Bridgwater Labour Manifesto 2022

Bridgwater is a Labour town. That’s why it’s different to the rest of Somerset. We have a proud and radical history of rebellion against tyranny and standing up against injustice. And we’re a solid working-class town with a heart that beats with culture, industry and solidarity. Now we need that solidarity more than ever and vote to send all 8 unitary councillors to Somerset and all 16 Town councillors to the town hall so that the united voice of Bridgwater is heard. The power is in YOUR hands and soon the power will be in ALL of our hands. If we all Vote Labour on May 5th.

The Tories are on the way out.

People have seen through them. They partied through the Covid crisis while we followed the rules and they’ve piled up contracts for themselves and their mates. Their Sedgemoor power base has gone, and their county throne is about to turn to dust. If you read their manifesto, it’s laughable. People can see straight through it. The Tories failed miserably to counter the climate emergency by failing to provide any electric charging points in their public car parks or decarbonise their HQ building. They’ve Consistently failed to ensure developers provide the 30% affordable on new build developments, they’ve failed to protect local renters from large HBC influenced rent rises and the cuts to children and adult services at county is beyond tragic.

The Lib Dems are not the answer.

It was them that put the Tories back in power with their one-sided coalition back in 2010. All they have left are empty bar charts saying, ‘only they can win here’. Well, in Bridgwater we know that’s not true as there’s been just one LibDem councillor here in 20 years and he got in by accident when the Tories forgot to stand in that ward. The next time a Lib Dem shows you one of their bar charts -show them the real one here.

Vote for a Labour Bridgwater on May 5th

 Bridgwater finally has the chance to roll back the years of Sedgemoor District Council and run our own Town for our own people. To do this we must return a Labour Town Council on May 5^th

Labour’s Manifesto for Bridgwater. We will:

1. 

   Engage with the Unitary Council – we need to speak from a position of strength and unity to take back control of Bridgwater’s historic powers

2. Put Bridgwater at the centre of a Local Community Network, providing services, working with neighbouring parishes and creating jobs
3. Take back parks, gardens and open spaces and improve them in terms of facilities and planting
4. Maintain our heritage in the hands of the people who built and cherish it – this means adding the Docks to our existing portfolio of the Town Hall, the Blake Museum and the Arts Centre
5. Continue to develop our FORUM system to ensure community engagement and influence with our town council
6. Continue our YOUTH FORUM which guarantees that young people elected from every school have the crucial say in decisions on youth provision

   

7. Develop our TRANSPORT FORUM bringing together users, Councillors, and providers to campaign for a good transport system which is essential for productivity as well as maintaining health, well-being and reducing carbon emissions.
8. Continue to support the bus-back better campaign. The last decade has seen a huge decline in bus services in Somerset, especially at weekends and in the evenings. Cuts to bus services, increased fares and reduced concessions have led to a major reduction in use of buses.
9. Lobby government to provide the necessary funding to rebuild an integrated transport infrastructure including electric charging points.
10. Develop a sustainable, affordable, reliable, and safe travel network, incorporating rail, buses, cycling, walking and park and ride facilities
11. Work with environmental and transport lobby groups to restore public confidence in our transport system and establish a county-wide Transport Forum
12. Continue our TOWN DEVELOPMENT FORUM to ensure that the public are at the forefront of consultation, planning and decision making for major infrastructure projects that affect our town

13. 

    Promote our TWINNING FORUM to maintain and further develop the many international links that this town has established in the interests of global friendship and peace

14. Support Community initiatives such as ‘Bridgwater Together’ which provides a forum for the host community and the migrant workforce to promote understanding of each other’s cultures
15. Support the existing cultural institutions of the town such as Bridgwater Carnival and to promote new festival initiatives such as ‘The Quayside festival, ‘Seed the Day; ‘History Day’, a ‘Green week’,
16. Continue to fund the Community Centres on our major estates – Sydenham and Victoria and re-build facilities on Hamp
17. Fight climate change by supporting Investment in green industries, initiatives
18. Support the creation of new high-value job opportunities for local workers in Somerset making sure the workforce has the right skills and training they need to work and earn a decent living.

19. 

    Develop a clear, sound economic development strategy for Somerset in partnership with Town and Parish councils, employers and colleges.

20. Support small businesses, leisure, hospitality, tourism, and the Town Centre to help build a fairer local economy.
21. Implement a Climate Emergency Strategy which is fit for purpose, and which is included in all decision making
22. Invest in renewable energy and energy efficiency measures for existing buildings and new builds.
23. Build on our Pesticide Free Policy on any newly acquired open spaces
24. Increase our tree planting and actively look for opportunities to reduce carbon emissions
25. Support the production of locally produced food

25 PLEDGES FROM US TO YOU AND 101 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD

Vote Labour on 5th MAY