AS 2018 draws to a close, it is a good time for reflection and to look back over the year just gone.

With that in mind the Bridgwater Mercury has asked some of the town's influential figures to write a New Year's message, reflecting on 2018 and looking ahead to 2019.

First up in the New Year's Reflections series is Bridgwater's County, District and Town councillor, Leigh Redman.

'Five things I most hope to see in 2019'

As we head toward the end or 2018 and the start of 2019 I wanted to take a moment to note a few things I hope to see next year.

Without using the ‘B’ word, I really do hope it gets sorted soon so that we can get on with the rest of our lives, parliament is frozen and local government is caught in the after blast.

We all know that Somerset County Council is under considerable financial pressure, they have been struggling for many years, but last year was the first time the true picture of finances became transparent and accessible for all councillors.

My hope is that this continues so that opposition councillors can hold the ruling group to account. That is if we can make it to March 31 and balance the budget….

We have a care system that is failing, NHS and care, old and young, and for too long stakeholders have been passing the buck for who should be helping those in need in our communities.

Too often it is someone else’s job to help, this is why we have no beds in hospitals and our care system is failing under the pressure.

We see bed blocking because someone can’t agree a care package that works, while police end up dealing with those whose only crime is needing mental health support.

My hope for 2019 is that we find a way to come together and help those in need.

Recruitment of essential staff for NHS and councils is important too; you only need to look at the number of locum or bank staff working in teams, from social workers to nurses, from dentists to doctors, those permanent staff qualified to specific levels are missing and this is creating its own problems.

When you have to rely on agency staff, who are paid more than directly employed staff and able to come and go almost as they please, you fail clients.

Is it the university charges? Is it greed? Is it the fixed staff wages? Is it staffing models or is it management?

There is always some else to blame and my hope is that we find a way to meet the needs of our staff so that we can gain financial continuity, reducing agency costs while building cohesive and consistent staff teams.

I also want us to recruit more foster carers and adoptive parents.

We have many children that are in the care of Somerset County Council, but foster carers and adoptive parents are desperately needed.

Children in the care system have been abused, neglected, abandoned, and face tremendous obstacles so in 2019 I hope to see more Somerset people stepping up to this amazingly rewarding service.

Becoming a carer is a powerful way to lift up the heads of these children in their time of need and show them that there is hope for the future.

I wish you all an amazing festive period and peaceful 2019.

Please give a thought to those wonderful people working over the break and one final thought from me: Your vote is important locally, we have ‘all out’ District Council elections on May 2nd this year, please get interested in local politics, we are the ones that can help you most locally.

Your vote is important please use it at every opportunity you have.