Somerset Council won't give any further views on the county's future electoral boundaries, branding a government consultation as "laborious, brutal and challenging".

The Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) has carried out a consultation on redrawing Somerset's political map ahead of the 2027 local elections, reducing the number of councillors elected to Somerset Council from 110 to 96.

The commission carried out its initial round of consultation between early-June and mid-August, and was expected to publish its final recommendations on December 2.

The organisation announced in late-November that this report would be delayed until March 2026, announcing a further round of consultation which will run until January 14, 2026.

Somerset Council has now declined to provide any additional evidence to the consultation, stating that it would stand by its original submission and had no desire to waste any more time on the matter.

The LGBCE stated that it was reopening the consultation because it had "initially, and incorrectly, understood Somerset Council's preference for predominantly single-councillor divisions" – when neither elected councillors nor senior officers had made any formal request along these lines.

Having single-councillor divisions would produce a very different electoral map to one which allows divisions represented by multiple councillors (which is the current model on which the council operates).

The consultation was discussed in detail by the council's constitution and governance committee when it met in Taunton on Thursday afternoon (December 4).

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Councillor Ross Henley (Liberal Democrat, Blackdown and Neroche – and chairman of the committee) said the process to date had been "laborious, brutal and challenging" and there had been "a fair deal of frustration" among councillors.

He added: "Bearing in mind that it is quite clear that the LGBCE will already reconsider any evidence that has been put forward by the council and other interested parties, I would propose that we do not set up another working party or make another formal response.

"We've already made our position perfectly clear, and they will reconsider it again.

"Of course, we would encourage interested parties – like parish councils, political parties and individual members of the public – to participate if they want to before the consultation closes."

Councillor Tim Kerley (Lib Dem, Somerton) concurred: "Rather than risking opening Pandora's Box again, which could be quite a painful experience, by not doing another submission we strengthen our original case."

Councillor Helen Kay (Green, Frome East) said she was concerned that the proposed boundaries would not take account of additional housing within her town.

She said: "There are a lot of new developments going on which are not shown on their maps – they've not taken account of that.

"There's a particular part of Frome called Keyford, that used to be a separate village – it's got its own distinct identity, and it's been bunged in with the central idea and kind of ignored.

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"These wards are supposed to be based on what people feel is their local area."

Councillor Emily Pearlstone (Lib Dem, Martock) added: "Many of us around this table sat through many, many meetings, toying back and forth and arguing relentlessly.

"The amount of work that we have done should be noted – it was quite remarkable. The commission should not cause us any more grief on this."

Those wishing to take part in the consultation can do so via the following means:

• Visiting wwww.lgbce.org.uk/all-reviews/somerset
• Emailing [email protected]
• Posting a letter to Review Officer (Somerset), The Local Boundary Commission for England, 7th Floor, 3 Bunhill Row, London, EC1Y 8YZ

The commission will publish its final recommendations in March 2026, with the final boundaries being laid before parliament to take effect before the local elections on May 6, 2027.

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