As we receive them, press releases and other news from Sedgemoor District Council will be posted on the page instead of appearing as Latest News on the front page.

To view items, click on a topic in the list below to go to that item.

A Government grant of £38,000 will be used to help keep households in their own homes by providing them with a small, interest free loan. As part of the scheme, householders will be required to register with the Credit Union, agree to save an agreed amount each month and to make affordable repayments against the loan after a full financial assessment by the Citizens Advice Bureau.

In return, an agreement will be made with the lender to clear some of the outstanding debt to enable the householder to remain in the home.

Home owners will be referred to Wessex Home Improvement Trust and the Credit Union will administer funds for those in rented accommodation. 

Jerry Milton, Housing Advice Manager for Sedgemoor District Council said ‘Although loans are relatively small, the Repossession Prevention Loan Scheme is part of a range of measures designed to assist those at risk of homelessness. Last year the Council was able to prevent over 300 households from becoming homeless and we hope to continue this good work’.

Anyone who is concerned about their housing situation or for more information on this scheme should contact the Council’s Housing Advice Team on 0845 408 2547.

Check It Out! - Scam Phone Calls

Sedgemoor District Council is warning people to check that phone calls are from Sedgemoor.  The Council has had three calls recently from worried residents, who have received phone calls from people purporting to be working with Sedgemoor District Council.  The tricksters tell customers that they are due a reduction in their Council Tax Band and asking them for their bank details for a refund to be made.

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Bridgwater Regeneration Projects

Sedgemoor District Council's Executive made the following recommendations to Full Council on July 8th.

RECOMMENDATION(S) It is recommended that -

Recommendation

Comment/Explanation

1.    The sale of Northgate be progressed to a satisfactory conclusion as per the current timetable and plan.

This is NOT a decision to sell Northgate.  There is a timetable and plan in which there is ample consultation time as well as any associated consultation in any potential planning process.  The Executive pointed out that any offer made may or may not be accepted, either now or at a later time.   The Council are still waiting to hear from interested parties what offers are 'on the table'.

2.    The Executive recommends to Council the investment £1.63 million into the refurbishments of the Bridgwater Town Hall to repair the roof, restore the facade and secure ongoing traditional use.

See separate press release (Bridgwater Town Hall)

3.    The Programme Board is instructed to continue in discussions with the Town Council, Engine Room, Arts Centre and Traditional Users to seek to secure a future for their cultural activities in Sedgemoor, with a report to be presented in September this year with final recommendations.

See separate press release. (Bridgwater Town Hall)

4.    The Executive notes the advice of Management Team on funding these projects. Nonetheless the Council is committed to the long term provision of swimming in Bridgwater.  To secure that long term provision, the Executive recommends to Council that:

The Executive noted the strong advice of Management Team, but are committed to providing swimming in Bridgwater. 

a.    The Council will minimise the future build cost of a new swimming pool in Bridgwater through the commitment now of up to £1.5m from the borrowing already approved within the MTFP of capital, to secure the site and future proofed infrastructure for a new pool at the site of Chilton Trinity Building Schools for the Future.

The Executive recommends to stay involved in the Building Schools for the Future programme.  This is route is planning for the future for the provision of swimming in Bridgwater.  By committing to the pool at Chilton Trinity now allows the design of the school and leisure complex to be drawn up.  It also will allow for infrastructure to be built in at an early stage that will save additional costs later.

b.    In noting Management Team's advice on funding, move to the construction of a new pool only when all capital costs can be funded through capital receipts.  The Council will not fund the capital cost through additional borrowing.

The only way in which the Council can afford a new pool is to sell assets which would provide money.  The new pool would be funded only when the Council has 'money in the bank'

c.    As the Splash is coming to the end of its useful life after 18 years and the deteriorating state of the plant and structure means that short term investment would not be in the interests of users and Council Tax payers, a further period of consultation with users, communities and staff will commence as soon as possible with a view to the early closure of The Splash and the ring fencing of revenue savings to be directed towards a new pool. 

The Council does not have the money to continue supporting The Splash. It costs £700,000 a year to run.  The money saved by closure will be put into a fund to provide a new pool.

 A recent condition survey of the Splash estimated that it would cost in the region of £4m to bring the Splash up to modern regulations and compliant with current legislation.  This would only extend its life by a maximum of 5 to 7 years.   It is the view of the Executive that it would not be a good use of tax-payers money to and that any monies available should be put towards a new pool.

d.    A ring fenced fund will be set up to support the provision of a new pool by closing The Splash and directing the savings made to the specific fund. The savings help to pay for the new pool

e.    Report back to the next Executive the steps that need to be taken in order to meet any consultation and statutory requirements in regard to staffing issues resulting from this decision.

f.     Recommend to the next meeting of the Executive the date upon which The Splash will close. This would be the next Executive after the meeting of Full Council to be held on 8th July.  This Executive is scheduled for 20 July.

g.    Report regularly to the Executive on progress of delivery of a new pool for Bridgwater and Sedgemoor each quarter.

h.    Explore all possible modes of service delivery at the new pool which seeks to minimise ongoing revenue costs. It is estimated that the new pool will cost in the region of £400,000 a year to run. 

5.    The Executive approves up to £500k of the £4m borrowing in the Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) to be used for feasibility studies, professional fees and general programme support costs.

6.    At this time The Executive commits to no additional borrowing, for the projects in the work programme, over and above the £4 million currently contained within its Medium Term Financial Plan.

Background Information

1.    Background   The Splash was built in 1991.  The industry standard expectation is that pools have a life of 20 - 25 years before needing major refurbishment.  It was built when energy consumption was not as important as it is today.  It is a very energy-hungry building, which in turn, increases its running costs dramatically.

