YEOVIL could soon see a change in the day to day management of services around the town.

Somerset Council’s Executive Committee met today (July 15) to agree to what they are describing as an “historic devolution deal” with Yeovil Town Council (YTC), which is expected to be ratified at the town council’s full council meeting tomorrow (July 16).

If approved by both parties, and all final legal matters are agreed, it means that operational services at Yeovil Recreation Centre and Café, Yeovil Country Park and Nine Springs Café, Westlands Entertainment Venue and South Somerset Heritage Collection will be transferred from Somerset Council to Yeovil Town Council on August 1.

There will be minimal change to services in the short term and existing bookings will continue as planned.

These devolution discussions sit alongside the exploration of options for the future of the Octagon Theatre Capital Project

The move to offer to devolve non-statutory services to parish councils was prompted by Somerset Council’s financial emergency, announced in November 2023.

In December 2023, YTC agreed in principle to receive ownership and responsibility for a set of assets and services, and since then work has been underway to implement this decision.

Somerset Council agreed the budget for the coming year in February which included a council tax rise of 5% and using reserves to help plug a £100 million funding gap.

Dramatic cost-cutting measures – including plans to axe around 1,000 jobs at the authority – are now set to begin, as the council bids to avoid issuing a section 114 notice, effectively declaring itself bankrupt.

Somerset Council says that devolving services to Yeovil Town Council will help to protect those services for the communities they serve.

Yeovil Town Council will meet to discuss the proposal on July 16 at 7pm. This is a public meeting and you can join in person or virtually.

If you wish to join the meeting virtually, e-mail ytc@yeovil.gov.uk by 9am on the day.