Somerset residents are being asked for their initial views on how their county's political map should be redrawn ahead of the next local elections.

Somerset Council was created with 110 elected members, two for each of the 55 divisions on boundaries inherited from Somerset County Council (with Glastonbury and Street being split into separate divisions).

The council put forward its initial proposals to reduce the number of councillors in mid-September, envisioning a drop from 110 councillors to 96 – a drop of around 13 per cent.

The Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) is now asking residents for their initial views on how this reduction could be achieved before the next local elections in Somerset, which are due to be held in May 2027.

The review is designed to ensure that each local councillor represents about the same number of electors, and that the divisions they represent reflect community identities.

Somerset's current electorate (i.e. those who are registered to vote) currently stands at 444,093 – which works at each councillor representing an average of 4,037 people.

By 2029, the electorate is expected to increase to 467,403 in light of housing and employment growth – meaning each councillor would represent an average of 4,626 people if the boundaries remained unchanged.

Under the council's own proposals, reducing the number of councillors from 110 to 96 would leave each councillor representing, on average, 4,868 people.

This ratio of electors to councillors would be comparable to the current levels in Cornwall, and lower than the recently-created North Yorkshire unitary authority – but it would be higher than both Wiltshire and in Buckinghamshire once the latter's recently agreed boundary changes take effect in May 2025.

LGBCE chairman Professor Colin Mellors said: "We are looking for your views, as local people, on how you think Somerset should be represented in divisions that reflect local communities and identities.

"By telling us about where you live and where you access local services, it will help us to create appropriate and meaningful boundaries.

"It might be something as straightforward as where you go for shops, schools or a sporting venue, whether you see a road, park or river as a dividing feature or the heart of a community, or which areas have joint projects.

"Hearing from local residents will give us important evidence to inform our recommendations for a pattern of divisions for Somerset that ensures each councillor represents about the same number of electors."

Residents have until January 20, 2025 to provide their preliminary opinions by one of the following methods:

• 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

These responses will be used to form concrete proposals for the new boundaries, which will be subject to a more detailed round of public consultation between June 3 and August 11, 2025.

The LCBGE will publish its final recommendations on December 2, 2025, with the recommendations being laid before parliament ahead of the 2027 local elections.

Any by-elections held before May 2027 – including the two scheduled for November 21 – will be fought on the existing division boundaries.