Bridport Labour Manifesto 2024 Town and Dorset Council elections

Bridport Labour Party is listening to you and will act to make Bridport work for all its residents.

In May 2024 there will be elections for the twenty Bridport Town councillors and three Dorset county Councillors from Bridport. Vote Labour and we will work for our five priorities:

Priority 1. Provide housing for locals

Priority 2. Run frequent and cheaper buses

Priority 3. Make the economy work for locals

Priority 4. Support working age families and young people

Priority 5. Clean up and green the environment

The Conservatives on Dorset Council have neglected the county, focusing on the wealthy in villages, including many retirees with money from London properties. Labour welcomes incomers to Bridport, but there has to be a balance. Wealthy retirees have helped push up house prices so they are now unaffordable for younger and locally born residents, leading to homelessness, overcrowding and insecurity. 

The Town Council should be bringing people together, to be the voice of everyone in Bridport. We pledge to consult and listen to Bridport residents by going out to you in your homes, rather than just listening to the people who turn up to council events. This manifesto is based on what people have already told us on the doorstep, in Skilling, Bradpole, Court Orchard and central Bridport, and once elected, we pledge to keep consulting and listening.

Housing

Priority 1 We will provide housing for locals

There is a housing emergency in Bridport. Over and over again Bridport residents who do not already own their own houses tell us they cannot find housing association or private rented accommodation that is genuinely affordable. 

Dorset has around 4,500 households on the housing register, and over 300 households in temporary accommodation, meaning there is a great need for more housing. House prices are 10-12 times a typical salary for the area. There is an acute shortage of private rentals; anyone renting privately lives in fear the landlord will change a contract by perhaps raising the rent. Some young people working in Bridport are forced to live outside the town and drive in. The lack of housing is contributing to a demographic change in Dorset: at current rates we can expect well over half of the population could be over 65 within the next 10-20 years. 

Tory controlled Dorset Council allows developers to focus on maximising profits rather than on the needs of residents needing affordable housing. The new Vearse Farm estate in Bridport will not provide enough genuinely affordable housing or a proper infrastructure of schools, transport, sewage system and shops. 

Neither Dorset Council or the Town Council have done enough to tackle the damaging rise in second homes. Second homes push up prices and deprive locals of places to rent.  Second home owners do not bring enough money into the community because often their homes are empty much of the year. The latest national census (in 2011) showed that across the Bridport neighbourhood plan area, more than 1 in 10 homes were normally unoccupied. In 2017 – 18, 1 in 4 property sale transactions across the Bridport area were second homes, suggesting a rising trend. 

Dorset Council was one of the first to sell all its council housing and has done little to build new, genuinely affordable stock, or support housing associations to do that. The Town Council has less money or power in this area.  However, if a Labour government is elected nationally, it will free up councils to build for rent again, thus giving our councils the opportunity to do more. Only Labour councillors will seize the opportunities that brings to improve the stock of genuinely affordable housing for locals.

Elect us to Dorset Council and we will: 

• ensure any building by developers is prioritised for locals. 
• develop plans to force future developers to include council owned ‘plots’ so that we can build genuinely ‘affordable’ and secure housing.  
• reduce second home ownership by charging higher council tax.
• prioritise grants for housing association and community led housing that guarantee to house the people most in need ie on the local housing register.
• lobby Government to allow Dorset Council to build more council houses.  Borrowing caps on local authorities wishing to borrow to build, should be removed. More grant funding should be provided. 
• work alongside other holiday hot-spot town councils, such as St Ives, to close the loophole introduced by the government – which enables second-home and holiday home owners to avoid paying any council tax at all simply by the means of claiming business rate relief.
• ensure that all new council homes and those being delivered in partnership with Housing Associations are not only energy efficient, but also energy generating and future proofed with solar panels and electric car charging points fitted as standard.
• make sure any grants for energy efficiency are targeted at those on lowest incomes.
• consult on introducing a new Tenants’ Charter to raise awareness of tenants’ rights and encourage the formation of Tenants’ Associations. 

Elect us to Bridport Town Council and we will:

• ensure that new housing development may be used only as the occupants’ main homes (a “Primary Residence restriction”).
• set up community land trusts to build Bridport council housing for local residents who are most in need.

Transport

Priority 2 We will run frequent and cheaper buses

The number of bus routes has been cut and now the buses are less frequent.  

Back in 2001, during the last Labour government, the X31 from Weymouth to Axminster via Bridport ran HOURLY Monday to Saturday until 23.00! 

In 2016 Dorset Council cut the 253 from Beaminster to Weymouth, the 213 from Beaminster to Dorchester, the 73 from Maiden Newton to Bridport and the much loved number 42 from Broadwindsor to Bridport. People in villages are more isolated than ever before. 

Many Bridport residents have shared  how poor transport provision affects their lives.

