Somerset County Councillors back unitary status

Published: January 22, 2007
Somerset County Councillors back unitary status

A meeting of Somerset County Council has voted by 28 votes to 21 to go ahead with plans to create one local authority and disband the districts - including Sedgemoor, which currently oversees Burnham.

A special meeting of Somerset County Council was held on Monday (January 22nd) when councillors voted to submit a business case to the Department of Communities and Local Government to request a unitary system of government.

Somerset County Council's bid for unitary status will now be considered by the Government with the announcement of an expected shortlist of authorities that have been successful in achieving further consideration for unitary status expected in March 2007.

Cllr Cathy Bakewell, Leader of Somerset County Council, said: "I welcome this outcome as a landmark day for Somerset where we begin the process of striving for a new form of government that will empower local decision making, reduce the confusion created by the two-tier system and achieve efficiencies to allow further investment in frontline services."