Local Government Secretary Robert Jenrick announced last night (July 21) that he favours a single unitary council for the whole of the existing administrative county of Somerset. 

He has decided to implement the One Somerset proposal, subject to Parliamentary approval.

More than 111,000 people voted in a poll organised by the four district councils between May 18 and June 4 – and 65 per cent voted for the other option, Stronger Somerset.

That would have seen one council for the east of Somerset and a second for the west.

Now, instead, a single unitary authority will be formed on April 1, 2023 to replace the five councils that exist at the moment – four district authorities plus Somerset County Council.

The decision, announced in a ministerial statement to Parliament , also follows a government-run consultation from February 22 to April 19, with a reported 5,500 responses. 

In a joint statement, the leaders of Somerset’s four district councils said: 

“The Secretary of State is riding roughshod over the people of Somerset who voted 65 per cent to 35 per cent in favour of the Stronger Somerset plan over the other scheme chosen by the Secretary of State.  

“That vote was the third time in recent history that the people of Somerset have decisively rejected proposal for a single unitary – following the referendum in 2007 and the Ipsos MORI survey in 2020. 

“By ignoring the will of the people, the Secretary of State is breaking the bond of trust between elected representatives and those they represent.

“The opportunities to address the real challenges our county faces – how to reduce demand on expensive crisis services, to break the cycle of inequality and under-achievement, to invest in local solutions to local issues – risk being squandered by foisting a manifestly unpopular new local government on our residents. 

“We are duty bound to represent the interests of our constituents to our fullest ability. We will continue to seek to ensure that their voices are heard. There is still chance for Parliament to see sense and force a rethink.

“We just cannot understand why the wishes of the people of Somerset are being ignored.” 

However, Somerset County Council has welcomed the announcement: “We’re delighted the Secretary of State has backed our ambitious plans to give Somerset the resilient, unified, and dynamic system of local government it deserves,” said leader Cllr David Fotghergill. 

“The success of partnership work throughout the pandemic to support our most vulnerable and roll out the vaccination programme has clearly demonstrated what we can achieve in Somerset when we work together.

“One Somerset is simple, it is clear, and it delivers what our residents want – better services, better value for money, decisions made locally, and an end to the confusion and bureaucracy of having multiple overlapping councils. 

“We are now calling on everyone to get behind One Somerset – and we look forward to working with our district councils, partners and everyone who lives or works in Somerset to deliver our vision of improved services for all.”

The One Somerset business case sets out benefits:

* One council listening to the needs and concerns of residents, businesses, and communities, providing clear accountability;

* One point of contact for all local services, ending confusion and frustration for the public;

* One strong voice to champion Somerset on a regional, national, and international level and secure funding to help the county recovery from coronavirus;

* One council but with 15 to 20 new Local Community Networks (LCNs) established reaching every corner of Somerset to give local people the chance to shape their own communities. These will have real constitutional powers to scrutinise, impact and take decisions;

* One plan to free up £18.5 million of funding every year which can be reinvested in improving public services and lives across Somerset. With one-off implementation costs of £16.5m, this means a unitary bonus of £52.6m in the first five years. 

Cllr Faye Purbrick, cabinet member for transformation and local government reorganisation, said. “There will be lots of opportunities for everyone to get involved as the new council is set up. We’re already organising consultative groups and I would encourage anyone with an interest to please get in touch now and help shape the future.” 

To receive further information or to get involved in one of the consultative groups, [email protected] or write to: One Somerset, County Hall, Taunton TA1 4DY.