference – JUNE 2024

Planning & Environment Committee
2024-12-11 19:00 - 20:30, 2024-10-16 19:00 - 20:30, 2024-09-18 19:00 - 20:30, 2024-08-21 19:00 - 20:30, 2024-07-24 19:00 - 20:30 | Weston Town Council Office, 32 Waterloo Street, BS23 1LW
The overall purpose of this standing committee is: (a) to ensure informed local knowledge is brought to bear on planning and licensing applications and to convey those views in a timely way to the appropriate authority; (b) to ensure local knowledge is brought to bear in relation to highway, road safety and transportation matters affecting the Town Council’s geographical area and (c) to contribute to the formation of planning policies both locally and nationally.
Committee Structure, calendar of meetings, committee membership & terms of reference – JUNE 2024

Town Council
2024-11-25 19:00 - 20:30 | Town Hall, Walliscote Grove Road, Weston-super-Mare, BS23 1UJ, United Kingdom
Members of the public are welcome to attend full Town Council meetings.
A Town Council meeting, may not sound like the most interesting way to spend your evening. However, listening to the councillors from different political parties you are likely to learn more about them than from a flyer that comes through the door at election time. More importantly, you can request to speak at the meeting by contacting admin@wsm-tc.gov.uk and they can learn about the issues that matter to you.

Christmas Lights Switch-On
2024-11-23 17:00 - 18:00 | Italian Gardens, W-S-M
Christmas Lights Switch-On Update: The Lights Must Go On!

Despite the weather forecast looking less than festive, Weston-super-Mare’s Christmas Lights Switch-On and eat Festivals: Weston Christmas Edition are still happening this Saturday, 23rd November 2024! We’ve made some adjustments to ensure everyone can stay warm, dry, and enjoy the day:

Revised Event Plan:
Christmas Lights Ceremony: The lights will still be switched from 5:00 pm, but the ceremony will now be held inside the Winter Gardens and live-streamed to a screen in the venue.

eat Festivals: Many of the fantastic food and drink producers will now be inside the Winter Gardens (access via the Garden Café entrance). Don’t worry, there’ll still be food trucks outside in the Italian Gardens near The Sovereign.

Weston Brass Band: Catch Weston Brass performing festive tunes in the Sovereign Centre.

Pauline Quirke Academy: The talented performers will take the stage inside the Winter Gardens to bring you Christmas cheer.

Father Christmas: He’ll be out and about all day to spread festive joy – no grotto, so keep an eye out for him!

Extra Festive Perks:
Free Bus Travel: Available on selected routes to make it easy to join in the fun.
Free Parking: From 3:00 pm at the Sovereign Centre.
Weston Town Council Survey: Visit us to share your thoughts on our new lights as part of the “Your Town, Your Voice” winter survey.

Thank you for bearing with us as we adjust to the weather. Wrap up warm and come along for a brilliant day of festive cheer! Let’s make this Christmas one to remember.

Weston-super-Mare to Illuminate the South West with the Region’s First Nordika Christmas Tree –

This festive season, Weston-super-Mare will sparkle brighter than ever as it becomes the only town in the South West to feature the spectacular 8-metre Nordika Christmas tree, a cutting-edge symbol of sustainability and innovation.
Crafted to mimic the beauty of nature with unparalleled realism, the Nordika tree is adorned with an impressive 8,664 pre-installed LEDs, ensuring it will be the stunning centrepiece of Weston’s Christmas celebrations. This investment aligns with the town’s forward-thinking ethos, combining festive tradition with a strong commitment to sustainability.
Blachere Illumination UK the creators of the Nordika tree and the design for the Christmas lights, have designed this magnificent alternative to natural trees in an effort to protect the environment. With a focus on reducing the need for real trees to be cut down, the Nordika is an eco-friendly, pre-lit masterpiece that can be easily assembled, stored, and reused year after year. The tree’s branches are meticulously crafted with attention to detail, creating a lifelike look that rivals the beauty of its natural counterpart.The Christmas lights switch-on ceremony is set for Saturday, 23rd November 2024 at 5:00 pm, marking the start of the festive season in Weston-super-Mare. The day will be filled with festive cheer, including performances of Christmas songs, and appearances by Father Christmas, Weston Brass. The much-loved EAT Festival will also take place throughout the day, offering visitors an array of delicious local food and drink options.From our Christmas lights survey we found a Golden light was preferred with a Victorian elegant theme. The environmental impact was also considered important therefore we have worked closely with Blachère who share these values.

