ONE month into another busy year, I would like to take the opportunity to share some thoughts.

I’m very proud to be leader of Bath and North East Somerset Council. Our dedication to improving people’s lives guides everything we do: providing the essential local services that you, your family and the wider community rely on every day. We are firmly committed to protecting and investing in frontline services, including adults’ and children’s care, as well as enhancing funding for our roads, culture and keeping our environment clean and green.

My experience serving in the Royal Navy taught me that we get the best results by cooperating. The council works in partnership with a wide range of organisations who also want the best for our communities. Our partners include our town councils, regional authority, voluntary organisations, the police and many more. Together we are stronger and we can achieve more for residents.

A prime example of the power of collaboration to support our residents is the B&NES Community Wellbeing Hub. When the Covid pandemic struck in 2020, we swiftly joined forces with 3SG, the membership network now covering over 200 local charities, social enterprises and community groups. We set up a one-stop shop in Peasedown St John providing a range of services to help people through this most challenging time. I want to pay tribute to everyone who contributed so much of their time and energy, particularly the volunteers, to create and sustain this lifeline which has developed further as an anchor of support.

The Somer Valley is one of the West of England Combined Authority’s (WECA’s) target areas for strategic economic growth. Recently I visited our regeneration projects in Midsomer Norton and Radstock with WECA Mayor Helen Godwin. We saw firsthand what has been achieved by the town councils, B&NES Council, WECA and other stakeholders working together to help revitalise key sites.

We have strong institutions, but they will only remain strong if we defend them. Looking at the wider world, these are disturbing and uncertain times. We are witnessing the frightening fallout from those who want to dismantle the building blocks of our democratic societies. Sniping from the sidelines, spreading false ‘information’ and sowing mistrust, they aim to divide people instead of bringing them together.

Community is our greatest strength to counter these threats. I believe we build community by finding common ground. This means creating room for dialogue, listening to each other, identifying what unites us, and looking together for solutions to the challenges we face.

If these challenges were easy to solve, we would have already solved them. We are very fortunate to have residents who are genuinely dedicated to public service. They are doing the hard but hugely rewarding work needed to bring about constructive change. A big thank you to all of you who do. I would like to encourage more people get involved at town council and local authority level to represent residents and be part of the collective effort to unleash more of our area’s potential.

Cllr Kevin Guy

Leader of Bath and North East Somerset Council