South Somerset District Council and the other four District Councils will cease to exist after 31st March 2023 and the Somerset County will move to a Unitary Council Structure – it will be called Somerset Unitary Council on 1st April 2023 and it will be based mainly in Taunton with satellite offices around the county.
The Unitary Council will be responsible for providing all of the local government services previously managed by the District Councils. A new website has been created to enable members of the public to access the necessary information related to all services managed by the new Unitary Council. To visit the website click here
The new Council will operate with 110 County Councillors, (reduced from of the 300+ previously elected District and County Councillors) plus 18 Local Community Networks, the purpose of which is to provide a consultation mechanism for the public via existing Town and Parish Councils on local issues. As we understand it the LCN will not have decision making responsibility but will have a budget to enable it to function.
Abbas and Templecombe, as reported previously will, along with 33 other Towns and Parishes in our area will be part of the Wincanton LCP. It is envisaged that there will be 6-8 meetings per year and they will consist of representatives from each Council, representatives from service providers (Police, Fire, NHS, etc), other representatives plus County Councillors and Council Officers. Meetings will by necessity be held in accommodation sufficiently large enough for 50-60 people.
As a Parish Council we have some concerns about how to make our voice heard in this new organisation and we have raised those concerns to the Council – click here to read or download