A message from Cllr Kevin Guy, Leader of Bath & North East Somerset CouncilWe are proud of the huge role Bath & North East Somerset plays in supporting the national visitor economy but we need a fairer system—one that recognises the costs as well as the benefits. That is why we are calling for a roundtable with Government to explore a range of options to support sustainable tourism, including the introduction of a modest visitor levy - similar to those seen across Europe- with revenue generated used to benefit both residents and visitors. Councillor Cameron Holloway, the leader of Cambridge City Council, another key visitor destination, and I have written a joint letter to Angela Rayner, urging the Government to convene a roundtable on support for sustainable tourism across heritage cities. This is about making tourism work for everyone. We want to sustain the quality of the visitor experience while safeguarding the wellbeing of our communities and allowing us to reinvest directly into the services and infrastructure that make these visits possible. Any levy should apply fairly across all types of accommodation, including short-term lets such as Airbnb. Not only do we warmly welcome visitors from across the UK and internationally to Bath and North East Somerset, we also encourage residents to explore and make the most of the attractions on their doorstep by using the B&NES Discovery Card. And for families with children aged under 16, getting to our attractions this summer has just got a lot easier thanks to the West of England Combined Authority’s free bus travel scheme which launches tomorrow – it’s great news for young people and will help make family days out more affordable. Housing for many young people was front and centre at the second annual Bath & North East Somerset Housing Summit which I attended, last week, along with more than 150 policymakers, activists and industry figures, hosted by CURO. We committed to improving the supply of affordable homes in the area signing a housing accord which commits us to work together to create long-term change. Only by working together and putting politics aside can we truly start to address a broken housing system. This accord is a turning point. It shows that no matter our political differences, the signatories are united in our commitment to deliver the right homes in the right places, for our communities across Bath & North East Somerset. Supporting young people into work is another key focus and I am delighted that we are involved in the Youth Guarantee Trailblazer thanks to funding secured from the government by the West of England Combined Authority. We are piloting transport support for 18-21 year-olds as part of the scheme. Transport has consistently been identified as a barrier to participation by young people particularly those in rural areas. If you are a business you can find out more about how to sign up to the Trailblazer on their website. Young people can get in touch with the Trailblazer team or sign up for support. I want to thank the organisers, our residents and everyone who took part in last weekend’s fantastic Bath Carnival. It was a great spectacle and once again brought a huge amount vitality to the city. Finally huge congratulations to our parks teams, volunteers and many Friends of Parks groups who have helped secure six Green Flags for our area. It is particularly special this year because Bath today hosted the Green Flag awards. Have a great weekend. | 
