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SOUTH SOMERSET Your Somerset Spring 2018 In this IMPROVING LIVES EDITION From care for the elderly and safeguarding children, ££££££££££££££££ ££££££££££££££££ to maintaining roads, Somerset County Council will ££££££££££££££££ be spending £316m this year running vital services. ££££££££££££££££ ££££££££££££££££ ££££££££££££££££ £218m £67 £3m Your Council in capital average Western Tax explained projects increase Corridor See pages 4&5 ach year we set out average by £67, which is still one And of course, we will continue to our plans to fund of the lowest levels of Council Tax maintain our roads and invest in vital day-to-day anywhere in the country. This the infrastructure projects that will services, like social money will be going where it is keep the county moving and care, roads, libraries needed most. prospering. E and children’s services. This year that comes to Nearly two-thirds of Our capital investment – money a whopping £316m. And, we can that cannot be spent on our day- also reveal how much we intend our budget goes on to-day running costs – includes a to invest in Somerset. Our care and support for £3m investment for the Western ambitious plans will see £218m Corridor in Yeovil, £800,000 on the Do you know your ABC? spent on capital projects over adults and children – Enterprise Centre in Wiveliscombe, See pages 8&9 the next four years, including improving the lives of and £430,000 on the second the biggest investment in phase of the Somerset Energy schools for a generation. children in care, older Innovation Centre in Bridgwater. people and people with Like councils across the country, This will also see £140m going we’re feeling the financial strain as disabilities. to new, replacement or expanded funding from central Government schools, including the £9m continues to fall. Despite increasing demand and expansion of Selworthy School in costs, the quality of care in the Taunton. This year, to help meet increasing county continues to rise and our demands and growing costs, the recent Ofsted inspection shows These are major investments in County Council’s part of your that our support for children is the county that will benefit future Like driving? Council Tax bill will increase on improving too. generations. Then be a lifeline See page 12 P a g e Jumping 2 for joy! Plans for huge investment in Somerset’s Head of School, Foster for us Katie Penny with See page 15 pupils from Northgate schools revealed. Primary School in Bridgwater. Contact us TOP CLASS If you can’t find David Fothergill INVESTMENT what you need Council Leader on our website: Finances feature heavily in this edition. This is my first budget as Visit, Leader, and please let me assure www.somerset.gov.uk/contactus you that I see balancing the budget as the biggest responsibility that ● Phone 0300 123 2224 comes with this role. Phone lines are open from 8am to I know that for families across the county, any 6pm, Monday to Friday. rise in Council Tax adds extra pressure, and ● Write to us at this year’s increase was not agreed lightly. Somerset County Council, County Hall, Taunton, Somerset, TA1 4DY We are finding efficiencies and working hard to make every pound we spend go as far as possible, but falling funding from Government Please phone the numbers means the increase is essential. £120m of Pupils from Northgate below for the following services: savings and efficiencies in recent years tells Primary School in their Fostering and Adoption enquiries its own story. new dance studio. 0800 587 9900 The extra Council Tax, which amounts Somerset Heritage Centre to around £1.30 per week, will go (01823) 278805 where it is needed – on services for We’ve set out plans for huge vulnerable residents who need our support the Somerset Road Safety most. You can find out more about where your investment in the county’s (01823) 423430 money goes on pages 4 and 5. Somerset Skills and Learning schools over the next few years. 0330 332 7997 I’ve been Leader now for nearly a year and one thing that has become increasingly clear is the In what we believe to be the biggest investment Somerset Waste Parnership need to continue to work closer and closer with of its kind for generations, up to £140m is (01823) 625700 others - with other councils, with health expected to be spent on 24 new, replacement or colleagues and with our many other partners. expanded schools. ● Other useful numbers We have many shared interests, complementary services and an overriding commitment to The ambitious plans will allow us to meet the Citizens Advice Consumer Service Helpline improving lives. growing demand for school places across the 03454 04 05 06 Improving lives is what this Council, and the county, and will see the County Council contribute Street Lighting Faults public sector across the county, is all about. an estimated £116m towards the cost – the rest 0845 601 0939 Somerset is at its best when working in coming from housing developer contributions and (office hours) and partnership and that is something I want to the Department for Education. 