Population
41,276 (2021 Census)
Registered Voters
26,673
The Town Council is funded by the residents of Bridgwater through a precept on the council tax charge made by Somerset Council. The 2025/26 budget sets a total precept of £4,299,101 that equates to a council tax charge of £411.06 on a band D household. Properties are put into one of eight bands, A being the lowest, and H the highest, with Band D being the average. It is important to note that 92.84% of households in Bridgwater fall under Bands A-C, they will pay less than this amount, specifically, for a Band A property, which includes 8924 number of households in Bridgwater, the increase will be £1.48 per week.
To be open and transparent we have various detailed reports in relation to the operation of the Town Council here:
Annual Audit
Every financial year ending 31 March the annual audit of the Town Council’s accounts are reviewed by both the internal and external auditor. Audit information can be viewed here:
Budgets
The financial year for local authorities is 1 April – 31 March. Year to date budgets can be viewed on the Full Council section of the Meetings page
Transparency
Town and Parish Councils which have a gross annual income or expenditure (whichever is the higher) of a least £200,000 are required to publish ‘Public Data’ as set out in The Code of Recommended Practice for Local Authorities on Data Transparency’.
Although only ‘recommended practice’ Bridgwater Town Council believes that being transparent is pivotal to enable greater democratic accountability over how council tax and public money is spent. However, Public Data does not include personal information as this would contravene the Data Protection Act 2018. In accordance with the Code of Recommended Practice Bridgwater Town Council will make available for public inspection the relevant information as stipulated within the Code.
Asset Register
Local councils must maintain an asset register to ensure fixed assets are appropriately safeguarded. Once recorded on the asset register, the value of assets must not change from year to year until disposal. Concepts of depreciation and impairment adjustments are not appropriate for local councils.
The Register is adopted by the Council at the end of each Financial Year but is a working document over the following Financial Year, during which Council Officers will update and amend details as necessary.
Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL)
Somerset Council is required to pass a percentage of the total CIL receipts raised in a town/parish council area directly to the town or parish council where the development is taking place. This is called the ‘meaningful proportion’.
Currently the percentage is set at 15% or, in areas where there is a neighbourhood development plan, the amount passed to the parish or town council is 25%.
To ensure transparency, each financial year, town or parish councils that have received funds must publish a summary of:
- the total CIL funds received
- what CIL funds have been spent on
- the total amount of CIL funds retained at the end of the reported year and any previous years.
Senior Employees
The Town Council is required to publish details of any senior employee salaries, job title and responsibilities for those earning over £50,000 per annum. As of 31/03/2025:
- Chief Executive Officer & Town Clerk, NALC/SLCC LC4 55 – 62 Permanent Contract, £74,454 – £89,081
- Director of Finance and Corporate Services NALC/SSLC LC3 42 – 45 Permanent
Contract, £54,495 -£57,139 - Director of Amenities NALC/SSLC LC3 42 – 45 Permanent Contract, £54,495 -£57,139
- Director of Communities and Cultural Services NALC/SSLC LC3 42 – 45 Permanent
Contract, £54,495 -£57,139
Grants
Grants awarded to the voluntary community and social enterprise sector are detailed below.
| Project Grants | ||
| Date | Detail | Debit |
| 11/07/2025 | Eco Centre | 1000 |
| 11/07/2025 | Seed of Hope | 1000 |
| 11/07/2025 | Fuse | 2000 |
| 11/07/2025 | Seed Sedgemoor | 1000 |
| 11/07/2025 | St Marys | 1000 |
| 11/07/2025 | Somerset Bus Partner | 1000 |
| 11/07/2025 | The Workshop Project | 1000 |
| 16/01/2026 | MAADE Community Youth | 1000 |
| 16/01/2026 | Royal British Legion | 1500 |
| 16/01/2026 | Bridgwater Girl Guides | 500 |
| 16/01/2026 | Women’s Community Forum | 500 |
| 16/01/2026 | Polden Bower School | 1000 |
| 16/01/2026 | Victoria Park Bowling | 1000 |
| 16/01/2026 | Wessex MS Therapy | 1000 |
| 16/01/2026 | Bridgwater Pétanque | 500 |
| 23/01/2026 | Somerset Cricket | 1000 |
| 16000 | ||
| Venue Grants | ||
| Date | Transaction Detail | Debit |
| 04/07/2025 | Rusty Road | 2000 |
| 04/07/2025 | South West Heritage | 21800 |
| 04/07/2025 | Sydenham Comm Centre | 20000 |
| 04/07/2025 | Somerset Film | 10000 |
| 04/07/2025 | Victoria Comm Centre | 20000 |
| 73800 |
Trade Union Facility Time
In accordance with the Trade Union (Facility Time Publication Requirements) Regulations 2017, the Council publishes annual data on trade union facility time for the period 1 April to 31 March. The information below supports transparency in public sector employment and demonstrates compliance with statutory reporting requirements.
The reporting period for this data is 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025.
1. Number of Employees Who Were Relevant Union Officials
Description | Number |
Employees who were relevant union officials during the period | 0 |
Full-time equivalent (FTE) of relevant union officials | 0 |
2. Percentage of Time Spent on Facility Time
Percentage of time spent | Number of employees |
0% | 0 |
1–50% | 0 |
51–99% | 0 |
100% | 0 |
3. Percentage of Pay Bill Spent on Facility Time
Description | Figure |
Total cost of facility time | £0 |
Total pay bill | £0 |
Percentage of pay bill spent on facility time | 0% |
4. Paid Trade Union Activities
Description | Percentage |
Percentage of total paid facility time spent on paid trade union activities | 0% |
