Survey of Somerset residents on local government reorganisation

Ipsos recently conducted polling with the residents of Somerset County asking about their preferences towards the restructuring of local government in the county. The poll which was conducted on behalf of the district councils of Somerset County (Mendip, Sedgemoor, South Somerset and Somerset West & Taunton) found that when residents were presented with four options to replace the current structure of local governance in Somerset, the Stronger Somerset proposal to create two new unitary councils of Eastern and Western Somerset was the most preferred. Three in ten (29%) preferred the Stronger Somerset proposal compared with 27% who preferred more collaboration between councils within the current structure, 23% wanted no change at all, while just 15% said they preferred the creation of a new single unitary council for all of Somerset. 

The survey also found Somerset residents recognised that there is a difference between Eastern and Western Somerset when it comes to landscape, infrastructure and people. Majority (54%) agreed there is a difference while only 18% disagreed. 

A detailed report and further analysis on the full survey will be released in January 2021.

For more details please visit the Stronger Somerset website at www.strongersomerset.co.uk.