2.    There is no money - Like many councils, Sedgemoor District Council is facing severe financial pressures.  The Medium Term Financial Plan forecast a £1m funding gap for 2010-2011.   Local Government is anticipating cuts of 15% when the next round of government funding is announced in November 2009.  Monies from Government are announced in three-year blocks.

3.    The original recommendation was not proceed with a new pool at Chilton Trinity.

a.    Management team recommends to Executive not to proceed any further with the uncertainty relating to the timing and value of future capital receipts and the very real threat of significant reductions to local government revenue spending in the future years as a consequence of the global recession and financial instability.

4.    Providing swimming pools is not a statutory duty of Sedgemoor District Council.

5.    Why can't the Council hand over the Splash to a Trust to run? This has been fully investigated in the recent past.  All Trusts who expressed an interested also wanted dowry payments of up to £3m to take over the building.  (see point 2).

6.    Why can't the Splash be refurbished? See point 2

7.     Why can't you borrow the money? Each £1m borrowed costs roughly £87,000 a year to service.  This would mean that the Council would have to make very significant reductions in other service areas, as well as continue to pay £700,000 a year running costs.

8.     Why can't you increase Council tax to pay for the borrowing costs? This would require an increase in excess of 10% across all tax-payers in Sedgemoor to cover the additional costs.  The government would not allow that sort of increase.

9.     Why not increase the entrance fee to help pay for refurbishment costs? Fees would need to be increased to such a degree that it would price the pool beyond the means of many users.

10.    Why is it cheaper to join up with the Building Schools for the Future? There is no land cost to Sedgemoor District Council.  It is far cheaper to run a joint dry/wet facility which would be provided by a leisure complex at the Chilton Trinity site. 

11.    Why can't the Splash stay open until the new pool is built?

    a.    The Council does not have the money to continue supporting The Splash. It costs £700,000 a year to run.  The money saved by closure will be put into a fund to provide a new pool, so the earlier it is closed, the more money will be available to build a new pool sooner.

    b.     A recent condition survey of the Splash estimated that it would cost in the region of £4m to bring the Splash up to modern regulations and compliant with current legislation.  This would only extend its life by a maximum of 5 to 7 years.   It is the view of the Executive that it would not be a good use of tax-payers money and that any monies available should be put towards a new pool.

12.    When would the new pool be opened?

    a.     When the council has received a capital receipt to cover the balance of the construction costs.

    b.     The Building School for the Future timetable is for the complex to open in 2012.

13.    Staff

Forty-six contracted staff work at the Splash (13 full time staff, 22 part time staff (range from 33hrs to 1 hour), 11 casual staff (who do work each week).  Staff  were given a briefing on the morning of 24th June to let them know the full extent of the proposals that would be discussed at the Executive meeting at 2.30 p.m.  They were told that there would be a 30-day consultation period with them on their terms and conditions of employment if the decision is made on 8th July to close the Splash.

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Bridgwater Town Hall

Several cultural organisations were highly supportive of Sedgemoor Executive's recommendation to Council to invest £1.63 million into Bridgwater Town Hall.

Currently swathed in scaffolding, put up to fully investigate the condition of the Town Hall, the building will have a major facelift, making it fully wind and weather proof whilst maintaining the character of the historic building.  It is hoped that the work would be completed by December 2010, as various permissions from heritage organisations for work to the building will be required.

Speakers from The Engine Room (Somerset Film and Video) and a representative from the traditional users of the theatre (i.e. carnival clubs, pantomime and operatic societies) fully supported the recommendation.  Over 70,000 people a year use the Town Hall's theatre. 

Works to the building would 'future-proof' the town hall, thereby leaving open the option to create a potential 'cultural centre' at a later date.
The Council is keen to work with partners to improve the internal elements of the building. The extent of those improvements would be wholly dependent on funds that partners could bring into the partnership.

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Sedgemoor Splash launches summer holiday Crash-Course swimming lessons:

The Sports and Activity Co-ordinator at the Sedgemoor Splash is pleased to announce a programme of summer holiday crash course lessons.

Spaces are available for beginners (9-9.30am) or improvers (9.30-10am) on the following dates:

·         Week 1 - (27th-31st of July) Monday- Friday

·         Week 3- (10th-14th of August) Monday-Friday

·         Week 5- (24th-28th of August) Monday- Friday

Lessons cost £21.00 per week for the crash course and information or bookings can be made via the Sedgemoor Splash reception.

Ricky Hayes, Sports and Activity Co-ordinator said 'These crash courses are a great way for parents to bridge the gap in their children's learning and fitness during the summer holiday period. These lessons provide a safe and structured environment for children and young people to learn to swim'.

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Councillor Community Budget Doubled

Somerset County Council has announced that each Councillor's Community Budget will be doubled from £5,000 to £10,000.

The Community Budget now provides all 58 County Councillors with £10,000 of funding for local projects, organisations and groups that operate in the communities they represent. The doubling of the Community Budget comes after a successful programme of grants where many councillors reported great interest in the scheme from local groups.

It is hoped that savings will also be made from the amalgamation of the Community Budget scheme with the Local Initiatives Budget.

Cllr Christine Lawrence, Cabinet Member for Community said, "Supporting the many very worthy projects and organisations that operate in our communities is important to every County Councillor. The increase in this budget reflects the Council's desire to invest and support a range of community initiatives at the most local level."

Organisations that would like more information about the Communities Budget should contact their local County Councillor for more details.

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