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Who runs your Council? Survey suggests 76,000 people don’t know who runs B&NES

Tens of thousands of residents of North East Somerset do not know which political party runs their local Council, according to a new survey.

Over 800 residents of towns and villages including Keynsham, Saltford, Peasedown St John, Radstock and Midsomer Norton were contacted as part of the survey I conducted with North East Somerset Labour Party between March and July 2009.

They were asked questions focusing on ways in which they wanted their locally elected representatives, including their MP and councillors, to help them with neighbourhood concerns. But during the door-to-door survey they were also quizzed on their perceptions of Bath and North East Somerset Council, which has been run by the Conservatives since 2007, and was jointly run by the Tories and Lib Dems for four years before that.

In response to the question “Do you know which party runs B&NES Council?” 39 per cent answered ‘no’, whilst a further 18 per cent claimed they did know, but then went on to name a party other than the Tories. Translated across the whole of the B&NES district, this would mean that a staggering 76,000 people do not know the political colour of those who spend their council tax in running their ‘town hall’ affairs.

First and foremost this survey has provided an important opportunity for residents to explain first hand their concerns to Labour people who want to help them improve the quality of their lives. Numerous individual issues ranging from potholes in roads to anti-social behaviour; and from speeding traffic to dog fouling were raised and are now being acted upon.

But the survey also provides a fascinating snapshot of residents’ perceptions of who runs B&NES.

It suggests tens of thousands of people who pay their Council tax to B&NES do not know that it’s Tory councillors who day-in, day-out are making decisions to cut much-needed local services like youth clubs - and failing to spend enough on basic road repairs.

The survey confirmed B&NES is seen as heavily Bath-focused, to the detriment of North East Somerset. B&NES’ Bath Spa disaster was mentioned time and time again. The Council’s squandering of tens of millions of pounds is still causing huge resentment. That’s because the Tory administration continues to pour good money after bad by spending millions more on legal gambles which have no guarantee of success.

Very few people rate the service they get from B&NES as being good enough. But the Tories have been getting away largely scot-free by keeping a low profile.

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