Battle is renewed by Back to Bath group
Campaigners wanting Bath to have its own council are stepping up their battle with the launch of a new website and Facebook page.
The Back to Bath group is keen to show the Government the level of support for its call for the city to be self-governing.
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It says there is overwhelming backing for the idea of Bath and North east Somerset Council being broken up, with a new unitary authority covering just the city.
The pressure group says Bath – where income from the civic property portfolio was such that the old city council did not need to charge domestic rates – is subsidising the rest of the district.
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It acknowledges that seven out of the eight members of B&NES' ruling cabinet are from the city, but says that the current regime allows decisions about Bath to be taken by politicians from places as far afield as the Chew Valley and Whitchurch.
The group, which collected nearly 13,000 signatures for a petition ten years ago, points out that other towns and cities of a similar size to Bath, such as Hartlepool, whose population of 90,000 is identical, have their own all-purpose authorities.
Back to Bath founder Anna Harper said: "Bath people must run Bath. We feel that we have lost our identity."
Her colleague, former city councillor Jill Attwood, added: "We have run our own affairs for centuries but we won't get this if we don't fight for it."
They have no fixed ideas on how the rest of B&NES could be broken up, but one idea would be for Keynsham to be part of Bristol, with Midsomer Norton and Radstock being swallowed up by an extended Somerset County Council and Mendip District Council.
The group says the strength of the city's civic property chest – B&NES is the biggest commercial landlord in Bath – means that the creation of a new local authority need not be expensive.
Ms Harper said: "I believe it could and should happen."
The website is at www.backtobath.co.uk, with the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/backtobath.
Comments
by jezer
Friday, November 02 2012, 8:38PM
“Are you being ageist? I hope not.”
by Viscount_V
Friday, November 02 2012, 4:04PM
“I think the photograph sums up sectors of Bath nicely. We should use it on tourism posters.”
by jdd1977
Friday, November 02 2012, 3:44PM
“Absolutely right Dave. Bath's saving grace has been how shambolically run Bristol has been. Many who live in Bath's satellite towns are some of its most significant 'stakeholders' (to use that awful parlance of the day). Cast them adrift at your peril.”
by ChronicReader
Friday, November 02 2012, 3:44PM
“"rubbish collection has more to do with budget constraints"
That's basically the point though. The argument is that less money is being spent on basic services in Bath which has seen a decrease in provision because its being siphoned off to keep the old Wansdyke area in new street lights.”
by capndave
Friday, November 02 2012, 3:13PM
“I've just posted this on the other closely related thread……………
Strangely with my Independent head on I tend to agree with Messrs Crossley and Foster.
When compared to say Bristol, the City of Bath if it stood alone, would I suggest, find itself very week in the attraction of inward investment stakes. Its income streams have been seriously diluted following the demise of the MOD establishments, and it seriously cannot claim to be big in the field of financial services nor particularly strong manufacturing wise. It can't even blow its own trumpet having no media outlets to talk of.
My view for what it's worth is that Bath will really benefit from having its satellite towns and hamlets, for there lies the opportunity for economic growth and manufacturing job creation. Keynsham in particular will be a jewel in the crown with its unique position midway betwixt Bath and Bristol and its superb communication links to Road, Rail and River. Let this go to Bristol at your peril!”
by jdd1977
Friday, November 02 2012, 3:12PM
“I agree with roger3h (I think). There has always been a problem with strategic planning at local level - increasingly I can see some sense to the old Avon. However, many (like myself) see localism as the best way to solve much of our more mundane problems. I seem to recall that most of our traffic decisions previously were taken by people in Weston-Super-Mare.
ChronicReader's comment about rubbish collection has more to do with budget constraints and a nationwide move towards less regular rubbish collections. We barely had any recycling 10 years ago.”
by Imp-Act
Friday, November 02 2012, 2:50PM
“I 100% agree with these people because as we ALL know BaNES can't be trusted to run a Bath let alone a council!”
by joning
Friday, November 02 2012, 2:31PM
“NIMBY Biddy Brigade, you do NOT speak for me. You're grey, middle class version of the Occupy movement- selfish and utterly pointless. Just shut up.”
by rogerh3
Friday, November 02 2012, 2:21PM
“This would be a waste of time and money. It takes about 10 years for a new authority to settle down after big changes like this. Surely this is not a priority at this time. The idea of Keynsham going in with Bristol and Midsomer Norton to Somerset is ridiculous and surely would make these communities feel like Bath does now."
I'm not sure that B&NES is any more settled in now than when it was created (and did you pluck that 10-year figure out of thin air?). I don't really see it's that ridiculous for Keynsham (which already has a BS postcode and an 0117 dialling code) to go in with Bristol (or Somerset) nor for Midsomer Norton to return to Somerset CC. These are small market towns which have never been self-governing and which also have their own town councils. That's a matter for them to decide, though.
Bath has in the past run itself, previously as a County Borough and, to a lesser extent, with a city council under Avon. At present it doesn't exist at a local authority level. At the time Bath and Wansdyke were described as 'chalk and cheese' and that's still the case. There are strategic matters that require a regional approach but B&NES doesn't offer that perspective either.
Power should be devolved to the lowest possible level (isn't that a LibDem mantra?). If you live in Bath you identify with Bath as a city. Its administration should reflect that relationship, regardless of whether or not it's the most 'efficient' set-up.
.”
by ChronicReader
Friday, November 02 2012, 1:36PM
“This is a very good idea.
It's clearly the case that Bath is seen as a cash cow to subsidise things like this new redevelopment of Keynsham, all the while Bath's infrastructure and services have declined. It's no coincidence that rubbish collection, road surface quality, and other council services have been reduced over the same period as BANES has been in existence.
Bath was ahead of the game up to the 1990s and run better than it is now. Ever since it has either stood still or got worse as a place to live. You only have to visit "successful" cities on the continent or parts of London to see just how far Bath needs to go in order to get itself back to a proper standard.”