Local Government Reorganisation: Somerset

Opened the debate

Mr. Liddell-Grainger is concerned about the push for local government reorganisation in Somerset by Councillor David Fothergill, which he views as a distraction from addressing the pandemic. He mentions that One Somerset was launched during the health crisis and criticises the extensive publicity campaign funded by £2 million and the hiring of Carlton Brand at an estimated cost of £200,000. The MP also highlights concerns over potential financial mismanagement and warns against accepting outdated models for reorganisation. Furthermore, he questions the geographical legitimacy and financial stability of Somerset County Council, emphasising its history of crises and its current low reserve funds.

Government Response

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship for the first time, Ms McVey. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Bridgwater and West Somerset on securing this debate. His passion for Somerset and its history is well known across the House. The Government are committed to levelling up all areas of the country and empowering our regions by devolving money, resources and control away from Westminster. We will in due course set out our detailed plans in the local recovery and devolution White Paper. At the spending review, the Chancellor announced a new £4 billion levelling-up fund, building on the success of our £3.6 billion town fund. Local areas across England will be eligible to apply directly to the fund to finance things that communities need and people want. The spending review makes available up to £600 million in 2021-22, with further funding spreading over subsequent years, up to 2023-24. We consider locally led changes to the structure of local government can be appropriate means of saving taxpayers' money and improving service delivery and local accountability. The Government invited all principal councils in Somerset, Cumbria, and North Yorkshire to submit locally led proposals for unitary local government on October 9th. In Somerset, all five councils published a report on the future of local government there in January 2019, looking at a wide range of options for improving local services. We have received two outline proposals from Somerset councils—one from the county council proposing a single unitary for the area, and one from the district councils proposing two unitary councils. The next step is to consult on these proposals, gathering views from stakeholders including councils, other public service providers, businesses, voluntary sector organisations, and local residents. Following the consultation, the Secretary of State will carefully consider the proposals alongside long-standing criteria. We may launch a consultation in early 2021 and if Parliament approves the implementation of such a proposal, it is likely that a new unitary council will be established from April 2023. The Secretary of State has the power to postpone local elections when making proposals, which we recognise can avoid confusion for the electorate.