Election results:
The results of yesterday’s Somerset County Council elections are as follows:
Liberal Democrat: 61
Conservative: 36
Green Party: 5
Labour: 5
Independent: 3
Full details of the results for individual divisions and candidates can be found on the elections results page on the authority’s website. The results mean that Liberal Democrats take overall control of the council.
More than 430,000 people were eligible to vote for the 337 candidates standing for the 110 seats. The turnout at the election by district was Mendip – 39.3%; Sedgemoor – 30%; Somerset West and Taunton – 38.73%; South Somerset – 38.15.
This year’s election was different as 110 councillors were elected – two in each of the 55 divisions – as Somerset prepares for the biggest change in local government in decades.
For their first year, the councillors will take responsibility for all current County Council services and oversee the local government reorganisation to establish the single unitary Somerset Council on 1 April 2023. District councils will remain until 31 March 2023 and the councillors serving on them will continue in their roles until that date.
From 1 April 2023, the 110 members of the unitary council will be responsible for services that are currently delivered by the county and four district councils, ranging from adults’ and children’s social care to highways and housing, and from libraries to planning and licensing.
The current councillors will officially stand down from their roles and hand over to the newly-elected councillors at midnight on 9 May.
The Full Council Annual General meeting on 25 May will appoint the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Council, the Leader of the Council, and the members of the various Council committees.
Immediately after the Full Council Meeting it is expected that the new Leader of the Council will confirm appointments to Cabinet roles.
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Media contacts: For more information contact pressoffice@somerset.gov.uk or call 01823 355020
