Somerset County Council

Recommendations become law

The Somerset (Electoral Changes) Order 2012, to implement recommendations made by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) for new boundaries in Somerset, was made on 29 November 2012 and was published on 4 December 2012.

New ward arrangements for Somerset have now successfully completed a 40 day period of Parliamentary scrutiny and will come into force at the local elections on 2 May 2013.

The order for Somerset can be viewed through the following link: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2012/2984/pdfs/uksi_20122984_en.pdf

Draft order laid in Parliament

On 15 October 2012 the Somerset (Electoral Changes) Order 2012 was laid in draft in Parliament. The draft order, if made, would give effect to the final recommendations that were consulted on during the Local Government Boundary Commission for England's review of electoral arrangements in Somerset and published on 26 June 2012.

The draft order will be laid in Parliament for a period of 40 sitting days. Parliament can either accept or reject our recommendations. If accepted, the new electoral arrangements will come into force at the next scheduled elections for Somerset in 2013.

The draft order can viewed through the following link:

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2012/9780111529546/pdfs/ukdsi_9780111529546_en.pdf

The draft order refers to a map. The map comprises of the following sheet: 

• Sheet 1 - Overview of Somerset 

On 26 June 2012 we published final recommendations for future electoral arrangements in Somerset. These are available through the links below.

• Report: Final recommendations for new local government electoral arrangements for Somerset County Council (PDF)
• Summary of the report (PDF)
• Read our news release

You can see the maps of the proposed recommended boundaries below:

• Map 1 - Overview map (PDF)
• Maps 2a, 2b and 2c - Maps of Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge, St Cuthbert Out - North, and Frome (PDF)
• Map 3 - Map of St Cuthbert Out - South (PDF)
• Map 4 - Map of Wellington (PDF)
• Map 5 - Map of Taunton (PDF)
• Maps 6a and 6b - Maps of Yeovil and Bridgwater (PDF)

• We have now completed our electoral review of Somerset County Council. The changes we have proposed must be approved by Parliament. A draft Order -  the legal document which brings into force our recommendations -  will be laid in Parliament. The draft Order will provide for new electoral arrangements for the council to be implemented at the local elections in 2013.

  We would like to invite you to participate in our online opinion survey. This survey seeks feedback on the review processes and procedures, in order to identify improvements that can be made. We would be grateful if you could spare some time to complete the survey. Click here to go to the opinion survey.

On 21 February 2012 we published our draft recommendations for the further electoral review (FER) of Somerset County Council. Between 21 February 2012 and 9 April 2012 we invited local people and other interested parties to view and comment on our draft recommendations for Somerset.

Consultation closed on 9 April 2012.

At the front of each document there is a list of names with internal links to the relevant submissions

The recommendations can be found using the links below.

• Draft recommendations for Somerset Council (PDF)
• Summary of the report (PDF)
• News release on the draft recommendations  
• Letter sent to the Chief Executive of Somerset County Council (PDF)

Maps of the area recommendations:

• Map 1 - Overview map (PDF)
• Maps 2a, 2b and 2c - Maps of Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge, St Cuthbert Out - North, and Frome (PDF)
• Map 3 - Map of St Cuthbert Out - South (PDF)
• Map 4 - Map of Wellington and Chard (PDF)
• Map 5 - Map of Taunton (PDF)
• Maps 6a and 6b - Maps of Yeovil and Bridgwater (PDF)

Please note: some of these maps may be large and take some time to download.

Following preliminary discussions with Somerset County Council, on 23 August 2011 we started a period of information gathering for new division arrangements for the council. Between 23 August and 14 November, we invited local people and other interested parties to provide information on new division arrangements for the authority. We are especially looking for information on communities within Somerset, how people relate to and interact with them and how this may relate to any new division boundaries.

Consultation closed on 14 November 2011

Read our news release

Letter sent to the Chief Executive of Somerset County Council (PDF)

The Commission is minded to recommend a council size of 55 for Somerset, following the receipt of evidence supporting this number from Somerset County Council. You can read submissions on council size from Somerset County Council (PDF), the Opposition group (PDF) on the council and two parish councils (PDF).

Here are the electoral figures (PDF) for Somerset. You may also find a map of the variances (PDF) in Somerset useful.

You may wish to read our document Electoral Reviews: Technical Guidance (PDF), which contains detailed guidance on the review process and information on the legislation reviews are carried out under.

This review was carried out by the Local Government Commission for England (LGCE).

Final report , published in November 1999.

Draft report , published in May 1999.

A structural review of Avon, Gloucestershire and Somerset was carried out by the Local Government Commission for England (LGCE), and was started on 28 September 1992

Final report (PDF) published in December 1993

Draft report (PDF) published in June 1993