Editing Bridgwater (section)

==Governance==
[[File:Warmemorialbridgwater (cropped).jpg|alt=Statue on a plinth in park area, with buildings behind.|thumb|upright|The [[Bridgwater War Memorial|War Memorial]] in [[King Square, Bridgwater|King Square]] with the former offices of [[Sedgemoor District Council]] in the background]]
[[File:The Town Hall (geograph 3230202).jpg|thumb|left|[[Bridgwater Town Hall]]]]
The [[Local Government Act 1972]] removed the historic status of Bridgwater as a [[Borough]], as it became part of the district of [[Sedgemoor]], which had its headquarters in [[King Square, Bridgwater|King Square]].

[[Bridgwater Town Council]], which is based at [[Bridgwater Town Hall]], was created in 2003,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bridgwatertowncouncil.gov.uk/about |title=Bridgwater Town Council |publisher=Bridgwater Town Council |access-date=4 March 2009 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080708183603/http://www.bridgwatertowncouncil.gov.uk/about |archive-date= 8 July 2008 }}</ref> with sixteen elected members representing six wards of the town; Bower (three), Eastover (two), Hamp (three), Quantock (three), Sydenham (three) and Victoria (two). With powers or functions over allotments, bus shelters, making of byelaws, cemeteries, clocks, crime prevention, entertainment and arts, highways, litter, public buildings, public conveniences, recreation, street lighting, tourism, traffic calming, community transport and war memorials.

All other local services for the town are delivered by the [[Unitary authorities of England|unitary authority]] of [[Somerset Council]], which took over from Sedgemoor and [[Somerset County Council]] on 1 April 2023.

[[Bridgwater and West Somerset (UK Parliament constituency)|Bridgwater and West Somerset]] is a [[county constituency]] represented in the [[British House of Commons|House of Commons]] of the [[Parliament of the United Kingdom]]. It elects one [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] (MP) by the [[first past the post]] system of election. The current MP is [[Ian Liddell-Grainger]], a member of the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/mps/#L |title=Alphabetical List of Constituencies and Members of Parliament |publisher=House of Commons Information Office |access-date=26 September 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101104174226/http://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/mps/ |archive-date= 4 November 2010 }}</ref>

In 2018, Diogo Rodrigues became the first Portuguese national to be elected as a Mayor in England, also becoming Bridgwater's youngest ever mayor.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bridgwatermercury.co.uk/news/16221872.bridgwater-becomes-home-to-uks-first-ever-portuguese-mayor/|title=Bridgwater becomes home to UK's first ever Portuguese mayor|website=Bridgwater Mercury|date=12 May 2018 |access-date=10 December 2018}}</ref>

===Members of Parliament===
The [[Bridgwater (constituency)|Bridgwater constituency]] has been represented in Parliament since 1295. After the voting age was lowered in January 1970, Susan Wallace became the first 18-year-old to vote in the UK,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://encyclopedia.farlex.com/May+13 |title=May 13 |publisher=Hutchinson |access-date=14 March 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606222127/http://encyclopedia.farlex.com/May%2B13 |archive-date= 6 June 2011 }}</ref> during the 1970 Bridgwater by-election that elected [[Tom King, Baron King of Bridgwater|Tom King]], who took the title Baron King of Bridgwater in 2001.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mr Tom King |url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/people/mr-tom-king/index.html |work=[[Hansard|Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)]] |access-date=26 February 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130306095336/http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/people/mr-tom-king/ |archive-date= 6 March 2013 }}</ref>
At the 2010 General Election, Bridgwater became part of the new [[Bridgwater and West Somerset (UK Parliament constituency)|Bridgwater and West Somerset constituency]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/briefings/snpc-04297.pdf|title=New Parliamentary Constituencies for England|date=5 November 2009|publisher=House of Commons Library|access-date=14 March 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605143234/http://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons/lib/research/briefings/snpc-04297.pdf|archive-date=5 June 2011}}</ref>

Bridgwater was in the [[South West England (European Parliament constituency)|South West England]] constituency for elections to the [[European Parliament]], prior to [[Brexit]] in 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.europarl.org.uk/view/en/your_MEPs/List-MEPs-by-region/South-West.html |title=UK MEPs for the South West |access-date=5 June 2012 |work=European Parliament UK Office |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120119094435/http://www.europarl.org.uk/view/en/your_MEPs/List-MEPs-by-region/South-West.html |archive-date=19 January 2012 }}</ref>

