Somerset unitary plan praised by Local Government Association

Somerset unitary plan praised by Local Government Association

An expert team from the Local Government Association (LGA) has commended work to create a new unitary council on 1 April this year. The new Somerset Council will replace Somerset County Council and the four district councils (Mendip, Sedgemoor, Somerset West and Taunton and South Somerset).

The team, including leading figures from local government around the country, reviewed the unitary plan and concluded that ‘everything is in place to ensure that Somerset Council will be a safe and legally functioning body from day 1, assuming the current progress and leadership is maintained.’

Cllr Val Keitch, Somerset County Council Executive Lead Member for developing the new council, said:

“This is a real vote of confidence in our team, working hard to give Somerset a great new council. This is all about better jobs, better care and better infrastructure. It will give us more tools to tackle big challenges, such as the climate and cost-of-living crises, while freeing up £18.5million every year for frontline services.

“The Local Government Association has been a great support, helping us to learn from others’ experience. This is an important project nationally; we are being watched and it’s now a chance to show that Somerset gets on and delivers the goods. We are not complacent, there’s a lot to do, but I am very proud of our team and excited for the opportunities ahead.”

The reviewers had access to programme documents and engaged with more than 70 council members, officers and stakeholders in December. They were encouraged by the commitment of council leadership and impressed by the hard work and collaboration of people across the five existing councils.

‘Impressive’ levels of programme rigour, governance and assurance were observed, along with clarity of purpose and clear deliverables. Risks were seen to be well understood and managed and the council team, it was said, ‘know their stuff’.

The report recommends that the council team begins to focus more on achieving the ambitions of the new council after it is launched. The reviewers advised that it will take time to unlock all the benefits of having a single unitary council and that long-term plans, for the next five years and beyond, should be developed. 

Other News

Town Council Reception Closure

Reception will be closed from 12.30 pm tomorrow (Tuesday) lunchtime until Wednesday morning, however, urgent emails/telephone calls will be responded to as soon as possible.

Mayors Fabulous Fundraiser for the RNLI

On Tuesday evening, 3rd December, a generous crowd attended the Princess Theatreand Arts Centre for the Mayor of Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge, Councillor SharonPerry’s, fundraiser event for the RNLI.The evening began with a welcome drink before

Somerset Council’s ‘Help Through Winter’

Somerset households struggling to pay their bills and keep warm during the colder months could be eligible for help with everyday essentials, such as food, water and energy costs. Somerset Council’s ‘Help Through Winter’ campaign

Categories

Categories

Archives

Archives

Newsletter

Have our newsletter delivered direct to your inbox.

Be the first to hear our latest news.

Burnham-on-Sea & Highbridge Council Logo

Thank You

Please check your inbox for any email verifications to ensure you complete the signup process.

Records Retention Schedule

Financial Risk Management Policy - March 2023

Grant Application Kings Coronation Form

The Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III will take place on Saturday 6th May 2023, with an additional bank holiday on Monday 8th May 2023.

We are keen to hear from groups/organisations in Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge that are looking to celebrate the Coronation. The Town Council has £1500 available to allocate to events being organised to celebrate the Kings Coronation. The maximum grant to be allocated per event will be £500.

You must meet the following criteria for your application to be considered:

– The event will be open to all members of the public

– The event will be free of charge

– The event will take place within the Coronation weekend

– The event will take place within Burnham on Sea or Highbridge

 

Applications will close on Monday 6th March at midday. 

Your organisation and contact details

What happens next....
Applications will be considered at the Finance and Resources Committee Meeting on Monday 13th March 2023. You will be notified after this date whether your application has been successful.
Burnham & Highbridge Town Council takes your privacy seriously and will only use your personal information for the purposes of contacting you about this grant. The Council’s privacy notice can be found here.

We use cookies to help make this site better. Read more about our cookie policy.

Skip to content