WEST Somerset and Taunton Deane councils gave the go-ahead on Monday to the start of the legal process which will create a single new council.

The two councils have been partners since 2013 and have a single team of staff, and are now preparing to go a step further by creating a single council covering both geographical areas with the aim of delivering savings.

Both councils met separately but at the same time on Monday evening at Oake Manor Golf Club to set the process in motion, subject to a final decision being made on the proposal by the Minister for Housing, Communities and Local Government Sajid Javid.

They also decided that the new council should be called Somerset West and Taunton Council.

Support for the move was backed by 17 West Somerset councillors with eight against and two abstentions.

But the vote was much closer among Taunton Deane councillors, with 26 for, 22 against and three abstentions.

Afterwards, West Somerset Council leader Cllr Anthony Trollope-Bellew, said it was a “momentous” decision not taken lightly.

“West Somerset Council has struggled financially, which has been known for some years,” he said.

“We are far stronger together to deliver the economies of scale for the new council, so delivering a viable and sustainable new council into the future.

“This was a momentous decision for West Somerset Council and we can now look to the future with a greater degree of optimism.”

Taunton Deane leader Cllr John Williams said: “The partnership between the two councils has been very successful and has delivered year-on-year savings of £1.8m.

“In Taunton Deane this has meant we have been able to continue delivering these important front-line services that we know people need and value.

“Looking ahead, we want to increase those savings by a further £3.1m a year through transforming the way we work and creating a new council and the savings made ploughed back into maintaining and enhancing the much valued services we provide to our community.”

After the councils made their decisions, their cabinets met to consider more detail which would be necessary for legislation to be laid before both Houses of Parliament- the Structural Change Order.

Both sets of members agreed:

* The name of the new council should be Somerset West and Taunton.

* The preferred number of councillors should be 58, subject to review by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England.

* The cabinet model should be adopted with an executive of up to ten members.

* A shadow authority should be set up, comprising all members of both existing councils, plus an shadow executive.

* The boundary commission should be asked to undertake a full electoral review of the new council area and determine the ward structure.