It’s the 1st of August 1990 and it’s my first council meeting. It’s the time of Margaret Thatcher’s Poll Tax and people weren’t happy. In fact the Bridgwater Anti Poll Tax Union joined me at my first meeting and occupied the council chamber flying flags that said, ‘Break the Law Not the Poor’. The Tory councillors fled the chamber. They knew they couldn’t justify such an unfair tax and 3 years later it was abolished.
Nobody in politics today even tries to defend the Poll Tax but at the time the Conservatives were so confident of their popularity after 11 years in power that they thought a flat rate tax for local government where every adult paid the same regardless of their income, property or ability to pay would be a good idea.
A Step Too Far
Why did they do it? Because modern society believes that the wealthy should pay more and the poor should pay less. And the Tories didn’t like that idea. During the 1980’s they’d convinced the majority of the people to support them. But..they went a step too far.
Sedgemoor Tory Council had the job of enforcing the Poll Tax and so took people who couldn’t pay to court, sent Bailiffs to their homes and even jailed nonpayers. In my case, along with many others, they attached our wages. That meant taking the same from me, a lowly van driver, as the Duke of Westminster. People saw that was unfair.
Lack of Investment
It’s the 30th of August 2009 and I’m with a group of people occupying the Sedgemoor Splash. The popular swimming pool was being closed down by Tory Sedgemoor. They’d already closed down the Lido, built by the Borough Council and were so proud of the Splash replacement that they even got Princess Diana to open it. But by 2009 they hadn’t built up enough reserves to keep it open and to modernise the facility. So, they trashed it. We occupied it for 20 hours; they sent in a security firm and then the bulldozers. They lost a popular attraction which would pull people into the town centre and ended up in their haste with a 4-year gap in swimming provision.
Lack of investment in the right place and a dogmatic desire to keep the council tax low was not convincing anyone about so-called ‘common sense tory policies’.
Far Away In Time…
It’s 21st April 2023 and Somerset Unitary Council is launched. The ruling Lib Dems open the ledger books and moths fly out. The outgoing Tory County Council had stuck to a policy of low council tax in line with the Governments ‘austerity’ policy and now there wasn’t the money to spend on what was needed.
Somerset has limped on and the Tories are now asking people to trust them again. There are elections next year and that’s up to you.
Bridgwater Town Council has kept out of this and is not in any financial trouble. We’ve taken on a significantly expanded role, delivering key local services including parks, open spaces, street cleaning, cemeteries, community facilities, the Town Hall and the Arts Centre. And we’re providing the staff required to maintain and improve these services so that they run effectively and reliably for residents.
Know Your Facts
By proper council tax rises so we raise what we need to spend, we make sure there are adequate balances and reserves. Maintaining appropriate reserves helps safeguard services and allows the Council to plan responsibly for the future, investing in long-term community assets, supporting cultural activity, community life and the local economy, delivering benefits for residents over many years.
Often people don’t understand the difference between the different councils or who does what or what we can even do in the first place.
Before you judge take the time to find out. And….make sure you know the history.