The leader of Sedgemoor District Council has this week urged the political leaders of Somerset County Council to have a ‘free vote’ at the conclusion of their crucial debate on Monday 22nd January.
County councillors will be deciding whether to submit their business case for a single unitary authority to Government by the deadline of 25th January.
The district authorities are opposed to a single authority for the whole county, as they say it will be too large and not best serve the needs of Somerset’s 517,000 residents.
Councillor Duncan McGinty, Leader of Sedgemoor District Council, pictured, said: “The five district and borough councils will be discussing this vital matter in their own meetings during the next week and there will be no ‘whip’ applied.”
“District Councillors will be able to vote for what they truly think is best, rather than following a ‘party line’ and we are urging the County Council to follow suit so that everyone is playing to the same rules.”
The news comes as Somerset County Council published its business case on Monday for the establishment of a new unitary authority. A spokesman said unitary status would offer “wide-ranging advantages”.
The new council would have 116 members with two councillors representing each of the existing divisions, replacing district and county councillors. The new authority would also request a formal boundary review in 2009 with a view to “further improving democratic accountability”.
Cathy Bakewell, County Council leader, says one council is needed for Somerset to “end the confusion and bureaucracy that hamper all of our efforts to improve services.”
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