A Five-Year-Old’s Voice That Moved a Council

I’ve always taken the approach that communities should have a voice — and that those who can’t speak up for themselves still need to be heard.

A child of just five was upset to discover that their favourite park furniture — two animal rockers — had gone. The family regularly visited their local park in West Shepton, and the children loved the rockers so much they had even given them names.

Their mum decided to find out what had happened. This was a small park on a housing estate, and losing two pieces of play equipment was significant to local families living there. The rockers had been removed for safety reasons due to their age. Somerset Council has encouraged more partnership working and local Town and Parish Councils to take control of their own assets — but when this mum tried to find answers, she couldn’t get help from anyone. She reached out to me and explained what had happened, and how much the loss of the rockers had affected her child.

I took up the case on behalf of this young person — first with Somerset Council, then with a Unitary Councillor and Town Councillor for Shepton Mallet, Cllr Martin Lovell. Cllr Lovell then spoke on behalf of the family at the relevant Shepton Mallet Town Council committee meeting and made the request to have the rockers replaced by the Town Council. This was a change in responsibility, as the upkeep had previously fallen under Somerset Council.

Yesterday, I visited the brand new rockers to see them in their new home. They look splendid!

The message from mum was simple: Teamwork. I’m now waiting to hear whether the rockers have been given new names.