The chair of the Glastonbury Town Deal Board, Dr Lynne Sedgmore CBE, has resigned following a critical audit into one of the town’s key government-backed regeneration initiatives. The town deal board, responsible for overseeing ten projects funded by £23.6 million from the government’s Towns Fund and delivered in partnership with Somerset Council, has faced intense public and financial challenges recently.
The controversy centers on the Red Brick Building, also known as The Life Factory, located on A39 Street Road. After an in-depth investigation by the South West Audit Partnership (SWAP), Somerset Council announced in May that it would cease further funding for the project. This decision has left local contractors unpaid and construction halted indefinitely.
In her resignation letter addressed to council chief executive Duncan Sharkey, Dr Sedgmore explained her decision was driven by persistent unfounded public attacks. “I have dedicated significant time and effort to the board’s success,” she stated. “While progress across nine other town deal projects has been substantial, the Life Factory has been a difficult exception.”
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Dr Sedgmore emphasized that the allegations of financial wrongdoing against her were baseless and had taken a severe personal toll. “As a volunteer in my seventieth year, these attacks have been distressing and exhausting,” she noted. She made it clear that her resignation was unrelated to any financial misconduct and that she has never received any remuneration or financial gain from the town deal or related entities.
Kama McKenzie, a community representative on the board since its inception in 2020, has also resigned. Meanwhile, Michael White, vice chairman and Mayor of Glastonbury, will serve as acting chairman until a permanent replacement is appointed.
The board released a statement expressing disappointment over Somerset Council’s decision to halt funding for the Life Factory project but acknowledged the rationale behind it. They voiced concern for the unpaid local contractors and urged the council to support Red Brick Building Centre Ltd. in finding sustainable solutions to preserve community services and tenant organizations within the building.
Despite this setback, the board confirmed that the other nine regeneration projects remain unaffected. They welcomed an ongoing council-funded ‘health check’ aimed at monitoring the progress and ensuring the successful completion of these initiatives. With the project delivery deadline set for March 2026, the board reaffirmed the importance of strong project management and community support to achieve their goals.