"We welcome this once in a generation opportunity to rethink public services in Somerset and to put the community at the heart of them." said Cllr Maxine Crawley, Co-leader of Frome Town Council.

The uncertainty regarding the unitary debate is over as the Secretary of State for Local Government, Robert Jenrick MP has stated that there will be a unitary council arrangement in Somerset following the Government's decision to abolish the four district councils and the county council in Somerset and replace them with one unitary from May 2023.

Maxine continued: "We look forward to continuing to work with the current Cllrs and staff working in both the county council and the four district councils in the run up to unitary elections in May 2022, and with the shadow unitary authority thereafter. Town and parish councils have a crucial role to play to ensure that decisions are made as locally as possible. The fine words in the One Somerset proposals now need to be translated into fine deeds and we will be working hard to ensure this happens. In addition, many of the excellent and innovative ideas in the Stronger Somerset proposals must not be lost. "

To read more about the decision click HERE : the Parliamentary record