Taking the region’s tourism levy bid to the top This has been a week that really brings home the balance of my role as Leader of the Council and Deputy Mayor of the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority – representing our region on the national stage, while always staying rooted in the everyday issues that matter to people who live, study and work in Bath & North East Somerset. This morning I was in London at 10 Downing Street for a meeting with Sir Keir Starmer, to discuss tourism levies and what it could mean for the West of England as a region and specifically for Bath & North East Somerset. As a world‑class heritage destination, tourism is a vital part of our local economy. It supports thousands of jobs, brings investment into our area and helps keep our high streets, cultural venues and visitor attractions thriving. At the same time, being such a popular place brings real pressures – on transport, on public services, on our historic environment and on the communities who call this area home. A tourism levy is about finding a fair and sustainable way to help manage those pressures. It is a small contribution from visitors towards the cost of maintaining the place they are enjoying. That money can then be reinvested locally – improving public transport, supporting street cleaning and environmental improvements, protecting heritage sites and helping us manage visitor numbers more responsibly. My message today was clear: if government is serious about backing local areas, it needs to give councils the tools to support tourism in a way that benefits residents as well as visitors. Any approach to a tourism levy would have to be right for Bath & North East Somerset, and it would need to be shaped with local people, businesses and the tourism sector. But having these conversations at the highest level is an important step, and I was pleased to be able to set out why this matters so much for our area. Earlier in the week, on Monday, my focus was much closer to home. I spent time meeting with students from our universities to talk about transport issues and their experience of getting around our area. Students are a huge part of the life of Bath & North East Somerset. They contribute to our economy, our culture and our communities, and it’s important that we listen directly to their concerns. Transport is a recurring theme – whether that’s the cost of travel, reliability of services, congestion or how easy it is to move between campuses, homes and the city centre. These conversations are invaluable because they help us understand what is working, what isn’t, and where we need to push harder for improvements alongside our partners. Listening is a core part of how we work as a council. That also means being open and accountable to residents more widely, which is why I was pleased to be on the BBC Radio Bristol John Darvall show yesterday, answering questions from people who took the time to call in. Across all of these meetings and conversations – in Downing Street, with students, and on local radio – the common thread is making sure the council works to improve the lives of residents in Bath & North East Somerset. Finally, I want to wish good luck to all the runners taking part in the Bath Half 13.1 mile challenge on Sunday with a special mention to all the mums running on Mother’s Day – enjoy the celebrations! Have a good weekend. Councillor Kevin Guy,
Leader of Bath & North East Somerset Council | 
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