Somerset Council

Somerset Council is the unitary authority that will replace Somerset County Council on 1 April 2023.

Somerset Council
Type
Type
History
Founded1 April 2023
Elections
First past the post
Next election
5 May 2022
Meeting place
County Hall, Taunton
Website
https://newsomersetcouncil.org.uk/

History

The Conservative governments of Theresa May and Boris Johnson undertook structural changes to local government in England that resulted in several county councils and their district councils being replaced by unitary authorities.[1] Somerset County Council first made plans for unitarisation in 2018.[2] The county council proposed a single unitary authority that would encompass all the districts, while the district councils proposed two unitary authorities representing the east and the west of the county.[3] Robert Jenrick, the minister responsible, approved the plan for a single council in July 2021.[4][5]

The council is due to be created on 1 April 2023.[6] The first election to the new council will take place in May 2022, using the boundaries for the old county council but double the number of councillors.[7]

See also

References
  1. Bunn, Jon (2 October 2019). "Jenrick: 'no long-term future' for districts in devo push". Local Government Chronicle (LGC). Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  2. "REVEALED: Plans to scrap SIX Somerset councils in bid to save millions". Somerset County Gazette. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  3. "Unitary Somerset: 'Based on a giant lie' or 'the right way forward' for the county's future?". Somerset County Gazette. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  4. "Somerset councils to merge into single unitary authority". BBC News. 22 July 2021. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  5. "Next steps for new unitary councils in Cumbria, North Yorkshire and Somerset". GOV.UK. Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government. 21 July 2021. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  6. "Name revealed as plan for one council in Somerset takes next steps". Somerset County Gazette. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  7. Mumby, Daniel (2 December 2021). "Elections to new Somerset Council set for May 2022". SomersetLive. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
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