Radstock Town Council held its monthly meeting and discussed a wide range of local issues including whether to help out financially at the local football club.

The council has been asked to help with grant funding for fencing up at Southfields.

Councillors agreed unanimously to look at how they might help encouraged by Cllr Bruce Stearn who told them: " This is long overdue, I believe the fencing went up in 1967. We need to look after this ground and support Southfield."

Councillors also discussed the on-going community asset transfer which could see Tom Huyton play area under Radstock control.

The Properties and Amenities Committee have been looking at this but there was some frustration that not much progress has been made.

There are many financial obligations which would need to be covered with transfer of ownership of the park and councillors discussed how to protect the council's finances should big works be needed.

One particular concern, the large horse chestnut trees alongside the park, which will need to be felled.

Cllr Nick Toogood said that while it was important not to expose the council to big spendings: " It was necessary to get the ball rolling, we do not sign anything or agree anything about taking anything over, but we are currently going around in circles on this. We need to press on and get the reports and checks done - we don't need to decide anything yet but we need to get started."

The motion was passed unanimously.

The Town Clerk also gave an update on coronavirus council matters including re-opening the library. Regrettably she told them that for safe distancing they would have to keep to a maximum of ten people in the building at any one time, and since there were four staff, numbers would be limited.

She added that in the toilets now open in Tom Huyton, there is hand sanitiser.

" We are doing everything we can to keep residents safe, " she told the meeting.

One other issue discussed was the moving of the Radco store into transitory premises at Marcroft Court and the disruption already being caused with parking and the unloading of stock into the temporary site.

Cllr Chris Dando, who was responding to the claim that " They just sneaked this in, " said: " The site was scheduled for development under the first planning permission which was granted nearly ten years ago. It was all agreed and we were notified that this would be done. It has been planned like this for quite some time."

Cllr Bruce Stearn added that at one time, the retail site which Radco will occupy, was going to be an Iceland supermarket.

Councillors will be meeting the Radco executives to discuss the move and the demolition of the old building, so it was agreed that they could ask about the new shop opening operating details.

Cllr Dando revealed that the deadline day for moving and re-opening the smaller Radco would be August 28.

The next Radstock Town Council meeting will be on August 17.