Councillor Shaun Stephenson-McGall has been elected as the new Chair of Bath & North East Somerset Council. Councillor Dine Romero has been elected as the Vice Chair.
Both were appointed into their roles at the Annual Meeting of the Council yesterday (May 14).
The Chair is an annual non-political role elected by councillors, which includes chairing official council meetings, supporting the community, celebrating landmark local events and welcoming royal and other VIP visitors to Bath and North East Somerset.
For more information visit our Newsroom - link in bio
We are inviting residents, businesses and visitors to share their views on new local air quality targets and to help shape the Clean Air Strategy, which focuses on improving air quality and protecting people’s health.
✅ Respond to the consultation by completing the online survey
⚠️ The consultation closes on Tuesday 23 June at 5pm
ℹ️ More info & the survey link is on our newsroom.
Two dedicated champions of the Twerton and Whiteway community have been appointed as Co-Chairs of the Pride in Place Neighbourhood Board.
Meet Joy Luxford and Ruby Sant who will work with a Neighbourhood Board and the local community to guide plans for £20million Government investment across the area over the next ten years.
Find out more on our Newsroom - link in bio.
@bathcityfc@studiolostrobot@bathspauni@ruhxcharity
We are changing the way we support families who currently receive free school meal vouchers during school holidays.
We will continue providing vouchers through the summer school holidays, after which support will be delivered in a more targeted way, focused on helping families facing financial difficulty and strengthening longer‑term financial resilience. It is not a withdrawal of support but change in the way it is provided.
Link in bio to our newsroom to find out more.
We will be doing some library drop in's during Foster Care Fortnight. Come along and talk to a member of our team about fostering, supported lodgings and fostering families, or grab a leaflet if you're just passing through. 👋
Midsomer Norton Library - Monday 18th May, 11:30am-1pm
Bath Central Library - Wednesday 20th May, 11:30am-1pm
In Foster Care Fortnight, we're celebrating our carers and asking if you could consider opening your home to a child in need.
More foster homes are urgently needed to keep children local to their roots and communities.
Head to our website to find out more or enquire 👆
Foster carers in B&NES have told us about special moments they've shared with children. One said, “When they came to us they had never danced, and when we took them to a wedding they danced for the first time.”
Recently our unique Fostering Families service, which helps parents care for their children and keep them living safely at home, has been nominated for two national MJ Awards that celebrate excellent practice.
Read more on our Newsroom 🔗
After struggling to find work, education, or experience, one participant discovered WE WORK for Everyone through a leaflet passed on by a family member and it became the turning point they needed.
With support from the team, they joined Discovery Learning Disability Support , where their work coach helped identify gaps in their CV, build confidence, and explore new opportunities. They spent time strengthening applications, gaining clarity on the type of work they wanted, and developing practical skills.
From there, they progressed into Project Pilot, taking part in group projects and activities that helped them grow even further.
Their breakthrough moment came when a Project Pilot leader shared their CV at a job event, leading to an interview with an educational studio looking for someone with 3D design potential. Within days, they were offered a traineeship and began hands‑on training in a real studio environment.
The employer shared glowing feedback: "He has quickly proved his capabilities as a 3D artist. We’re already discussing freelance opportunities after his traineeship ends.”
Now equipped with new skills, experience, and confidence, they’re excited for what comes next and grateful for the support that helped them get here.
If you or someone you know could benefit from tailored employment support, WE WORK for Everyone is here to help.
Next week Bath Digital Festival is back with three days of innovation, curiosity and bold thinking right here in the South West. From 19 to 21 May, the city becomes a hub for founders, creatives, technologists, educators, and anyone who loves exploring what’s next.
This year’s theme is a simple but powerful question: What If?
And the agenda absolutely delivers on it, from AI and quantum computing to wellbeing at work, digital heritage, accessibility, storytelling, gaming, and the future of data.
Expect:
✅ Hands‑on workshops
✅ Live demos
✅ Daily showcases
✅ Founder stories
✅ Panels, conversations, and plenty of unexpected moments
✅ A buzzing community of people who don’t usually end up in the same room
If you’re building, experimenting, learning, or just curious, this is the place to be.
Explore the sessions and grab your tickets @bathdigital .
It is estimated that one in seven adults in B&NES are currently experiencing poor mental health.
Our Community Wellbeing Hub works in partnership with Mind Bath to support people experiencing anxiety, depression, loneliness and other mental health challenges.
If you need someone to talk to, we can help.
Looking to learn a new skill or meet new people? The Hub website is home to many free or low-cost wellbeing courses, open to all B&NES residents.
Our Livewell B&NES website has a directory of nearly 100 organisations and groups, across B&NES and further afield, who are there to support with mental health. This includes counselling, talking therapy and wellbeing retreats.
Bath Mind are hosting a range of in-person and virtual events throughout the week – supporting people to make the first step in improving their own mental health.
- Explore the beauty of Bath action trail – 11th-17th May
- Wellbeing support at Bath Racecourse – 12th May
- Mental health first aid refresh – 13th May
- Supporting your wellbeing at work – 14th May
Visit Bath Mind or Livewell for more information.
#MentalHealthAwarenessWeek #MentalHealthAwareness
We're installing a new zebra crossing in Lansdown Road, Bath, creating a safer place for people to cross. We'll also be resurfacing and widening pavements.
🗓️ 11 May - 5 June
🚦Temporary four-way signals in place throughout
ℹ️ View these and all other roadworks on one.network
To kick off #FosterCareFortnight we asked our staff what they think of our foster carers, what they appreciate about them and what they’d like to say to them. Here are some snippets of the conversations we had. 🧡💙
#FCF26 #ThisIsFostering
Our Early Years Team is proud to offer support to all of our Ofsted-registered childminders – thank you for engaging with us!
For anyone ready to take your first step into a career in early years education, find out more and shape your future - link in bio 👆
#MagicOfChildminding #ChildmindingWeek2026
