Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge is a civil parish in Somerset, England. It has a population of 19,576 (2011 census). [1] The parish contains the towns Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge, which share a town council.
Burnham-on-Sea urban district was created in 1894. [2] In 1933 it annexed Highbridge urban district. This combined urban district became a civil parish in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972.
The parish council has responsibility for local issues, including setting an annual precept (local rate) to cover the council's operating costs and producing annual accounts for public scrutiny. The parish council evaluates local planning applications and works with the local police, district council officers, and neighbourhood watch groups on matters of crime, security, and traffic. The parish council's role also includes initiating projects for the maintenance and repair of parish facilities, as well as consulting with the district council on the maintenance, repair, and improvement of highways, drainage, footpaths, public transport, and street cleaning. Conservation matters (including trees and listed buildings) and environmental issues are also the responsibility of the council.
For local government purposes, since 1 April 2023, the parish comes under the unitary authority of Somerset Council. Prior to this, it was part of the non-metropolitan district of Sedgemoor, which was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972.
It is also part of the Wells county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election, and was part of the South West England constituency of the European Parliament prior to Britain leaving the European Union in January 2020, which elected seven MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.
Burnham-on-Sea is a seaside town in Somerset, England, at the mouth of the River Parrett, upon Bridgwater Bay. Burnham was a small fishing village until the late 18th century when it began to grow because of its popularity as a seaside resort.
Ashcott is a small village and civil parish located in the Sedgemoor area of Somerset in the south-west of England. The village has a population of 1,186. The parish includes the hamlets of Ashcott Corner, Berhill, Buscott, Nythe and Pedwell.
Highbridge is a market town on the edge of the Somerset Levels near the mouth of the River Brue. It is in the County of Somerset, and is about 20 miles (32 km) northeast of Taunton, the county town of Somerset. No longer a market town, the market site is now a housing estate. Highbridge is in the District of Sedgemoor, being about 7 miles (11 km) north of Bridgwater, the district's administrative centre. Highbridge closely neighbours Burnham-on-Sea, forming part of the combined parish of Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge and shares a town council with the resort town. The 2001 Census recorded Highbridge's population as 5,986. In the 2011 Census the population of the town was included in the ward of Highbridge and Burnham Marine, which totalled 7,555.
Portishead or Portishead and North Weston is a civil parish in North Somerset, England. The parish includes the coastal town of Portishead along with the village of North Weston. The 2011 census gave the population as 23,699. As of 2017 however, the population number is estimated to be well over 25,000 with another 8,000 people expected by 2026.
Berrow is a small residential coastal village and holiday area, a civil parish in Somerset, England, situated in between Burnham-on-Sea and Brean.
Edington is a rural village, situated on the north side of the Polden Hills in the Sedgemoor district of Somerset, England.
Goathurst is a small village and civil parish in the English county of Somerset, around 3 miles from the town of Bridgwater. The parish includes the hamlets of Andersfield and Huntstile. The village is on the route of the Samaritans Way South West.
Huntspill is a village on the Huntspill Level in Somerset, England. It lies on the A38 road, 1.5 miles (2.4 km) south of Highbridge. The village is the principal settlement in the civil parish of West Huntspill. In 2019 it had an estimated population of 1102.
Chapel Allerton is a village and civil parish, south of Cheddar in the English county of Somerset. The parish includes the hamlets of Ashton and Stone Allerton.
Pylle is a village and civil parish 4 miles (6.4 km) south west of Shepton Mallet, and 7 miles (11.3 km) from Wells, in the Mendip district of Somerset, England. It has a population of 160. The parish includes the hamlet of Street on the Fosse.
Woolavington is a village and civil parish on the Somerset Levels in the English county of Somerset. It is 5.2 miles (8.4 km) north east of Bridgwater, 7.2 miles (11.6 km) south east of Burnham on Sea and 11.9 miles (19.2 km) west of Glastonbury. At the 2021 census it had a population of 2,325.
Burtle is a village and civil parish on the Somerset Levels in Somerset, England.
Mark is a village and civil parish which lies approximately 10 miles (16 km) from Bridgwater, 5 miles (8 km) from Axbridge, and 4 miles (6.4 km) from Highbridge in the county of Somerset, England. It includes the hamlets of Yarrow and Southwick. The Mark Yeo river has its source near the village.
Catcott is a rural village and civil parish, situated close to Edington 7 miles (11.3 km) to the east of Bridgwater on the Somerset Levels to the north of the Polden Hills in Somerset, England.
Cossington is a village and civil parish close to Woolavington and 5 miles (8 km) north of Bridgwater, in Somerset, England. The village lies on the north side of the Polden Hills.
Cutcombe is a village and civil parish 9 miles (14 km) south of Minehead and north of Dulverton straddling the ridge between Exmoor and the Brendon Hills in Somerset. It has a population of 361.
Brean is a village and civil parish between Weston-super-Mare and Burnham-on-Sea in Somerset, England. The name is derived from "Bryn" Brythonic and Modern Welsh for a hill and it has a population of 635.
Chilton Trinity is a village and civil parish on the River Parrett, 2 miles (3 km) north of Bridgwater in Somerset, England.
Durleigh is a village and civil parish on the outskirts of Bridgwater in Somerset, England. According to the 2011 Census, it had a population of 548. Its nearest town is Bridgwater, which lies approximately 1.6 miles (2.6 km) north-east from the village.
Burnham Without is the parish in the main located to the east of Burnham-on-Sea, the Motorway/M5 and north & north east east of Highbridge in the Sedgemoor district of Somerset, England.