28 Apr

“Communities are doing a Great Job” Says CCS Exec

The Village Agents

CCS Village, Community and Carers Agents are working extremely closely with both the health services and social care to broker a range of support, phoning people to check on their welfare and connecting residents with local support groups.On the 23rd of March, the start of the lockdown, CCS launched a county-wide universal referral link which within four weeks received over 32,000 enquiries. As Village Agent Julie says: “The past four weeks have been absolutely MANIC!”

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29 Nov

The Bridgwater Stop Line

The Bridgwater Stop Line

The Bridgwater Stop Line (at the time called the Taunton Stop Line) is a line of World War 2 defences built in the summer of 1940 stretching from the mouth of the River Parret to the Devon Coast on the English Channel. For Bridgwater History Day 2020, Bridgwater Town Council Leader Brian Smedley researched it’s history and told the story including a fictitious German invasion and major attack on Bridgwater and the Stop Line. A film is available on YouTube and we reproduce the text here.

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20 Nov

Westover Councillors Re-Elected as Leader and Deputy

Westover District Councillors Kath Pearce & Brian Smedley
Westover Town and District Councillors Kathy Pearce and Brian Smedley

At Bridgwater Town Council’s Annual General Meeting last night Westover Councillors Brian Smedley and Kathy Pearce were re-elected as Leader and Deputy Leader.  Westover’s County Councillor Leigh Redman was elected Mayor and Hamp Town and District Councillor Liz Leavy as Deputy Mayor.  Cllr Leavy will become Mayor upon completion of Cllr Redman’s term of office, a move described by Cllr Pearce as “Long overdue as we haven’t had a female Mayor of Bridgwater since 1986!”  In an emotional speech to members, (particular after Tory Leader Gill Slocombe attempted to second him, at which point he fell off his chair)  Cllr Smedley outlined his plans for the new council along with committee changes, policy priorities and thanks to members and staff for their work during Covid.

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20 Nov

Leigh Redman Elected Mayor of Bridgwater…..Online

Leigh Redman. Bridgwater’s first elected-on-line-Mayor

At the delayed annual meeting of Bridgwater Town Council last night, Hamp Councillor Leigh Redman, was elected as Mayor of Bridgwater. The event was held on Zoom. It will be Councillor Redman’s second term as Mayor. He takes over from Cllr Tony Heywood, now the town’s second longest consecutively serving Mayor, his terms being extended to 18 months due to the Covid lockdown in the middle of his Mayoralty. The longest serving consecutive Mayor of Bridgwater was recently deceased Cllr Adrian Moore who served 2 years to tide the council over from it’s former existence as ‘Charter Trustees’ to ‘Town Council’ in 2002-2004. Cllr Liz Leavy (Hamp) was elected as Deputy Mayor and by convention will take over upon completion of the current Mayor’s term of office.

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17 Nov

Bridgwater Town Council 2021 Calendar NOW OUT

Bridgwater Calendars now available

For the third year running Bridgwater Town Council has produced a calendar to promote the town and featuring the photography and art work of local artistes. This year the images are by exciting Bridgwater photographer Terence Peppin and the design is by local company Heybelles.

The Calendar is available NOW (in good time for Christmas!) and retails at £6.

You can get the calendar from the SWEETBOX on the Cornhill or SCOOPS on St John Street.

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13 Nov

Councils Given New Government Cash to Help Businesses

Bridgwater during lockdown 1

New national business grants are being made available to support those affected by the recent lockdown period.   The two, new grants available are the Local Restrictions Support Grant (LRSG (Closed) Addendum) and the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG).  The government has once again asked district councils across Somerset, who are closest to their communities, to issue this funding.  Each local authority across the country has been awarded this additional funding as a one-off payment to support businesses through national lockdowns and any future tiered restrictions.

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