A CUT in the number of councillors representing local residents will be proposed at a special meeting of West Somerset Council next Wednesday (April 25) in preparation for a new slimmed-down council taking over next year.

If councillors approve the move, the number of Minehead members could be trimmed from nine to five and the total in Watchet and Williton reduced from the current five to three.

Dunster and Carhampton wards would lose individual members, as would Old Cleeve, West Quantock and Crowcombe.

If the sweeping proposals are accepted, the new Somerset West and Taunton District Council will have 25 wards rather than the current total of 41 – 15 in West Somerset and 26 in Taunton Deane - when it comes into being next April.

Currently the two councils have a total of 84 councillors – 28 in West Somerset and 56 in Taunton Deane – but the new council will have 26 less.

In a report to next week’s meeting, West Somerset assistant chief executive Bruce Lang says the new arrangements have to reflect equality of representation, community interests and identity and provide convenient and effective local government.

He says that one of the most important steps in preparing for the creation of the new council is for the Local Government Boundary Commission to undertake an electoral review of the area.

The Structural Change Order, which was before Parliament, stipulated that the new council would have 58 councillors and the focus was on agreeing on a “warding pattern” which would distribute the new members across the new council area.

Officers held meetings throughout March with the main political groups of the two councils and have developed possible ward options for members to consider.

The New Council Working Group then came up with proposals which, if agreed by the two existing councils, would be considered by the Boundary Commission in June. The Commission will publish its final recommendations in October.

Mr Lang said that if the preferred option in respect of Minehead was approved, it would result in some of the existing town wards being split across the proposed district wards for the new council.

If these proposals were taken forward, arrangements should be made so that each Minehead parish ward wholly aligns with the new district ward.

When the proposals have been agreed, an Electoral Arrangements Order will follow in early 2019, and the new council will start work in April 2019, followed by elections in May.