It is a privilege to present Keynsham Town Council's Annual Report, reflecting on a year of hard work and collaboration that has kept Keynsham a vibrant and welcoming community.
This year, we have worked diligently, both Councillors and Town Council Staff alike, to represent the interests of the majority of residents. We are committed to making Keynsham a desirable place to live, work, and thrive, while maintaining the community spirit that makes our town unique
We are not the only ones who work hard for our community Keynsham is blessed with over four hundred community groups, some of whom we support through our grant awards Over £32,000 is given to many local groups to support their work that benefits Keynsham and its residents Look at our website for more details or drop into our office on Temple Street
I would like to thank those volunteers and businesses who help the Keynsham Community Of the many groups the Town Council supports three come to mind; Dial a Ride, who for a small fee, take residents to hospital and other medical appointments, as well as getting our more vulnerable people and others to the places they need to go locally
Keynsham in Bloom, these volunteers give a wonderful service, tending the plants in our public areas, ensuring they look brilliant all year round, and the Fox and Hounds Woodland Group (FAHWG) who are turning a small woodland area into a thriving nature reserve We hope in 2026 to build a safe entrance so that access to this quiet, tranquil space will be easy for all to enjoy
I like to think that the Town Council provides “the icing on the cake” for Keynsham with our incredible events throughout the year, these include: the ‘Winter Festival’, now a preferred Saturday day time event, and marks the start of our Christmas Season Supported by St Johns Church with their switching on of the Christmas Tree lights the evening before and their spectacular Community Christmas Tree Festival held the following week.
The Spring Show, a family event which gives a chance to our horticultural and craft experts to dazzle us with their skills and talent.
Not forgetting the Keynsham Music Festival, an annual event for the community, independently managed as a ‘not for profit organisation’, with Town Councillors on its board of Trustees. This group work incredibly hard to raise a 6 figure sum each year with the help of many business sponsors, and a large number of volunteers The organisers put on a magnificent, high-quality event which helps so many other groups and charities in the town My thanks go to this hard-working Committee who have been astounding us since 1997
Chairman’sReportContinued
Finally, I must not forget the excellent work of our Youth Service, who run our Youth Club ‘TimeOut’ located on Bath Hill, as well as organising other activities in the town, including events during the summer holidays. Youth work is expensive and difficult, we are proud of our excellent team of Youth Workers who offer support to young people most evenings at ’TimeOut’ and run a small Youth Festival as part of the Music Festival. Also ‘KeynshamNow’, the town’s Youth Council, who meet monthly in ‘The Space’.
One task these young people have been given by the Town Council is to redesign Teviot Road Green Space and Play Area, using £148,000 of Section 106 CIL funding Who better?
There is so much more I could say about our town I am an enthusiast for Keynsham
In 2027, we have elections to the Town Council I know several of our current Councillors are stepping down so please do consider being a Town Councillor for 4 years from 2027 I hope you share my love of the town and would like to serve I look forward to seeing you at some point in the year ahead If you want to learn more, talk to me or another Town Councillor or staff member It is a great way to make friends and find out a lot about where you live
Cllr Andy Wait Chairman, Keynsham Town Council
Finance&PolicyCommittee
The Finance & Policy Committee meets monthly We are blessed with a financially experienced and knowledgeable group of Councillors who take a keen interest in all things financial
At our meetings, we review Town Council expenditure, we take part in annual budget preparation and respond to audit reports In addition to this, we also look at investment strategy and risk strategy We cover procurement terms and conditions, as well as finance and government regulations
The Committee also reviews the Capital Projects Programme and makes recommendations to Town Council on the procurement of large capital items such as mowers or motor vehicle or new playground equipment, as well as ensuring our properties are all kept up to standard including the Cemetery, Manor Road Pavilion, the Bandstand, all play areas and other public spaces We do this by checking quotes for the material or equipment needed by the Town Council employees
The other part of the work of this Committee is to review, create or update the Council’s Policies There are many; from Health and Safety to Data Protection, Safeguarding to residents queries and many more.
