Shepton Mallet council flags data concerns over town flood website

By Laura Linham 12th Nov 2026

Local News by Laura Linham 4 minutes ago

A town council committee will consider whether the Shepton Mallet Flood website should be handed over to the council or stripped of its branding, after officers raised concerns about how residents' data is managed.

Shepton Mallet Town Council officers say the website carries the council's logo and says the authority is responsible for information collected through it, but that only Flood Group volunteers can access and manage the data.

A report to the council's Recreation, Amenities and Environment Committee says the council has no access to the website or its login details. It also says the site needs updating, including missing links and outdated information.

The committee will consider whether to ask the Flood Group to hand over the website's management or remove the council's name, logo and references from it. The report describes the current arrangements as a data protection risk for the council. It does not allege that residents' data has been misused or involved in a breach.

The issue is on the agenda for the committee's meeting at 7pm on Tuesday, November 17, at Shape on Cannards Grave Road.

Councillors will also consider a draft emergency plan for the town. The council says it has received an £8,000 grant from Somerset Prepared for flood management, with creating an emergency plan set as a condition of the funding.

The draft plan is intended to help the council support residents during incidents such as flooding, severe weather, major utility failures and fires. The report says the plan would identify vulnerable groups, key contacts, community resources and possible emergency shelters.

The council's flood preparation update says at least two new Flood Wardens have been recruited, a storage container has been bought and the council is working with Somerset Council's flooding department ahead of a review of flooding in Shepton Mallet.

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The report recommends that the committee review an initial draft of the emergency plan before it is presented to the Policy and Resources Committee. The flood website decision is also for councillors to consider; no decision has yet been made.

Members of the public can attend in person or online. Anyone wishing to speak must register by noon on the day of the meeting by emailing or calling 01749 343984. Speakers are limited to three minutes.

The council papers do not include a response from the Flood Group.