MORE public seats are to be sited around the centre of Wellington after town councillors agreed a rolling programme costing up to £2,000 a year.

The fund will cover the cost of installing one or two seats each year, plus their ongoing maintenance.

The first two potential sites are at the Fore Street entrance to North Street car park and on the west corner of Longforth Road and High Street.

The council will investigate land ownership at both sites and liaise with Somerset County Council’s highways department and local police before work can start on the new seating.

The project has been championed by town councillor John Thorne, who was inspired by a friend with mobility issues who pointed to the lack of seats around the town.

Cllr Thorne, who is also one of the town’s county councillors, was helped by Conservative colleagues Robin Dickinson and town councillor Will Brown to map out a potential 40 new seating sites to add to the existing nine benches in the town.

For the full story, see this week’s Wellington Weekly News.