MAJOR changes to how services in Somerset are provided – in a bid to plug an estimated £190 million gap in funding – have been approved.

Somerset Council’s Executive has approved the second phase of a plan to cut costs at the struggling authority, which is battling a ‘financial emergency’ as it tries to balance the books.

Called Inspiring Innovation, the next phase of the council’s Improvement and Transformation Programme aims to build on work undertaken over the past two years, including the axing of staff to cut the authority’s wage bill by some £34m.

The proposals were approved at a meeting of the Executive on Monday (July 7).

Councillors were told finances remain in a precarious position, blamed largely on a ‘broken system of funding for local councils’ amid the ‘rising demand and costs for core services like social care’.

Council chiefs have pledged to use the Improvement and Transformation Programme to create a ‘fairer, greener, and more resilient future’, using the financial challenges to ‘do things differently – and better’.

Phase two of the project will see a consultant partner brought in to work with the council to identify and implement changes including:

Improving service delivery and responsiveness
Reducing operational costs and inefficiencies
Enhancing the overall experience of interacting with Somerset Council for residents, businesses, and staff
Supporting the development of a data-driven organisation, where insight and evidence underpin strategic and operational decisions

The council has vowed to apply best practice and require a return of at least £2.50 to £3 for every £1 invested over a four-year period.

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Cllr Bill Revans (Lib Dem, North Petherton), leader of the council, said: “We have had to make a lot of hard decisions over the past two years due to the broken system of local Government funding but we have always made these choices with the best interests of our communities at heart and to ensure that the future of our county remains in Somerset’s hands.

“We will continue to do everything we can to move towards financial sustainability, including exploring all areas to further reduce costs and find savings, and the procurement of independent expertise to support this work is critical to driving the level of savings we need to continue to make.

“We will also continue to lobby Government for a fairer system to provide essential services looking after the most vulnerable adults and children in our communities.”

Cllr Theo Butt Philip (Lib Dem, Wells), lead member for transformation, human resources and localities, added: “We know that the challenge we face is great – to meet the twin objectives or delivering the aspirations of the people and communities of Somerset, while making this Council truly financially sustainable.

“We need to move forward with hope and purpose. Undertaking transformation of the scale we propose will require investment and we must not shy away from that reality – unless we invest wisely now, we will not be able to close our budget gap and continually improve outcomes for our residents and communities.

“This phase will be about redesigning services around the real needs of people and places, empowering local teams, and working in partnership with residents, voluntary groups, and public services.

“We are investing in digital tools and data to make services more accessible and responsive, while ensuring no one is left behind. We will be fostering a culture of curiosity, collaboration, and continuous learning – where every voice matters and every idea has the potential to spark change.”

You can read the full plan online HERE.

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