Key Event Details:Date: Saturday, 23rd November 2024Time: 5:00 pm (Christmas Lights Switch-On event starts)Location: Italian Gardens Weston-super-Mare Town CentreFestivities: Christmas songs, Father Christmas, eat Festivals, and Weston Brass

Planning & Environment Committee
2024-11-13 19:00 - 20:30 | Weston Town Council Office, 32 Waterloo Street, BS23 1LW
The overall purpose of this standing committee is: (a) to ensure informed local knowledge is brought to bear on planning and licensing applications and to convey those views in a timely way to the appropriate authority; (b) to ensure local knowledge is brought to bear in relation to highway, road safety and transportation matters affecting the Town Council’s geographical area and (c) to contribute to the formation of planning policies both locally and nationally.

Remembrance Sunday 10th November
2024-11-10 10:30 - 23:30 | Grove Park
Weston-super-Mare, along with every other town and village in Britain, will fall silent for two minutes on Remembrance Sunday 10th November as we pay respect to those who fell in two world wars and later conflicts. Once again Grove Park will be the centre of attention for the many hundreds who brave the November weather to watch and participate as serving and retired military, forces benevolent organisations, cadets, scouts, guides and other uniformed organisations march to the War Memorial for the Act of Remembrance.
The parade assembles in the Italian Gardens and, for the first time, will be joined this year by the Mayor, Lieutenancy, councillors and other dignitaries as they process from the Town Council’s new headquarters in Waterloo Street. Led by a band the parade moves off at 10.25 for the short march into Grove Park.
The traditional Act of Remembrance led by the Chaplains involves music, readings, prayer, National Anthem and wreath laying. At 11 o’clock Last Post signals silence, then for Two Minutes nothing stirs until the buglers’ Reveille.
Once the formal parade has ended members of the public are invited to plant memorial crosses or similar tokens of remembrance at the Field of Remembrance alongside the War Memorial
Orders of service are available at ttps://wsm-tc.gov.uk/news-events/grove-park-remembrance-sunday/ for downloading to phones or for personal printing

Amenities, Culture & Leisure Committee
2024-11-04 19:00 - 20:30, 2024-09-09 19:00 - 20:30, 2024-07-01 19:00 - 20:30 | Weston Town Council Office, 32 Waterloo Street, BS23 1LW
The overall purpose of this standing committee is to discharge effectively and economically the Council’s duties in the spheres of its community, leisure and cultural amenities and activities.

Personnel Committee
2024-10-30 19:00 - 20:30 | Weston Town Council Office, 32 Waterloo Street, BS23 1LW
The overall purpose of this committee is to effectively and efficiently discharge the Council’s duties as an Employer.

Finance & General Purposes Committee
2024-10-14 19:00 - 20:30, 2024-08-19 19:00 - 20:30 | Weston Town Council Office, 32 Waterloo Street, BS23 1LW
The overall purpose of this standing committee is to ensure that the council’s finances, resources and statutory obligations are conducted in accordance with legislation, statutory regulations and good practice, and to administer services, which are not the responsibility of the other standing committees.