===Twinning===
Bridgwater is twinned with the following towns and cities:<ref name="Bridgwater twinnings">{{cite web |title=Twinningn |work=Bridgwater Town Council |date=15 February 2019 |url=https://bridgwater-tc.gov.uk/visit-bridgwater/twinning/ |access-date=21 May 2022}}</ref>
*[[Uherské Hradiště]], in the Czech Republic, since 1992 
*[[La Ciotat]] in France, since 1957
*[[Homberg (Efze)|Homberg, Efze]] in Germany, since 1992
*[[Marsa, Malta|Marsa]] in Malta, since 2006
*[[Priverno]] in Italy, since 2015
*[[Camacha]], [[Madeira Autonomous Region]], Portugal, since 2019

===Geology===
Bridgwater is centred on an outcrop of [[marl]] in an area dominated by low-lying alluvial deposits. There are local deposits of gravels and sand.<ref name="arch">{{cite web|url=http://www1.somerset.gov.uk/archives/hes/downloads/EUS_BridgwaterText.pdf |title=Bridgwater archaeological survey |last=Gathercole |first=Clare |access-date=2 February 2010 |work=Somerset County Council |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717061619/http://www1.somerset.gov.uk/archives/hes/downloads/EUS_BridgwaterText.pdf |archive-date=17 July 2011}}</ref> It is situated in a level and well-wooded area, on the edge of the [[Somerset Levels]]. To the north are the [[Mendip Hills|Mendip range]] and on the west the [[Quantock hills]]. The town lies along both sides of the [[River Parrett]], {{convert|10|mi|km|0}} from its mouth, which then flows to discharge into the [[Bridgwater Bay]] [[national nature reserves in England|National Nature Reserve]]. It consists of large areas of [[mud flat]]s, saltmarsh, sandflats and shingle ridges, some of which are vegetated. It has been designated as a [[Site of Special Scientific Interest]] since 1989,<ref name="sssicitation">{{cite web|url=http://www.english-nature.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1001145.pdf|title=SSSI citation sheet for Bridgwater Bay |access-date=12 November 2008 |work=Sites of Special Scientific Interest |publisher=English Nature |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080910045332/http://www.english-nature.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1001145.pdf |archive-date=10 September 2008 }}</ref> and is designated as a wetland of international importance under the [[Ramsar Convention]].<ref name="NNR">{{cite web|url=http://www.english-nature.org.uk/special/nnr/nnr_details.asp?NNR_ID=28 |title=Bridgwater Bay NNR |access-date=13 November 2008 |work=National Nature Reserves |publisher=Natural England |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090911222029/http://www.english-nature.org.uk/special/nnr/nnr_details.asp?NNR_ID=28 |archive-date=11 September 2009 }}</ref> The risks to wildlife are highlighted in the local Oil Spill Contingency Plan.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sedgemoor.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=1549&p=0 |title=Oil spill contingency plan |access-date=13 November 2008 |publisher=Sedgemoor Council |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110603235219/http://www.sedgemoor.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=1549&p=0 |archive-date=3 June 2011 }}</ref>

===Climate===
[[File:Bridgwater-Fore-Street-in-Snow-(1200x800).jpg|alt=Street scene with pedestrians and vehicles in road lined with shops. There is snow on the ground.|thumb|Fore street with a rare covering of snow. [[Admiral Robert Blake]] statue and Cornhill just visible in the background]]

Along with the rest of [[South West England]], Bridgwater has a temperate climate which is generally wetter and milder than the rest of the country.<ref name="weather">{{cite web|title=South West England: climate |work=Met Office |url=http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/sw/ |access-date=14 March 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605003222/http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/sw/ |archive-date= 5 June 2011 }}</ref> The annual mean temperature is approximately {{convert|10|°C|°F|1|lk=on}}. [[Temperateness|Seasonal temperature variation]] is less extreme than most of the United Kingdom because of the adjacent sea temperatures. The summer months of July and August are the warmest with mean daily maxima of approximately {{convert|21|°C|°F|1}}. In winter mean minimum temperatures of {{convert|1|or|2|°C|°F}} are common.<ref name="weather"/> In the summer the [[Azores]] high pressure affects the south-west of England, however [[convective]] cloud sometimes forms inland, reducing the number of hours of sunshine. Annual sunshine rates are slightly less than the regional average of 1,600&nbsp;hours.<ref name="weather"/> Most of the rainfall in the south-west is caused by [[Low-pressure area|Atlantic depressions]] or by [[convection]]. Most of the rainfall in autumn and winter is caused by the Atlantic depressions, which is when they are most active. In summer, a large proportion of the rainfall is caused by sun heating the ground leading to convection and to showers and thunderstorms. Average rainfall is around {{convert|700|mm|abbr=on}}. About 8–15 days of snowfall is typical. November to March have the highest mean wind speeds, and June to August have the lightest winds. The predominant wind direction is from the south-west.<ref name="weather"/>
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