Citizens Somerset

Citizens UK – in Somerset

 Working for Justice through Community Action

Citizens UK is an organisation committed to working with local people, to hear their concerns about their community and take action to put them right. It describes itself as the “Home of Community Organising in the United Kingdom” and has been behind many successful campaigns, including being the driving force behind the introduction of the Real Living Wage (which the Methodist Church and many other employers have now adopted). It is concerned with real world issues of how society works but it is strictly non-party political.

Citizens UK has a number of branches – called Chapters – in London, Wales and many major cities across the country. And now the movement has come to the South West with the establishment of a local chapter “Citizens Somerset” which was formally launched at a Founding Assembly in Taunton in March 2019. It is the first to be set up in a mainly rural area.

The Methodist Circuit of Taunton Deane and South Sedgemoor has formally joined Citizens Somerset as a Founding Member Organisation, joining the Diocese of Bath & Wells, the United Reformed Church in Taunton and the Quakers, together with non-faith organisations like local schools and colleges and a number of committed individuals. The Circuit has taken the view that the goals of Citizens UK are very much in line with the Mission of the Methodist Church, to tackle issues of social justice and unfairness in our society and assist anybody who is affected by them. 

It is early days for Citizens Somerset but the Circuit is looking forward to working with others to address issues which concern our membership. For a link to the Citizens Somerset website and to keep up to date with campaigns on the areas chosen as initial priorities, please click on the link below

https://www.citizensuk.org/somerset

Citizens Somerset Update

Community Safety Group Report – Summer 2025

Sometimes, as citizens of this lovely county, we get frustrated with those who run our amenities – here’s a case in point:

The Group [including some of our Young Leaders from St James Primary School] met with Councillors at the underpass near Victoria Park recently, where the promise to fix broken lights was made. After a month, this hadn’t happened, so an email was sent to the Council……

I am concerned that for several weeks now lights have been out in the underpass leading off Wheatley Crescent… Quite a few lights were out here on 2nd April, and we were told, when a group of us met Tom Deakin and Federica Smith Roberts, that they would be fixed in 28 days, which is this week. I hope you can assure me that this has happened and that the others will be fixed at the same time.

The reply came back speedily –

Thank you for your email. We are aware of the subway lighting where most of the lights are not operating. Unfortunately, most have been vandalised and we are currently in the process of getting retrofit LED gear trays made with stronger lenses used, to be able to repair these damaged units. This is not a quick fix but hopefully will be a more permanent fix which should also be significantly sturdier and vandal proof once finished. The manufacturer has been to look at the fittings and knows what is required to fabricate what is needed and is currently in the process of manufacturing these but obviously this takes time.

So now we know what the problem is, and we will give the Council more time – as so often, communication is the difference between frustration, and understanding that we are all working towards the common good!

If you spot any broken lights in the area, please report them to

https://www.somerset.gov.uk/roads-travel-and-parking/report-a-problem-with-a-street-light/

The meeting at the underpass was successful for other reasons – not least among them, the sight of the children unexpectedly springing out of the underpass, brandishing swords, and demanding money, chips, etc – it was very real reminder of the dangers faced by those using an unlighted underpass!

Some of the ‘other reasons’ were: the number of people present [including parents, the mayor, councillors, a community group, and faith groups including newcomers from the Muslim community and New Creation Church]; the fact that the Action got a great write-up in the Gazette; and closer trust with the Council as can be seen from the exchange of emails above.

However, the children are still in conversation with the Council about mirrors and CCTV at the underpass, to make it safer; and the adults are following up for cheaper ‘tech’ alternatives.

Our next event will be running a stall at the North Taunton Community Day in Lyngford Park. Last time we were there, we made seed bombs with children and talked to lots of people about caring for the neighbourhood, and had a brilliant time – we will keep our fingers crossed that the sun shines on us!

