Bridgwater Town Council

Bridgwater Town Council is a parish level authority in Bridgwater, Somerset, England. It owns and administers Bridgwater Town Hall, the Blake Museum and the adjacent historic Bridgwater Town Mill, and awards grants.

The area of the town

History

Following the implementation of Local Government Act 1972 in March 1974, Bridgwater Borough Council was abolished, and Charter Trustees were created, drawn from the 16 councillors elected to Sedgemoor District Council in Somerset, England, that represented the borough wards, who maintained the continuity of the town's legal status until such time as a parish council was established. Duties were limited to ceremonial activities. In Bridgwater's case this extended to being responsible for the Town's charters,[1] muniments[2] and historic silver.[3]

Bridgwater Town Council was created in 2003, with sixteen elected members representing six wards of the town — Bower (three); Eastover (two); Hamp (three); Quantock (three); Sydenham (three) and Victoria (two). The wards were changed in 2011 to Westover (three); Hamp (two); Wyndham (two); Victoria (two); Eastover (two); Fairfax west (one); Fairfax east (two); Dunwear north (one) and Dunwear south (one).[4]

The Council's seal

The Council's seal has been used by the Mayor, Bailiffs and Burgesses of the town since the Middle ages.[5]

Bridgwater Town Council owns Bridgwater Town Hall, which houses the Town Clerks office, Mayor’s Parlour, Charter Hall and meeting rooms and a new suite of additional offices plus numerous offices hired out to the community. The Town Hall main rooms have been restored, and some are available for hire.[6]

The Town Hall, Bridgwater.
The Theatre set up for a function
The Charter Hall set up for a function

It owns and administers the Blake Museum, and the adjacent historic Bridgwater Town Mill These are administered by joint committee of councillors and volunteer members of the Friends of Blake Museum,[7] who do the day-to-day management. Trinity Hall is leased to On Your Bike, a local charity that trains people to refurbish bicycle and learn skills.[8]

The Council gives financial support to the Victoria Park [9] and Sydenham Community[10] centres and the Hamp Community Association.[11] It gives financial support to Bridgwater Arts Centre, and in May 2020 it took over the ownership of the Arts Centre from Sedgemoor District Council.[12]

The town has international links with La Ciotat (France), 1957; Homberg (Efze) (Germany), 1992; Uherske Hradiste (Czech Republic), 1992; Marsa (Malta) 2006; Priverno (Italy) 2015; Seattle (USA) 2015 and Camacha, Madeira, (Portugal) 2019.[13]

Town-wide Grants

The Council's two Grant Schemes are for one-off grants up to £2,500 for community groups. One is ring-fenced for grants in Wards; the other is for town-wide community groups with heritage, cultural and social aims, such as the Friends of Wembdon Road Cemetery, a group which is restoring a closed Victorian cemetery.[14]

The Council funds with £7,000 the Quayside festival in the summer via the Bridgwater Cultural partnership.[15]

In the winter it sponsors a Bridgwater History Day when various talks are given on aspects of the town's past.[16]

Youth Grants - These total £10,000 per year and applications are decided by a 'Youth Forum' drawn from the schools.[17]

Twinning Grants - These total c.£2,500 per year, of which £300 goes as general running to the 6 twinning organisations and the remainder on an annual twinning week.[18]

References
  1. "Borough Charters". Bridgwater Heritage Group. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  2. "Borough Archives". Bridgwater Heritage group. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
  3. "Borough maces". Bridgwater Heritage Group. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  4. "The Council". Bridgwater Town Council. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  5. "Bridgwater town seals". Bridgwater Heritage Group. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  6. "The hire of a room in the Town Hall". Bridgwater Town Council. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
  7. "Friends of Blake Museum". Friends of Blake Museum. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  8. "On Your Bike". On Your Bike. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  9. "Victoria Park Community Centre, Bridgwater". Victoria Park Community Centr. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  10. "Sydenham Community Centre". Sydenham Community Centre. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  11. "Hamp Community Association". Hamp Community Association. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  12. "Bridgwater Arts Centre Bounces Back". Bridgwater Westover. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  13. "Mayor's Madeira homecoming as Bridgwater gets sixth twinning link". Bridgwater Mercury. 13 March 2019. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  14. "Friends of Wembdon Road Cemetery". Friends of Wembdon Road Cemetery. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  15. "Bridgwater Quayside Festival". Bridgwater Quayside Festival. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  16. "Bridgwater History Day". Bridgwater History day. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  17. "Bridgwater Youth Grants". Bridgwater Youth Grants. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  18. "Town Twinning grants". Town twinning forum. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
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