SOMERSET Council has bucked a trend with local authorities across the country by reducing its debt in the space of a year.

Councils in the UK collectively added £7.8 billion to their growing debt pile in just 12 months, according to research by the BBC.

But Somerset, which has been battling for nearly two years to avoid becoming bankrupt, managed to cut its debt by nearly £72.5 million, reducing the total to £728.6 million, as of April, 2025.

The sum equated to £1,253.79 owed for each resident of the county.

The Local Government Information Unit’s Jonathan Carr-West said local authority spiralling levels of debt had been described as essentially payday loans for councils.

Mr Carr-West said the situation was ‘extremely worrying’ and unsustainable.