
The past week has seen high profile media attacks on Bridgwater Town Council from across the blogosphere. Then suddenly it’s gone as the Lib Dems at County pop a nervous head above the parapet to admit in fact it’s them that’ll be raising your council tax by a very large amount in the next few weeks as they try to stave off financial collapse.
County Leader Bill Revans explained that the only way they could set a balanced budget was to agree significant savings by cutting jobs and selling commercial investments, land and property. Revans (Lib Dem) has written to the government requesting to raise the county council tax by more than the 5% limit currently permitted otherwise they are likely to be declared bankrupt calling in Central Government commissioners to run the county. 88% of Council Tax is payable to County and 12% to Town.
Town Council is Saving Jobs, Services and Assets

Bridgwater Town Council Leader Brian Smedley (Labour) said “This is what we’ve been saying all along. It’s County that’s in trouble and it’s County that will be massively raising your council tax. “
“At Town Council we are NOT in financial difficulties and our modest precept rise is necessary to save jobs, services and assets. The reason we’ve had to suffer these attacks for the past week is that the Tories are desperate to deflect the blame from themselves.”
“They’ve left the country in a mess and also the county. Their crazy ‘unitary’ idea has gone belly up and now everyone is worse off. Others have to pick up the pieces from their years of underinvestment, low taxes and austerity and their only hope was to try to mislead everyone by pointing the finger away from themselves.”
“The Tories thought that if the 39% label would stick on Town, they could front the indignation as if they were totally innocent, but it hasn’t stuck despite all their paid adverts, phony surveys and face to camera ‘Oh no! Look what they’re doing!’ scaremongerings. And without once saying what they’d do different. “
“At County the Lib Dems are having to pick up the pieces and here at Town we’re still reeling from their misdirected blame game. Bridgwater Town Council’s portion of the council tax is only 12% of the total council tax bill. That increase is needed mainly to save jobs and improve services and assets in Bridgwater.”
“The overall council tax bills will not increase by 39%. Instead, the Bridgwater Town Council’s portion will see an increase of 39%, leading to an overall rise of actually just 6% in council tax bills for Bridgwater residents.”
“Bridgwater is raising £1 million to save services for our town and it’s County who are facing a budget gap of £66m. The Tories, by constantly banging on about 39%, wanted people to think it was us raising the whole council tax bill by that amount.”
Anger, Abuse and Petitions

The Tory media campaign, which was picked up by the radio and tv and featured several times by the Bridgwater Mercury, led to anger on social media, abuse directed to town councillors and workers and even the start of a petition, which has attracted seevral hundred names.
Cllr Smedley continued “But the petition gives false hope. I understand people are angry. However, they really need to direct that rage at the right people but at the same time to understand how the system works and not be led up the garden path like this by people making them think this is how they can change things. “
“There is nothing that can result in a ‘public enquiry’ , everything is ‘transparent and accountable’, tax payers are not ‘being charged twice for services’ and if they want something ‘raised in parliament’ there’s MPs that can do that anyway.”
“Also, lets get this clear, Bridgwater is NOT the biggest tax in the Southwest, the highest Parish precept is Taunton, and the highest band D is Falmouth in Cornwall. “
“The other thing to get in perspective of course is that most of Bridgwater’s 17,560 council taxpayers, 16,303, are in the lower A to C bands while just 1,257 are D and above. That gives Bridgwater a 93% lower band to 7%upper band ratio while in Taunton that’s 74/26 in Yeovil 85/15 and in Frome 76/24. ALL the other towns start from a higher income base than us!”
Town Council Hits Back

Bridgwater Town Council has put out an official response to the petition which goes as follows; –
“We are aware of the petition regarding council tax. We understand that any increase in council tax can be concerning for residents. However, it’s important to note that Bridgwater Town Council’s portion of the council tax (precept) is only 12% of the total council tax bill. “
“The increase is needed mainly to save jobs and improve services and assets in Bridgwater.”
Actually a 6% increase
“The overall council tax bills will not increase by 39%. Instead, the Bridgwater Town Council’s portion will see an increase of 39%, leading to an overall rise of approximately 6% in council tax bills for Bridgwater residents.”
