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
Will 2026 See the Return of the County of Avon? Sunday, January 11, 2026 avon devolution localgovernment westofengland northsomerset combinedauthority bristol unitary mayoral politics The West of England may be facing a revival of the long-defunct County of Avon, a county dissolved nearly three decades ago amid widespread unpopularity. Created in 1974 and abolished in 1996, Avon was a county centered on … Read More
Ghost of Avon haunts with fears over 'Greater Bristol' region Monday, September 22, 2025 avon northsomerset weca devolution bristol council governance mayoral consultation localgovernment North Somerset Council has initiated a year-long formal process to join the West of England Combined Authority (WECA), reigniting fears about a return to the much-maligned County of Avon. At the contentious council meeting on … Read More
Council Leaders Renew Efforts to Advance Devolution Plans in Wessex Tuesday, July 1, 2025 devolution wessex councils government mayoral infrastructure investment collaboration regionalgrowth combinedauthorities Council leaders from Wiltshire, Somerset, Dorset, and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole are actively lobbying the government to reinvigorate their devolution plans. After last year’s application to become a new strategic … Read More