And we are still monitoring the timing of the changing of the traffic lights at Lyngford; planning a listening activity with new recruits at Bishop Fox’s and Holy Trinity Schools, led by St James pupils; and having an end of year meeting with Councillors, etc, to ask ‘what is our legacy’ as the Year 6 Young Leaders leave for Secondary School. As always, there will be fun, surprises, food and music in the mix!

Elaine Banks

Current priorities from the Leadership Team and ideas for how our Circuit might strengthen its support.

Campaigns

Elaine Banks has written about our on-going campaigns with a particular emphasis on the Community Safety work and she describes: the successes and frustrations of dealing with people in authority; the pleasure of working with children and getting them engaged in community organising; the success we have started to have in securing publicity through articles in the local paper.

In relation to another long-term campaign, Providing Support to Homeless People, assurance has been given by Council Leaders that funding is available for 3 projects to provide modular housing units, i.e. not just the Taunton initiative. This is great news and the Leaders are now being pressed to provide a timeline for implementation; when this is clearer, interest will be sought from organisations including our Circuit to become involved in providing support for the eventual residents of the units.

How can we strengthen our involvement

Our Community Organiser, Sandra Lawson, continues to be successful in the drive to recruit new members across the county. In addition, Citizens Somerset is to receive additional funding (as a share of a Citizens UK bid for a large grant) which will be used to target recruitment in an area of the county with specific needs which we can select. Consideration will be given to where the focus should be, possibly in Bridgwater or in the Highbridge area.

While recruiting new members is excellent, the work does not stop there as it is essential to embed the community organising approach within the member organisation. This applies to existing members as much as to new ones and the Leadership Team has recognised that we should use this year as a period of consolidation with efforts to build strength and resilience in all the organisations. The Leadership Team has recently considered a simple check list by which we can review our involvement, looking at various factors as below. We have noted where we stand as a Circuit against these indicators.

Indicator
Regularly turns out for actions and large events
Circuit position
Yes, we have a good record in relation to large events

Indicator
Pays dues on time
Circuit position
Yes always

Indicator
Sends leaders on training regularly
Circuit Position
We could do more here

Indicator
Has a core team
Circuit Position
Limited success

Building a Core Team is of key importance and the benefits that flow from this are shown. Collective leadership is more sustainable than individual leadership
Harness the diversity, creativity and talent in your organisation
Build power (ability to act) to deliver on your organisation’s vision and mission
Democratise ownership of the organisation’s membership of Citizens
Why Core Teams?
Breaks the 80:20 dynamic (that 80% of the work is done by 20% of the people in your organisation)

At the recent Circuit Meeting, we considered what this means for us. We have in the past identified a number of people who have loosely been recognised as a core team in this way; perhaps we could renew this and ask people to put themselves forward. This should not be onerous with perhaps a commitment to:

a. Coming together 2 or 3 times a year to review our work with Citizens
b. Participating in discussions on our annual Membership Plan with Citizens Somerset
c. Supporting and encouraging the practice of holding 1:1 conversations throughout our churches
d. Encouraging attendance at large events like Assemblies where we have been able to achieve high turnout number in the past
e. Identifying people who might be empowered to emerge as leaders through involvement in particular campaigns

Planning a major event in the Autumn

The Spring of 2025 marked the end of 5 full years of campaigning by Citizens Somerset and we feel that this should be marked by holding an event in which we can

• Celebrate the work of the chapter and achievements

• Look forward to the next period of campaigning, especially with the new members we are recruiting

• Review our relationship with our main decision maker, Somerset Council, particularly as this year also makes the halfway point in their life as a Council

This event was originally conceived for the Spring but this also coincided with the recruitment of a number of new organisations. In order that they have the opportunity to strengthen their involvement and be in a position to design and participate in the event it was agreed that the event should be delayed and held in the Autumn.

More details will be provided as the planning continues but, at this stage, we would ask everyone to note the date and start to publicise it so that our Circuit can be represented in good numbers. It will be held in Taunton on Thursday 6th November between 6.00 and 7.30 pm.

John Haines