Somerset Council has been criticized for taking too long to halt the troubled Life Factory project in Glastonbury after warning signs were raised, according to a recently published report.
On December 9, Somerset Council chief executive Duncan Sharkey issued a formal apology for errors in managing the Life Factory initiative—a £2.89 million public investment intended to revitalize part of the Red Brick Building on Morland Road into community event spaces, offices, and other facilities. The project ultimately failed to deliver on its objectives.
Following an audit by Grant Thornton, the council released a comprehensive ‘lessons learned’ report that identifies key mistakes and recommends strategies to avoid similar issues in future projects. The findings reveal significant shortcomings, including the absence of effective progress measurement tools and inadequate controls over spending.
READ MORE: Two Deaths Highlight Urgent Need for Enhanced Homeless Support in Somerset
READ MORE: New Somerset Levels Homes Must Prioritize Local Residents, Council Rules
The report sets forth multiple recommendations to improve governance and oversight, aiming to prevent a repeat of these failures in both Glastonbury’s current town deal projects and other government-funded schemes.
Background context: In late 2020, the then-Conservative government allocated ‘accelerator funding’ to 101 towns selected for the towns fund to enable project starts during the pandemic. Glastonbury’s town deal was awarded £500,000, with £250,000 assigned to Life Factory to begin reopening Building C. Initial works successfully secured the building with new floors and weatherproofing.
However, a South West Audit Partnership (SWAP) review criticized the informal project management and flagged inefficient use of accelerator funds despite some local labor being employed. Although the Treasury approved the broader business case in June 2022, and further funds were granted in March 2023, the project’s delivery plan was incomplete and lacked detailed costing.
The Beckery Construction Company, a subsidiary of the Red Brick Building board, was charged with constructing the building shell using town deal funds and applying for additional match funding. Nonetheless, funding applications to the Arts Council were unsuccessful, and planning permission was denied. The departure of two senior officers in autumn 2023 further depleted resources and institutional knowledge.
Project leaders assured the town deal board in September 2023 that the initiative could proceed without match funding and would open by spring 2025. Yet concerns escalated through late 2023, culminating in the council formally pausing the project in January 2024. ‘Targeted payments’ of £420,000 were made after this to cover apprentices’ wages and secure the building.
A subsequent SWAP audit uncovered insufficient controls, lack of a costed delivery plan, and non-compliance with procurement rules. Meanwhile, Avon and Somerset Constabulary began investigating potential criminality related to the project funding in mid-2025. Somerset Council terminated the Life Factory and the Porchestall Drove food and regenerative farming centre projects in November 2025 and is seeking repayment of nearly £2.3 million from Red Brick Building Centre Ltd.
The lessons learned report pinpoints multiple failings: without an agreed delivery plan, progress could not be measured against milestones, and the total funding required was unclear, complicating efforts to secure match funding. The decision to operate through Beckery Construction diluted oversight and diminished elected officials’ influence, fostering project drift.
Financial claims submitted by Beckery Construction typically lacked accuracy and detail, yet payments proceeded, quickly depleting grant funds. Due to inadequate information flow, the council delayed raising red flags or increasing officer support. The loss of key board members further eroded project oversight.
In response, the council is strengthening risk reporting, financial controls, and governance to enhance transparency, accountability, and decision-making. Crucially, future projects will require secured match funding before significant capital commitments.
These reforms will affect all ongoing and future projects under Glastonbury’s and Bridgwater’s town deals, as well as initiatives funded by the government’s Future High Streets Fund and Levelling Up Fund, like the Firepool boulevard redevelopment in Taunton and Tonedale Mill regeneration in Wellington.
Chief executive Duncan Sharkey emphasized the council’s commitment to learning from past mistakes: “We take the findings very seriously and recognize the need for improvements. We have already taken action and will continue embedding stronger controls to manage public funds responsibly and ensure future projects benefit Somerset communities.”
The Life Factory controversy will be further discussed at the council’s audit committee meeting in Taunton on December 22.