Somerset goes gold as Liberal Democrats take control of the county
By Emma Dance
7th May 2022 | Local News
The Liberal Democrats have won control of the Somerset council.
The party won a majority of 61 seats out of 110.
The Conservatives won 36 seats, while Labour and the Green Party have five seats each. Three seats went to independents.
Full details of the results for individual divisions and candidates can be found on the elections results page on the authority's website.
The Conservatives have been in charge of the county since 2009.
More than 430,000 people were eligible to vote for the 337 candidates standing for the 110 seats. The turnout at the election by district was Mendip - 39.3%; Sedgemoor - 30%; Somerset West and Taunton - 38.73%; South Somerset - 38.15.
This year's election was different as 110 councillors were elected - two in each of the 55 divisions - as Somerset prepares for the biggest change in local government in decades.
For their first year, the councillors will take responsibility for all current County Council services and oversee the local government reorganisation to establish the single unitary Somerset Council on April 1 2023. District councils will remain until March 31 2023 and the councillors serving on them will continue in their roles until that date.
From April 1 2023, the 110 members of the unitary council will be responsible for services that are currently delivered by the county and four district councils, ranging from adults' and children's social care to highways and housing, and from libraries to planning and licensing.
The current councillors will officially stand down from their roles and hand over to the newly-elected councillors at midnight on May 9.
The Full Council Annual General meeting on May 25 will appoint the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Council, the Leader of the Council, and the members of the various Council committees.
Immediately after the Full Council Meeting it is expected that the new Leader of the Council will confirm appointments to Cabinet roles.
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