The more important financial decisions go either as recommendations from our Committee to full Council or if we cannot agree, those decisions will be taken by the whole Council, without a recommendation from Finance & Policy Committee Each Town Council meeting has a section for Finance and Policy where we make our recommendations which, of course, may not get Council support.
Cllr Hal MacFie Chair Finance & Policy Committee
Planning&DevelopmentCommittee
During this last Council year a team of experienced Councillors has assessed all new planning applications in Keynsham at monthly Committee meetings The decision to support or object to an application is forwarded to Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Planning & Development Committee who decide whether to approve or refuse the application. From the latest data some 88% of Keynsham Town Council's conclusions agree with Bath & North East Somerset Council and the total applications considered were 74 plus 15 cases of Tree Protection
The planning process in Keynsham is invariably open to applicants and members of the public who can support or oppose an application at the Committee meetings of both Councils. It can be challenging for Councillors to weigh the balance of individual freedom and community wellbeing within a framework of planning law Further information may be followed in the Planning section of the Bath & North East Somerset Council website where details of individual cases are listed.
The Committee has also played a full part in responding to the Bath & North East Somerset Council consultation about their Local Plan and the implications for key issues in Keynsham including housing. This also includes supporting the final delivery of Keynsham's own Neighbourhood Development Plan based on several years of excellent public research and meeting requirements of the completed Local Plan
Cllr Clive Fricker Chairman of Planning & Development Committee
Events,Arts,Tourism&HeritageCommittee
The past year has been another strong and positive one for events in Keynsham, with Keynsham Town Council supporting a varied programme of community focused activities enjoyed by residents and visitors alike.
Our events continue to be held by the community and for the community, with volunteers playing a vital role in their success.
The Spring Show once again proved to be a highlight in the town’s calendar, attracting strong attendance and highlighting local organisations, crafts, and community groups
Later in the year, the Winter Festival returned with a lively programme of activities, entertainment, and market stalls Following consultation with local traders and street vendors, changes were introduced to improve flow and opening hours, helping to create a more relaxed and enjoyable experience
Thanks are extended to Keynsham Town Councillors for volunteering on the day to help the event to run smoothly
The Remembrance Day Parade remained a deeply significant and well attended Civic Event, with hundreds of residents lining the streets We are grateful to Buko Traffic and Safety for generously loaning their advanced warning road signage for free, The Royal British Legion, St John’s Church and local organisations ensured the occasion was marked with dignity and respect
The Re-loved Fashion Show also returned, celebrating sustainability, creativity, and inclusion Looking ahead, we remain excited about the coming year’s events and warmly encourage residents to get involved through volunteering
Cllr Dave Biddleston Chairman of EATH (Events, Arts, Tourism and Heritage) Committee
Photo Credit: Mike May
GrantsCommittee
Keynsham is fortunate to have an exceptional culture of volunteering, with many residents giving their time, skills and energy to support local groups and charities in a remarkable variety of ways
On behalf of the Committee, I am proud to reflect on the role we play in supporting this work through our grants scheme, which exists to provide financial assistance and practical help to the organisations that do so much to strengthen our community I would also like to formally acknowledge the Keynsham Town Council staff, whose careful and consistent work behind the scenes ensures the grants process operates efficiently and fairly
What continues to stand out is the breadth and diversity of activity taking place across the town From sports groups, to musical theatre, dance, and an impressive number of choirs, alongside groups supporting residents with additional needs, there is something for almost everyone.
Few families in Keynsham will have reached adulthood without, at some point, relying on or benefiting from the dedication of one of these volunteer run organisations.
