AFTER the sagas of Poppyfields, Castlewood and the Tropicana, it's little wonder the people of Weston have come to question what heed is paid to their wishes by North Somerset Council's ruling Conservatives.

AFTER the sagas of Poppyfields, Castlewood and the Tropicana, it's little wonder the people of Weston have come to question what heed is paid to their wishes by North Somerset Council's ruling Conservatives.

The authority's immovable stance on these key community issues - as typified by the stubborn recent 'we are right, you are wrong' insistence in the face of irrefutable evidence to the contrary - has won councillors few friends.

Petitions, public meetings and impassioned pleas have done little to sway the intractable executive - and it seemed the latest outcry would also fall on deaf ears, with North Somerset Museum being sacrificed in the latest round of 'efficiency savings'.

But no, there is a glimmer of hope for the beleaguered attraction - and most remarkably of all, it's councillors we have to thank.

Not those of North Somerset ilk, though. They remain steadfastly committed to their plan to close the Burlington Street site and downsize its exhibitions into a Winter Gardens side room.

Instead, it's Weston Town Council which has put aside party politics to unanimously back a bid to take over the museum.

"We have heard the feelings of the population of Weston," Cllr Keith Morris said. And rightly so.

But why isn't North Somerset Council able to hear that message with the same clarity and empathy?

THE times, they are a-changin'... or at least, time itself is changing.

That's because, even though April Fool's Day remains a fortnight away, the Government will today reveal plans for Britain to leap forward one time zone.

Clocks will go forward for summer in March - but they won't go back in October. Instead, they'll go forward again next March, bringing Britain into the same time zone as its nearest continental neighbours.

Apparently, the thinking behind this idea is that the extra daylight hour will boost British tourism by encouraging more people to holiday in the UK.

Great idea. And if trading figures flag on Sundays, we'll just do away with them, and make Saturdays 48 hours long.

But maybe that's one they really are saving for April 1.