Weston Tree and Plant Group
2024-09-25 19:00 - 20:30 | Weston Museum
Weston tree and plant group’s aim is to bring together as many people, groups, organisations and ​businesses involved and interested in planting trees and other plants to ​increase tree canopy levels and biodiversity across the town.
The Office for National Statistics had conducted a study which showed that “the removal of pollution by trees, plants and grass saved 27,000 life years and the NHS around £1billion in medical costs” in 2020 alone.
In addition, a new tree nursery is being developed at a site in the Maltlands area of the Winterstoke ward. ]
The new tree nursey is called ‘WeSee Trees’ which gives a nod to SEE MONSTER Think Tanks where the original tree and plant group community was formed. It is anticipated that this will become a thriving community-led space to grow and nurture trees for ​planting in the future, as tree nursery has the potential to become invaluable to the town’s planting commitments and enable rare native species to be grown locally. The trees grown could be used to create woodlands, hedgerows and orchards or they can be planted in dedicated green space such as local parks, school grounds, private farmland, community gardens and private household gardens.
Partnerships have already been made with groups such as Friends of Grove Park, Keepers Gate Forest School and Osprey Outdoors to help establish the site, gain volunteers, share skills and collaborate with wider community initiatives.
If you would like to get involved with Weston tree and plant group, the tree planting sub-committee or WeSee Trees nursery please head to www.wsmtrees.co.uk.

Quarry Opportunities
2024-09-24 19:00 - 20:30 | Weston Museum
We would now like to invite you to the next Old Town Quarry (OTQ) project meeting – the details are:
TITLE: Quarry Opportunities: Next Steps meeting
DATE: Tuesday 24th September
TIME: 7 – 8.30pm
VENUE: Weston Museum, Burlington Street, Weston-Super-Mare BS23 1PR
Overview of Quarry Conversations feedback
Thank you for your patience as we work through all of the amazing feedback that was shared at the Quarry Conversations (QCs) sessions this summer. We have analysed the information from all of the sessions, including the discussion groups, group feedback and the feedback forms that were completed.
Four key next step Opportunities (topics) and four key cross-cutting Themes (considerations) for the OTQ project have emerged from the analysis of the QCs data – these have come directly from the evaluation done and has provided the basis for the next phase of the project work.
The four next step Opportunities for the Old Town Quarry site are:
• Environmental Conservation and Wildlife Protection
• Arts and Culture
• Educational & Learning opportunities
• Balanced Event Programming
The four cross-cutting Themes are:
• Wellbeing/ health/fitness
• Heritage/ history/ conservation
• Community engagement and accessibility
• Sustainable business model
As discussed at previous Quarry Conversations, and in discussions with interested individuals and groups, we now want to progress the findings from our community engagement events by working towards the development of a community-focused programme for the Old Town Quarry.
Purpose of the next Quarry Opportunities: Next Steps meeting
The focus and objective of this next ‘Quarry Opportunities: Next Steps’ meeting is to continue to build a community vision for the OTQ by bringing the Community Ownership Fund programme to fruition.
So at this stage, we now want to identify people, groups and organisations who want to be directly involved in developing and delivering the OTQ programme – we are looking for people with the vision, interest, skills and ability to develop a community operational model for the Quarry when it re-opens.
Ideally, we would like people to identify one key Opportunity area to be involved in – each of the Opportunities will form the basis of a separate discussion group at the meeting. So please consider which topic you are most interested in as you will be placed at one Opportunity discussion table/ space at the Museum at the start of the meeting.
All offers of involvement for an Opportunity must also consider the four Themes and how your offer can address them to ensure that they are included in the development of the ongoing Quarry programme.
NOTE: If you were not able to attend previous Quarry Conversations, please have a look at the presentation shown at the events so you have a general overview of the Old Town Quarry project; we hope this helps inform whether you would like to join us at the upcoming meeting – the PDF of the Old Town Quarry project presentation is here: https://wsm-tc.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Quarry-Conversations-PDF-for-website.pdf
IMPORTANT
We are also planning to hold other general Quarry Conversations meetings to provide OTQ project updates and opportunities once the build work is under way later in the year (November or December).
NB – PLEASE NOTE: This meeting on 24th September will not provide general updates on the Quarry project; if you wish just to be kept updated on what’s happening at the Quarry then you can:

• Check the Quarry webpage for project information and updates – https://wsm-tc.gov.uk/our-services/old-town-quarry/
• Sign up to the Quarry mailing list: http://eepurl.com/iP9du2
• Email the Quarry project team: quarry@wsm-tc.gov.uk

