Mike Rigby (Highways and Digital) and Tessa Munt (Education) have resigned from Somerset Council’s Executive.

Both will end their roles on 31 December. However both will remain as councillors for the time being.

The resignations come as Somerset Council grapples with its financial problems.

In order to avoid a s114 notice (bankruptcy) mass cuts are being considered, including service cuts and redundancies.

The Leveller understands there are now a number of conflicting views on how to proceed.

Tessa Munt, a former MP is hoping to stand again for Wells and Mendip Hills at the next General Election. on resigning she said: “I have enjoyed my work over the last 18 months, learning so much and striving to improve the lives of Somerset’s children, young people and families in what has proven to be very challenging financial circumstances.”

Mike Rigby has been one of the rising stars in the LibDem team. A professional planner, he turned around the planning team at Somerset West & Taunton. The team was left in chaos following the merger of West Somerset and Taunton Deane.

The team had been decimated by an I’ll conceived redundancy offer. An offer so good the then Chief Executive if the council took herself.

In two years Cll Rigby restored the planning function to normality and ensured it was properly and professionally staffed.

He told The Leveller: “While I’ve enjoyed tremendously the 4.5 years that I’ve held executive positions with first Somerset West & Taunton Council and then Somerset Council, the time has come to move on. I’ve moved many of my key projects through to delivery or the point of no return and the time has come, after ten years as a county/unitary councillor the time has come to move on. Part of that decision is based on how time-consuming the job of an executive councillor has become. I didn’t feel that I could do the job properly without it becoming full-time. The problem with this is that an executive councillor is paid just £34/day and the role prevents you from doing much else to earn a living. As a qualified town planner and experienced placemaking professional, I’ll be returning to that type of work once I step down at the end of the year. I wish all my colleagues well in leading the council through choppy waters.”