Agenda item

Firstly, Councillor David Fothergill (Leader of Somerset County Council) to attend and present an update an overview of the One Somerset Programme.

Councillor Federica Smith-Roberts to follow in her role as Leader of Somerset West and Taunton Council and provide an overview of the District Councils views.

The Mayor of Taunton introduced the item and stated that it was disappointing that the Charter Trustees had received the survey eleven days after other Town and Parish Councils and an extension to the response deadline had been requested of Somerset County Council, which had been refused. The Mayor welcomed Councillor Fothergill, Leader of Somerset County Council and introduced him to the meeting.

Firstly, Councillor David Fothergill (Leader of Somerset County Council) attended and presented an update and overview of the One Somerset Programme.

Councillor Mike Rigby (Executive member for Somerset West and Taunton Council) followed and provided an overview of the District Councils views.

During the discussion, the following points were raised:-

·       It was queried as to whether the timing was right to try and re-organise the whole of democracy in Somerset during a pandemic and the economic consequences of said pandemic.

·       The impact on District Council staff who had already gone through a Transformation process was going to be difficult.

·       The Unitary model in the right circumstances was felt to have some merit.

·       The Leader of the County Council responded that now was absolutely the time and all Councils were going to face significant challenges during the Coronavirus and getting through this required organisations to pull together. South Somerset District Council and SWT had been doing work on how to improve the current system. SCC had spent £43m on the pandemic, with thousands of staff deployed in new areas. The direction from Government and the Local Government white paper was supportive of this move.

·       Cllr Rigby clarified that the only work that had been done on this was in the last couple of weeks. SWT had done no work on this until SCC resumed.

·       It was stated that One Somerset did not have overall support lacking the support of the District Councils. The last re-organisation did not have a public vote, and the lack of democratic engagement in the process was questioned, and why there was no referendum.

·       The Leader of the County Council responded that the Government had a clear process for Local Government re-organisation based on geography, number of residents and level of support. The consultation process would be required by the Secretary of State who would then decide.

·       It was queried that Somerset County Council was struggling due to the spiralling costs of Adult and Children’s Social Care and that the Unitary question had been promoted as an idea by the Leader in 2018 when merger between the two former District Councils was taking place.

·       The Leader of the County Council responded that the County Council had increased reserves dramatically last year, but did have to make difficult decisions two years ago.

·       The Leader of the County Council responded that the residents do not belong to SCC or SWT and they are all the same people. The primary driver was inefficiency of service, not the finances.

·       The Leader of the County Council responded that concern about West Somerset Council’s solvency ensured the speed with which the former Councils were merged and why he had supported that measure at the time.

·       Concern was raised that the merger of the two District Councils was on track at the same time as Unitary was being raised to the National Government and an opportunity had been missed.

·       The Leader of the County Council responded that Unitary should have been done in 2008 and there would have been £250 million potential for savings.

·       Concerns were raised around the unitary proposal and appropriate funding levels for Town and Parish Councils and the mention of the voluntary sector being involved in key council services.

·       The Leader of the County Council responded that if a future Taunton Town Council had no ambition to run services there would always be a safety net.

·       A query was raised as to whether a Community Governance Review would have to be undertaken if the Unitary was approved?

·       The Leader of the County Council responded that the creation of a town council would form part of the business case and go through on the same orders, much like Salisbury City Council did under the Wiltshire re-organisation.

·       A question was raised as to how a new Unitary would approach its Housing responsibilities?

·       The Leader of the County Council responded that the Business Case would look to maintain housing stock and expand it.

·       Further detail was sought on the decision making powers of the Local Community Networks (LCN) and how a Town Council and LCN at same time would sit together with other elements of local government.

·       The Leader of the County Council responded that the LCN’s were concerned with being a decision making body for wider responsibilities.

·       A query was raised as to how a unitary model would benefit Halcon and Priorswood with pockets of deprivation.

·       The Leader of the County Council responded that Unitary was about creating long-term sustainable services and all the levers we need with joined-up services.

·       Concerns were raised around the transfer of assets to Parish Councils and the lack of a cap on parish precepts.

·       The Leader of the County Council responded that this could not be a cost-shunt exercise. It was really important to understand from Taunton their potential appetite for service delivery and conversations with Frome and Bridgwater were already being lined up.

·       Cllr Rod Williams (Rowbarton and Staplegrove – SCC) commented that the Councillors were at a disadvantage without having seen the business case.  He was passionate in the potential of Taunton as the County Town of Somerset.  He felt that no change was not an option and that the public does not understand difference between District and County.

·       Cllr Giuseppe Fraschini (Taunton North – SCC) commented that the County Council was a leader on that front of Social Care. He had always been a strong supporter of a unitary model and considered that the merger of the former District Councils was when this should have been addressed.

The Mayor thanked all Councillors for attending the debate.