Thank you for your continued interest, support and involvement in the Old Town Quarry project, and we look forward to receiving your RSVPs.
Regards,
Sarah Jackson, on behalf of the Old Town quarry project team

Town Council
2024-09-23 19:00 - 20:30 | Weston Town Council Office, 32 Waterloo Street, BS23 1LW

Creating a Community Arboretum with John Parker
2024-09-18 19:00 - 20:30 | Front Room Theatre, 13 Central Walk, S23 1FF
Join Us for an Engaging Evening with Arboricultural Expert John Parker who will be talking to us about creating a community arboretum.
📅 Date: Wednesday, 18th September
🕖 Time: 7:00 PM
📍 Venue: Front Room 13 Central Walk, Weston-super-Mare BS23 1FF
Weston Tree and Plant Group is thrilled to announce our upcoming meeting which will feature the distinguished John Parker, Chief Executive Officer of the Arboricultural Association. With a career spanning key roles and numerous accolades in the field of arboriculture, John is set to provide an evening rich with insights and inspiration.
About John Parker:

Current Role: CEO of the Arboricultural Association
Past Roles: Technical Director at the Arboricultural Association (Aug 2019 – Jul 2021)
Leadership: President of the UK & Ireland chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture
Global Influence: Member of the European Forum on Urban Forestry International Steering Group and UK representative on the European Arboricultural Council
Expertise: Chartered Environmentalist, Chartered Forester, Associate Member of the Royal Society of Biology
Acclaimed Speaker: Frequent presenter at national and international conferences, including a TED Talk titled “Why Trees are Better than People” (available on YouTube)

Webinar Chair: Led the Arboricultural Association webinar series from Spring 2020, reaching a global audience on diverse topics
Past Leadership: Former Executive Committee member of the London Tree Officers Association, Chair from 2016-2018
Recognition: Named Young European Urban Forester of the Year in 2018, and one of the 25 Most Influential People in Horticulture by Pro Landscaper Magazine in 2022
Community Engagement: Founder of the Stonehouse Community Arboretum, Trustee of the Doverow Hill Trust, and former Trustee of the Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum (2020-2022)
John is passionate about public engagement, green equity, and the multifaceted benefits of trees, particularly their social and cultural value. His extensive experience and dedication to urban forestry and arboriculture make him a compelling speaker you won’t want to miss.
Booking https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/creating-a-community-arboretum-with-john-parker-tickets-922750049237
We look forward to seeing you there!

Inviting you to ‘Quarry Conversations’ your voice on the Old Town Quarry.
2024-08-15 11:00 - 14:00 | The Blakehay Theatre, 20 Wadham Street, Weston-super-Mare, BS23 1JZ, United Kingdom
We are delighted to invite you to join us for our fourth ‘Quarry Conversations’ event – your voice on the Old Town Quarry.
As Weston super Mare Town Council takes over the lease of the Old Town Quarry site, this event continues the series of community engagement sessions where you can share your ideas and aspirations for the Quarry.
These events are being held at different times, at different venues and in different formats in Weston to provide opportunities for more residents and community groups to find out about the project and get involved.
Event Details
Date: Thursday 15th August
Time: Drop-in and talk to Town Council staff from 11.00am to 2.00pm (no need to RSVP)
Venue: Theatre Bar, ground floor of Blakehay Theatre, 20 Wadham St, Weston-super-Mare, BS23 1JZ
https://blakehaytheatre.co.uk/
PLEASE NOTE: This drop-in session will share the same information provided at the June and July Quarry Conversations events – but if you joined us before and would like to come along, or accompany someone who hasn’t been before, you are very welcome to drop in and talk to us
.
So please let other people who might be interested know about this Quarry Conversations drop-in too!
And to make sure you stay updated and continue to receive invitations to future meetings about the Quarry, please join our mailing list: http://eepurl.com/iP9du2.
We look forward to seeing you in August.

