Lib Dem unitary power grab is massively rejected by West Somerset voters

RESIDENTS of West Somerset and the rest of the county have overwhelmingly rejected the idea of creating a super-size council to run all local government services.
The massive rejection of the Liberal Democrat-inspired plan comes in a postal ballot of everybody in Somerset who is on the electoral register.
Across the county, almost one-half of the entire population voted, answering ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to the question ‘do you support the idea of a unitary authority for Somerset?’.
The result was a four-to-one rejection of the idea with 82 per cent of voters saying ‘no’ and just 18 per cent being in favour.
The ballot was organised and paid for by the five district councils in Somerset, which were united in their opposition to Somerset County Council’s plan to abolish them.
West Somerset Council leader, Councillor Keith Ross, said: “The tremendously high turnout is something of a surprise, but the overall result is not.
“This vindicates our decision to hold the vote in the first place. The people of Somerset have spoken loud and clear.
"The county council ran a biased campaign seeking to spin its own plans and spread disinformation about the district councils’ alternative.
“But Somerset residents saw through this, and as for the county council’s claim that nobody was interested in this issue - well, the results speak for themselves.”
Councillor Ross together with chief executives and leaders of the other Somerset districts, were travelling to London today (Tuesday, June 19) for urgent talks with Local Government Minister Phil Woolas.
Sedgemoor District Council leader, Councillor Duncan McGinty, said: “Our message to him will be very simple.
“We are not against unitary authorities as a matter of principle, but we are against them where the proposers have failed to put together any kind of case for change, and where local residents are so clearly opposed.
“We will be urging the Minister to end any remaining uncertainty or speculation by announcing swiftly that the county council’s plans are off-the-table.
“It is now absolutely impossible for the county council to proceed with its plans. They are as dead as a dodo.
“The Government has made it crystal clear that unitary authorities can only proceed if they have broad public support. The plans for a unitary authority in Somerset could hardly be less popular.”
Almost 200,000 people voted in the postal ballot, with 158.754 against the Lib Dem unitary council scheme and 34,851 in favour of it.
In West Somerset, the turnout was 53.9 per cent (15,068) with 79.7 per cent (11,933) of valid votes being against, and 20.3 per cent (3,048) against. There were 87 invalid ballot papers.

• Our photograph shows some of the leaders and chief executives of the five district councils emphasising the postal ballot result at the announcement held in the Castle Hotel, Taunton, this morning (Tuesday, June 19). West Somerset's chief executive, Tim Howes, is second from right. Photo submitted.
  

Construction underway on district council new headquarters

WORK has started in Williton on a centralised £2.9 million headquarters for West Somerset Council.
Council chief executive Tim Howes said: “We are delighted to be centralising our workforce in these new offices.
“This is a big investment for Williton, good news for the local economy, and a positive move for West Somerset.”
The majority of the existing collection of ageing council buildings on the site will be demolished and replaced with a two-and-a-half storey T-shaped modern building at the northern end of the Killick Way car park.
Recycling banks on the site were removed on Monday, April 23, in preparation for the build, and the council is encouraging people to recycle what they can through the fortnightly kerbside black box collection service, or to use the public facilities at the household waste recycling centre on the village’s Roughmoor industrial estate.
The recycling centre is open from 8 am to 8 pm in the summer and from 8 am to 5 pm in winter.
Subject to the Somerset Waste Board’s approval, the council hopes to return some recycling banks into a smaller area in March, 2008.
Council staff are being encouraged to park off site during the build, and the council has secured sufficient car park spaces on private land nearby, to minimise any disruption to the public.
Mr Howes said: “We have put in considerable effort to ensure the building’s orientation, layout, and design maximise the use of natural light, climate control, and energy conservation.”
The new offices will feature a metal ziplock roof which gives the appearance of traditional lead, with render, glass panel, and brickwork walls.
Two floors of the building will comprise meeting rooms and open-plan offices with a part-mezzanine executive officers’ suite in the roof space above.
Floor space will total 2,025 square metres.
The council chose Exeter-based contractors Mansell plc’s design for the new offices following public consultation last November.
More than 70 per cent of those who responded to the consultation said they felt Mansell’s design was most suited to the site.
The illustration above is an artist’s impression of how the new council offices should look. Drawing submitted.

Independent election ‘scam’ is probed

NEXT month’s elections for West Somerset District Council could be declared invalid and ‘Independent’ candidates and their supporters investigated for ‘electoral fraud’, The Crier can reveal.
It follows the backing of ‘Independent’ candidates by the Liberal Democrat-sponsored residents’ organisation Direct.
The chairman of Direct, Arthur Philips, has published posters and other literature urging local residents to vote for the ‘Independent’ candidates.
But Mr Philips is not an ‘election agent’ for any of the candidates and spending money on such campaigns could therefore be in breach of the Representation of the People Act 1983, which states only the candidate, election agent, and those authorised in writing by the election agent can incur election expenses, while anybody who ‘incurs, or aids, abets, counsels, or procures any other person to incur any expenses in contravention of this section ... shall be guilty of a corrupt practice ...’.
The issue has already been raised with the Electoral Commission and with the West Somerset Returning Officer Tim Howes.
The correspondence, which The Crier has seen, expresses concern that “there is an ‘electoral deceit’ being perpetrated on local voters by those Independents who are a part of this, as they are not Independent but are actually part of a collective political movement and are hiding this fact from the electorate.”
The move follows recent revelations by The Crier that ‘Independent’ candidates could be seen to be a party in themselves as they were being coached and guided centrally and were inherently linked with the Liberal Democrat movement.
This view was reinforced when the candidates were announced and it was seen that the Liberal Democrats were apparently not fielding any candidates except their two most well-known characters in Carhampton and Watchet.
The ‘Independents’ had “by coincidence” all declared themselves in such a way that none were fighting each other for seats.
In single seat wards, there was only one ‘Independent’, in two seat wards there were two ‘Independents’, and so on.
It has prompted claims by opponents that an electoral ‘scam’ was being tried out on voters by any ‘Independent’ involved in the collective decision-making and campaign.

April start for £2.9 million centralised district council offices

FULL planning approval has been given for West Somerset Council’s new £2.9 million centralised offices to be built in Killick Way, Williton.
Work is set to start on site in April and should be finished early in 2008. An artist’s impression of how the offices should look, is shown here.
The scheme involves demolishing the majority of the existing collection of ageing council buildings on site, which have been declared ‘not fit for purpose’, and replacing them with a two-and-a-half storey T-shaped, modern building at the northern end of Killick Way car park.
The new offices will feature a metal ziplock roof, which gives the appearance of traditional lead, with render, glass panel, and brickwork walls.
Two floors of the building will consist of meeting rooms and open-plan offices with a part-mezzanine executive officers’ suite in the roof space above.
The floor space will total 21,800 square feet.
Council leader, Councillor Christine Lawrence, said: “We are delighted we have gained permission and look forward to centralising our workforce.
“It is a big investment for West Somerset, good news for the local economy, and a really positive step forward for Williton.”
Chief executive Tim Howes said: “We have put in considerable effort to ensure the building’s orientation, layout, and design maximise the use of natural light, climate control, and energy conservation.
“There will also be a formal garden adjoining the main meeting room for staff and members to take breaks in, and for use by anybody at functions taking place in the building.”
A design by Exeter-based contractors Mansell plc has been chosen for the new offices following public consultation last November in which more than 70 per cent of people who responded felt it was the one most suited to the site.