A SOMERSET Member of Parliament is urging Government to insist a referendum is held over the future of local democracy in Somerset. 

The County Council announced plans that it is looking into scrapping all six councils (SCC, Taunton Deane Borough Council, Sedgemoor District Council, West Somerset Council, South Somerset District Council and Mendip District Council) in favour of becoming one authority. 

Leader of SCC, Cllr David Fothergill, said the move would save £18-28million.  Some of the councils firstly expressed disappointment with the county authority, but have committed to working together to find what is best for the people of Somerset. 

The six councils have now agreed to move forward following a joint meeting, with a formal review to set out options for the future shape of local government.

MP for Bridgwater and West Somerset, Ian Liddell-Grainger, brought the motion to West Minster Hall today (May 22) for debate. 

“This to us is an important subject because it is the county of Somerset," he said.

“A fortnight ago the leader of Somerset County Council came to Westminster and threw an unexpected spanner in the works for all MPs in the county of Somerset. 

“The Somerset members got no advanced warning of plans to turn the whole county into a unitary. 

“I think I can say that one-by-one we were collectively gobsmacked.”

Mr Liddell-Grainger said the MPs were aware the council was feeling ‘squeezed’ by providing the ‘most expensive public service’ with a ‘small grant from government’.  He added:

“SCC has never been good with money. I’ve looked at how bad the books are just to prove it in my own mind. 

“In 2007 there was only £11million in the general reserve fund. Here we are 11 years later and it is still around £11million. 

“This may sound like a lot but it is chicken feed if the overall budget runs into hundreds of millions. 

“If an unexpected crisis happens, which it normally does, you’ve got nothing to fall back on. Unfortunately we’ve had that in Somerset. Occasionally we flood the place.”

The passionate MP added: “We cannot go on like this in local government. 

“I do strongly believe that government is not playing fair with local government. 

“You cannot take away the democratic deficit and not leave a problem in very big counties. 

“Where you have county councillors looking after more and more, and dealing with more and more, that deficit gets big. 

“Please think about the future of local government.”

MP Liddell Grainger asked Minister Rishi Sunak to make a referendum mandatory for the council, but he said this wasn’t necessary. 

Mr Sunak explained local government can sometimes be enhanced by unitary authorities, as it can lead to more parish and town councils.

Three criteria have to be met for government to sign off on the idea. Councils have to prove it is likely to improve local government, the proposed structure is a credible geography and it commands local support. Unanimous agreement is not needed.

MP for Yeovil and South Somerset, Marcus Fysh, and MP for Wells, James Heappey, also showed up to the debate. 

Mr Heappey asked Mr Sunak if all of the district authorities opposing the idea would enough to block the proposals, but the minister said there was no definition of opposition he could give.

The MPs explored the idea of joining further with authorities such as Bath and North East Somerset or Devon County Council, but no proposals have been received.

Mr Sunak added: "The government is committed to locally-led proposals. It is not in the business of imposing top-down solutions."