Many of the activities, opportunities and services we most value locally are sustained not by paid staff, but by people who simply step forward and give their time If you see a Womble, do remember to thank a Womble
Against this backdrop, we are delighted to report that the Town Council was able to deliver its grants funding initiatives last year, awarding a total of £32,26893 Through this funding, we were able to support 46 local groups seeking additional assistance, and we were especially encouraged by the high number of applications from organisations working directly with and for Keynsham residents
Cllr Souzan Leach (formerly Alenshasy) Chair of Grants Committee
BusServicesCommittee
The K1 bus service, which started in September 2024, has proved to be an enormous success Throughout 2025 it has continued to carry about two thousand passengers per month, and the Town Council has received many compliments for the quality of service, as well as messages from residents saying how much they rely upon the service
Throughout the school summer holiday children travelled for free, which both helps families to travel together and allows young people to have more freedom for themselves. Given the huge cuts in bus services across Bath & North East Somerset Council over the last fifteen or so years, we are incredibly happy that we have been able to support this service for our Keynsham
The Town Council has a particularly good relationship with the bus operator Big Lemon Reliability has been good and for much of the time the service has used an electric bus, which is quieter and results in less pollution.
Throughout the year we have received several questions and requests about extending or changing the route The Committee has discussed this very thoroughly, with extensive consideration by Councillors and Officers of all the possibilities There are, however, very severe constraints on what is possible: we have been advised that it is best to keep an hourly (“clockface”) timetable and there needs to be some slack in the system to allow drivers to rest and to make up time due to delays
The service is operated in conjunction with West of England Combined Authority (WECA); indeed, it is unusual for a Town Council to be involved in a bus service K1 was originally funded until the end of March 2026, but we have now received confirmation that it will run until the end of July 2026
Following the latest funding agreement from the Government, WECA is now deciding the medium term future of the service The Town Council is arguing strongly that the service should continue and is continually lobbying WECA over this issue; in addition, there should be a second service for East Keynsham
Whilst supporting the K1 bus service, the Town Council also champions volunteer led bus service Dial-ARide and has considered other bus related matters
Cllr Edmund Cannon Chair of Bus Services Committee
www.reallygreatsite.com hello@reallygreatsite.com
CapitalProjectsCommittee
Keynsham Town Council owns and leases a number of important sites and community spaces across the town. These include the Keynsham Cemetery and Chapel, the Bandstand and Skate Park within Keynsham Memorial Park, and two additional parcels of land: the Fox and Hounds Lane Conservation Area and The Paddock. In addition, the Town Council leases Manor Road Playing Fields and eight children’s playgrounds located throughout Keynsham We are fortunate to be supported by a skilled and committed team of staff who are responsible for the day-to-day care and upkeep of these assets.
The role of the Capital Projects Committee is to maintain oversight of all capital projects and to ensure that the Town Council’s sites and facilities are appropriately maintained, improved, and developed to meet current and future community needs During the past year, the Committee has progressed a number of significant actions
Ensuring that Keynsham Cemetery remains a safe, accessible, and respectful space for visitors is a priority This year, the Committee considered the findings of a Quinquennial Report inspection carried out in May 2022, which identified the need for significant repairs to the Keynsham Chapel Alongside this, the Committee recognised the importance of taking a longer-term and more strategic approach to the future of both the Cemetery and the Chapel. As a result, work will begin on the development of a comprehensive Management Plan for the site and its buildings This plan will consider future burial space requirements, the ongoing costs of maintaining the buildings, and how best to manage the site sustainably It will also support forward financial planning and strengthen any future grant funding applications.
Manor Road Playing Fields continue to be a well used and valued community resource. During the year, the Town Council has discussed options for providing additional off-street parking at the site, as well as addressing the ongoing maintenance needs of the existing buildings.
In relation to the land behind St John’s Church, known as ‘The Paddock’, the Committee has agreed that further information is required before any decisions can be made about its future use An archaeological and structural survey of the site, including the derelict building, will therefore be commissioned to inform future considerations
Keynsham’s changing demographics mean that play areas across the town are extremely well used To ensure children’s safety, all playgrounds are subject to regular inspections This year, the Town Council has invested in routine repairs. Looking ahead, further investment is planned for the Memorial Park play area next year, as part of the wider park improvement programme being delivered by Bath & North East Somerset Council. Following on from positive feedback from last year’s work on Downfield Park, the Town Council will be working on improvement to Park Road play area and Teviot Park.
