Dear Editor,

In response to Jim Sokol’s letter and his “last word on the topic” (over 500 actually)… I don’t “detest” Trump or maintain that Farage is a Fascist but I do question their behaviour and stance on a number of issues.

His second stroll down memory lane: JFK, Marilyn Monroe, Clinton, Cameron, Osborne etcetera gets us nowhere. I would like to see politicians in power who seek to get people working together…not descending into factionalism. Neither of the main parties, nor Reform, were honest enough to say at the last election that to achieve the necessary improvements they were proposing, taxes would need to increase.

Result…the mess we are in now. We need to face up to reality. But I would still rather be living in the UK than in the USA for reasons too numerous to mention.

Yours sincerely,

Sandra Jones

Old Cleeve

Dear Editor,

After reading the story in last week’s paper about councillor Steve Mercer who plans to go knocking on Wellington residents’ doors to get their views about the town having its own bus service. I think I can probably save him a job.

Admittedly I personally don’t use the bus so it doesn’t really affect me, but even for those who do, I’m sure the majority would agree that considering the cost of achieving this, surely under the circumstances of Luson closing, shouldn’t the main priority be in funding a new Luson as soon as possible? That and getting the pharmacy reopened by the Medical Centre before Luson closes and probably Jhoots as well, thereby taking the pressure off of Superdrug and Boots.

Surely it’s all about priority and common sense?

I’ve also noticed that a sign has been put up to the entrance of North Street car park saying no through traffic. Access through the car park and onto North Street has always been a short cut for motorists. The two reasons are firstly the wait at the traffic lights are horrendous, but secondly, and I’ve commented on this before and nothing has changed, the double yellow lines along Fore Street are there for a reason but it doesn’t make any difference.

Every day numerous vehicles stop while they pop into either Greggs or Tim Potters and that then holds up the traffic. Traffic wardens, when we have one, don’t seem to do anything.

If you stop people parking there then that would definitely help with the unnecessary jams and then maybe not so many people would cut through the car park? Again common sense.

Kim Thorne

Mantle Street

Dear Editor,

A recent front-page headline in the Wellington Weekly News about our local pharmacies struck a chord with me, and I want to share my personal experience to highlight just how severe this crisis has become.

Our pharmacies are chronically understaffed and under-resourced. We endure queues of ten people or more and face unacceptable dispensing delays of up to two weeks. These failures are not just an inconvenience; they are putting our health at risk. The anxiety of waiting for vital medication is creating a significant mental health burden on our community.

This situation is a direct consequence of poor planning. The Integrated Care Board - NHS Somerset (ICB's) Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment for our area is dangerously out of date (written in 2021), failing to account for significant housing growth and the closure of key pharmacies, such as the one at Luson Surgery. The ICB's recent refusal to approve a new pharmacy, despite these facts, is a decision that puts profit before patient safety.

I have submitted a formal complaint to the ICB and the General Pharmaceutical Council GPhC. I urge all residents of Wellington who have faced similar issues to make their voices heard. Let’s make it clear to the ICB that their outdated assessments and flawed decisions are no longer acceptable.

Sincerely,

Roger Tozer

Wellington

Dear Editor,

What on earth made whoever change the way we can park on the space opposite the Boots, Wellington; it has been ideal when we drove into a space and yes, had to reverse carefully back out (as we are all taught before we pass our driving test) - there was sufficient room for five/six cars at one time - now, three cars seem to park sideways to the main street!

How stupid and thoughtless when, not only does everyone have to come into this area for prescriptions (both chemists), after shortly having to drive down to the Medical Centre only for health problems and then come back and park - where? Luson surgery will be closed, and we do wonder who will move in there, the car park there who can use that?

Yours, frustrated and angry,

Anne M

Wellington