Somerset Council has reignited discussions over a proposal to merge the small town of Langport with its surrounding parish, Huish Episcopi. Langport is bordered on three sides by Huish Episcopi, which has absorbed most of the area’s recent housing development.
Although Langport’s population has remained steady, its Town Council has had to significantly increase council tax rates to maintain services used by residents of Huish Episcopi. This imbalance has prompted the council to consider merging the two parishes to create a single, cohesive governance structure.
A previous consultation on the merger was halted after a legal challenge from the Huish Episcopi Residents Association, leading to advice from the council’s legal team that a fresh, properly conducted consultation was necessary. Consequently, a new public consultation launched on July 3 invites residents to provide feedback until August 14.
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Alyn Jones, the council’s monitoring officer, updated the Constitution and Governance Committee on July 2, explaining that the original governance review period had expired. He emphasized that the new review will start without preconceived outcomes, allowing residents to raise all issues regarding the merger.
Following this consultation, the committee will consider the responses and decide which proposals to pursue. This may lead to a second consultation phase before a final decision must be made ahead of local elections scheduled for May 2027.
The consultation seeks input on several options, including maintaining the current separate parishes or merging them into a new single parish. It also requests opinions on the number of councillors in a new parish council, potential ward boundaries, and whether boundary revisions are needed if the parishes remain separate.
Councillor Ross Henley, chairing the meeting, acknowledged the delays but stressed the importance of a legally sound and robust process. “We need a decision that is both legal and correct,” he said.
Residents can participate in the consultation online at www.somersetcouncil.citizenspace.com/democratic-services/huish-episcopi-and-langport-consultation/ or request paper copies from the council.
Council leader Bill Revans, responsible for governance and communications, underscored the importance of community input: “Governance reviews should reflect the communities they serve. We want to understand what matters most to residents to ensure future arrangements support local identities and effective representation.”
A report summarising the consultation results is expected at a special committee meeting on September 24.