In addition to these projects, the Town Council receives funding from new housing developments to help support the infrastructure needed to accommodate the town’s growing population This funding is known as Section 106 (S106) funding or the ‘Community Infrastructure Levy’ (CIL). The latter funding may be applied to buildings or areas not owned by the Town Council or allocated to impartial projects that will benefit residents; any suggestions for potential uses are actively welcomed
Cllr Deb Cooper Chairman of Capital Projects Committee
YouthService(TimeOut)
Keynsham Youth Service continues to provide a safe, inclusive, and engaging space for young people in the local area, working to support their wellbeing and deliver a range of activities The Youth Club works with young people aged 11-19 across a range of days, offering a varied programme shaped by young people’s interests and needs
Over the past year, we introduced a monthly Friday afternoon sports club for our 11-14 age group This session is in place to encourage physical activity and teamwork, facilitated by a sports coach who endeavours to make the sporting activities fun and engaging We have collaborated with local artist Nick Halahan to create graffiti displays in the windows of the TimeOut centre; with Nick’s support our young people created a vibrant and impressive Halloween window display which they all took much pride in.
Our weekly Wednesday cooking sessions, led by Maggie with our 14-19 age group, have remained a popular and consistent part of our Club programme. These sessions support the development of life skills such as budgeting, food preparation, and teamwork. A number of evenings have focused on cultural food themes, chosen by the young people themselves, helping to celebrate diversity, encourage curiosity, and strengthen peer relationships through shared experiences.
Health and Social Care charity ‘Turning Point’ delivered a targeted drug awareness and safety session for our older group of young people This session provided age-appropriate information, encouraged open discussion, and supported young people to make informed and safe choices
The Youth Service opened during the Keynsham Winter Festival, welcoming both regular attendees and new members Activities included cookie-making and a lively karaoke session, creating a welcoming and fun atmosphere that showcased the centre as a positive community space This event was successful in introducing the Club to a wider group of young people
On every evening that our Club sessions run we ensure that there is a range of activities available to the young people, including, air dry clay for pottery making, pool tournaments, Lego challenges, Xbox games, movie nights with a projector, cooking full and healthy meals In 2026 we are working with both volunteer Maggie and our young people to produce a cookery book based on the recipes that we have used during sessions that the young people enjoyed Overall, the Youth Centre has seen strong engagement across its activities, with young people actively contributing ideas and taking ownership of sessions The programme continues to support confidence building, social skills, wellbeing, and community engagement Looking ahead into 2026, we aim to build on these successes, strengthen partnerships with external agencies, and continue delivering needs based and youth led activities that meet the evolving needs of young people in our area
Ella Bower Senior Youth Worker
PersonnelCommittee
The Personnel Committee, has met on eight occasions this year to deal with many aspects of the Committee’s responsibilities; at these meetings we have agreed to reviews of the staff wellbeing policies, salary matters etc, and the important policies we needed to review or if necessary revise during the year
We have also seen appraisals completed, along with the training programmes for each of the staff in our teams which consists of Office, Administration, Cemetery, Grounds Staff and Youth Service
This year we saw five staff members leave, one retiring, one relocating, and others taking up other employment opportunities; we wish all of them good health and success in their new activities.
Over the past year we have successfully recruited five new staff members who we welcome to the team. We hope they will enjoy their respective roles within the Town Council, trusting their own induction and development programmes are going well.
