BRIDGWATER and West Somerset MP Ian Liddell-Grainger writes about why he believes a merger between Taunton Deane and West Somerset is 'neither sensible nor has it been honestly presented'.


Hands up those of you who have actually been consulted about the proposed merger of Taunton Deane and West Somerset councils? I ask because it will end up costing a very great deal of money. 


The idea was contained in a voluminous “Business Plan” which purports to show all the possible outcomes – to do absolutely nothing (and then watch both councils run out of money slowly) or to go for complete independence (which would mean West Somerset becomes insolvent very soon indeed and Taunton Deane limps on alone going belly-up shortly afterwards).


It isn’t much of a choice, is it! So let’s go for the merger option. Vote next week. There are full council meetings to make the decision. You know it makes sense…etc…etc…


The problem is that the plan is neither sensible nor has it been honestly presented. It relies on more job cuts. It means that West Somerset will lose out badly and Taunton Deane will have to subsidise them to the tune of several millions every year. It also depends on a hugely expensive new IT system (anyone who remembers the disaster of South West One should now be getting very worried indeed).


My job is to uphold the interests of thousands of constituents in West Somerset. They pay a considerable amount of council tax, yet they have seen the services of their own little council shrink to a shriveled minimum. They feel aggrieved. They have every right to expect a whole lot better than a half-baked merger dreamed up by two unimaginative council leaders and dressed up in semi-plausible language by compliant senior officers. 


For any merger to have a snowball’s chance of success several boxes must be ticked:
• Do the sums add up? (No. It is mostly guesswork)
• Are the shareholders in favour? (No. The public has not even been asked)
• Has every other possibility been explored? (Definitely not)


There are only three options in the Business Plan. There ought to be at least four. It would be perfectly feasible for West Somerset to conduct negotiations with Sedgemoor Council to ensure its future. Sedgemoor – unlike Taunton Deane – is solvent and successful. So why no talks? At the Scrutiny Committee meeting of West Somerset last week the Chief Executive and her Director of Operations were quizzed. They said Sedgemoor “wasn’t interested”. This is far from the truth. I am assured by the Leader of Sedgemoor Council that West Somerset and Taunton Deane have not made any attempt to talk for over a year.


Funny that. When John Williams and Anthony Trollope-Bellew went to London recently hoping to persuade the Government to give them extra money they were specifically told to speak to neighbouring councils including Sedgemoor. When the councillors began rattling their begging bowl they were unceremoniously shown the door. 


I urge Taunton Deane residents to protest and I appeal to all councillors to stop this plan before it is too late.