Petition is ‘misleading’
The petition is misleading as it includes many signatures from non-Bridgwater residents and contains misunderstandings about how council tax is allocated for service delivery. The services transferred to Bridgwater Town Council are discretionary, not statutory. The Council precept has been agreed by councillors with the precept demand sent to Somerset Council by the deadline of 31 January 2025.
The Actual Figures

Here’s a breakdown of Bridgwater Town Council’s tax increase for Bridgwater residents starting 1 April 2025:
- Band A: £5.27 per week (an increase of £1.48)
- Band B: £6.15 per week (an increase of £1.73)
- Band C: £7.03 per week (an increase of £1.98)
What we provide
This weekly amount will fund various services for Bridgwater residents, including:
- Youth engagement programs
- Community events
- Enhanced street cleaning in residential areas
- Road sweeping and gully clearing
- CCTV funding (60 cameras across Bridgwater)
- Maintenance of 25 play areas, parks, and open spaces
- Community grants schemes
- Community centres (ReCreation and Rollercoaster)
- Cemeteries (Bristol Road, Quantock Road and Wembdon Road)
- Cultural venues (Arts Centre and Town Hall)
- Christmas lights”
Cllr Smedley concluded “Honestly, you’d have thought there was an election on. Oh, hang about there is! Fairfax East on February 6th. Vote for David Solomon!”
RESPONSE TO IAN BUGLER
Dear Mr Bugler
You recently said in the mercury that you had written to me. You hadn’t. Unless you meant this comment on the Somerset labour page which I copy below and have just spotted today.
I add comments within
Please note I’m not hard to find should you wish to write to me and this is my town council email address
Brian
“Cllr Smedley,
I would urge you to re-read the petition carefully. The issue being raised is not about the County Council’s financial difficulties but specifically about Bridgwater Town Council increasing the precept by 39%. The claim that the Town Council is only making a “modest” increase is misleading—this is a significant rise, and residents are rightly concerned.
### The issue raised by yourself, some others on social media and the local Conservatives is indeed the Bridgwater Town element of the overall precept rise. That is 39% in its own context. I call it modest because this refers to a weekly increase of £1.48 a week for the majority of Bridgwater ratepayers who are in band A. The ‘significant’ rise was last year when we took on the bulk of the service and job transfers. As I’ve said all year and at every council meeting our aim is to get back to minimal rises but this year is one of transition and we need this year to settle in to the new reality . Note that Sedgemoor no longer exists and that Towns role has increased. That is the main driver here as Somerset sheds services and we take them on.
While County Council’s financial troubles are well-documented, the Town Council has found a loophole allowing it to increase its share of the council tax beyond the standard 5% cap. This is what has triggered the backlash, not a misunderstanding of the overall tax breakdown. The argument that the total council tax bill will only rise by 6% does not diminish the fact that the Town Council’s portion is seeing an unprecedented increase.
# ian, no there is no ‘loophole’ . Thats the reality of town and parish legal budget setting. Towns and parishs are not bound by a 5% cap. County council is. They went to government to get it increased. Which they did. The town increase is not unprecedented, it has happened across the county with other town and parish councils BECAUSE all the districts were abolished and the county, taking on those services, assets and staff, has been getting rid of them to make their books balance.
Regarding some of your other points:
• The petition reflects genuine public concern, and dismissing it as “misleading” because you think some non-resident signatures does not negate the fact that many Bridgwater residents have signed it.
## I believe the petition doesnt present the reality and its quite easy to get people to think it does because they are rightly angry about a raft of things. Mainly, which you arent prepared to admit, the way the tories put us in this position with years of austerity plus not raising adequate taxes locally. Its too easy to simply put out a poll and say ‘do you agree this is wrong’ without having the full picture
• The notion that there can be no public inquiry is incorrect—local government decisions can be challenged, scrutinized, and debated at multiple levels.
