Victory for people power as Post Office says NO to Sainsbury's (From This is The West Country)

Let us hope People power can work again with Tesco's

Surely if, as ILG says, this is "...because of the sheer volume of people writing and emailing the Post Office" then that's a vindication for the current location of the Post Office? If it's so inaccessible people couldn't send their letters....

Wherever you put the post office it will need a good short stay car park within a very short distance. And easy access for a post office truck to make deliveries and pick up parcels. I reckon a lot of the people who want to use the post office are not thinking of this issue.

IMHO - it should be one of the retail units in the new Tesco site.

Ang Grisleyreg - I hope you're right! Can't wait for it to happen :)

Maybe Poundland could find room for the Post Office, failing that one of the empty units in town i.e. Argos, failing that one of the new units in Tesco could suit?

Seems a strange coincidence that this decision is made very shortly after the Tesco plans are made public, I would be very surprised if the Post Office isn't going to be in one of those units and that it was planned that way from the start. Get customers used to its current temporary home and then make its permanent place only yards away once the Tesco is built.

grisleyreg wrote:
Let us hope People power can work again with Tesco's

Yes,lets hope people power works,so when do they start building.

Folks
The Town Council took over the Town Hall ...From Sedgemoor District Council .
The Town Hall had inside a ideal section that was used for paying Rent etc etc
That area of the Town Hall had it all
A counter it would of made an ideal Post Office , disable ramp outside inside seating etc
The Town Council could of offered this area for a Min Rent to ..Post Office Counters Ltd (Mr Hurford Town Clerk any Comment ).....No it was given to the Bridgwater Carnival for No Rent ! and the Residents of Bridgwater are using a Portacabin in a Car Park
Wake up everyone ...this is your Town you Elected the Cllrs .
Sedgemoor District Council & Bridgwater Town Council ..only support 2 events each year ..The Bridgwater Fair & Bridgwater Carnival , All Public Funded , using Sedgemoor Taxpayers money ...
Even The Fireworks were paid for by the Taxpayer ..Sponsored by Bridgwater Town Council (Paid for by You )
£6000

Why do we have a Town Council ?
What does it do ?
Whats Happened to the BMX & Skatepark ....(Cllr Smedley )
All the sites were Rejected !? ...The Funding been there for the past 2 years +
Even with a Majority of Labour Cllrs on the Town Council , The Labour Group have done nothing for Bridgwater ...The same Old Ways.(Been the same for the past 10 years )
No forward plan ....No future planning ,
Vote Labour get no Change ..
Take a look around the Town ..who are the Cllrs who are responsible for that area ...do you know ! ...
Lets not Blame lack of money all the time ....Funds are always found for The Carnival , & Bridgwater Fair

It is quite obvious that Post Office counters will not go into a shop unless they can share it with someone else,presumably to reduce the overheads.As long as this is the case the PO Counter will probably be in a wooden shack for a long time.Perhaps they should have gone in with Hooks in the first place.

Lets not now become complacent, just because P O Counters have now @
Long Last listened to the concerns of Bridgwater Residents re the Sainsbury reconsideration. BE WARY .
Despite all the meetings, Scrutiny Commitee SDC and the outpouring of voice from us the Bridgwater Users, they, still CLOSED the Corrnhill P O.
Moved into the rear of a cramped existing retail unit in the Precinct. Despite many complaints about this change not fulfilling the Service Criteria that they themselves put forward , we still had to put up with only 2 or 3 counters open on a daily basis, with a total disregard of any complaints made to them.
So, I read with Horror, that residents are suggesting that the replacement
PO, should go in the Tesco Units. This is a idea that should not be pursued as
this will only give PO Counters the reason not to do any thing NOW.
What is needed is a HIGH - FORE St
Located Central Unit, with in the future possibly a smaller unit within the Northgate Tesco's Developement .
PO Counters PLC, have had long enough to find a site, they are delaying the process...........Do
n't fall for their
Tactics.
Regards Blue-Owl

