Somerset West and Taunton

Last updated

Somerset West and Taunton
SWT
Non-metropolitan district
Taunton town centre - geograph.org.uk - 3463915.jpg
Somerset West and Taunton logo.svg
Council logo
Somerset West and Taunton UK locator map.svg
Somerset West and Taunton district within the county of Somerset
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Constituent country England
Region South West England
Ceremonial county Somerset
  • Established
  • Abolished
  • 1 April 2019 (2019-04-01)
  • 1 April 2023 (2023-04-01)
Seat Taunton
Government
 • TypeSomerset West and Taunton Council
 •  MPs: Rebecca Pow (Con)
Ian Liddell-Grainger (Con)
Area
 • Total459 sq mi (1,188 km2)
Population
[1]
 • Total157,909
 • Density340/sq mi (130/km2)
Time zone UTC0 (GMT)
 • Summer (DST) UTC+1 (BST)
Website www.somersetwestandtaunton.gov.uk

Somerset West and Taunton was a local government district in Somerset, England, from 2019 to 2023. It was established on 1 April 2019 by the Somerset West and Taunton (Local Government Changes) Order 2018. [2] [3] The council replaced the Taunton Deane and West Somerset councils, which governed the same area from 1974.

Contents

On 1 April 2023, the district was abolished and replaced by Somerset Council, a unitary district for the area previously served by Somerset County Council. [4]

Background

In September 2016, West Somerset and Taunton Deane councils agreed in principle to merge the districts into a single one, subject to consultation. [5] The new district was not a unitary authority, with Somerset County Council still performing its functions at county level. [6] In March 2018 both councils voted in favour of the merger and it came into effect on 1 April 2019, with the first elections to the new council in May 2019. [7] [8] [9]

The new council was approved by James Brokenshire the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on 30 May 2018. [2] [10] The merger was expected to save £3.1 million each year. [11]

West Somerset covered a largely rural area, with a population of 35,300 [12] in an area of 740 square kilometres (290 sq mi); [13] it was the least populous non-unitary district in England. According to figures released by the Office for National Statistics in 2009, the population of West Somerset has the oldest average age in the United Kingdom at 52. [14] The largest centres of population were the coastal towns of Minehead (population 10,000) and Watchet (4,400).

Taunton Deane was based in Taunton. Taunton Deane had an estimated population of 102,600 in 2001. [15]

Governance

Somerset West and Taunton Council
Somerset West and Taunton Council.svg
Type
Type
Leadership
Chair
Hazel Prior-Sankey,Liberal Democrats
since 22 May 2019
Leader
Federica Smith-Roberts,Liberal Democrats
since 22 May 2019
Structure
Seats59(30 needed for a majority)
United Kingdom Somerset West and Taunton District Council 2019.svg
Political groups
Administration (30)
  Liberal Democrats (30)
Other parties (29)
  Independent (14)
  Conservative (10)
  Labour Party (3)
  Green Party (2)
Length of term
4 years
Elections
First-past-the-post
Last election
 2 May 2019
Website
www.somersetwestandtaunton.gov.uk

The Conservative Party held a majority on the new council following the merger of Taunton Deane and West Somerset districts on 1 April 2019. This majority was inherited from their seat totals on the predecessor councils rather than the result of a direct election to the council. Inaugural elections to the council were held on 2 May 2019 which saw the Lib Dems gain control of the council. The final composition of the council was the following (note one seat was vacant pending a by-election): [16]

PartySeats
Liberal Democrat
30 / 59
50.8%
Independent
13 / 59
22.0%
Conservative
10 / 59
17.0%
Labour
3 / 59
5.1%
Green
2 / 59
3.4%

Abolition

On 1 April 2023, the council was abolished and replaced by a Somerset Council, a unitary authority for the area at previously served by Somerset County Council. [4] Elections for the new council took place in May 2022, and it ran alongside the other councils until their abolition in April 2023. [17]

See also

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References

  1. ↑ 2021
  2. 1 2 "Somerset councils merger approved by government". BBC. Archived from the original on 2 June 2018. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  3. ↑ "The Somerset West and Taunton (Local Government Changes) Order 2018". Legislation.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 29 May 2018. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  4. 1 2 "Frequently asked questions". Somerset County Council. Archived from the original on 1 January 2022. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  5. ↑ "West Somerset Online". Archived from the original on 1 January 2017. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  6. ↑ "Your New Council". Archived from the original on 1 January 2017. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  7. ↑ "Somerset councils merger approved despite criticism". BBC. Archived from the original on 26 March 2018. Retrieved 20 March 2018.
  8. ↑ Simmons, Alice (19 March 2018). "Taunton Deane and West Somerset vote in favour of council merger". Somerset County Gazette. Archived from the original on 20 March 2018. Retrieved 20 March 2018.
  9. ↑ Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (24 May 2018). "The Somerset West and Taunton (Local Government Changes) Order 2018". legislation.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 16 April 2021. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
  10. ↑ "Government Decision on New Council". Your New Council. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  11. ↑ "Councils 'delighted' with Somerset merger government approval". Public Sector Executive. Archived from the original on 14 December 2018. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  12. ↑ "Statistics & Census Information". West Somerset Council. Archived from the original on 24 August 2017. Retrieved 22 October 2017.
  13. ↑ "West Somerset (Local Authority): Key Figures for Physical Environment". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Archived from the original on 29 July 2014. Retrieved 23 April 2009.
  14. ↑ "Maps chart UK's ageing population". BBC News. 1 October 2009. Archived from the original on 2 April 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2009.
  15. ↑ "Population Summary" (PDF). Somerset County Council. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 March 2009. Retrieved 17 February 2009.
  16. ↑ "Open Council Data UK - compositions councillors parties wards elections". opencouncildata.co.uk. Archived from the original on 31 March 2022. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  17. ↑ "Elections for new Somerset Council to be held in May 2022". BBC News. 2 December 2021. Archived from the original on 1 January 2022. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
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