District councillor Graham Godwin-Pearson and Jeff Savage have been officially nominated to stand for election next month in Cheddar Valley, incorporating Cheddar, Axbridge, Shipham, Star, Rowberrow and Nyland.
These are crucial elections for Somerset with the creation of a new, unitary council in April 2023 – the first major change to the way the county is governed in almost 50 years. New councillors will build a new and very different kind of local government, that will shape the county for decades. For their first year, the councillors will take responsibility for all current County Council services and oversee the local government reorganisation to establish a single unitary council on 1 April 2023.
The elections are a unique opportunity for Graham and Jeff to set out their stall for major improvements to the area, including:-
- Improving traffic flow and reducing congestion, including remodelling the notorious Magic Roundabout between Cheddar and Axbridge
- Providing more local bus services, walking and cycling routes and extending the Strawberry Line
- Sorting out the anti-social behaviour problems in Cheddar Gorge with more community activities and innovative enforcement
- Fighting any new massive housing estates, which threaten the character of the area
- Looking for a new site for the Cheddar Recycling Centre and improving kerbside collections
- Working to meet the county's ambitious Net Zero ambitions, improving biodiversity and helping wildlife
- Supporting local businesses to provide the right environment for thriving communities and more tourism
