Somerset taxpayers will see their council tax rise by the highest amount possible in the first year of their new council.
Somerset County Council and the four district councils – Mendip, Sedgemoor, Somerset West & Taunton and South Somerset – will officially cease to exist on April 1, as they are replaced by the new unitary Somerset Council.
The new unitary authority will set its very first budget on February 22, needing to plug a budget gap of more than £38m because of increased demand for children’s services and adult social care.
To achieve this, council tax bills across Somerset will rise by nearly five per cent – and numerous savings will be implemented over the course of the year.