North Somerset Council to Cut Number of Councillors

North Somerset Council says it is committed to reducing the number of councillors.

Prior to the council elections in May this year, councillor Peter Bryant was tasked with looking at whether the council still needed as many as 61 ward members.

As a results of this investigation it has been decided for budgetary reasons, a reduction in councillors is essential.

However, due to the recent election this year, and the resulting four year term, a reduction in councillors is not possible before 2015.

Council leader Nigek Ashton said: "The council faces an unprecedented financial challenge between 2011-2015 and the council's Medium Term Financial Plan outlines how the council could plug a projected £47.3m financial gap.

"This gap is the result of a range of issues including substantial cuts in Government funding, a growing elderly population, inflationary increases and the fact that North Somerset Council continues to be a low-funded authority while maintaining the second lowest council tax in the South West.

"Clearly the work doesn't stop after 2015 and we must come up with even more suggestions to make significant savings.

"We have asked our officers to look at every possible avenue, have given staff a pay freeze and it is only right that councillors now get their own house in order. Savings must be made.

"We asked the Boundary Commission two years ago when they would be able to look at a review of ward boundaries and when they would be in a position to examine any proposals and the effects of any reduction in the number of councillors.

The earliest they could come was 2012 and we have a working party looking at all the ramifications of reducing the number of councillors.

"We will be putting proposals to council well ahead of the commission's visit."

The Local Government Boundary Commission is likely to start its review in the second part of 2012. It is expected to take between 12 and 14 months to complete.