Councillors will be asked to approve details of the transformation of West Somerset local government at special meetings on Monday, in preparation for the impending Government decision on the new body.
They include the new name, a smaller number of councillors, and the creation of a ‘shadow authority’ which will mastermind the transition until the new council takes over in April 2019.
And members will be told that once a new authority has been established, it could apply to become a borough council if that was thought to be desirable
West Somerset Council leader Anthony Trollope-Bellew told the Free Press this week that there was still no indication of when a Government decision would be announced.
But it was important, he said, to prepare for the sweeping changes that the creation of a new authority would bring.
He said that other local authorities which had applied for permission to merge at the same time as Taunton Deane and West Somerset had already had a decision.
On Monday, special meetings of both councils will be held separately but at the same time at Oake Manor Golf Club, when councillors will be asked – subject to Government approval for the new council – to recommend the dissolution of the two existing councils and the creation of a single authority covering both areas.
In a report, the two councils’ chief executive Penny James and director of operations Shirlene Adam said the councils had been working together in a strong and successful partnership since 2013 and voted for a joint authority in 2016.
It was estimated that this would result in savings of more than £2.6 million a year by 2021-22.
Members will be told: “In practice, the new authority cannot simply come into effect on April 1 2019.
“It will be necessary to make appropriate transition arrangements ... This will be managed by the establishment of a shadow authority.”