Somerset district councillors vote for dual unitary authorities

Plans for two unitary authorities to replace five councils in Somerset have been approved by some local councillors.

The Stronger Somerset will see plans for a Western Somerset Council and an Eastern Somerset Council.

Councillors from the four district councils voted on the plans in their respective council meetings last week.

Somerset County Council's bid for one unitary for the whole county has been sent for consideration.

The Stronger Somerset bid will now be submitted to government, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Sedgemoor leader Duncan McGinty said: "A single unitary council will not deliver the change needed.

"In addition, simply reorganising in the traditional way proposed in the One Somerset case is not enough to drive improvements in the economy and quality of life in Somerset or secure sustainable services."

Leader of Somerset County Council, David Fothergill, is backing the One Somerset bid.

He said: "We've always been really clear and positive about the benefits of our One Somerset proposal - it ends confusion, removes duplication and provides a fantastic opportunity for people to get involved with the things which matter to them in their communities. 

"The districts' plan is negative in tone, lacks ambition and suggests replacing five existing councils with five new organisations - two new unitary councils, a children's trust, a combined authority with elected mayor, and a shareholder-owned shared service delivery organisation which looks worryingly similar to the failed Southwest One venture."

Southwest One was set up in 2007 promising savings of £180m over 10 years but failed to materialise, and instead the contract was scrapped in 2015.