cidreman wrote:
Folks
The Town Council took over the Town Hall ...From Sedgemoor District Council .
The Town Hall had inside a ideal section that was used for paying Rent etc etc
That area of the Town Hall had it all
A counter it would of made an ideal Post Office , disable ramp outside inside seating etc
The Town Council could of offered this area for a Min Rent to ..Post Office Counters Ltd (Mr Hurford Town Clerk any Comment ).....No it was given to the Bridgwater Carnival for No Rent ! and the Residents of Bridgwater are using a Portacabin in a Car Park
Wake up everyone ...this is your Town you Elected the Cllrs .
Sedgemoor District Council & Bridgwater Town Council ..only support 2 events each year ..The Bridgwater Fair & Bridgwater Carnival , All Public Funded , using Sedgemoor Taxpayers money ...
Even The Fireworks were paid for by the Taxpayer ..Sponsored by Bridgwater Town Council (Paid for by You )
£6000

Why do we have a Town Council ?
What does it do ?
Whats Happened to the BMX & Skatepark ....(Cllr Smedley )
All the sites were Rejected !? ...The Funding been there for the past 2 years +
Even with a Majority of Labour Cllrs on the Town Council , The Labour Group have done nothing for Bridgwater ...The same Old Ways.(Been the same for the past 10 years )
No forward plan ....No future planning ,
Vote Labour get no Change ..
Take a look around the Town ..who are the Cllrs who are responsible for that area ...do you know ! ...
Lets not Blame lack of money all the time ....Funds are always found for The Carnival , & Bridgwater Fair

I thought that Cidreman was correct in his appraisal Quoted above, it will be interesting to see the responses. perhaps, the information I have relayed on this Mercury Forum Pages have indeed been noted
Regards Blue-Owl

Some years ago some Tesco's stores had PO Counters in their stores.The leases were not renewed as Tesco's wanted the room that the PO's took up for themselves.It would take another reversal of policy to have them back again.
As for PO Counters taking up one of the units in the new Tesco's plan this seems highly unlikely,as it has become obvious that the PO is looking for someone to share with.

Only me 123! wrote:

grisleyreg wrote:
Let us hope People power can work again with Tesco's

Yes,lets hope people power works,so when do they start building.

Cidreman asks the question " Do we need Town Council ?? ".
Firstly, I must point out that the Clerk to the BTC, is a paid position, which does not have any voting position, he is there to ensure that the Council's Business is carried out correctly and minuted accordingly.
The important Question is, how did we get a Town Council ?? well it's a bit like Bridgwater Forward - The Labour Councillors canvassed their Mate John
Prescott, who was then Dept PM. Who I believe said if the majority wanted the TC. To be reinstated, then the door was open. HOW WAS THIS DONE !!
Well, the readers of the Bridgwater Mercury were polled, and I believe the
Result in favour of establishing a New Town Council was 650 FOR and 600 AGAINST, so a Majority of only 50.
Democratic I think not !!!
THEREFORE only 650 Mercury responders, Spoke for the Residents of Bridgwater.
One might ask, why was not a proper
Poll of ALL BRIDGWATERs Residents, within the Town Boundary
Organised.??
I'm sure you don't need me to answer!
This is why , I referred to Bridgwater Forward, they too think that they speak for the whole of Bridgwater.
Since the New T C was formed, it has always had the Majority of Labour Cllrs, in my 8 Yrs the 16 Members were made up of 5 Conservatives &
11 Labour, Now it is 2 Conservatives
& 14 Labour.........Belie
ve me, we tried our best to Balance things, to little avail, out voted every time.
For years, I asked What the " Civic Enhancement Fund" was being spent on.?? The Answer received, was " Whatever WE want to spend it on "
This FUND was a precept added to the
Household Tax Rate set by the TC, on Bridgwater Residents.

