Meetings

Meetings

The councils are working to decide how best to bring together services and have established a Joint Committee, a Joint Advisory Board and a Scrutiny process.

Agendas and minutes for future meetings will be available via this page. The meetings are open to the public.

The Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) Joint Committee

Next meeting: Friday 4 February 14:00-17:00.

The LGR Joint Committee is designed to steer the move to a new single council. A number of democratic decisions and actions will need to be taken before the new unitary council is established in 2023. The LGR Joint Committee will oversee the implementation plan and development of the new unitary council’s constitution and budget. It has nine members, the leaders of the district and county councils and four further members of the County Council cabinet.

Meeting information:

  • Friday 17 December. The LGR Joint Committee meeting was cancelled in support of Covid-19. A virtual LGR briefing for elected members was held instead.
  • Friday 5 November, 14:00, Mendip District Council Chamber, Shepton Mallet. Full meeting details are available here.

Future meetings:

  • Friday 4 February, 14:00-17:00. Details to be announced
  • Friday 18 March, 14:00-17:00. Details to be announced

The Local Government Reorganisation Advisory Board

Next meeting: Thursday 3 February 15:30-17:00. This meeting will be virtual and the live link is here: Click here to join the meeting

The Advisory Board is a less formal public meeting and is designed to provide a way for councillors, public sector partners, the public and other interested groups to feed into the process and share ideas as the new council takes shape. The Board will develop links to Somerset Youth Parliament.

The Board’s role is advisory, but its proposals, ideas and recommendations will feed into the unitary programme and the decision-making Joint Committee. Meetings will be held monthly in locations around the county.

Meeting information:

  • Thursday 17 March 14:00-17:00. Details to be announced

Previous meetings: 

  • Thursday 16 December: Virtual meeting.

A short survey has been issued to gain further insight into views regarding the role description for new unitary councillors. This builds on discussion at the 16 December LGR Advisory Board meeting. Responses are welcome from all. The survey will remain open for two weeks, and close on 26 January. 
The slides from the meeting are here Discussion on the role of Somerset Councillors. Here are example job descriptions from other counties that helped to inform the discussion.

We discussed recommendations made by city, town and parish representatives (SALC and SLCC) and presented detail of the Local Community Network pilots in Exmoor and Frome

Discussion focused on how the various organisations could best work together to deliver real change and improve lives in Somerset

  • 30 September – Holy Trinity Church, Frome

We introduced the Board and our initial focus on developing Local Community Network (LCN) pilots. Discussion highlighted the importance of working with city, town and parish councils.

 

Local Government Reorganisation Scrutiny

Next meeting: 31 January at Canalside, Bridgwater, 13:00-16:00

LGR Scrutiny will work in the manner of scrutiny elsewhere in local government, operating as a critical friend and providing oversight and review of policy development ahead of decision making by the LGR Joint Committee, and ensuring that decision making processes are robust and transparent.

Committee Membership:

Mendip:

Cllr Philip Ham (Con), Cllr Chris Inchley (Ind)

Sedgemoor:

Cllr Diogo Rodrigues (Con), Cllr Tony Grimes (Con)

Somerset County Council:

Cllr Ann Bown (Con), Cllr Bob Filmer (Con), Cllr Anna Groskop (Con), Cllr Jane Lock (LD), Cllr Tessa Munt (LD), Cllr Leigh Redman (Lab), Cllr Rod Williams (Con), Cllr William Wallace (Con)

Somerset West and Taunton:

Cllr Sarah Wakefield (LD), Cllr Sue Buller (Ind)

South Somerset:

Cllr Brian Hamilton (LD), Cllr Paul Maxwell (LD)