Meeting documents

To consider the report.

The Council received and noted this report.

This report covered the progress made on transformation across the major county council services and Local Government Review (LGR) since the last report to Council. Staff and elected members have collaborated closely to deliver improved performance for many services and a once in a generation new approach to local government in the county for residents and businesses alike. Members and officers from across the five Somerset Councils now work closely day-to-day to design and develop the new Somerset Council. The LGR programme is complex and the biggest programme of change ever undertaken in Somerset. A programme governance model was approved by all five councils before Christmas, and committees of elected members have already met. The development programme for the new Somerset Council is now led by a Joint Committee with members from all five Councils. Its work is reviewed by Joint Scrutiny arrangements and each week’s work is led by a Programme Board comprising each council’s Chief Executive and supported by a Programme Management Office.

Since the Secretary of State made his decision, the County Council and District Councils have come together to work as partners to deliver the new authority, which will come into existence on Vesting Day on 1st April 2023. Through the incredible efforts of the teams involved across the County and District Councils, building on the strong relationships developed tackling Covid, remarkable progress has been made since the summer and the Council is on track to deliver by Vesting Day despite the ever-present need to tackle Covid and its impacts, whilst continuing to deliver services and support vulnerable residents.

There was a question asking if the business case could change now it has been signed off by the Secretary of State and it was confirmed that it would not change apart from any recommendations from a Boundary Review that might in 5 years’ time recommend single Member representation which could reduce the number of Unitary Councillors to 100.

The Council received and noted this report.