Somerset Council Turns to West Midlands Enforcement Officers Amid Recruitment Struggles Thursday, January 29, 2026 somerset enforcement recruitment planning council backlog westmidlands agency localgovernment budget Somerset Council is currently relying on enforcement officers from a local authority over 150 miles away in the West Midlands to manage planning enforcement duties. The move comes as the council continues to face significant … Read More
New Student Housing Proposal Sparks Debate Over Growing ‘Stealth Campus’ in Bath Friday, January 23, 2026 studenthousing bath grosvenorhouse development planning accommodation community officeconversion regeneration localgovernment A new development proposal for 103 student flats in Bath has reignited concerns about the increasing concentration of student accommodation in the area, described by one local councillor as a “student campus by stealth.” … Read More
South West’s Safest Labour Councillor Quits Party Citing 'Constant U-Turns' Thursday, January 22, 2026 labour councillor independence paulton uturn council politics keirstarmer localgovernment environment Grant Johnson, a long-serving councillor representing Paulton—the former coal mining village deemed the safest Labour seat in South West England—has announced his departure from the Labour Party to serve as an independent. … Read More
South West's 'Most Labour' Village Councillor Quits Party Citing Government U-Turns Thursday, January 22, 2026 labour councillor independence paulton politics localgovernment uturns sustainability leadership elections Grant Johnson, a councillor representing the historic coal mining village of Paulton in Bath and North East Somerset, has announced his departure from the Labour Party, blaming “constant U-turns” and a lack of clear strategic … Read More
Somerset MPs Unite to Oppose 11% Council Tax Increase Amid £73m Budget Deficit Wednesday, January 21, 2026 somerset counciltax budget mps funding localgovernment careservices rural taxrise government Somerset MPs have joined forces in a bid to secure additional central government funding to prevent an 11 per cent increase in council tax, aimed at addressing a daunting £73 million budget shortfall faced by Somerset … Read More
North Somerset Set to Join West of England Combined Authority by Year-End Tuesday, January 20, 2026 northsomerset weca devolution localgovernment mayoral westofengland publicconsultation regionalgrowth governmentfunding transport North Somerset is poised to become a member of the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) by the end of 2026 or early 2027, signaling a significant shift in regional collaboration and governance. This move follows a … Read More