Traffic congestion prevented North Somerset Council from fully participating in a landmark meeting about joining the West of England Combined Authority (WECA). The meeting, held in Bristol and attended by WECA’s three current member councils, was hosted by West of England Mayor Helen Godwin to formally commence North Somerset’s membership process.
Deputy leader of North Somerset Council, Catherine Gibbons, was scheduled to attend as an observer but was caught in a severe traffic jam caused by a police incident that closed the M5 motorway in both directions between junctions 19 and 18. The closure, which occurred alongside a Bristol City football match, resulted in widespread gridlock, preventing her timely arrival.
As North Somerset is not yet a full WECA member, the council did not have voting rights at this meeting. However, Mayor Godwin expressed that Catherine Gibbons would have been invited to speak. Although North Somerset declined to join WECA when it was formed in 2017, recent government policies steering all councils toward combined authorities prompted the council to vote in favor of joining last September.
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Mayor Godwin humorously commented on the situation, saying, “North Somerset might have banished themselves in 2017, but now the Faithful are recruiting, and we know who we want on our team.” Bristol City Council leader Tony Dyer likened WECA to Pac-Man and described North Somerset as the “big chunk missing,” dismissing concerns that WECA was attempting to recreate the former County of Avon, insisting it is a “completely different beast.”
The council voted to begin a public consultation process, expected to last six to eight weeks across February and March, to gauge opinions on North Somerset’s membership. Subject to parliamentary approval, full membership could be achieved by late 2026 or early 2027.
Ahead of the meeting, North Somerset Council leader Mike Bell acknowledged past hesitation, stating, “We made a mistake by not joining the combined authority in the first place. Whether people like it or not, mayoral strategic authorities are the only game in town when it comes to driving growth and ambitious plans.”
The government has pledged £15 million for “short-term projects” contingent on North Somerset joining. While specific expenditures are yet undecided, WECA’s funding is set to increase proportionally with its geographic and population expansion, potentially by around 25%.
WECA primarily manages public transport and oversees funding distribution for housing, regeneration, skills, employment initiatives, and home retrofitting. The authority recently approved a £416 million budget for the upcoming financial year.
Once a member, North Somerset residents will gain the right to vote for the West of England Mayor; however, this will not take effect until the scheduled 2029 election, as no early poll is planned. North Somerset Council will hold voting rights on the WECA committee immediately upon joining, provided representatives can overcome local traffic challenges in the future.