Bridgwater’s political leaders have responded after Somerset Council was hit with a formal government warning over the state of its finances.
Bridgwater Town Council and local MP Ashley Fox both issued statements after the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) served Somerset Council with a ‘best value notice’ on July 15.
The notice follows an independent review which branded the county council’s financial management “weak” and gave it just one star out of five.
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Ashley Fox MP warns of "damning verdict"
Bridgwater MP Ashley Fox took aim at Somerset Council’s Liberal Democrat administration, describing the notice as "a damning verdict on four years of Liberal Democrat incompetence at Somerset Council."
He said: "A Best Value Notice is not issued routinely. It is a clear signal that the Government has the most serious concern about the council's financial management, its performance and the painfully slow pace of improvement."
Mr Fox pointed to Somerset’s "financial emergency," as well as the council’s one-star financial rating from the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, and losses from property sales.
The Bridgwater MP said: "The people of Somerset are paying record levels of council tax, yet too many services are getting worse.
"Children and families have been let down, adult social care has been judged as requiring improvement, planning development is underperforming, and residents are rightly asking what they are getting in return for their money.
He added: "Somerset deserves competent leadership that lives within its means, delivers good public services and provides value for taxpayers."
Bridgwater Town Council reassures locals about impact
Bridgwater Town Council said it "notes with concern the Government’s decision to issue a Best Value Notice to Somerset Council" but stressed the move has "no direct impact on Bridgwater Town Council, which remains financially sound and well governed."
The council said it had taken "early and decisive action" since local government reorganisation to protect local jobs, services and community assets.
Bridgwater Town Council said the wider challenges facing local government require long-term solutions, calling for the further devolution of powers, responsibilities and resources to town and parish councils to deliver more for their communities.
Council leader Brian Smedley said: "Bridgwater's experience shows the value of devolving powers and resources to local councils that have the ambition and capacity to deliver for their communities. Decisions are often best made closest to the people they affect."
What the Best Value notice means for Somerset
The best value notice is a non-statutory intervention tool used when government has serious concerns about whether a council is meeting its "best value duty" under the Local Government Act 1999 to deliver value for money for local taxpayers.
It requires Somerset Council to demonstrate urgent improvement and to provide regular updates until the notice is reviewed in July 2027.
The letter to Somerset Council’s chief executive states government ministers remain concerned about the authority’s "fragile financial position" and the speed of change, and calls for "urgent action" to manage demand more cost-effectively and to accelerate transformation.
Council leader Bill Revans made a statement on the notice when the full council in Bridgwater on July 15. He said: "This is a serious step. It represents the highest level of government concern short of formal intervention; we accept that, and we will respond positively and constructively.
"We have already established an improvement advisory board to provide challenge, support and oversight of our improvement journey. This will unlock welcome additional support from the government and through the Local Government Association - though this will not involve any money."
"We remain completely responsible for making decisions locally and delivering services for the people of Somerset."
Councillor Revans added: "We have been open about the scale of the challenges facing this council. Demand for services continue to rise, costs continue to increase, and this notice rightly reflects the concern not only about financial resilience but also the need to accelerate improvements in services.
"We know there is much more work to do to strengthen our finances, governance, transformation and service performance. While progress has been made, we have never been complacent and never will be."