I hope this answers a few questions.
Regards Blue Owl

Folks I believe a lot of problems within the Town ..Relate to the Bickering between Sedgemoor District Council with a Conservative Majority ...And the Town Council with a Labour Majority .
Because all the Major issues are agreed by the District Council ..with a Labour minority ..Why do we need a Town Council ..The Town Council can not change anything ..But they do spend your taxes ..Maybe its time after 10 years of Labour Control , that the Taxpayers of the Town decided to abolish it ..
Can anyone tell me what as the Town Council done for Bridgwater over the Past 10 years ..And Yes Blue -Owl the Civic Enhancement Fund is held @ Nat -West in a bond funds totaling some £247 ,000 The Taxpayer of Sedgemoor (Bridgwater) taxes
Controlled By Bridgwater Town Council ...Labour Cllrs ,
If you ask your Ward Cllr whats it going to be spent on ...improving the Town , No chance , maybe it will get spent on the Town Hall , the Mayors office
Not on Childrens Breakfast Clubs or Youth Centres , or improving the Town centre !
Maybe Bridgwater should all vote Conservative next time ...because voting Labour you dont get anything but the Same .

Remind me which political party ensured the closure and demolition of the Splash?

awayswing wrote:
Remind me which political party ensured the closure and demolition of the Splash?

Why do you need reminding! It was the Party that had to make difficult decisions, faced with the options before us, not the Bridgwater < Backward> Forward, do nothing Group,backed by the Labour Cllrs. Who, could offer nothing to the table as a realistic option.
As I've said b4, the Splash was not a swimming Pool, but a fun pool, that's
Maintenance costs were unaffordable,every one entering the building was being subsidise by the tax-payer @ around £3.00 a ticket.
Is it fare to non users to have to subsidise this facility???
Soon we will have a NEW SWIMMING
facility, fit for purpose, costed, and the
£400.000 Annual running costs budgeted in for the next 20 years.
This will be delivered by a Conservative lead SDC. For the residents of Bridgwater and the Surrounding Villages. Or we could
Have an old facility not fit for purpose Splash, requiring £ Millions to have been spent on it, no funding stream to pay for these repairs, with only a short term fix solution, thus delaying the inevitable, Closure !!!!!!!!!.
Then , NO MONEY TO BUILD A NEW POOL. it's not rocket science......
Regards Blue-owl

Blue Owl wrote:

Only me 123! wrote:

grisleyreg wrote:
Let us hope People power can work again with Tesco's

Yes,lets hope people power works,so when do they start building.

Cidreman asks the question &quot; Do we need Town Council ?? ".
Firstly, I must point out that the Clerk to the BTC, is a paid position, which does not have any voting position, he is there to ensure that the Council's Business is carried out correctly and minuted accordingly.
The important Question is, how did we get a Town Council ?? well it's a bit like Bridgwater Forward - The Labour Councillors canvassed their Mate John
Prescott, who was then Dept PM. Who I believe said if the majority wanted the TC. To be reinstated, then the door was open. HOW WAS THIS DONE !!
Well, the readers of the Bridgwater Mercury were polled, and I believe the
Result in favour of establishing a New Town Council was 650 FOR and 600 AGAINST, so a Majority of only 50.
Democratic I think not !!!
THEREFORE only 650 Mercury responders, Spoke for the Residents of Bridgwater.
One might ask, why was not a proper
Poll of ALL BRIDGWATERs Residents, within the Town Boundary
Organised.??
I'm sure you don't need me to answer!
This is why , I referred to Bridgwater Forward, they too think that they speak for the whole of Bridgwater.
Since the New T C was formed, it has always had the Majority of Labour Cllrs, in my 8 Yrs the 16 Members were made up of 5 Conservatives &amp;
11 Labour, Now it is 2 Conservatives
&amp; 14 Labour.........Belie

ve me, we tried our best to Balance things, to little avail, out voted every time.
For years, I asked What the " Civic Enhancement Fund" was being spent on.?? The Answer received, was " Whatever WE want to spend it on "
This FUND was a precept added to the
Household Tax Rate set by the TC, on Bridgwater Residents.

I hope this answers a few questions.
Regards Blue Owl

Blue owl wrote: Result in favour of establishing a New Town Council was 650 FOR and 600 AGAINST, so a Majority of only 50.
Democratic I think not !!!

I'm sure that if you had retained your ward in the last local elections by a margin of 50 votes you would have happily defended the democratic nature of that decision. You can't have it both ways!