“I cannot get to work using public transport”. 

“My partner works in a Lyme Regis hotel and has to sleep there over night”. 

M in her 30s has to drive to Yeovil for work but is considering giving up because she cannot afford the fuel. 

Bus timetables don’t link up with the different finishing times throughout the day for students at Yeovil and Weymouth colleges.

Also, we need buses so people can socialise. 

One young Bridport man told us “My girlfriend lives in Beaminster but I haven’t got a car to visit”. 

Mrs D in Skilling said “My husband has dementia and the Axminster hail and ride (axed in 2023 by Dorset Council) was the last chance we had for getting him out in his wheelchair”.

Less frequent buses affects shopping experiences. “We have to return too quickly or wait too long to return”. 

“Bus timetables don’t link with train timetables, – which restricts our ability to travel outside Dorset. There are not enough late night buses returning to Bridport”.

People would prefer to use buses rather than cars, as they are more environmentally friendly but at present this is just not practical for work, study or pleasure.

The buses are more expensive. 

Since buses were privatised in 1987 average bus fares nationwide have risen by a staggering  403 percent. Pensioners, whatever their income, get free passes but the cost of travel is too expensive for 16+ students and working people. In the last few months the government has subsidised the buses so that a single fare costs £2/£2.50. But before that the cost of an adult single from Axminster to Bridport was £6.50. What will happen when the government subsidy runs out? 

It’s harder to find a bus timetable than ever before! 

Dorset Council used to provide a timetable, but no more! Now you have to go online, and be careful you are looking at the right date and getting accurate information!

The bus companies are failing us. 

Pensioner Alan Williams offered to pay out of his own pocket to stop FirstGroup axing the Sunday Bridport to Weymouth service; they saw sense and reversed the cut, maybe because they were embarrassed by his generosity. FirstGroup paid out on average almost £150 million a year to shareholders between 2008 and 2018. Should passengers rather than shareholders be benefiting from this profit?

Elect us onto to Dorset Council and we will push for: 

• A guaranteed 7 am to 7 pm network and targeted late evening buses until 11 pm

• Introducing a young person’s 16-25 Bus Card

• Integrating bus and train services, including with the Heart of Wessex line from Dorchester West.

These aims are not over-ambitious. Dorset Council themselves have asked central government for money to achieve them. The problem is that so far Dorset Council has not managed buses well. We need Labour councillors on Dorset Council who will make sure buses are top priority, who will manage the bus companies better and will not lurch from one company to the next without explanation. 

Bridport Town Council only has limited control over buses, but they have funded our Community Bus the number 7 at £2 each way to go round the town on market days. 

Elect us onto Bridport Town Council and we will: 

• back the expansion of community buses. 

Driving and parking

Dorset Council has put up car parking charges so it is now too expensive to park in town for some people.  Locals may be prohibited from accessing their town as frequently as they wish. This may adversely affect the revenue of Bridport shops.    

Also, roads are not properly maintained. 

Bridport Town Council does not listen closely enough to residents wanting parking permit type improvements on their streets.

Road safety is important. Bridport Town Council has said they want the number of roads covered by 20 mph speed limit to be expanded. However, did the Town Council consult before they reached that decision?   Many Bridport residents we talked to did not know what the plans were and this makes it less likely they will actually stick to 20 mph. 

If elected to Dorset Council we will:

• reduce car parking charges for local residents, such as via a resident/worker discount pass. 
• explore the possibility of setting up a council-run, not-for-profit local car hire system using electric vehicles. 
• properly consult residents on future car park and safety plans. 

If elected to Bridport Town Council we will:

• pursue the commitment to explore more safe cycle routes and a bike hire scheme, like Beryl’s Bikes in Hereford.              
• properly consult residents on future car park and safety plans

Local Economy

Priority 3. We will make the economy work for locals

Bridport needs inclusive local facilities for a good quality of life. Independent shops attract tourists but at present we have too many ‘high end’ independent shops and not enough shops that are affordable for local people, for example, children’s shoes or baby’s equipment. 

Tourism is an increasingly important part of our economy, and we will support it by means of properly funding our Tourist Information Centre as well as acknowledging the part our flourishing and vibrant arts sector plays in attracting visitors to our town. However, the council must fund arts and community events that cater for the full range of local residents, e.g supporting participation in local music groups or bands)

If elected to Dorset Council and Town Council we will:

• • prioritise supporting current and potential employers eg developing business parks?

• consider local people’s needs for affordable and necessary shops when planning

• improve maintenance and design of pavements to maximise ease of movement for those with poor mobility
• explore whether pedestrianisation will boost business and shoppers’ experiences

The Community

Priority 4. We will support working age families and young people

Currently young families are under more pressure than ever before, with expensive housing, transport and childcare. Residents have expressed concerns about the lack of social facilities and opportunities for young people.  This lack can lead to high use of drugs and alcohol.

