THIS month, I’d like to say a big thank you to our waste and recycling collection crews. They work incredibly hard all year round and keep collections running through every extreme of weather, including the recent heatwave and downpours, writes Cllr Kevin Guy, Liberal Democrat Bathavon North ward member and leader of Bath and North East Somerset Council (B&NES).

It’s great to know that other residents also appreciate their hard work. In fact, it was really encouraging to see supportive comments online about collections starting earlier on the hottest days, so that the crews could finish before the heat of the day. This appreciation is well-deserved.

On a different note, I’d like to reflect on a striking phrase from a recent Council news story, which referred to the Fashion Museum Bath moving “from vision to delivery”. This was about planning permission being granted for the project.

In this case, the vision is of an outstanding new museum, and the delivery will bring benefits for people across Bath and North East Somerset, as well as for visitors from around the world.

However, “from vision to delivery” can apply to a wide range of projects.

A great example in Midsomer Norton is moving from the vision of a regenerated town centre to the ongoing delivery of those improvements. Notably, the new market square at The Island, reinforcement of the river culvert and the new bus interchange on the High Street, which have been completed. And phase one of Midsomer Norton Town Hall transformation, which is completing soon, reinstating the Market Hall in this beautiful community owned building.

Another key vision for our administration is making our streets, roads and public spaces safer for all. And one way we are delivering this is by ensuring we invest in our highways.

Bath & North East Somerset Council spends around £9m a year on maintaining roads and footways. That sum includes our local top up to national funding, which we have maintained despite financial pressures. From this the council invests in resurfacing and reconstruction and fills thousands of potholes per year; getting on for 4,000 in the first quarter of 2026 alone!

We also allocate funding for safety work and active travel schemes - almost £3m this year. This covers improvements like new crossings, pavements and cycle lanes, and various ways of tackling speeding.

Linked to making our streets healthier is cleaning up the air we breathe.

Evidence shows there is no safe level of air pollution, with even low levels having a negative health impact, especially on children and other people who are vulnerable to the effects of poor air quality. Bath & North East Somerset Council has been a national leader tackling pollution, and we are aiming to go further to protect our communities.

Please do have your say on the Clean Air Strategy, by completing the survey at www.bathnes.gov.uk/cleanairstrategy by June 23.

Liberal Democrat leader of Bath and North East Somerset Council, Kevin Guy