THE possibility of a partnership between West Somerset and its two neighbouring councils – Sedgemoor and Taunton Deane – has taken a giant step forward.
Civic leaders met behind closed doors in Taunton on Tuesday for “very constructive” talks on potential ways of working together.
Council leaders John Williams of Taunton Deane, Anthony Trollope-Bellew of West Somerset and Duncan McGinty of Sedgemoor agreed to look further into the possibility of shared services.
After the meeting, Cllr Trollope-Bellew said: “There is an open invitation to Sedgemoor – as there always has been – to contribute to the Taunton Deane-West Somerset partnership in the interests of local government and, more importantly, our communities.”
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Minehead X-ray department reopens as new equipment ready sooner than expectedBut at a meeting on Wednesday, Sedgemoor District Council agreed to postpone any action until after September 7 when West Somerset will decide whether to merge with Taunton Deane.
The Deane authority has already voted for a full merger and has warned that, if West Somerset does not also choose that option, the councils will go their separate ways, putting West Somerset in financial peril.
Full story in the Free Press