14 Sep

Town Council Launches Youth Budget

Cllr Diogo Rodrigues launching the Town Council Youth Budget

In this years finance budget Bridgwater Town Council ring-fenced £7,000 for youth spending. Cllr Diogo Rodrigues (Dunwear North), as lead member for youth, started a consultation with youth organisations, youth leaders and young people to get a better understanding of the youth provision in the town. At tonight’s Town Council meeting the BTC Youth Grant scheme was launched and criteria agreed.

Cllr Rodrigues introduced the budget proposals saying “The council set up a Youth Working Party tasked with detailing how the £7,000 youth budget would best be spent. We are now proud to put forward a youth grant system for this financial year, with the application process open immediately and a maximum of £500 available for each successful organisation. Applicants will have to meet criteria as set out in the application and will also be required to report back on the success of the project which funds have been used for. Continue reading “Town Council Launches Youth Budget”

12 Sep

On This Day in History: Friday 12th September 1947 CIAM6 comes to Bridgwater

Town Council Leader Brian Smedley tries to identify the famous names who came to Bridgwater in 1947

New York, London, Paris , Munich everybody’s talking about….well, Bridgwater it seems. And that was certainly the case on 12th September  1947 when everybody who was anybody in the International world of Architecture came to the Somerset town to plan a high rise future for a post war population…..so how on earth did that happen…..?

The leading lights of the CIAM (The Congres Internationaux d’Architecture Moderne…and the French usually can be deciphered through anagrams so that’s the International Conference of Modern Architecture) all dropped in on the newly opened Bridgwater Arts Centre for a few days, were home hosted by the people of the town and got down to work at a Conference, which should really have been in New York….but..well, good second choice. Continue reading “On This Day in History: Friday 12th September 1947 CIAM6 comes to Bridgwater”

4 Aug

Born in Bridgwater Campaign Gets Boost with 24/7 Cover

Bridgwater Midwives with the original Mary Stanley in the background

Bridgwater Town Council’s ‘Born in Bridgwater’ Campaign has received a welcome boost with the announcement of the re-establishment of 24 hour midwifery cover at Bridgwater Hospital’s Mary Stanley birthing unit. At last night’s Town Council meeting, members vowed to redouble their efforts to urge mothers-to-be to use the facilities to ensure they weren’t lost to Taunton and so that babies could still be born in the town.

The Town Council’s campaign was launched earlier this year when the Mayor (then Cllr Alec Glassford) and Deputy Leader Cllr Kathy Pearce, along with Town Clerk Alan Hurford, visited the hospital responding to public concern about the underuse and potential closure of the much campaigned for maternity facility.

Cllr Pearce said “This 24 hour cover is great news and we welcome it, but now we must play our part by promoting the facility and encouraging people to use it” Continue reading “Born in Bridgwater Campaign Gets Boost with 24/7 Cover”

4 Aug

Police Re-Double Efforts in Town Centre Clampdown

Extra Police resources to deal with town centre ASB problems

Following the Town Councils public meeting with Police and Crime Commissioner Sue Mountstephens in June, and the local Police commitment to focus on anti-social behaviour in the town centre, this month’s meeting stepped up the pressure on the Police who in turn promised to increase their efforts.

Sgt Joe Piscina, fronting the Bridgwater beat team, described the actions taken including 3 court summonses, 10 section 35 dispersal orders and licence reviews of certain premises. Officers had been regularly stationed on Binford Place and pressure from the last Town Meeting had given him the authority to call for additional resources such as use of the mobile unit which was now a feature of the trouble spot. He said there had been a 20% reduction in ASB calls since the last meeting. Continue reading “Police Re-Double Efforts in Town Centre Clampdown”

31 Jul

Quayside Festival Brings Crowds to the Town Centre

Bridgwater’s Quayside alive with culture

Saturday July 29th 2017 saw the launch of the new Quayside Festival which brought crowds to the town centre of Bridgwater, and saw artists, performers, musicians and entertainers connecting with the public at numerous key points around the town with the river as it’s focal point.

The Festival was organised by the FUSE PERFORMANCE agency and  funded by several organisations including Bridgwater Town Council, Sedgemoor District Council and the Arts Council England. The event featured  a number of community groups  and in particular the Bridgwater Cultural Partnership. Continue reading “Quayside Festival Brings Crowds to the Town Centre”