I STRONGLY rebut claims made in last week’s paper that Taunton Deane Borough Council is to bail out West Somerset Council at a cost of almost £6 million. 

This is at best scaremongering and, at worst, seriously damaging to both authorities and the communities they serve.

As leader of the council and of the Conservative administration I am outraged that political opponents are prepared to play political games with little thought as to the effect those games may have because of the misinformation being spread.

Our staff, who work extraordinarily hard to provide the best possible services to the community, are now left wondering about their future while our communities are left wondering what is happening – and at what cost to the many things they hold dear.

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Meetings to discuss West Somerset and Taunton Deane council links

It is no secret that the two councils are in a partnership, an initiative that has saved us £1.8 million per year. That’s taxpayers’ money being saved which goes towards maintaining essential front line services.

It’s no secret that we are looking to how we can make further savings, while continuing to deliver those all-important services, by looking at how we work in future.

It’s no secret that we are working on a business case looking at three options – retaining the partnership, considering a merger, or going our individual ways.

That business case is still in preparation. But, in the tradition of openness and even-handedness, the first, confidential draft was shared with an all-party advisory group of members.

Opposition members chose to share one headline-grabbing option with the media – before other councillors were briefed and before staff were briefed and in flagrant breach of confidentiality. This is, quite simply, outrageous and takes no heed of the effect their desperation to grab a headline might have.

Our future paths as councils will be considered through the democratic process – in public and at meetings that anyone can attend. The documents will be publically available online in advance of those meetings. This is what’s meant by democracy.

No organisation – public or private – should be subject to leaks of confidential information solely for the purpose of political point scoring. Integrity in politics is essential – lose that and you lose the trust of the people we serve.

CLLR JOHN WILLIAMS
Leader, Taunton Deane Borough Council