Grants & Governance Sub- committee
2024-08-01 08:00 - 17:00 | Weston Town Council Office, 32 Waterloo Street, BS23 1LW
Reports to: Finance and General Purposes Committee
Role: To deal with all Grant Applications received by the council including but not limited to Small and Voluntary applications, Community Events applications, Weston in Bloom applications and Youth Council applications (as required). In addition to oversee the governance and monitoring of all Service Level Agreements.

The Mayor Will Be Attending The MFA 10th Anniversary Celebration
2024-07-30 13:00 - 15:00 | Weston Museum

The Mayor Will Be Attending The Beer & Ale Festival
2024-07-28 12:00 - 13:00 | Beach Lawns

The Mayor will be attending the Lions Beer & Ale Festival Race Night
2024-07-25 18:00 - 19:00 | Beach Lawns

Inviting you to ‘Quarry Conversations’ your voice on the Old Town Quarry.
2024-07-16 19:00 - 20:30, 2024-07-16 15:30 - 17:00 | Weston Town Council Office, 32 Waterloo Street, BS23 1LW
We are delighted to invite you to join us for our second ‘Quarry Conversations’ event – your voice on the Old Town Quarry.
As Weston super Mare Town Council prepares to take over the lease of the Old Town Quarry site, this event continues the series of community engagement sessions where you can share your ideas and aspirations for the Quarry.
The Quarry Conversations event is being held at different times and at different venues in Weston to provide opportunities for more residents and community groups to find out about the project and get involved.
Event Details
Date: Tuesday 16th July
Time: Daytime: 2 – 3.30pm OR Evening: 7 – 8.30pm (Same session repeated)
Venue: Weston super Mare Town Council offices 32 Waterloo Street.
PLEASE NOTE: This event is a repeat of the Quarry Conversations event held in June and will provide the same information and follow the same format – but if you joined us in June and would like to come along, or accompany someone who hasn’t been before, you are very welcome to attend again.
And please let people who might be interested know about this Quarry Conversations event too!
To ensure you stay informed and continue to receive invitations to future meetings about the Quarry, we encourage you to join our mailing list: http://eepurl.com/iP9du2.
IMPORTANT: There is a limit on numbers at this venue, so please RSVP to quarry@wsm-tc.gov.uk and confirm if you want to attend the DAYTIME OR EVENING session.
You will then be sent further details about the event and the venue.
Thank you once again – and we look forward to receiving your RSVP.

(Cancelled)Town Council
2024-07-15 19:00 - 20:30 | Weston Town Council Office, 32 Waterloo Street, BS23 1LW

Weston-super-Mare Armed Forces Day
2024-06-22 10:00 - 17:00 | Beach Lawns
Armed Forces Day is a chance to show your support for the men and women who make up the Armed Forces. Details coming soon.

Inviting you to ‘Quarry Conversations’ your voice on the Old Town Quarry.
2024-06-18 19:00 - 20:30 | Weston Museum
As we move towards Weston Town Council taking over lease of the Old Town Quarry site, we would like to invite you to ‘Quarry Conversations’, Tuesday 18th June 7.00pm at Weston Museum.
This event marks the start of a series of community engagement sessions. These sessions will provide an opportunity for residents to voice their ideas and aspirations for the Quarry. If you would like to attend, please email quarry@wsm-tc.gov.uk.
Weston Town Council has been awarded a substantial grant from the Community Ownership Fund, reflecting confidence in our vision for the Quarry’s future. This funding will support the extensive refurbishment required to reopen the site to the public and sustain its legacy for generations to come.

The renovation will see a flurry of activity, with major building and refurbishment work commencing in summer 2024. Among the highlights is the revamp of the café building, which is hoped to reopen in early summer 2025.

We are committed to transforming the Old Town Quarry into a safe, accessible, and vibrant space that honours its rich natural and cultural heritage and we want the voice of the people of Weston-super-Mare to guide us. ‘Your Quarry, Your voice’.

We encourage everyone to join our mailing list for updates. To attend the first of this special set of ‘Quarry Conversations’, Tuesday 18th June 7.00pm at Weston Museum please email quarry@wsm-tc.gov.uk.
