Somerset County Council is supporting One Somerset – the proposal to replace the four district councils and the county council in Somerset with one single council.
A spokesman for the county council said a single authority would remove waste, cut costs and join up with smaller parish, town and city councils to make it easier for people to take part in the big decisions that matter in their local communities – things like setting parking charges, identifying initiatives to help the vulnerable in their communities, where to build new houses, and improving their local roads and connectivity.
Somerset’s district councils have opposed the county council’s plans for a single new authority and have instead proposed two new single-tier, unitary authorities in Somerset.
Now the county council wants to know what Somerset’s business community thinks about its proposal for one single council.
Businesses cans have their say through an online survey, available at: https://onesomerset.org.uk/have-your-say/ . The council said the form was straightforward and shouldn’t take more than a few minutes to complete.
The spokesman added: “The business community might ask why the county council is looking at fundamental change during the Coronavirus pandemic.
“Coronavirus remains our number one priority. Every day, 24-7, the council has been rightly praised for the leading role it has taken alongside the NHS to combat coronavirus. But all councils across Somerset have been able to get on with other work too and that means looking forward. It is vital that we speak with one powerful and united voice for Somerset as recovery gets under way.”
For more information about the One Somerset proposal, please visit: https://onesomerset.org.uk/
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