8 Dec

Planners Throw Out Chicken Hairdresser Bid in Narrow Committee Vote

“REJECTED”

Sedgemoor District Council Development Committee has narrowly voted to reject a bid to convert a West Quay Hairdressers to a late night chicken takeaway following objections from Bridgwater Town Council and Westover ward councillor Brian Smedley. The committee voted 6 votes to 5 with 2 abstentions to reject the bid and instead backed a motion by Cllr Kathy Pearce (Lab Westover) that the application was contrary to Policy D25 which referred to the impact of noise, disturbance and odours on the neighbours. Ward Councillor Brian Smedley (Lab, Westover) said that the measures attempting to deal with waste management had only heightened fears in relation to fire risk and the result would still be a noisy late night takeaway with maximum impact to an area already identified as number 1 on Police Priority list for anti social behaviour and now would be made worse by the danger of fire to the neighbours. It would also fly in the face of plans to enhance the West Quay pedestrian zone.

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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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