I want to thank the consultants at Work Nest, our HR advisor agency for their ongoing advice and updates on employment legislation, and our responsibilities as a Committee I also want to thank our Town Clerk, Dawn Drury and Deputy Town Clerk, Katherine Sears, for their year long work supporting the Committee's work and ensuring the day to day smooth running of the Town Council Office and it's range of activities
Finally, my sincere thanks go to all the Committee members for their invaluable behind-the-scenes work and the dedicated time they give to meetings, decision making, and progressing our objectives I would also like to thank them for their support of myself alongside Dawn, Katherine, and the Grounds Team Supervisor Kelvin Bush, for their help with recruitment, appraisals and development reviews, it is much appreciated
I am truly grateful to every one of them for their commitment and the important contribution they make
Cllr Andy Halliday Chair of Personnel Committee
YouthCouncil(KeynshamNow)
This year KeynshamNow has grown, reaching over 20 young attendees at our monthly meetings It has been an eventful year for us, particularly with our organisation of updating Teviot Park, for which Keynsham Town Council have been given £148,000 to do We have a dedicated sub-committee for this project who have worked closed with the Town Clerk and have had their own separate, regular meetings, alongside our usual ones, and have engaged with the community surrounding the park to gain insight into what themes and equipment should be installed to best benefit the surrounding residents
We have an array of ongoing campaigns, brought forward and led by young people, including looking into the prevention of underage vaping, helping educate around knife crime, and fighting homophobia in schools Through these campaigns we aim to create real change within the community A speaker from the violence reduction unit came to talk to us about laws around knife crime and the best ways to avoid and report it Moreover, the Head Teachers from Wellsway, Broadlands and IKB are coming to our March meeting, with which we hope to progress our anti homophobia campaign by collaborating with the schools that they are representing Other speakers have also been present at meetings this year such as Rob Campbell from B&NES to talk about cultural events in Keynsham and Bath, and Martin and Richard who came to give a presentation on how to protest Although the latter seemed to cause a small amount of controversy online, our consensus was their talk was both interesting and helpful for young people who wish to be active and involved in their community.
Keynsham Music Festival and the Winter Festival are always lively times for us as we raise money for our chosen charities, and this year was no different. At the Music Festival we let people guess the number of balloons in a car and raised £128 for the Trevor Project (a suicide prevention helpline for LGBTQ+ youth). The Winter Festival was an even greater success as we raised £177.11, through a game of guessing where certain places were in Keynsham, to help one of our members fund their trip to do volunteer work in Zambia.
Among all these events we also have debates and discussions on current issues to help young people get a better understanding of their community and gain the tools needed to create change Recent debates have included if under 16-year-olds should have access to social media and if voting should be compulsory We also open the floor to members to bring their own issues within the community to the council for us to discuss the routes that can be taken to solve them, often causing the arising of new campaigns or writing of letters to officials to resolve the problems
Tilly Robinson Chair of KeynshamNow
Councillors
Keynsham East
Andy Wait, Chair Liberal Democrats andywait@keynsham-tcgovuk
Tel: 01179 867389
Caroline Leonard Liberal Democrats carolineleonard@keynsham-tcgovuk
Caitlin Brennan Liberal Democrats
caitlin.brennan@keynsham-tc.gov.uk
Tel: 01179 863905 07557 223637
Keynsham South
Dave Biddleston Labour Party davebiddleston@keynsham-tcgovuk
Tel: 01179 870081
Chris Davis Labour Party chrisdavis@keynsham-tcgovuk
Andy Halliday Liberal Democrats andyhalliday@keynsham-tcgovuk
Tel: 01179 865735
Keynsham North
Souzan Leach (formerly Alenshasy) Liberal Democrats souzanalenshasy@keynsham-tcgovuk
Alex Beaumont, Vice Chair Liberal Democrats alexbeaumont@keynsham-tcgovuk
Tel: 01225 395981
Edmund Cannon Green Party
edmund.cannon@keynsham-tc.gov.uk
Tel: 0117 9860109
Clive Fricker, Liberal Democrats
clive.fricker@keynsham-tc.gov.uk
Tel: 01179 869250
Hal MacFie Liberal Democrats
halmacfie@keynsham-tcgovuk
Tel: 01179 863590 07786 436656
Martin Burton Labour Party martinburton@keynsham-tcgovuk
Tel: 01179 839193
Deb Cooper Labour Party debcooper@keynsham-tcgovuk
