Minister rejects unitary local government bid for Somerset

A LIBERAL Democrat bid to abolish West Somerset Council and seize control of all local government services throughout Somerset has been thrown out by the Government.
The emphatic rejection of Somerset County Council’s plans for a single unitary authority in the county follows a county-wide referendum which saw 82 per cent of respondents vote against the idea.
The Department for Communities and Local Government had set five criterion which it said any unitary bid would need to meet in order to be successful, one of which was that there should be a broad cross section of support for the proposal.
Another criterion was to be affordable – but an independent assessment of the plan showed it would have cost ratepayers £7 million rather than saving them money as claimed by the Lib Dems.
The unitary bid was opposed in a joint campaign by all five of Somerset’s district councils and all five MPs who represent the county in Parliament.
West Somerset Council leader, Councillor Keith Ross, warmly welcomed the Government decision.
Councillor Ross said: “I am pleased that the voices of local people have been heard, and their wishes respected.
“I appreciate that the Government wants us to improve the current two-tier system and look forward to working with our partners in the district councils and at the county council to achieve this.”
In the recent referendum on unitary status, 200,000 people voted, almost half of the county’s population and more than took part in local government elections in May. Just18 per cent of those who voted were in favour.
West Somerset and the other district councils argued the county authority’s proposals would involve the creation of a mammoth council, a giant new bureaucracy, more red tape, and the abolition of local councils, leading to less democracy and more remote councillors.
Lib Dem county councillors ignored the county-wide referendum and tried to defy the result right up to the end by refusing to withdraw their unitary bid.
The present leader of the county council, Councillor Jill Shortland, who recently took on the role after Councillor Cathy Bakewell stepped down just months after she had launched the bid, said: “The news that our bid to create one council for Somerset is not being taken forward by the DCLG is very disappointing.
“However, the business of providing excellent services to residents will continue with full pace.
“I truly hope that we can re-engage with our district council partners to look for new ways of working closer together through local area working, where many opportunities exist to empower Somerset’s communities.”

MP presses Minister for better school transport and special needs education

WEST Somerset mp Ian Liddell-Grainger is pressing the Schools Minister, Lord Andrew Adonis, to improve school transport in the district and also the provision of special needs education.
Mr Liddell-Grainger was meeting the Minister for face-to-face talks on the issues on Wednesday, May 9.
It was Mr Liddell-Grainger’s second meeting with the Minister (pictured, top) to discuss education issues in the constituency.
Mr Liddell-Grainger said the meeting was a follow-up to a recent visit to the Bridgwater and West Somerset constituency by Lord Adonis.
He said: “We will be looking at the proposals for four brand new secondary schools (in Bridgwater) and the provision for children with special needs.”
Mr Liddell-Grainger said he would discuss education provision in the West Somerset area of the constituency ‘where things are less rosy’.
“I am very concerned about special needs provision in West Somerset, where the very tough measures brought in by the county council are failing the children,” said Mr Liddell-Grainger.
“I also intend to bring up the subject of transportation.
“I know it is a big area, but the way children are being transported around the district cannot be right.”
M Liddell-Grainger is also pushing for a debate with Communities Minister Ruth Kelly (pictured, below).
He wants a better deal from the Government for the county, as he says the present level of funding is ‘awful’.
“Somerset is still the poor relation, and that is so unfair,” said Mr Liddell-Grainger.
“I am asking for a meeting with the Minister - who, by the way, went to school in Somerset, so she knows the county and its needs - and I am pushing for a debate with her in the House of Commons.”
Photos submitted.