Blue-Owl do you agree that between 2002---2012 Bridgwater as been in decline ..under a Labour controlled Town Council .
They have Public FUNDS Bridgwater taxpayers money sat in a Bank account
Civic Enhancement Fund and have let the people of the Town use a Portacabin for the Town Post Office ..They could of used some of that Fund to lease a Unit for the Post Office .
They spend £6000 on Fireworks for 20 mins
Blue-Owl our Town Council are out of touch with what Bridgwater needs are .
Maybe its time the Residents decided do we need a Town Council
Maybe Bridgwater should be put First stop this Bickering between Sedgemoor District Council and the Labour group who run the Town Council and its Cllrs
Maybe after 10 years of no change Bridgwater should look at letting Sedgemoor council run everything , save the Taxpayer of Sedgemoor some money not financing a Town Council and all its self interests
Blue-owl IS THERE SOMETHING CALLED A Community Governance Review ..if so many signatures are collected from residents, taxpayers a Town Council can be resolved ..am I correct ?

It was a shame that money could not be found to keep Splash going whilst the new pool was being developed. But hey ho, the new pool will soon be open and all will be forgotten...........
....

Fartypants wrote:

Blue Owl wrote:

Only me 123! wrote:

grisleyreg wrote:
Let us hope People power can work again with Tesco's

Yes,lets hope people power works,so when do they start building.

Cidreman asks the question &quot; Do we need Town Council ?? ".
Firstly, I must point out that the Clerk to the BTC, is a paid position, which does not have any voting position, he is there to ensure that the Council's Business is carried out correctly and minuted accordingly.
The important Question is, how did we get a Town Council ?? well it's a bit like Bridgwater Forward - The Labour Councillors canvassed their Mate John
Prescott, who was then Dept PM. Who I believe said if the majority wanted the TC. To be reinstated, then the door was open. HOW WAS THIS DONE !!
Well, the readers of the Bridgwater Mercury were polled, and I believe the
Result in favour of establishing a New Town Council was 650 FOR and 600 AGAINST, so a Majority of only 50.
Democratic I think not !!!
THEREFORE only 650 Mercury responders, Spoke for the Residents of Bridgwater.
One might ask, why was not a proper
Poll of ALL BRIDGWATERs Residents, within the Town Boundary
Organised.??
I'm sure you don't need me to answer!
This is why , I referred to Bridgwater Forward, they too think that they speak for the whole of Bridgwater.
Since the New T C was formed, it has always had the Majority of Labour Cllrs, in my 8 Yrs the 16 Members were made up of 5 Conservatives &amp;
11 Labour, Now it is 2 Conservatives
&amp; 14 Labour.........Belie


ve me, we tried our best to Balance things, to little avail, out voted every time.
For years, I asked What the " Civic Enhancement Fund" was being spent on.?? The Answer received, was " Whatever WE want to spend it on "
This FUND was a precept added to the
Household Tax Rate set by the TC, on Bridgwater Residents.

I hope this answers a few questions.
Regards Blue Owl

Blue owl wrote: Result in favour of establishing a New Town Council was 650 FOR and 600 AGAINST, so a Majority of only 50.
Democratic I think not !!!

I'm sure that if you had retained your ward in the last local elections by a margin of 50 votes you would have happily defended the democratic nature of that decision. You can't have it both ways!

You obviously, like many read the statistics that I Quoted in your own way, Yes, as you ask Would I be happy if as a result of a Poll I would of course be happy to accept that decision. BUT the POINT you MISS,is that Elections and Ballots are supposed to be Conducted Democratily , with strict guidelines and Governance.
What we had with the Mercury Poll of its readers was neither democratic or correct. Do you think that 650 of the Yes Vote, were even Bridgwater Taxpayers, therefore would not have been eligible to Vote.
Regards Blue-Owl

Blue Owl wrote:

awayswing wrote:
Remind me which political party ensured the closure and demolition of the Splash?

