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
Criticism Mounts Over 'Piecemeal' Approach to Somerset Planning Tuesday, January 20, 2026 somerset planning infrastructure traffic development transport congestion junctions urbanplanning localgovernment Somerset’s planning strategy has come under intense scrutiny, with experts and local stakeholders criticizing what they describe as a ‘piecemeal’ approach. The concern centers around the impact this fragmented … Read More
Somerset Council Defends ‘Realistic and Achievable’ Pace of £20m Transformation Programme Tuesday, January 20, 2026 somerset council transformation budget savings services localgovernment newtonconsulting innovation management Somerset Council has stood firm in defending the “realistic and achievable” pace of its £20 million transformation programme, designed to address a projected £73 million budget gap by overhauling local service delivery. Since … Read More
Somerset Council Defends ‘Realistic and Achievable’ Pace of £20m Transformation Tuesday, January 20, 2026 somerset transformation budget savings localgovernment council innovation services consulting leadership Somerset Council has robustly defended the pace of its ambitious £20 million transformation programme, emphasizing that the timeline is both realistic and achievable despite criticism from local residents and auditors. Faced … Read More
Council Refutes Reform UK’s Misleading Claims on Asylum Seeker Students at Bridgwater School Monday, January 19, 2026 somerset bridgwater asylum education reformuk robertblake migration localgovernment schools immigration Somerset Council has officially rejected claims by Reform UK that one in five pupils at Robert Blake Secondary School in Bridgwater are asylum seekers housed at the nearby Holiday Inn in North Petherton. The Holiday Inn, … Read More