Merger Roadshows ready to roll out

Merger Roadshows ready to roll out

A series of roadshows is being launched in Taunton Deane and West Somerset to give people the chance to give their views on a proposal for a new single district council covering both geographical areas.

The six roadshows are part of a consultation across the two existing council areas to obtain people’s opinions on the new council proposal and provide the chance to learn more by talking directly to representatives from the authorities.
The series starts on January 12 in West Somerset and finishes in Taunton Deane on January 26:

  •  January 12 – Watchet, Phoenix Centre, 10am-3pm
  •  January 17 – Wellington Library, 10am-3pm
  •  January 17 – Dulverton, Library 10am – 1pm and 1.30pm – 3pm
  •  January 19 – Taunton Library 10am-3pm
  •  January 20 – Minehead, Beach Hotel, 10am-3pm
  •  January 26 – Wiveliscombe, Community Centre, 10am-3pm

The consultation, launched in December 2016, will help inform the Secretary of State’s decision on creating a new council. It is not a referendum or ballot.

Taunton Deane Borough Council and West Somerset Council have been working together for the past three years and, through joining management and sharing services, have achieved an annual £1.8m of savings.

Both councils now want to modernise and streamline council services and delivery to achieve significant savings and also propose to create a single new council, covering the current geographical areas of Taunton Deane and West Somerset.

People can find out more and have their say on the new council proposal at the roadshows and by visiting the dedicated website: www.yournewcouncil.org where there is an online comment facility.

An information booklet has been produced and is available at council offices and will be available at the roadshows. Please follow the councils’ Twitter accounts @TDBC and @wsomerset and check out our Facebook pages for further updates.

Cllrs John William, Leader of Taunton Deane Borough Council, and Anthony Trollope-Bellew, Leader of West Somerset Council, said: “It is an established fact that all Councils across the land are struggling with the severe reductions in Government grant funding, we have lost more than 40% of core funding since 2012.

“We have met this challenge so far by reducing administration and back office costs and by joining our workforces into a single team through our partnership agreement. “There is only so far we can go with cost savings at present so we are considering how we modernise and streamline what we do and how we do it. This, together with the proposal to form one district council covering the geographical area of the existing two councils, will deliver substantial savings to help maintain the vital front line services we know people value. We urge you to respond to the consultation and let us know your views.”

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