Why do you need reminding! It was the Party that had to make difficult decisions, faced with the options before us, not the Bridgwater &lt; Backward&gt; Forward, do nothing Group,backed by the Labour Cllrs. Who, could offer nothing to the table as a realistic option.
As I've said b4, the Splash was not a swimming Pool, but a fun pool, that's
Maintenance costs were unaffordable,every one entering the building was being subsidise by the tax-payer @ around £3.00 a ticket.
Is it fare to non users to have to subsidise this facility???
Soon we will have a NEW SWIMMING
facility, fit for purpose, costed, and the
£400.000 Annual running costs budgeted in for the next 20 years.
This will be delivered by a Conservative lead SDC. For the residents of Bridgwater and the Surrounding Villages. Or we could
Have an old facility not fit for purpose Splash, requiring £ Millions to have been spent on it, no funding stream to pay for these repairs, with only a short term fix solution, thus delaying the inevitable, Closure !!!!!!!!!.
Then , NO MONEY TO BUILD A NEW POOL. it's not rocket science......
Regards Blue-owl

I had already read your previous comment regarding the finances of the Splash.I also read the comment that followed it regarding the creative accounting used by SDC to shut the Splash.You both cannot be right.Furthermore what self respecting District Council would wish to be without a pool of some sort for three years .Civic amenities by their very nature are not necessarily profit making,or break even financially,this does not mean that they are not needed by the town.This is not rocket science either.

cidreman wrote:
Blue-Owl do you agree that between 2002---2012 Bridgwater as been in decline ..under a Labour controlled Town Council .
They have Public FUNDS Bridgwater taxpayers money sat in a Bank account
Civic Enhancement Fund and have let the people of the Town use a Portacabin for the Town Post Office ..They could of used some of that Fund to lease a Unit for the Post Office .
They spend £6000 on Fireworks for 20 mins
Blue-Owl our Town Council are out of touch with what Bridgwater needs are .
Maybe its time the Residents decided do we need a Town Council
Maybe Bridgwater should be put First stop this Bickering between Sedgemoor District Council and the Labour group who run the Town Council and its Cllrs
Maybe after 10 years of no change Bridgwater should look at letting Sedgemoor council run everything , save the Taxpayer of Sedgemoor some money not financing a Town Council and all its self interests
Blue-owl IS THERE SOMETHING CALLED A Community Governance Review ..if so many signatures are collected from residents, taxpayers a Town Council can be resolved ..am I correct ?

Bridgwater has been in decline for decades as has the rest of the country,excluding London and the South East.PO Counters already receive a subsidy from government,inadequat
e as it may be,do they really need more?As for bickering between Conservative DC and Labour TC that is the nature of two party politics,it is a lot better than one party dominence .The firework display is for the enjoyment of the people of Bridgwater and ,I believe, was started to reduce accidents on bonfire night.

Here we are today, lunchtime with a neighbouring District Council fighting to provide the Services that they have to for the population they serve, those are the statory Services, which are supplied from the Local Taxes. Then there are the Additional Services that the residents would like funding to provide.......
So, like West Somerset District. -SDC
Has and had to make important decisions as to how facilities are future funded, we all would have loved to wave a magic wand, borrow £3-4 Million, to fund a new Pool.
The downside was for every £1 Million
Borrowed the interest on the Capital would have Bankrupted the Council.
It's easier to do nothing, as our critics
Suggest, So we took the decision to invest in a New Pool using the resources available, therefore able to deliver........or should we have let the old facility carry on costing the residents of Bridgwater ££££££&££
Blue-Owl

Blue Owl wrote: You obviously, like many read the statistics that I Quoted in your own way, Yes, as you ask Would I be happy if as a result of a Poll I would of course be happy to accept that decision. BUT the POINT you MISS,is that Elections and Ballots are supposed to be Conducted Democratily , with strict guidelines and Governance.
What we had with the Mercury Poll of its readers was neither democratic or correct. Do you think that 650 of the Yes Vote, were even Bridgwater Taxpayers, therefore would not have been eligible to Vote.
Regards Blue-Owl

Presumably then you'll be treating any polls or comments posted about the position of the Post Office on this website as undemocratic and unrepresentative? After all, anyone could have voted/posted - even people who aren't Bridgwater Taxpayers!

