Norton Hill Fort Andy, Dixie and Ed have been working with the Heritage team at Somerset West and Taunton Council on plans for Norton Hill Fort. Funding has been secured from Historic England to carry out maintenance work in preparation for maximising this site as a community asset. We want to thank Quantock AONB for securing funding from the Green Recovery Challenge which will enable the creation of a large scale wild-flower meadow. Such an exciting project! Focus On Norton Fitzwarren, Staplegrove and Kingston St Mary From your Lib Dem District Councillors: Dixie Andy Sully, Dixie Darch and Ed Firmin Online NEONICOTINOID PESTICIDES FOR SUGAR BEET SEEDS Dixie has written to Rebecca Pow MP on the issue of the Government temporarily authorising a known harmful pesticide and asks Rebecca Pow “to challenge the decision to authorise farmers to use a product containing a neonicotinoid to treat sugar beet seed....” It may be have been a tough year for the sugar industry but we must remmber: “We are in an ecological emergency (a real emergency) with massive losses in the insect and pollinator population. An evaluation of the application has found the potential risk to birds, mammals and aquatic invertebrates were “acceptable”. They are not acceptable to me....” Published and promoted by C Booth on behalf of Taunton Deane Liberal Democrats at Old Harness Rooom, 83 Staplegrove Road, Taunton, TA1 1DN. Picture taken pre-Covid Planning Reform Following the Government’s proposed planning reforms, we are incredibly relieved that the idea for calculating housing need through a new algorithm has been rejected. This would have resulted in a great deal more development. Our SW&T officers responded with a robust argument against these proposals as part of the consultation. Thank goodness they have been heard! Fireworks Motion In the lead up to Guy Fawkes we received a number of emails from residents requesting greater restrictions on fireworks use because of the distress they cause to pets and livestock. At December Full Council the Lib Dems put forward a motion to address this issue. It was passed with a strong majority. Tree Planting Just before we went into Tier 4 restrictions Lib Dem councillors and supporters planted 200 native trees on land in Kingston St Mary as part of Gideon Amos’s promise to offset paper used in the election campaign. We can’t wait until they grow into a woodland! andrewpsully@gmail.com dixie.darch@btinternet.com edward.firmin@hotmail.co.uk Please feel free to contact us if you have any concerns or issues! Best wishes, Dixie, Ed and Andy Dixie and Ed took part in the tree planting Dixie and Andy with Chair of SWT, Cllr Hazel Prior-Sankey, at the Hill Fort (taken pre-Covid)