We need more funding to set up children’s holiday clubs. There are approximately 170 non-school days a year where children cannot access free school meals, putting a lot of financial pressure on families that rely on this. Many families also suffer with social isolation during the school holidays, as they cannot afford to do activities, take their children on days out, or invite their friends over.

There are lots of small community halls in Bridport but they are not always as accessible as they could be as venues for local activities – local bands, boxing clubs, reasonable hire for local party groups. 

There are still whole town events that include everyone, like the recently revived carnival or Westbay fireworks, but local families on low budgets are priced out of a lot of other cultural events the council supports. For example, the council could arrange for a tent to be erected outside the main Jurassic Park music arena, where local youngsters not able to afford entry could listen to the music free of charge.

We need a redistributive scheme to tackle poverty and inequality in Bridport; independent groups of funders, businesses, residents and charities working together to fund grants to voluntary organisations, such as Bridport’s foodbanks, and to fund initiatives to address rough sleeping in our town.

If elected to Dorset Council we will:

• Prioritise spending on youth services and support for young families

If elected to the Town Council we will:

• tackle isolation and loneliness in Bridport by introducing a Bridport Neighbourhood Cares scheme.
• upgrade play areas for older children – eg a challenging Cardiff style climbing wall, a bowling alley
• support a safe, cafe style place, for teenagers to socialise in the evenings
• create covered areas in play parks for users to sit under in bad weather
• increase in holiday sessions at the Youth Club
• improve access to sport and art for young people, eg through subsidising classes at the leisure centre. 
• support social groups for parents and children

The Environment

Priority 5. We will clean up and green the environment

Bridport residents, whether bathers or fishers, are furious about sewage in the rivers and sea. They are worried about Vearse Farm causing more sewage run off. We will also work towards making Bridport and West Bay free of single use plastics, and support initiatives to clean up our coastline, rivers and the sea. 

We should work with farmers to support sustainable agriculture; this means farming more ecologically but also supporting our farmers carry on producing food. If too much Dorset land is “re-wilded”, we will have to import more from abroad. A balance needs to be struck.

Championing local renewable energy is one of our top priorities. We want more windmills, like the one at Salwayash, and solar panel installations. The Town Council has a net zero plan but we disagree with some of the priorities on there; we do not need more consultants, staff or workshops, such as “for owners of listed buildings” or to spend £10,000 “engaging artists to better visualise the transformations required”. Instead we need action targeted at the lowest income groups, and those in housing association accommodation, who most deserve the cheaper bills renewable and conservable energy will bring.

Bridport must have a far greater say in planning decisions and in shaping developments that affect our town. We need robust community planning alongside full engagement with local electors that allows local people rather than councillors not associated with Bridport to decide the kind of community we the residents live and work in. We will insist that public council planning meetings about major new Bridport developments are always held here in our town.

If elected to Bridport Town Council we will:

• exert pressure on Dorset Council and housing developers to include a renewable micro grid as part of Vearse Farm development
• work with Magna Housing to promote retro fit energy conservation to the social rented sector in Bridport

If elected to Dorset Council we will:

• maintain and improve cycle tracks.
• support wildlife projects including planting trees to make public spaces look attractive
• provide more seating in public places – a disgrace that seating has been taken away.
• Improve the planting on roundabouts as this is a reflection of the care the town gives to its environment.
• exert pressure to enable listed buildings and homes to become more energy efficient eg able to install double glazed windows

Other areas only Dorset Council has power over:

Policing

The police precept element of our council tax has risen year on year. However, our local police station is rarely open and there is a marked lack of police on our streets. 

A Labour town council will work closely with local police to identify Bridport-specific priorities and support the strategic targeting of their limited resources. On a wider level, a Labour government will redress the chronic underfunding of the police by successive Conservative governments.

Council tax

Bridport’s residents’ council tax is already the highest in West Dorset. Council tax remains a regressive measure, hitting poorer families the hardest as a proportion of their income. In contrast to the present government, an incoming Labour government will give local government the required extra long-term funding by reforming council tax and business rates, and by considering radical new options such as a land value tax. Here in Bridport we will also look at ways to raise extra revenue for the town, for example by taking back control of our car parks from Dorset council.

Democracy

If elected, Labour town council candidates pledge to be readily accessible to all Bridport residents. We will hold drop-in surgeries where any concerns can be raised, as well as public meetings to discuss council policy and planned developments. We will regularly knock on doors to listen to your concerns and opinions, not just in central Bridport, but in all the parts of the town from Skilling to Walditch, Westbay to Bradpole.

A Labour town council will continually strive to harness the initiative, energy, drive and diverse skills of all Bridport residents by listening to and representing your views and ensuring these have a direct influence on decisions made – delivering real power to local citizens at grassroots level.