12 Nov

BRIDGWATER HISTORY DAY 2023 SET FOR SATURDAY 18TH NOVEMBER

Bridgwater’s popular ‘History Day’ will be held at the Bridgwater Arts Centre from 10am until 4pm  on Saturday 18th November and will feature an array of local historians on a variety of subjects, films, stalls and a free lunch. Stalls will include the Blake museum, the Archaeology society, the Civic Society and the Brick and Tile Museum. The food will take the form of a ‘medieval lunch’ and will be provided by community cook Lesley Gates. The event is free and usually packed out. The event is sponsored by Bridgwater Town Council in co-operation with Bridgwater & Taunton College.

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25 Oct

Hidden Voices ‘Anti Slavery’ Day

Protesting against Modern Slavery

Hidden Voices Bridgwater was set up to raise awareness of Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking. Globally there are around 50 million people held in Modern Slavery with around 150 thousand of those being in the UK. Hidden Voices attend community events and offer training for those wishing to learn about Modern Slavery, Human Trafficking and exploitation.  Organiser Sian Owen said “Over the past two years several potential victims have been identified as a result of our work and appropriate action to support them has been taken.”

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25 Oct

October Police Forum Report

Cllr Tim Mander Chair of the Police Forum

Bridgwater Councilors had a chance to question Police representatives together with the new Town Wardens over various crime and anti social behavior issues across the Town at the quarterly Police Forum meeting. The Bridgwater Town Council Police Forum is an opportunity for the public to raise issues through their councillors directly with the Police. Notice is given in advance and all councillors are invited to be present to meet and question a panel of police officers, PCSOs, and  Town Wardens.  Cllr Tim Mander (Labour, Westover) chaired the meeting and summed up the issues covered as follows:

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14 Oct

Anti-Social Behaviour Crackdown

Town Council working with Police to set priorities for the town

Bridgwater Labour welcomes the announcement from this week’s Labour Party conference regarding the proposal to tackle anti social behaviour in town centres.

The Labour Party announced the following: A five-point plan guaranteeing town centre patrols through 13,000 more neighbourhood police and PCSOs on the streets.

The Community Policing Guarantee also includes new commitments to ensure local people are involved in setting local policing priorities, tough new sentencing for assaults on retail workers, tougher police action on shoplifting and stronger powers for local councils, police and courts to introduce zero tolerance zones in town centres to stop antisocial behaviour.

Cllr Tim Mander and Cllr Kathy Pearce discuss ASB with Town Wardens

Cllr Tim Mander (Labour Westover) commented “Having worked in the town centre over the last 36 years I have witnessed the decline in behaviour particularly over the last 13 years of Tory austerity. Police resources have been decimated and lot of experienced officers have left. It is good at long last to have a government in waiting prepared to roll up their sleeves and tackle the issue of ASB which blights the lives of town centre residents”

 

 

10 Oct

Westover & Bridgwater South Planning decisions 10/10/2023

2 planning applications for our area were discussed at todays meeting. Both had been objected to by Bridgwater Town Council. Ward member Brian Smedley spoke in support of the Town Council objection and moved motions to object however both votes were lost

Ashleigh Terrace lost 6.3

North Street lost 8.1

Therefore both planning applications were approved by Somerset (North) planning zone

 

Planning Application 08/22/00194 Land to the East of 6, Ashleigh Mews, Ashleigh Terrace, Bridgwater, Somerset, TA6  PDF 132 KB

To consider an aplication for the erection of a dwelling.

Decision:

That application 08/22/00194 for the erection of a dwelling at land to the east of 6 Ashleigh Mews, Ashleigh Terrace, Bridgwater be approved subject to the conditions detailed within the report and an additional condition for biodiversity.
Planning application 08/23/00307 52 North Street, Bridgwater, Somerset, TA6 3PN  PDF 128 KB

To consider an application for the Change of use of dwelling to form an 8no. bedroom HMO (Home in Multiple Occupation).

Decision:

That application 08/23/00307 52 North Street, Bridgwater to change the use of the dwelling to a 8 person HMO be APPROVED as detailed within the agenda report with the amendment to Condition 3.