You have recently reported that the Government is looking to move forward with the proposal to create a new council for West Somerset and Taunton Deane.

This is welcome news and brings more certainty as West Somerset Council plans for its future.

Readers may be aware that I am the lead councillor for finance for West Somerset Council – so I know all too well what the financial challenges are and, sadly, in future, that the council is not able to meet those challenges alone.

I am not a defeatist – but a realist.

In recent times West Somerset Council has kept its statutory services operating when some expected it to give up.

This is thanks in part to our partnership with Taunton Deane Borough Council and the £300,000 a year West Somerset Council has saved since taking this decision to combine most of our staff in 2013.

If we had not done this, your council tax bill would have had to go up significantly.

We continue to look ahead but the council faces an ever-increasing budget gap. We have gained independent opinions, including one from our external auditors – they confirm West Somerset Council is simply not viable in the future however hard we try.

No alternative solutions have been put forward – including at our recent full council debate (Free Press December 15).

We have listened to concerns from local people and identified points to be addressed, including the need for an economic plan for our area, similar to that in Taunton Deane, the need for staff to be based in West Somerset and for some future meetings of the new council to be held in West Somerset. We want to do our very best for West Somerset.

I believe that a new council will be able to provide the sort of everyday community services that we all need and expect – having the bins emptied, the streets swept and keeping playgrounds open.

It means West Somerset – the smallest district in the country by population – will become part of a stronger organisation providing a louder voice for the area.

We will keep our West Somerset character – a new council and change of name will not alter that.

But most importantly we will keep our community spirit and the history and heritage that means so much to all of us.

I hope this has helped to explain that we did not take the decision to submit the bid for the new council lightly and that this step is essential if you value your local services.

You can make your views known to the Government by writing to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, 2 Marsham Street, London SW1P 4DF or by emailing [email protected]

Cllr Mandy Chilcott, Deputy Leader and Lead Member for Resources and Central Support, West Somerset Council.