Councillor blames ‘deliberate disinformation’ over ‘lack of trust’

The councillor who was in charge of Bath & North East Somerset Council’s liveable neighbourhoods has warned that deliberate disinformation has fuelled “a lack of trust in all politicians” as she departs the role.

Councillor Manda Rigby | Photo © Clive Dellard

Manda Rigby (Bathwick, Liberal Democrat) had been the council cabinet member for highways on the Liberal Democrat-run council administration since 2021.

As the councillor who has brought in most of the council’s liveable neighbourhoods and Bath’s city centre “ring of steel” security zone, she has been one of the council’s more high-profile members.

But, amid a council cabinet reshuffle, she has now moved into a new cabinet role responsible for communications and civic services.

She said that she would be communicating the good the council did, at a time when she warned that some were stoking fear and hatred and contributing to a lack of trust in politicians.

Ms Rigby told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “I spent four years leading the highways portfolio, and, as a few have pointed out, the average incumbency is two years!

“In that time, we brought Park and Ride in-house, hotel permits are now used in car parks rather than competing with residents on street, we introduced emissions based parking, installed the city centre security scheme, repaired Cleveland Bridge, introduced new resident parking zones and liveable neighbourhoods, and got the government to agree that HGVs should not be using Bath as a cut through — as a few top-line highlights.

“But equally important are all the business-as-usual tasks we are doing quicker and more effectively, largely through our adoption of Fix My Street.

“We are investing more in pothole repairs and resurfacing than ever before, doubling our spend on footways this year alone. Our revenue generation now equates to £245 per household.

“Indeed, the cabinet saw a presentation last week of all the achievements from last year, and the awards won, and were hugely impressed.

“And there’s the rub. What we do is really great, largely… How we tell people about it has been less effective. I think there’s a general lack of trust in all politicians and a willingness to disbelieve what they say.

“This is stoked and fuelled by those who spread deliberate misinformation to sow discord and disharmony, and to gain support by creating “others” to be feared or hated.

“It would be someone’s full-time job to correct disinformation wilfully spread. That’s not what I am going to do — though we do intend to start being more proactive with fact-checking when lies are knowingly disseminated.

“In my new role, I am going to focus on communications and our communities, so that more people get to know the good we do and help us determine future plans. I’d like to thank the officer team in Highways without whom none of these achievements would have been in any way possible.”

Her role change comes amid a reshuffle of council leader Kevin Guy’s  Liberal Democrat cabinet.

While nobody has taken over the exact highways portfolio, councillors Joel Hirst (Odd Down) and Lucy Hodge (Lansdown) have joined the cabinet as council cabinet members for sustainable transport strategy and sustainable transport delivery respectively.

Ian Halsall (Oldfield Park), who stepped down as chair of the planning committee earlier this month, has become cabinet project lead for council environmental and waste services.

Fiona Gourley (Bathavon South), who was a major voice in the row over bus cuts with the West of England Combined Authority, has become the cabinet project lead for sustainable transport and rural.

Meanwhile, Tim Ball, who had been the council cabinet member for neighbourhood services, is leaving the cabinet to join the planning committee. He has been nominated to be its new chair, replacing Councillor Halsall.

Announcing the new cabinet at Bath and North East Somerset Council’s full council on 22nd May, Councillor Guy said: “We have kept council tax among the lowest in the region. We welcomed a new tenant into Jolly’s.

“We are building affordable homes in the right places and we have award-winning services including in recycling and our park and ride team. This year we increased the … clean and green funding by over a quarter of a million, we’ve supported pensioners on the low income households and local crisis funds. And the lists of these achievements go on and on.”

He added: “There are political parties out there willing to stir up division and hate, but by having a Liberal Democrat authority who care deeply about their communities at the heart of this council, we ensure no community is divided and that misinformation and hate do not win.

“That’s what Liberal Democrat leadership looks like. Not loud slogans, not chaos, but delivery, compassion and real world experience.”

He said: “As Liberal Democrats, we place great importance on engaging with residents and improving communication and transparency. So I am especially delighted to announce that councillor Manda Rigby will take on the newly created portfolio role focusing on the community and communications.”

Leader of the Labour opposition group on the council, Robin Moss (Westfield), said he did not agree with everything Councillor Guy had said.

But he added: “Certainly the points made about division, about delivery,  and about working together, I think are important ones in these difficult and interesting political times.

“Can I say congratulations to those new members of cabinet, and those cabinet members with new responsibilities. As the opposition, we will of course be keeping eagle eyes on yourselves and the work that the cabinet does.”

John Wimperis, Local Democracy Reporter