I think what Blue-Owl is saying is Bridgwater Town Council was formed via a poll carried out by a Newspaper (Bridgwater Mercury ) ...in what seems a long time ago .
Times change ..with a New Generation now in Bridgwater with a different need , who want Leisure Facilities etc Shops ,
The Old and tired ways of the Town Cllrs (Some are over 75 ) should be changed .
All the Expense of having a Town Council ..could be used within the Town
Once the Old Hospital is vacant , this site could become a complete Leisure complex ..but it will never happen with the current Town Council or Cllrs (The Labour Group ), because they will not agree with Sedgemoor district council ...their old enemy the Conservatives ...and Bridgwater loses out again
£247, 000 Civic Enhancement Fund
Could of built a BMX and Skatepark
This Post office situation started a long time ago ...The Town Council should of supported it sooner than they did .
People power ..A Petition raised by the people of Bridgwater .
But the Post office still remains in a Portacabin in a Carpark .
I bet if the Mayors office or the Town Council meeting rooms needed repairs they would soon be done ..
Look folks the Labour Group find a old Banner in a attic ..they get a grant for possible repair ! your tax

What really grates with me is this continual "we did this they didn't do that" attitude that suffuses local politics. Is a Town Council a good thing for Bridgwater? I genuinely don't know. I'd like a reasoned non political explanation of both viewpoints but sadly all I can take from David Preece's postings above is that the District Council is a Good Thing because it's a Conservative administration & that the Town Council is a Bad Thing because its Labour. I'm sure there's a more nuanced argument somewhere...but I don't see it here!

Fartypants wrote:

Blue Owl wrote: You obviously, like many read the statistics that I Quoted in your own way, Yes, as you ask Would I be happy if as a result of a Poll I would of course be happy to accept that decision. BUT the POINT you MISS,is that Elections and Ballots are supposed to be Conducted Democratily , with strict guidelines and Governance.
What we had with the Mercury Poll of its readers was neither democratic or correct. Do you think that 650 of the Yes Vote, were even Bridgwater Taxpayers, therefore would not have been eligible to Vote.
Regards Blue-Owl

Presumably then you'll be treating any polls or comments posted about the position of the Post Office on this website as undemocratic and unrepresentative? After all, anyone could have voted/posted - even people who aren't Bridgwater Taxpayers!

Everyone is entitled to their Veiw on this forum, but will be challenged by others if that Veiw is not shared by others, Which is Good !!!!
But, the right to vote on the need or not for a BTC. Should have only been a Poll put b4 Bridgwater Residents, ie those who pay for it in the Council Tax.
More importantly Democratically run, !!
Not a Yes or No in a local paper. How do anyone know, whether the Numbers were manipulated, ie, easy to get another 50 votes, before the closure deadline......Call me a sceptic, synic or just a realist..... WHO KNOWS, I had my doubts at the time, but there was no redress, as it wasn't
Moniteered by any officials.
Like, you have for Council Elections, and only yesterday the Election for the Police and City Mayors.
Now, while I'm on this subject, who do you think votes for the Bridgwater Town Council Mayor, you the Taxpayer, no the Majority Labour Cllrs,
I many years ago suggested that nominations for this Mayoral position could be some one from the Community of Bridgwater, voted for by the residents, Guess how this suggestion was welcomed. NOT.!!
Blue-Owl

Fartypants wrote:
What really grates with me is this continual &quot;we did this they didn't do that" attitude that suffuses local politics. Is a Town Council a good thing for Bridgwater? I genuinely don't know. I'd like a reasoned non political explanation of both viewpoints but sadly all I can take from David Preece's postings above is that the District Council is a Good Thing because it's a Conservative administration &amp; that the Town Council is a Bad Thing because its Labour. I'm sure there's a more nuanced argument somewhere...but I don't see it here!

I only respond to the questions raised in this forum, as do others, we all have our personal stance on matters. It's entirely up to you ,whether to accept or decline the ' Comments related in this Forum' .I've never said I'm right, but as you say there are more than Two Political Opinions, so it begs to ask the Question ????? Where are Bridgwater Forwards Veiws - We are stunned by their Silence............T
hey purport to be the voice of 61% of Bridgwater....!!!!!
Blue-Owl Regards.