Somerset Council paid £420,000 to a Glastonbury regeneration scheme after it had officially paused funding — triggering fury from councillors and residents.

The money went to the Red Brick Building Centre Ltd between May and December 2024, months after the controversial Life Factory project was suspended in January.

Based at the former Morlands factory site, the Life Factory was supposed to turn a derelict block into a hub for events, workshops and offices as part of the £23.6m Glastonbury town deal.

But serious concerns were raised about mismanagement. A damning audit by SWAP in May 2025 exposed a lack of oversight, spiralling costs, and major failures in delivery.

Beckery Construction Ltd, the company behind the £2.89m scheme, went into liquidation in November, owing more than £686,000 to 26 local businesses. It had just £4,800 in assets.

'Heads must roll' says councillor

Grant Thornton's latest audit revealed that payments to the scheme continued even after the red flags — sparking outrage at a Somerset Council meeting last week.

Opposition leader Cllr Diogo Rodrigues told members in Taunton: "This council failed in its basic duties as an accountable body… Residents deserve to know how this was allowed to happen."

He demanded accountability and declared: "Heads must roll."

Council leader Cllr Bill Revans hit back, accusing Rodrigues of using language that breached the council's 'debate, not hate' protocol. Rodrigues refused to withdraw the remark.

Council: Payments were necessary

Cllr Mike Rigby, cabinet member for economic development, defended the payments, saying they ensured apprentices could finish their training and helped keep the rest of the Red Brick Building operational.

He said: "Stopping capital projects isn't as simple as saying 'stop'. These were sensible decisions signed off through proper processes."

Rigby admitted the scheme had become "chaotic", blaming the failure to control costs and secure match funding. He also confirmed two other Glastonbury town deal projects are now red-rated — one due to planning issues and another over budget concerns.

Neither scheme was named, and Somerset Council has been approached for comment.

Audit committee to meet

Grant Thornton's full report will be reviewed by the council's audit committee in Taunton on Tuesday, 9 December. Councillors are expected to question how the payments were approved and what lessons will be learned.

The Life Factory's collapse has left many local contractors unpaid. Residents first raised alarm in early 2024, claiming dozens of tradespeople hadn't received wages since March.

The controversy came to a head at a full council meeting in March 2025, when a health and safety consultant told councillors his wife Angela had taken her own life due to the stress caused by the failed project.

The Red Brick Building remains partially open, but its future role in the town deal remains unclear.