0845 795 9639 build on. (for out of hours emergencies) The programme includes developments in Taunton, Bridgwater, Yeovil, Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge, Wells, Student Finance Direct (Higher Education Students only) Shepton Mallet, Frome, Street, Somerton, Castle Cary, 0845 607 7577 EDITOR’S INFO Ilminster, Crewkerne, and Chard. Wellington Community Office It will create around 2,300 secondary school (01823) 667279 To get in contact with Your Somerset or to advertise in this publication, contact Lauren Fellingham on places by 2023, and includes an estimated 19 (01823) 359176 , email yoursomerset@somerset. projects to expand primary and specialist schools. ● District Councils gov.uk or write to us at Your Somerset , Somerset Mendip District Council The first of the new schools to be built will be the County Council, FREEPOST NAT 9109, £9m expansion of Selworthy School on the site of 0300 303 8588 County Hall, Taunton, TA1 4DY. Sedgemoor District Council the former St Augustine’s School in Taunton, 0300 303 7800 We gratefully acknowledge the support of which will provide high quality education for South Somerset District Council organisations that advertise in Your Somerset , but more than 120 vulnerable children. Somerset County Council can accept no responsibility (01935) 462462 Meanwhile, Northgate Primary School Taunton Deane Borough Council for the products or services advertised. We advise readers to make their own enquires before in Bridgwater recently held its formal opening. (01823) 356356 purchasing products or services. Starting with a reception class and nursery, it West Somerset District Council will eventually have 14 classes and provide (01643) 703704 Pssst... Your Somerset costs 6p per copy to much-needed primary school places for local produce. children. 2 News HAVE YOUR SAY Extra information about what ‘community Whatever the outcome of the consultation, library partnerships’ and ‘library outreach library services will continue to be delivered On libraries services’ would look like is also available, across Somerset. and the questionnaire has been updated. You now have until June Information and questionnaires can be All feedback and comments received will found in all 34 of the county’s libraries. be fully considered before any decisions to have your say on our are made. If you completed a questionnaire Despite big financial challenges, the County before 21 March, we’d encourage you to proposals for the future Council is committed in continuing to deliver review the new information and email any of Somerset’s libraries. a modern, thriving library service across further comments you’d like to make to Somerset. [email protected] There are nine area proposals available to view online at www.somerset.gov.uk/ Alternatively, write to Libraries Consultation librariesconsultation , setting out how The proposals in brief 2018, B3S, County Hall, Taunton, TA1 4DY “Somerset County Council could deliver its ❐ No proposed changes for 12 libraries or contact Somerset Direct on library services differently across Somerset. 0300 123 2224 . ❐ 15 libraries may need community support to keep library buildings open In response to feedback, ❐ For a further seven, there are several the consultation deadline options put forward, including keeping has been extended library buildings as they are, moving to until Wednesday 13 June. new premises or requiring community “ support to remain open. On Electoral Divisions On Sheltered Housing Your views are being sought Support Service on potential new names for four of Somerset’s Electoral Divisions. We currently hold contracts with Sheltered Housing providers to There are 54 Divisions in the county. We are proposing to change the name of four support tenants with high level needs. of them, so that they better describe the These services help tenants manage correspondence, “ area they cover. pay their bills, manage the household budget, arrange Anyone with an interest can take part in appointments and plan shopping or meals. The contracts that“ deliver these services come to an end in October. a consultation, which runs until Friday 25 May. The four electoral divisions and the Following initial discussions with people across Somerset, we are proposing to proposed new names are as follows: stop the contribution of funding to the sheltered housing providers and reinvest this into the ‘Community Connect Model’. This will widen the support available Current name Proposed name to all who need