Our Plan for the Cheddar Valley

Over the years, Graham and Jeff have made progress in Axevale, Cheddar, Axbridge and Shipham, while keeping Council Tax low.

When the Conservatives ran Sedgemoor and Somerset Councils, we delivered consistent, high quality services, tackling climate change and investing in our communities, as well as value for money for everyone, including:-

- Building new community facilities, sports centres, play areas and improving parks and village halls

- Supporting businesses, individuals

- Fighting climate change

- Keeping Council Tax low

The new unitary Somerset Council should have provided opportunities for cost-saving and therefore improving services further whilst keeping Council Tax low, but the reality has been quite different:-

- Services closed or reduced, including public toilets, CCTV, recycling and things like planning and enforcement

- Record high Council Tax, increased by 5% in 2024 and 7.5% in 2025 - an amount that was illegal under the last Government

- Asset-stripping and sell-offs

- Hundreds of redundancies

- Missed targets for things like tree planting

There is a better way and under new management at the Council, we would like to see:-

  • Improving traffic flow and traffic congestion

    We want a common-sense approach to traffic management, which has got worse and worse in recent years. We would like to see the Magic Roundabout remodelled, the Cheddar Recycling Centre relocated to a nearby location, a potential one-way system in Axbridge and an average speed camera on the Axbridge bypass.

  • Finally sorting out the problems of the Gorge

    Cheddar Gorge should be an asset for the local community, rather than a distraction. Our discussions with the police include the potential closure of the Gorge to traffic at certain times over the weekends and installing noise cameras that penalise drivers in deliberately noisy cars, as well as a more visible police presence.

  • Getting people out of their cars

    We want to see an increase in the provision of subsidised buses and improved safe routes for cycling and walking, the completion of the Strawberry Line and at the same time, encouragement for more local sporting activities and facilities. Connecting villages and towns to each other with safe routes

  • Supporting our local businesses

    The government in Westminster has made life hard for small businesses recently and the Council has sat back and watched shops close and unemployment rise.We want to encourage local businesses to thrive, not tax them to the hilt and smother them in red tape.