SIR — I had been thinking that the merger of West Somerset and Taunton Deane councils was a financial necessity, and that the villages such as Stogumber would struggle to have their voices heard in future.

But having learned that in the new council, around 63 per cent of the councillors will be from outside Taunton, I am less worried at the prospect.

There are parishes in Taunton Deane, such as Lydeard St Lawrence and West Bagborough, that are much like parishes in West Somerset, and if the rural parish councils and the rural district councillors work together across the whole of the new district, we should have quite an effective lobby.

Alongside this, I think it would be essential that the new council does not meet solely in Taunton.

As the town is located at the extreme east of the new district, councillors from the west of the district will have a very long journey.

It would be no great hardship for Taunton councillors to travel to Williton (and even occasionally Minehead) for a proportion of the main council and committee meetings.

Julian Spicer,

Stogumber.