TAUNTON'S green spaces will be managed at a more local level as part of big changes to local government in Somerset.

The new Somerset Council will officially come into being on April 1, replacing Somerset County Council and the four district councils.

As part of the reorganisation of local government, Taunton will get a town council for the first time since the mid-1970s.

County councillors have now agreed that this new town council will assume responsibility for maintaining the county town’s public green spaces – along with its public toilets, allotments and a range of other services.

As of April 1, the following parks will be under town council control:

  • Comeytrowe Park
  • French Weir Park (including public conveniences)
  • Galmington Park (including pavilion and public conveniences)
  • Goodland Gardens (including café)
  • Greenway Recreation Ground
  • Hamilton Gault Park (including pavilion and public conveniences)
  • Hawthorn Park
  • Lyngford Park
  • Priorswood Park (plus public conveniences)
  • Taunton Green (including pavilion)
  • Victoria Park (including pavilion and public conveniences)

In addition to these parks, the town council will take control of the public conveniences on Cannon Street, Castle Green, Victoria Street and within Vivary Park.

The council will also assume responsibility for Taunton’s allotments, along with a number of local services, such as grass cutting, play area maintenance, dog poo bins, litter picking and clearing up fly-tipping.

Councillor Mike Rigby, portfolio holder for transport and digital, told the council’s executive committee on Wednesday morning (March 15) that he expected other services would follow suit in the years ahead.

He said: “I suspect that this is the first tranche of assets that would be requested to be transferred, based on the discussions we had in the working group.

“I imagine this will be the beginning of the process, rather than the end.”

To enable the town council to deliver these services, funding from the unitary council’s council tax precept will be transferred to the town council as the base for the new financial year.

From April 2024, the town council will be able to raise its own precept to fund these services.

Other towns and parishes across Somerset are expected to make similar transfers of assets and responsibilities – such as Bridgwater’s green spaces – to prevent over-centralisation under the new authority.

Council leader Bill Revans said: “We look forward to having these conversations with our town and parish councils.”

The first elections to the new town council will take place on May 4.