Rachel Gilmour MP meets with residents to show support for Bishops Lydeard Church School nursery expansion plan
Rachel outside the school with David Williams (chair of governors); Phil Durban (co-chair of the Bishops Lydeard Residents Action Group); Paul Wheatley (parent, PTA member) and Rebecca Weatherly (parent, school governor).
Earlier today, MP for Tiverton and Minehead, Rachel Gilmour, met with local residents, Bishops Lydeard Church School governors and members of the PTA as she spoke in support of expansion of the nursery in the old schoolhouse building, which is attached to the main school building.
Locals in the Bishops Lydeard community are frustrated by the lack of nursery places available in the area as many have had to find nursery provision in surrounding towns and villages, such as Taunton, Norton Fitzwarren, and Wiveliscombe. At present, the September list for places at the nursery is full, with there being a further waiting list for each nursery session beyond then.
Mrs. Gilmour had a tour of the old schoolhouse building and discussed a redevelopment with the residents present. Speaking about the benefits of the project, Mrs. Gilmour also delivered a speech to attendees at the site, highlighting the potential “huge benefits” to local parents in the village, which could be set for further expansion.
The Bath & Wells Multi Academy Trust, which manage Bishops Lydeard Church School, have agreed to match fund any external grant funding up to £150,000 towards the old schoolhouse redevelopment, which is currently projected to cost approximately £370,000. As the school’s recent application to the Department for Education’s Capital Grant was unsuccessful, the project has been put on hold until more money is raised.
Bishops Lydeard Parish Council has come under some criticism locally as the village was awarded £795,000 in the form of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funding, £60,000 of which is said to have been paid to a Bristol-based traffic consultancy firm to help provide plans for a ‘Roads and Traffic Project’.
Later today (13th August 2025), the Bishops Lydeard Parish Council is said to be holding a review as they reconsider the spending of a CIL funds.
Paul Wheatley, local parent and treasurer of the Bishops Lydeard Church School PTA, said:
“It was massively encouraging to see Rachel Gilmour, our local MP take the time to come and support our project. Despite it being August, and right in the middle of the holidays we saw a great turn-out for the event and at such short notice, really demonstrating how important it is to the village. Furthermore, it was a real shot in the arm to hear that Rachel and her team will continue to support in anyway they can as we continue to secure funding for such a vital part of the villages future.”
Co-chair of the Bishops Lydeard Residents Action Group, Phil Durban, said:
“Today, parents and residents had the chance to meet Rachel at the site of the new nursery class and show their support for direct funding from the £795,000 CIL held by Bishops Lydeard Parish Council for infrastructure projects.
Rachel Gilmour MP has provided direct support to our campaign for a new nursery class for Bishops Lydeard Church School since she spoke at our village hustings on 15th June during her election campaign. I would like to thank Rachel for coming down today and backing our important campaign.”
MP for Tiverton and Minehead, Rachel Gilmour, said:
“It was great to meet with residents outside Bishops Lydeard Church School this afternoon. The nursery expansion project would be transformative for the village, local parents and families.
To my mind, using a fraction of the total CIL money to fund the nursery redevelopment would be worthwhile investment for the future of the village. There must be a focus on facilities and infrastructure – especially considering the recent announcement of plans to build up to 130 more family homes in the west of the village.
I urge Bishops Lydeard Parish Council to prioritise this vital project.”