Parish councils across the Wells area are being asked to join a coalition to defend the interests of rural areas in the face of a major local government shake-up.

The move is being led by a working group set up by Somerset's largest parish council, St Cuthbert Out, which serves all the villages around Wells.

It will canvas views from 20 neighbouring parishes to establish key hopes and fears of rural communities as the change process rolls out.

Under the proposals, the current two-tier system – of the county council plus four district authorities – will be abolished to make way for a one-tier or unitary approach. As a result parish councils may be asked to take on additional functions.

The St Cuthbert Out working group will be contacting the other 20 parish councils with a view to setting up the coalition.

The working group's chairman, Cllr Pablo Foster, said: "We realise this will not be easy but we believe a collective response to change will help us as individual parishes."

The most developed plan for the new-style Somerset has come from county council leader, Cllr David Fothergill.

He wants to see district councils, like Mendip, abolished and all of their powers absorbed by a new Somerset-wide unitary body.

But he also proposes the creation of Local Community Networks, a suggestion which Cllr Foster feels is lacking in detail, especially over the future roles of parish councils.

He said: "We need to prevent other organisations, whether appointed or voluntary, having a disproportionate influence over the needs and rights of our residents or their local representative councils."

He believes a Mid-Somerset coalition of parish councils could collectively negotiate with a new unitary authority far more effectively than each one acting alone.

St Cuthbert (Out) Parish Council serves 11 villages around Wells and neighbouring hamlets. They are South, West and East Horrington, Dinder, Dulcote, Coxley, Polsham, Burcott, Wookey Hole, Easton and Green Ore, south west of the B3151.