Bridgwater Town Council voted tonight to adopt the Forward Plan presented by the majority Labour group which reviews the council’s structures, increases opportunities for public engagement and opens the door for wider consultation.

The plan ,based on the Labour Party ‘Manifesto for Bridgwater’ which was circulated around the town during the recent election which saw the party retain control of the council 14.2, was drawn up by Westover councillors Brian Smedley and Kathy Pearce, who are now Leader and Deputy Leader of the new council.

The Forward plan commits the council to 5 top priorities;-

1. Leisure facilities for Northgate & the establishment of a Town Development Forum to ensure maximum community participation in the process
2. Bridgwater Town Centre , it’s protection, enhancement and development
3. Taking forward the Meads project & preserving and enhancing Community Green spaces
4. Ensuring full access to Community Impact Mitigation funding for Bridgwater from the Hinkley point development
5. Maximising Employment and Training opportunities & pursuing Local Labour Force agreements

Town Council Leader Brian Smedley said “ The Forward Plan was drawn up over the past year at a series of Labour Party meetings and based on campaigns supported by the people of Bridgwater in recent years and which had been backed up every inch of the way by the Town Council. It lays out a framework for public involvement in taking the town forward and it sets up a system of monitoring the work as it develops. All the targets of the Forward Plan are timetabled into the years programme. On top of this we want maximum community involvement, open-ness at meetings and structures that provide opportunities for the talented people of this town and their ideas to play their full part. As part of this we are taking the bold step of holding out the hand of friendship to Sedgemoor District Council to work together on our priorities and genuinely include the people of Bridgwater in future plans. We will set up Public Forums that empower local people and focus on issues that matter to the people of the town and seek to find ways to bring about change that benefits everybody in the challenging years ahead.”

To read the Forward Plan in full click here.