Somerset MPs are urging the central government to provide additional funding to local services, aiming to prevent an 11 per cent rise in council tax. Facing a £73 million budget gap, Somerset Council is preparing to set its annual budget on February 25, with significant council tax increases anticipated to bridge the shortfall caused by heightened demand for services.
On January 7, the council’s executive committee revealed it had submitted “illustrative figures” to the government proposing a potential council tax increase of up to 10.99 per cent for the 2026/27 fiscal year. This increase would align Somerset’s council tax with levels in neighboring West Country counties.
Six of Somerset’s seven MPs came together in Westminster to meet with local government minister Alison McGovern, pressing for enhanced core funding to prevent such a steep tax hike. Five Liberal Democrat MPs—Gideon Amos (Taunton and Wellington), Adam Dance (Yeovil), Sarah Dyke (Glastonbury and Somerton), Rachel Gilmour (Tiverton and Minehead), and Anna Sabine (Frome and East Somerset)—joined Conservative MP Sir Ashley Fox (Bridgwater) in the meeting. Wells and Mendip Hills MP Tessa Munt was unable to attend.
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The Lib Dem MPs had earlier expressed disappointment with the December 2025 local government funding settlement, describing it as “profoundly disappointing.” Following the meeting, they issued a joint statement underscoring the gravity of the financial challenges and their opposition to the council tax increase.
They stated, “The provisional financial settlement for Somerset represents a government bombshell poised to force an 11 per cent council tax increase on residents already grappling with a cost-of-living crisis. We are determined to fight against such an unaffordable rise.”
The MPs emphasized that these proposed hikes come on top of last year’s 7.49 per cent increase—both exceeding the 4.99 per cent referendum limit. They called for revisions to the government’s fair funding formula to better account for rural needs, noting that Somerset, the fifth largest council by land area, suffers from the removal of the ‘remoteness uplift’ that addressed extra costs associated with servicing sparsely populated areas.
They also highlighted the loss of £11 million due to business rates reform and reductions in the public health budget, which have strained care services.
“The local government minister listened attentively and invited us to provide further details, especially regarding health and care costs. Yet, we remain concerned that the government does not fully grasp the pressures rural communities face,” the MPs added.
Somerset Council currently allocates around two-thirds of its budget to care for vulnerable adults and children, leaving less funding for highways, planning, waste collection, and other vital services. With Baroness Casey’s government-commissioned report on adult social care funding expected only later this year—and full implementation not due until 2028—the council is caught between rising demand and constrained finances.
The MPs noted, “The government has failed to adequately fund additional care costs, and further job cuts or transformation efforts cannot sustain the council. With 500 to 600 job reductions already planned this year, Somerset is squeezed between growing needs and shrinking resources.”
They reaffirmed their commitment to advocate for increased central government support to prevent residents from bearing the brunt of a broken care funding system.
Meanwhile, Conservative MP Sir Ashley Fox expressed willingness to advocate for better government funding but criticized current council financial management. He remarked, “My priority is securing the best deal for constituents, but I cannot defend the council’s recent money management. There’s a lot of poor administration for which the Lib Dems are responsible.”
Fox’s comments followed a critical report on the Life Factory project in Glastonbury and auditor warnings about the council’s slow pace in reforming service delivery.
He concluded, “I will push the government for more funding but also urge councilors to stop wasting money and improve their efficiency.”
The council’s detailed budget proposals are expected before the end of January, with final approval scheduled for the February 25 council meeting in Bridgwater.