Liberal Democrat Manifesto for Bradford on Avon Town Council 2025

Liberal Democrats were elected in 2021 to lead the town council and represent you on Wiltshire Council. Working together, along with all councillors, staff and volunteers, we have delivered on a large number of projects (see achievements page for more details). We have also built a firm basis to make progress over the next four years.

We believe that the council should foster a strong community that enables individuals to thrive and this depends on:

• residents being able to benefit from what the town has to offer

• residents being able to contribute to the life of the town

• residents being able to take part in decisions that affect the town

So, as councillors we will focus on practical projects that benefit all generations, that promote volunteering, and we will listen to what you say. Here we set out what we have done over the past four years and how we plan to take that work forward in the next four years.

A flourishing community

We will:

• Extend community sports events, for example a junior ‘park run’

• Continue the principle of community events that are entirely or mostly free of charge and support community ideas for new events

• Continue the development of Poulton Park to include phase 2 of the play area, and other play area improvements over successive years

• Continue to support the Men’s Shed and other valuable community organisations for all ages that contribute to the life of the town

• Seek funding to get the new sports pavilion built on the site of the old one on Culver Close

• Develop volunteering in the town through events and the development of a volunteers’ bulletin email to publicise one off and on-going volunteering opportunities

• Install outdoor gym equipment and a table tennis table at Poulton Park, and look for appropriate place for more in other parks.

 

A thriving town

We will:

• Work for the best deal possible for the town from Wiltshire Council on a traffic scheme and road improvements that improve pedestrian safety

• Involve the community in progressing the new pedestrian bridge project and seek funding, working with Wiltshire Council

• Continue the push for more 20mph zones and a lower weight limit on the town bridge

• Work with the Environment Agency to improve flood resilience in the town cntre

• Work to continue expansion of the market to bring more visitors to our town, to support all town centre businesses

• Work with the museum to find improved premises

• Complete the review of the Neighbourhood Plan so that we can influence development in the town

• Progress the refurbishment of the youth centre

• Enhance the benefit of the cemetery to the community with more memorial benches, an area for reflection and better use of the chapels

 

A greener place to live

We will:

• Extend areas of meadow including at the cemetery, and provide more wildlife habitat features

• Review town council finances to ensure our money is ethically invested

• Review all our green space management plans to further extend the re-wilding initiative

• Ask residents where more trees can be planted

• Continue to support community involvement in looking after our green spaces through groups such as the Nature Volunteers

• Work to improve the attractiveness of the town and access to green spaces for walkers

• Seek to develop other eco projects, for example a clothing upcycling group

• Seek to apply sustainable principles in our building and renovation projects

An engaged town council

We will:

• Develop the Residents Panel to include more residents

• Keep listening at the heart of our decision-making process

• Continue to develop methods of consultation that engage as many residents as possible

• Maintain our approach of seeking to involve all councillors in the work of the council as we develop projects, liaise with Wiltshire Council and plan our events.

• Continue to extend the amount of town council revenue being secured in ways other than the precept (the town council’s share of council tax)

• Extend our engagement with volunteers and volunteer groups through a new volunteers’ bulletin.