## There could be but who would call it? Nothing has been done illegally and the actual subject you probably mean is not what is being claimed. The question about local governments tax raising powers generally is what you mean. Parliament has the power to change that if it wants. In terms of getting it raised in parliament, well, no problem, Ashley Fox has jumped at that chance. Didn’t do him much good as the Labour minister just said ‘its your fault though’
• While Bridgwater may not have the highest parish precept in the Southwest, that does not justify such a steep rise. Residents are comparing this increase to past years and other local areas, where such jumps have been avoided.
## But you cant compare it to past years . There is no sedgemoor anymore. Look at how part of the % included sedgemoor and now doesnt. Bridgwater has taken on more services,jobs and assets and we’re not in any financial trouble. You need to maybe focus on Somerset and how its dealing with a genuine crisis with the 85% of the actual budget for the services we all pay for.
• The upcoming by-election reference makes it clear that this is as much a political battle as it is a financial one, which further supports the need for transparency and accountability.
## its certainly a political battle. The tories won clearly based on the information the public were presented with at that moment and we took the backlash. No doubt. The Tories clung on to Bridgwater at the last election and thats why they are fighting an aggressive campaign now to try to make it a safe seat. Which it isnt. Labour AND reform are very close in the local vote and polls.
Bridgwater residents deserve clear, honest communication on why they are being asked to pay significantly more and whether all possible alternatives to such a sharp increase were fully explored.
## Of course. Town council is a very open and transparent body. We run a system of forums which include the public and we have agreed to set up a new Finance one starting this year. The tories have places on all of our committees and of the 3 key budget set ones NONE turned up. Diogo turned up to the 3rd one and as you know also at the budget set meeting as he brought his own cameraman with him.
Regards,
The Shareholders of Bridgwater Town Council
## You’re not though are you. The TOWNCOUNCIL are elected by the people to make the decisions for the town. However, thankyou for writing to me clearly and accepting my replies.
Cllr Smedley,
I would urge you to re-read the petition carefully. The issue being raised is not about the County Council’s financial difficulties but specifically about Bridgwater Town Council increasing the precept by 39%. The claim that the Town Council is only making a “modest” increase is misleading—this is a significant rise, and residents are rightly concerned.
While County Council’s financial troubles are well-documented, the Town Council has found a loophole allowing it to increase its share of the council tax beyond the standard 5% cap. This is what has triggered the backlash, not a misunderstanding of the overall tax breakdown. The argument that the total council tax bill will only rise by 6% does not diminish the fact that the Town Council’s portion is seeing an unprecedented increase.
Regarding some of your other points:
• The petition reflects genuine public concern, and dismissing it as “misleading” because you think some non-resident signatures does not negate the fact that many Bridgwater residents have signed it.
• The notion that there can be no public inquiry is incorrect—local government decisions can be challenged, scrutinized, and debated at multiple levels.
• While Bridgwater may not have the highest parish precept in the Southwest, that does not justify such a steep rise. Residents are comparing this increase to past years and other local areas, where such jumps have been avoided.
• The upcoming by-election reference makes it clear that this is as much a political battle as it is a financial one, which further supports the need for transparency and accountability.
Bridgwater residents deserve clear, honest communication on why they are being asked to pay significantly more and whether all possible alternatives to such a sharp increase were fully explored.
Regards,
The Shareholders of Bridgwater Town Council
Excellent article thanks
We know that our money is on safe hands with Labour and especially with Brian Smedly and Mick Lerry at the helm.
Mick would be bound to get value for money and not waste a penny.
Also the team have been able to bring on more external sources of funding through imagination and tireless efforts.
We should be proud of our Council
This country has been declining for years and years. We are taxed to death constantly on everything and they just keep pushing and pushing and taking and taking… people living pound to pound wondering how they can eat or feed their families. We should all be looking at emigrating abroad and not look back imo most especially if you have children they have no future here aside from debt and obscene bills.
I’m happy to pay the extra for these services – but when are we going to have our plants in our flower-trugs on West Quay? Empty since October!
Let’s face it everyone is doing the best they can with no money and hands tied. It’s tough and will be for a while. Let’s hope the while is a short one !