Town pushes for visible welcome with 'guerrilla' sign cleanup
Councillors may use guerilla tactics to tidy the town's buried 'welcome to Crewkerne' signs. Shop Crewkerne prompted a lively debate on the signs' visibility, maintenance, and potential for added greenery—if Somerset's overgrown verges allow it.
"All of us driving in and out of Crewkerne, we know where we're going, so we don't look at the signs," said Councillor Kathy Head. "But actually, a lot of our signage gives a first impression of the town, which doesn't look good."
Amidst concerns about visibility, Councillor Mike Best said: "Ilminster has the planter thing, but most of our stuff is in hedges. We need to cut these back to see the signs because, at the moment, they're getting buried."
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Funding for such beautifications, however, remains a question. While the current budget lacks room for entry sign enhancements, Councillor Andrea Stuart voiced frustration over maintenance, asking: "I thought our staff had been trained for this. So why aren't they doing it?"
Town Clerk Katharine Sheehan clarified that while town staff are qualified, Somerset Council prioritises participation in its Enhanced Routine Maintenance Pilot for more frequent care.
Cllr Head further explained the group's vision: "One of the things we were talking about is three signs cleaned and tidied and three replaced. It's just about making the entrance to the town look a little bit more attractive."
While Somerset Council does not have funds for non-statutory signs, it does permit Crewkerne to initiate the work at its own expense.
"If we cleared all the signs so they were in clear view," Cllr Best added, "you'd get a better idea from looking at each entry to the town of what's possible."
Councillor Nigel Draycott said: "Why can't we just do it once, just this one time, to tidy it up and keep everyone happy because they want to push things along and show up willing until we know where we are going with it."
Cllr Best even suggested "guerilla activity," saying: "The one at Roundham, somebody has cleaned and cleared, who has done it? Somebody has cut the whole thing back in the last few weeks.
"I even thought of getting my guerilla activity, a pair of secateurs, and somebody's gone and done it themselves and done an excellent job but don't know who. Somebody has taken ownership of that, legally or illegally."
Cllr Draycott voiced his impatience with the protracted debate: "We've been discussing this for months. It just needs to be done because you can't see anything, and it's not improving. What impression does it give to people coming to the town?"
The next step involves authorising the deputy clerk to progress with Somerset's Enhanced Routine Maintenance scheme and determining where and how this could fit on the often-narrow verges around Crewkerne.